http://www.abudhabi-adventure.comgbinfo@abudhabi-adventure.comAs the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge continues to establish itself as one of the world’s premier adventure racing events, this year’s showpiece has been flooded with a massive wave of registration as it once again looks to smash all records. Hitting levels way beyond anything experienced in previous years, registration for the 2010 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has reached fever-pitch with teams from every corner of the globe clamouring to sign-up for the race that, in the space of ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news227Fri, 3 Sep 2010This year there is a plethora of newcomers to the Challenge but that doesn’t mean these are teams without ambition or talent. And just to prove it we want to introduce you to a team from New Caledonia which has proved, over the years, that it is a force to be reckoned with and could well finish among the race leaders. Comprised of three men and a woman from New Caledonia, an island in the Southwest Pacific, this team, built primarily around powerful biking and orienteering skills, i...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news226Fri, 3 Sep 2010 http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news222Fri, 13 Aug 2010Building on the success of its inaugural race earlier this year, the sister event to the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has added a 'novice circuit' to attract a broader field.In March this year, more than 800 athletes from 30 countries, including over 340 Middle East-based racers, assembled in Abu Dhabi to compete in the first ever Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. The 2011 edition, planned for the 12th March, is expected to attract more than 1,500 international athletes from around...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news206Tue, 20 Jul 2010The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge presents numerous occasions to 'seize the day' during the race but there is nothing stopping you from getting an early start.You still have until the 31st July to register and benefit from the special fee of 2,000 Euros, even if your team is currently incomplete. Whether you are still looking for a couple of athletes to round off your squad or waiting for a final green light from a sponsor, you can use the online registration and payment service to g...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news205Tue, 20 Jul 2010Every year since its inception in 2007, we've introduced a slight twist to the event for 2011 we've literally gone 360 degrees. In 2007 the race began with a sprint start to the kayaks, parked on the sweeping Corniche Beach in downtown Abu Dhabi City, which was followed by a 118km paddle along the picturesque Al Dhabela coast to Mirfa. For 2008 we introduced a triathlon-style prologue around the Corniche involving a bike sprint, a short kayaking loop to Lulu Island, a few hundred me...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news202Thu, 1 Jul 2010Last years overnight stop in the desert, where the leading teams spent a couple of hours deliberating a perennial dilemma, should we stay or should we go?, is a perfect example of the kind of crucial decisions intrinsic to any well-designed race strategy. So to help you practise for that potentially decisive moment, it's time to take the plunge and head for the online registration, where we've taken the pain out of paying by adding an online payment option. All you have to do is cli...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news196Tue, 25 May 2010In its relentless ascension to the zenith of international AR racing, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has undergone a number of subtle changes - now it's time for the website to keep apace... Sometimes doing the simplest thing on the web can be just as gruelling as competing in the most demanding of adventure races. So thinking that it would be best for you, as competitors and fans of the sport, to reserve your stamina and hard-earned skill sets for the heat of competition, we hav...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news195Tue, 25 May 2010The only thing more competitive than the stunning Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is our early bird sign-up offer! A little later than in 2009, this year's Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge will take place from the 10th to the 15th of December. Already established as a must do AR season finale, you and your assembled squad of racing champions can look forward to gaining an abundance of cultural and event experience with this pre-holiday adventure t...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news190Wed, 17 Mar 2010Tune in to EUROSPORT this month for an in depth, Hi-Def double feature of the world's top international adventure race! Episode 13rd March at 21:40 with a repeat March 17th at 23:45 and March 19th at 8h30. Episode 210th March at 22:30 with a repeat March 24th at 23:30 and 25th March at 08:30...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2010#news188Fri, 26 Feb 2010One of the real joys and privileges of organizing the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is the opportunity to say thanks to all of you who took part and gave so much to make this year?s event such a resounding success. Without your efforts, determination, competitive spirit and camaraderie there would, of course, be no race and we sincerely hope that the cultural and natural splendours of Abu Dhabi made as great an impact on you as you on it. There is no time like the present, even if d...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news186Wed, 23 Dec 2009Using all the experience gained from the last two years, Richard USSHER has once again brought together a world beating squad in the form of QASR AL SARAB (NZ) to take the ABU DHABI ADVENTURE CHALLENGE for the third time running. From the moment the team lists were published, the world-class combination of husband and wife Richard and Elina USSHER, Marcel HAGENER and last minute stand in NATHAN FA?AVAE, a legend in the sport?s lifetime, stood out as the team to beat on this year?s A...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news185Wed, 9 Dec 2009The first section of the final day took the teams on a 21km trek up the Jebel Hafeet mountain, where they encountered, amidst the darkness and low cloud, satisfaction for most and disappointment for some. In the pitch black, at 5 o?clock in the morning, the teams gathered at the start of the 21km trek up the harsh, jagged terrain, where a canyon rope-works awaited them, along with a number of orienteering choices. First onto the summit of the 1,110m peak were race leaders QASR AL SA...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news182Wed, 9 Dec 2009With the weather conditions deteriorating, the teams set off in a sand storm from the Qasr Al Sarab Resort for the final 53km MTB section through the desert Within minutes of leaving, the violent headwind picked up, driving even more sand across the already sandy track and the teams slowed to a crawl, disappearing into clouds of dust. After around 10km a small group gathered at the edge of the trail when QASR AL SARAB (NZ) had to stop to repair a puncture. Losing 10 minutes overall,...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news181Tue, 8 Dec 2009This morning at 07:00, the teams sped away from the desert bivouac for the opening MTB section - 33.7km from the dunes in Hamim to the majestic resort hotel of Qasr Al Sarab. The violent desert wind that began during the night was still whipping sand across the dunes and the road  this morning as the teams pushed hard in an attempt to break away from the leading pack. By the time they reached the 8km mark, current race leaders, the eponymous QASR AL SARAB (NZ), had already managed ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news179Tue, 8 Dec 2009Sitting in the shade near the finish, the shattered teams shared some thoughts on their exhausting desert adventure.Nathan FA?AVAE (QASR AL SARAB): ?That was very hard but not harder than I expected ? experience counts for a lot on this kind of stage , especially when your running on a surface that leaves a trace like the sand. A fast team that would normally pull away from the competition on a hard surface just can?t put any distance between the following teams ? it?s the same on th...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news177Mon, 7 Dec 2009On the 70km/120km desert orienteering stage, the teams were obliged to rest for at least 8 hours ?...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news174Mon, 7 Dec 2009At 07:00 this morning the teams left the camp at Liwa Dune for the first day of a grueling 120km trek through the Rub Al Khali ? the legendary and unforgiving ?Empty Quarter?.  By the time the teams reached the checkpoint at 28km into the stage, they were already strung out over several kilometres with the race leaders, Richard USSHER and team QASR AL SARAB (NZ), set...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news169Sun, 6 Dec 2009After a restorative night spent bivouacking on an island north of Abu Dhabi city, the teams set off early this morning for the long paddle back to Corniche Beach. Last night, at around 20:00, the last teams to reach the island bivouac had to contend with the ebbing tide and surging currents as well as the accumulated fatigue of the day?s paddling. But, after a good ni...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news167Sat, 5 Dec 2009After a short pause around noon, the teams took another grouped, Le Mans style start from Corniche Beach for the first 33km sea-kayaking leg of a two-part kayaking section over today and tomorrow.  http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news162Fri, 4 Dec 2009Faris Al Sultan, captain of Abu Dhabi Triathlon, is recognized as one of the world?s top triathletes and winner, among others, of the legendary Ironman Hawaii in 2005. This year, along with a crack team of German athletes heralding from the same sport, he has turned his attention for the first time to multisports and the Abu Dhabi Adventure Cha...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news166Sat, 5 Dec 2009With just a few hours to go before the start of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, we?ve added some serious bells and whistles to the website to help you stay up close and personal with the race:- Top of the list is the Leader Board, where you find up to the minute rankings throughout the race.- Then comes an http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news165Sat, 5 Dec 2009As the teams gathered under early morning blue skies for the opening section of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge?s, a fast, 28km triathlon style prologue, a number of different approaches were already discernable. All the teams agreed it was better to be safe than sorry on the bikes but a quick scan around the floor was indication enough that opinions differed o...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news159Fri, 4 Dec 2009This morning, after the team briefing held in the Rotana Park Hotel, the teams lugged bundles of helmets and assorted mandatory equipment from station to station to check it all for compliance with the rules and regulations. During an exercise essential to safety and often seen as a prequel of the rigours to come tomorrow morning, when the real racing starts at 08:00, some had more than just gear to reveal? A grim looking Karine Baillet, and her experienced French marauders ABU DHABI SPORTS ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news158Thu, 3 Dec 2009With just a few hours to go before the start of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, we?ve added some serious bells and whistles to the website to help you stay up close and personal with the race: - Top of the list is the Leader Board, where you find up to the minute rankings throughout the race. - Then comes an Interactive Map where you can discover the entire course in detail, section by section, with the position of every team clearly indicated. - The GPS Tracking System gives you im...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news155Thu, 3 Dec 2009Faris Al Sultan, captain of Abu Dhabi Triathlon, is recognized as one of the world?s top triathletes and winner, among others, of the legendary Ironman Hawaii in 2005. This year, along with a crack team of German athletes heralding from the same sport, he has turned his attention for the first time to multisports and the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. Though the challenge is new, the location most certainly isn?t as Faris has been coming to Abu Dhabi every winter to train of the last 10 years: "...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news156Thu, 3 Dec 2009December is almost upon us and, as the festive season draws near, 40 teams from around world will be lucky enough to get a jump on the fun by competing in this year?s bigger and better Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.Once again, the race start is in Abu Dhabi city with the same subtle and exciting twist as last year: an explosive 30km circuit from Corniche Beach, around Lulu Island and back, involving thttp://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news151Sat, 28 Nov 2009The promise of a topflight competition coupled with a race course that includes cultural as well as natural splendours has lured both local heroes, newcomers and seasoned performers from around the globe to this year?s event. With 40 teams representing 20 different nationalities, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has formally established itself as the most international blue-ribbon adventure race in the world. Appear...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news152Sat, 28 Nov 2009 All good things must come to an end but there?s no reason why you can?t stretch out the proceedings a little and make the most of it while it lasts, so we?ve made the race even longer this year, to give you more challenges, more excitement? and loads more vitamin D. Abu Dhabi is a country in full flower ? the kind of place that requires a rewrite ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news147Thu, 24 Sep 2009Abu Dhabi once provided princes with pearls and now, with its generous blend of trials and traditions, The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge provides the world of adventure racing with one of its rarest gems. A unique opportunity to race with grace? http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news145Fri, 31 Jul 2009In attracting a broad selection of teams from around the globe, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has established itself as the world?s most international adventure racing event.Last newsletter we saw how the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has been fine-tuned, through route options, a sensible set of rules and overarching logistical support, to guarantee an exciting and fi...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news143Tue, 30 Jun 2009The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, with it?s practical stage format, sensible rules and team-friendly logistical infrastructure, gives any moderately experienced team the opportunity to compete against an unparalleled field of the world?s top teams in excellent conditions. The organisation behind the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has a wealth of experiencehttp://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news142Thu, 4 Jun 2009 Excellent news from the organisers of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge as they make a massive reduction to the 2009 entrance fee, ensuring access to all teams across the international adventure racing community. An adventure race of this importance requires serious funds,  preparation and logistics but, more than any of these, it requires you. Without the ath...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news139Mon, 20 Apr 2009With the preliminary discussions around this year?s ADAC finally bearing their fruit, dates aren?t the only goodies you?ll find in the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge bag.In keeping with the last two years, when early December was chosen as the ideal period, both from the point of view of athletes and organisation, for adventure racing?s Blue Ribbon finale, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Chal...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news137Mon, 23 Mar 2009In keeping with tradition, this year?s edition of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has been slated for the first 2 weeks of December?To say Abu Dhabi is a busy place would be a serious understatement and, just as one might well expect in a country determined to open its arms to the rest of the world, there are barely enough days in the year to accommo...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news135Fri, 13 Mar 2009EUROSPORT brings you ?The Challenge?Tune in to EUROSPORT this month for an in depth, Hi-Def double feature of the world?s hottest international adventure race!Episode 14th March at 20:30 with a repeat 23:30 and 6th March at 00:3...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news133Mon, 2 Mar 2009With St Valentine?s just around the corner, some of you are probably already tired of pulling the petals in an attempt to anticipate your score on the passion scale and though he or she might well have amorous designs on you, rest assured, we most certainly do. And just to prove it we are sending you all an early invitation to the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, already established as one of the most spectacular multi-sports events in the adventure-rac...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news131Fri, 13 Feb 2009The 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge gets an early airing this Sunday, ensuring an auspicious start to the 2009 season of NBC Sport?s celebrated outdoor series.Sunday, January 18th at 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT. http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2009#news130Sat, 17 Jan 2009Richard USSHER, captain of DESERT ISLANDS (NZ), draws on the experience and talents of his teammates to complete an error free final day, inspiring his team all the way to the finish at Al Ain to win the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. 6 days ago, the 36 teams competing in the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge set out from Abu Dhabi city to cover a 361km adventure racing course that would not only test their capacity for physical ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news126Wed, 17 Dec 2008SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA), seeing the prospect of a 3rd place looming on the horizon, manage a swift and error free penultimate section and show DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) and NIKE (USA) exactly how to get on and off the ropes. Once the teams had finished biking up the 1000m to the summit of Jebel Hafeet this morning at around 08:00, they left their hi-tech steeds with the trucks belonging to the UAE armed forces and donned climbing helmets, harnesses and gloves. The following section would re...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news123Wed, 17 Dec 2008The first section on the last day of the race sees DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) make an immense effort to consolidate the slenderest of leads in the battle for first place against fellow Kiwis TEAM NZ. At 06:00 this morning the teams could just about distinguish the rocky, serrated summit of Jebel Hafeet soaring above the camp at Green Mubazzarah. Moments later they were hurtling along the smooth tarmac road that twists and turns 12km to the lookout at the top but, as the sinuous route became steeper ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news120Wed, 17 Dec 2008Every team has a sponsor and every athlete a cherished and irreplaceable piece of kit, carefully selected to gain an unassailable edge and bestow that distinctive air of ?natural born winners? on even the rankest of outsiders. But if you really want to achieve more than just looking the part, there is one purveyor of ?winning-wear? whose illustrious logo regularly helps propel th...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news127Wed, 17 Dec 2008Yesterday?s desert trekking stage might have appeared endless to many of the teams but it didn?t have much of an impact on the tourniquet like status quo governing the first five teams. So close are they that the last day?s racing will not only decide the honours but also take the cost of any error into triple figures. A short burst of speed over the last kilometre coming into the finish in Hassab, after already racing flat-out across 107km of sand dunes, earned SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA)...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news119Tue, 16 Dec 2008At 7h00 this morning the 36 teams set out in a thick veil of fog from Moreeb Dune with the prospect of a 36-hour struggle with the sands on this massive 107km desert trekking stage. At 07:00 this morning, the 36 teams, equipped with gaiters, loose-fitting trousers, wide brimmed hats and faces smeared with sun-block, set off on a 107km trek through the Liwa Desert, one of the most daunting stages of this 6-day competition. After a night spent in the bivouac at Moreeb Dune, the athletes awoke t...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news117Mon, 15 Dec 2008Al Mirfa ? 14th December, 2008 ? As the race hits its mid point, early front runners DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) see their race lead reduced with the power paddlers vying for supremacy over the second 82km sea-kayaking section. The 3rd day of the race started early this morning as the teams awoke from a well-earned slumber on the Island of Umm al Kurkum. The moon was still bright in the sky as, over a period of half an hour, the teams embarked in the same order they finished the night before. In tota...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news114Sun, 14 Dec 2008With a stiff, 12-knot South Easterly whipping up some serious spume, the teams took to the water at East Beach for a 27km paddle to the delightful desert island of Umm al Kurkum.http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news112Sat, 13 Dec 2008 Early this morning, Sir Bani Yas Island served as the arena for a highly competitive struggle between the leading teams over a 45.5km MTB stage.http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news111Sat, 13 Dec 2008 To paraphrase the old saying and with all due respect to Bali-Hai: ?On our way to Shangri-la, may I suggest we stop at Sir Bani Yas?? When it comes to eulogies, this emerald Eden set in an glistening azure sea, can probably lay claim to the most stirring but, once you set foot here, the atmosphere that pervades this ma...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news108Fri, 12 Dec 2008This morning at 8:00, the 36 teams sped away along the Corniche Beach road for the opening biking leg of this showcase ?triathlon? held in downtown Abu Dhabi City. With biking, sea-kayaking and trail running on the menu, the 40km prologue to this 5-day competitio...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news106Fri, 12 Dec 2008At 10:00 this morning, the first of the 36 teams started lugging their compulsory clothing and gear around a short circuit of verification stations set up beneath a soaring arch that serves as one of the entrances to the Armed Forces Officers Club here in Abu Dha...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news103Thu, 11 Dec 2008 The teams, armed with maps and road books, are probably going to spend most of the evening and a not a negligible portion of the night, pondering, analysing and planning winning strategies for what promises to be an unusually, even for this band of world beaters, fast and furious competition.http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news101Thu, 11 Dec 2008 The weather forecast for the United Arab Emirates, particularly the Abu Dhabi region, predicts wonderful clear skies for tomorrow?s 08:00 start and for the entire duration of this 2008 ABU DHABI ADVEN...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news100Thu, 11 Dec 2008Now some dictionaries define ?international? as ?relating to, or affecting two or more nations? and, though there is obviously a minimum to the number of ?long haul? teams you need in a race to employ this epithet, the sky?s the limit when it comes to any maximum. The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge just touched the sky?The world of outdoor multisports has the good fortune to be g...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news95Fri, 12 Sep 2008 It?s hard to know which would stretch further, the reams of text written about them in journals and websites across the globe or the kilometres this prolific crew has covered in their inexorable rise to the pinnacle of modern adventure racing?s pantheon. Racing against them can teach even the best something about those indomitable qualities needed to win with style and serenity but they can be forgiven for having less to offer ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news94Fri, 12 Sep 2008It?s just like last year. You can feel the excitement growing as people scour the shops in search of that ?little something that will make all the difference? or that indispensable knickknack that ?no one else will think of?. Yes, the coming seasonal festivities are already beginning to take on the kind of pre-emptive proportions likely to eclipse even the most exceptional event. Oh, and then there?s Christmas of cour...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news91Fri, 12 Sep 2008Without speculating on the psychological circumstances prior to his unfortunate ?stumble? on the final day of last year?s ADAC, Sweden?s Bjôrn Rydvall?s (LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE) fight back to race fitness is living proof that, contrary to the lore of customary comeuppance, pride can sometimes come after a fall?At 27 years-old, ace navigator Björn was one of Sweden?s most accomplished adventure racers and, when he wasn?t being solicited to race wit...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news89Fri, 12 Sep 2008Sweden?s long and illustrious history of outdoors multisports has provided the adventure-racing world with a plethora of top-flight teams and high-flying athletes. The current smorgasbord of Scandinavian talent includes LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE, returning this year in an effort to lay a few ghosts? and realise the dream of finishing the race. Lundhags Adventure started racing on the domestic circuit in 2002 and burst onto the international s...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news87Fri, 12 Sep 2008Christmas comes but once a year and so, coincidently, does the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, and almost at the same time too. Now we all know that when it comes to seasonal gift giving, and adventure-racing itineraries, waiting and anticipating is just part of the fun? but we don?t mind tossing a few location teasers beneath the tree to whet your appetite. Once again, the race start is in Abu Dhabi city but this year it includes a subtle and e...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news83Fri, 12 Sep 2008Adventure racing is a thirsty business, in more ways than one. Just like any vibrant and evolving sport, it craves new blood to invigorate the ranks of competition very similar to the way that athletes require a constant intake of nutrients and liquids in order to race effectively. This year?s Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is doing its bit to motivate new teams to participate.Not content with innovating when it comes to the idea alone of a long...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news86Fri, 12 Sep 2008This crack cosmopolitan squad, built around the commanding presence of Karine BAILLET, the undisputed first lady of French AR, has been a force on the international circuit since its creation in 2004. With a string of wins and a prodigious number of appearances on the sport?s most prestigious podiums, they can always be expected to shuffle the pack in a high stakes game.Karine BAILLET, one of the rare female captains in the sport today, is the...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news84Fri, 12 Sep 2008 Squinting eyes scour a shimmering horizon, flayed by the blistering heat into undulating ribbons of immaterial distance. Parched lips part, revealing a tongue so dry that it rasps against the palate like some scaly toad that crept into your mouth.Staggering forward you lurch and totter, thighs aching from hauling legs and sand in a suction-stumble ?pas de deux?. Sadly, unlike some movie heroes, you don?t just walk ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news77Thu, 14 Aug 2008Racing last year under the aegis and sponsorship of TDIC ?RIGHT TO  PLAY, this eclectic band of enthusiastic locals is as unusual a combination as you are likely to find under any circumstance, let alone the imposed familiarity associated with sharing kayaks, tents, sweat and tears during the course of an adventure race? So what mysterious covalency binds this elemental amalgam of three French ex- pat businessmen and an Iraqi jewellery designer...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news78Thu, 14 Aug 2008For the opening salvo in our series of newsletters spotlighting the broad selection of teams competing in this year?s Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, what better than to pick the brains of Richard Ussher, team captain for EUROSPORT NZ, last year?s illustrious winners. Richard USSHER is currently one of the most impressive performers in a long list of homegrown multisports athletes hailing from the Antipodes. He has spent the last few years travelling th...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news73Mon, 5 May 2008... into the next Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. It might seem like early days yet, what with the second edition of the race once again scheduled for early December, but we believe it?s never too soon to ponder the prospect of probable pleasures. So, with the race designers busy exploring the different possibilities for the 2008 course profile, we thought we would whet your appetites early by unfurling a rough-draft of the wealth of possibilities available in this land of ceaseless splendours...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news75Mon, 5 May 2008DECEMBER 12th TO 17th ? mark your agendas, and prepare for a 2nd edition as unforgivable and challenging as the first! After considering different options, this autumn?s AR agenda and a long holiday period beginning of December in Abu Dhabi, we are back again mid December. The race format and concept will in essence remain the same, we will be back shortly with more information on this year?s race (itinerary, activities,..)....http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news71Mon, 25 Feb 2008ABU DHABI ADVENTURE CHALLENGE ON EUROSPORT ! (dates & schedules) To catch all the action from the first edition of Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, tune into EUROSPORT as follows: 1st episode Wednesday February 20th, at 21:30 Wednesday February 20th, at 24:00 Friday February 22nd, at 8:30 2nd episode Wednesday February 27th, at 21:30 Wednesday February 27th, at 24:00 Thursday February 28nd, at 8:30...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2008#news70Wed, 20 Feb 2008Complete results from the race, are now available in the chapter: "RANKING"....http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news68Thu, 20 Dec 2007Richard USSHER, Elina USSHER, Aaron PRINCE and Gordon WALKER were the first team to cross the finishing line, erected in front of the Al Jahili Fort, after a final section running through the Royal City, buzzing with holiday excitement. The first to cross the finishing line as outright winners of this first ever edition were New Zealanders from EUROSPORT NZ, led by erstwhile NIKE member, Richard USSHER. "Abu Dhabi is a beautiful country, full of contrasts. It was a wonderful experience," h...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news65Fri, 14 Dec 2007It has been a difficult morning for all the teams that undertook the grueling 1000m ascension of the stunning Jebel Hafeet and, even those who came through relatively unscathed, bore the marks of a challenging endeavor and rare achievement. While the leading teams were happy to be coming down from the arduous slopes of Jebel Hafeet, the hapless LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE (SWE), already despondent after being forced back earlier in the day when they missed CP9, saw team member Björn RYDVALL stumble a...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news63Fri, 14 Dec 2007With only 3 minutes between them at the start in Green Mubazzarah this morning, the two leading teams had everything to play for on the opening adventure run up the steep rocky slopes up Jebel Hafeet. Richard Ussher and his team of Kiwis showed nearest rivals NIKE (USA) some dust by finishing first over the section by over 35 minutes. Rising like an enormous pillar of rock from the this sand-filled immensity and surrounded by an infinite plain splashed with the green of nearby palm groves, th...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news61Fri, 14 Dec 2007With the desert sections over and their heads filled with images of dunes, camels and oppressively blue skies, the teams travel to the Garden City of Al Ain, a glittering emerald mounted in a boundless expanse of burnished gold, to confront the majestic Jebel Hafeet. Soaring dagger-like from the desert, the jagged blade of the Jebel Hafeet mountains towers above one of the Arabian Gulf?s most eminent and treasured cities. Where rock forms a bridge between sand and sky, the Abu Dhabi Adventur...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news60Thu, 13 Dec 200713th December ? Al Ain ? After a restorative night spent in the bivouac in Hamim, the 24 teams still in the ranking tore through an MTB stage shortened to 54km. It was their farewell encounter with the desert before taking on, in the third and final dimension of this race, the soaring, serrations of the Jebel Hafeet mountains. This morning, the spanking new bikes specially acquired by the organisation were removed from the trucks and distributed among the teams, shortly before the start of S...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news57Thu, 13 Dec 2007Difficulties experienced by most teams during the 40km ?caravan? Section C led the organisation to investigate all the aspects of the day?s proceedings. The first teams still in the ranking arrived at about 17:30 but as certain hadn?t completed the entire course, opting to ?short circuit? certain bonus CPs, ADCO BUFF COOLMAX (ESP) was clearly the fastest. ?Everything went well with the camel except at the beginning when it tried to run off?? Benjamin Midena revealed, ?but Jukka, found a new v...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news54Wed, 12 Dec 2007The dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) is a large even-toed ungulate native to northern Africa and western Asia. It is often referred to as the one-humped camel, Arabian camel, or simply as the "dromedary?. Dromedaries have an ill-deserved reputation for being bad-tempered and obstinate creatures that spit and kick. In reality, they tend to be amiable, patient, and intelligent. A camel will show displeasure by stamping its feet and running. ("Dromedary," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia) S...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news50Wed, 12 Dec 2007Click on the icon at bottom right of the home page and check out the. It includes pictures of all the teams during the opening ceremony and stunning images from the first three days of the race: sea-kayak and the desert....http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news52Wed, 12 Dec 2007Here are the overall times for the 26 teams spent in the desert on the 87km trek through the northern reaches of the Rub Al Kahli, including any penalties incurred. Section B ? Adventure running ? 87km 1 ORIONHEALTH.COM NZL 15:32:30 2 NIKE USA 15:32:59 3 ADCO BUFF COOLMAX ESP 15:33:41 4 WILSA HELLYHANSEN FRA 15:33:42 5 EUROSPORT SPORT NZ NZL 15:33:47 6 ADIDAS NATVENTURE GER 15:35:34 7 SALOMON/CRESTED BUTTE USA 15:42:22 8 ERTIPS FRA 16:13:52 9 LAFUMA-SPORT 2000 FRA 16:19:11 ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news51Wed, 12 Dec 2007New Zealanders ORIONHEALTH.COM and American pro-racers NIKE got their sand kicking shoes on yesterday coming in as clear winners on the 87km adventure run across the inhospitable vastness of the Rub Al Kahli. Both teams arrived early last night in Al Batin, shortly after 23:00, after a grueling trek lasting over 15 hours. Behind these two teams, 8 teams arrived within an hour of each other, including favorites WILSA HELLYHANSEN (FRA), ERTIPS (FRA), EUROSPORT NZ (NZL), LAFUMA SPORT 2000 (FR...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news47Wed, 12 Dec 2007Since 7h 30 this morning the teams have been absorbed by the infinite sands of the northern reaches of the Rub Al Kahli, after a restorative night spent in a traditional Bedouin camp. They will attempt to cover 87km on foot across the towering dunes arriving sometime during the night. At CP4 +, just before the mid-point, WILSA HELLY HANSEN (FRA) was leading the pack, ahead of a group of teams all within 20 minutes of each other. Beginning last night after the transfer by bus to the area arou...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news44Tue, 11 Dec 2007With the opening 2-day seafaring phase completed, the teams will all head south about 100 kilometres until they reach the apex of the graceful crescent shaped oasis of Liwa. An evening Bedouin camp awaits them, followed by three unmerciful days racing through the desert. Liwa Oasis, the bountiful haven, the lush, green emerald in the Emirates? crown, the ancestral home of the illustrious Banni Yas tribe and the ruling Al Nahyan family, is the very source of Abu Dhabi?s flourishing existence....http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news39Mon, 10 Dec 2007Here is the overall ranking at the end of the first 118km sea kayaking. 1 EUROSPORT SPORT NZ NZL 16:54:54 2 NIKE USA 16:58:38 3 LAFUMA-SPORT 2000 FRA 17:08:21 4 WILSA HELLYHANSEN FRA 17:13:26 5 ORIONHEALTH.COM NZL 17:28:34 6 ERTIPS FRA 18:34:16 7 ADCO BUFF COOLMAX ESP 18:38:05 8 AFOC - FINLAND FIN 18:49:11 9 FJS SWE 19:05:24 10 SALOMON/CRESTED BUTTE USA 19:06:10 11 LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE SWE 19:07:16 12 TEAM HALTI SWE 19:31:44 13 TEAM DOWN UNDER AUS 20:16:00 14 DAUPHINE LI...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news45Tue, 11 Dec 2007With the unusually stiff wind whipping the wave tips to white and sand hissing along the beach, the team that has set the pace since the start of the race yesterday morning, EUROSPORT NZ (NZL) was first to accost in Mirfa. 2 days on the sea, with a night?s bivouac on an island, and 118km later, Richard USSHER led his team into the wind-swept beach in Mirfa in first place, leading a field containing some world-class paddlers. Showing little sign of fatigue but reddened by an unremitting sun an...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news37Mon, 10 Dec 2007The internationally profiled NOMADS, as courageous as any rookie team thrown together at the last minute, finally wandered a little too far off the beaten track and, after being recuperated by boat yesterday once already, finally threw in the towel on this paddling section. Headwinds and a metre-high swell, coupled with possible dehydration and lingering sickness, drained the team?s morale and a passing safety boat was hailed for the pickup. Second into the beach but far off the front of the rac...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news38Mon, 10 Dec 2007Last night the main cluster of teams bivouacked at CP7 with the remainder about 1 hour behind on CP6. But one team has managed a stellar performance throughout the first day by pulling away from a world-class pursuing pack, all the while paddling into a stiff headwind. Elina USSHER, Richard USSHER, Aaron PRINCE and Gordon WALKER of EUROSPORT NZ (NZL) are clearly setting the pace for this opening 118km sea-kayaking section and the 1-hour lead they had on the rest of the field last night mad t...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news32Mon, 10 Dec 2007At the end of a scorching first day on the limpid waters of the Arabian Gulf, the two teams from New Zealand have powered into an early lead with a convincing paddle down the picturesque Abu Dhabi coast. Most of the teams managed to move steadily down the coast and it was soon clear that the two teams from New Zealand, EUROSPORT NZ and ORIONHEALTH.COM were setting the pace and, after losing the tail wind on the turn south, they paddled their way into a clear lead by CP4. At nightfall, 18:00, ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news29Sun, 9 Dec 2007Abu Dhabi is truly a country of surprises, and this morning, as the teams gathered on a beach resplendent with the starting arch towering above a palisade of colourful flags representing the 16 nations present on this inaugural Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, was no exception. The sun was up there somewhere but the thick mist, that had descended unforeseen upon the city during the early hours of the morning, was more than a match for Helios? brilliant eye. Aware that such an unpredictable start t...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news27Sun, 9 Dec 2007A few hours before the start, the Royal Meridien Hotel is abuzz with the sounds of the 26 teams going through the customary pre-race technical checks. The luxurious Royal Meridien Hotel transformed into HQ for the first Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge? Workers in the process of mounting the stage next to the hotel?s swimming pool, athletes testing the sea-kayaks and the sails and keel system while, a few feet away, others climb the hotel?s al fresco bar to check gear beneath a sweltering sun? ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news26Sat, 8 Dec 2007During the first two days and covering 118km, over a quarter of the total race distance, the teams will be racing through the waters of the Arabian Gulf along a coastline resembling etched swirling Arabesques etched from the sand by wind and water. At 9 o?clock tomorrow morning, the teams will set off for a two-day stint of paddling in state of the art sea kayaks provided by the organisation. The bi-place, Beluga sea kayak, manufactured by French company Plasmor, comes equipped with 2 Ketch-s...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news20Sat, 8 Dec 2007Just as the inhabitants of Abu Dhabi are about to discover the somewhat unpredictable pleasures of adventure racing, so the 26 teams will sample the ecological and geological delights of this country along a course that juxtaposes the 3 dimensions of sea, sun and slope. Tomorrow morning at 9 o?clock the teams will start on an exciting and deceptively demanding 404km journey. The saga begins with a long, 118km sea-kayaking section; more than a quarter of the overall distance. The teams will b...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news25Sat, 8 Dec 2007With just a few hours to go before the start of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, the weather is ?business as usual?. Tomorrow morning at 09:00, when the 26 teams line up for the start, the weather will be just as expected for this time of the year: clear blue skies and bright sunshine unhindered by haze or cloud. With temperatures between 22°C and 29°C and humidity at around 35%, the light westerly breeze blowing at 18km/h will help cool the teams as they embark on the first leg ...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news19Sat, 8 Dec 2007Team SPORT ? SYBELLES (FR), and team captain Lionel BONNEL, has a new and a strong sports personality joining the team for this race : Sophie VILLENEUVE, the only French women athlete to have participated in both summer and winter Olympics ! Sophie?s top disciplines being cross country skiing and MTB. Teams WILSA (FR), SALOMON SPAIN (ESP) and SAAB SALOMON (GB), have announced their intention to participate. The number of nationalities present at the race, has now increased to 20, making th...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news10Fri, 5 Oct 2007Some of the world's top teams have confirmed their registration at the first edition of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. Among these 20 teams, representing 11 nationalities; NIKE (US), HALTI (SWE), BJURFORS ADVENTURE RACING (SWE), LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE (SWE), SOLID ENERGY (NZ, ORIONHEALTH.COM (US). They will all meet up on the starting line in Abu Dhabi on December 9th, to take part in this new adventure. A tough & technical race, where teams from all over the world, will compete in the m...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news9Fri, 3 Aug 2007Registrations now open ! Only 30 teams can enrol for this first edition. PRIZE MONEY The 200 000 $ total prize money will be divided between the 30 first teams. An international press meeting, importants television production means (land, sea and aerial) for a contractual broadcast on more than 50 channels in Europe, USA and the rest of the World. Registration fee : 3500 ? / team. The registration is open to mixed teams which consist of 4 competitors (no assistance crew). The i...http://www.abudhabi-adventure.com/news2.php?tabs=2007#news8Mon, 16 Jul 2007