MEDIA RELEASE 12 July 2007
The Gold Coast gets ready for the Anaconda Adventure Race
The Gold Coast is getting ready for its second Anaconda Adventure Race to kick
off at Tugun on Sunday, 5 August.
The Gold Coast Anaconda Adventure Race attracted 440 competitors last year,
racing individually as well as in teams. So far, 231 participants have
registered for this year's race and competitors have until Friday, 27 July to
sign-up.
The race includes ocean swimming, ocean and river kayaking, creek and mountain
running, mountain biking and beach running. The race is also accessible to
beginners, with a relay teams category where participants can choose to do just
one leg. Children are also encouraged to participate in the Junior Survivor
Challenge, which is being held on Saturday, 4 August at Tugun SLSC.
The best result of the 2006 race was accomplished by former surf ironman and
Tugun resident Guy Andrews who finished first in just under four hours.
"I train for four hours every weekday and up to eight hours on weekends, doing
all the core disciplines including swimming, mountain biking, running and
paddling," Andrews said.
"What I like best about adventure racing is the variety of locations and
multiple disciplines. I compete in about 15 events around the world every year,
some team-based as well as solo," he added.
According to Andrews, this year's biggest contenders for victory – after
himself! – are Jarad Kohlar, 2006 winner of the final round in Lorne, Victoria,
Gordon Walker, world champion adventure racer and New Zealander Richard Ussher,
former world champion adventure racer.
Other competitors will include the Southwell family from the Sunshine Coast who
will take family participation to the next level as ironman Leanne and Tony will
be competing along with three of their children.
The Gold Coast Anaconda Adventure Race, which is also hosted by Guy's local surf
club at Tugun, is particularly appreciated by competitors for the diversity of
its terrain from the beach and river to the mountains and back to the beach.
Outdoor adventure retailer Anaconda is the principal sponsor of the race series
which is run by Rapid Ascent headed up by former world champion kayaker John
Jacoby who has competed in many adventure races around the world.
Adventure racing is a relatively new sport that attracts 'every day' people and
elite athletes from around the globe. Adventure racing has emerged as the big
brother to marathons, road races and triathlons. According to Adventure Sports
Magazine, adventure racing has expanded from 12 races held in 1998, to over 500
scheduled in the year 2005 and has sometimes been called the off-road triathlon.
The Anaconda Adventure Race series will also be held in Forster (NSW) in
September, Geographe Bay (WA) in November and Lorne (Vic) in December.
The races have their own unique characteristics to suit their terrain but all
include a combination of running, cycling, swimming and kayaking.
For more information on the Anaconda Adventure Races and to register, please
visit
www.anacondaadventurerace.com.
Anaconda can be contacted on 1300 669 137 or by visiting
www.anaconda.com.au.
Released for Anaconda by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Nicola Rutzou on (02) 9413
4244.
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