Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
Encyclopedia
The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is an annual multi-sports endurance race during which
co-ed teams of four make their way through a punishing six-day, 400 kilometre (average) route across Abu Dhabi
- the largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates. The event is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council and has a prize purse of US$236,500, with the winning team receiving US$40,000.
Incorporating a number of disciplines, including trail running
, sea kayaking, rope works, mountain biking
, desert orienteering and adventure running
, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge was developed by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
(ADTA) to showcase the emirate’s diverse landscapes, including city scenes, islands, desert, oases and rocky heights.
The first Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge took place from the 9–14 December 2007, and featured 26 teams from 15 countries. The route was 404 kilometers with an altitude difference of 5,165 metres.
The winners were New Zealand’s Eurosport
team, which was made up of Richard Ussher
(Captain – New Zealand), Elina Ussher (Finland), Aaron Prince (New Zealand) and Gordon Walker (New Zealand).
The 2008 edition, which ran from 12–17 December, started with 36 teams from 19 nations (384 kilometre/4,277 metre) - a 30 percent increase in entries over the previous year. Boasting a new look route, which incorporated the nature-based destination of Sir Bani Yas
island in the emirate’s Al Gharbia (Western) Province, the 2008 event was again won by a team captained by Richard Ussher (New Zealand). Racing under the banner of Team Desert Islands, Ussher was joined by Elina Ussher (Finland), Jarad Kohlar (Australia) and Henry Jay (USA).
The 2009 edition, which was held from 4-9 December, increased in entries again. A then-record 40 teams from 20 nations completed the 379 kilometres distance at an altitude difference of 4,979 metres. Richard and Elina Ussher (Team Quasr Al Sarab) achieved their hat trick, winning for the third time in a row with a commanding display.
For 2010, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has seen team participation reach fully capacity three months before the race with 50 teams from 20 nations confirmed for the new-look event, running 10-15 December.
A clear sign of the sport's increasing domestic popularity, nine UAE-based teams have signed up - the largest number to be enrolled from the local market - and a third up on last year. Traditional adventure racing stalwarts France have eight teams in the fray and Great Britain has four.
Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, the United States and South Africa have also increased their entries with three teams each, with Russia and China having two apiece. Switzerland, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Turkey and Spain round off the list of participating nations with one team each.
Twenty eight teams will debut at this year's Challenge, with Canada, Norway and New Caledonia, a Southwest Pacific island, being represented for the first time.
This is generally followed on day two with a sea kayaking leg, where teams take to the Persian Gulf
’s shallow waters in specially designed two-man kayaks.
Days three, four and five typically see the athletes enter the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) and the eastern Liwa Oasis
village of Hamim, where they have to complete a multi-leg desert orientation and mountain-biking route.
The final day sees the athletes scale Jebel Hafeet
– one of the emirate’s tallest peaks – before completing a sprint to the historic Jahili Fort in the oasis city of Al Ain
, the cultural heart of the emirate.
Following the traditional city-wide triathlon prologue, teams will navigate in a clockwise direction from east to west, beginning in the Oasis City of Al Ain for a confrontation with the rugged outcrops of the emirate’s highest peak, Jebel Hafeet - a complete direction reversal of previous years’ courses.
From the mountains, the teams will then traverse the vast expanse of the Rub’ al Khali - one of the world’s largest expanses of unbroken sand, larger than Holland, France and Belgium combined – for two-days of multi-checkpoint, lung bursting desert trekking. Tactics also come into play during this leg, as teams have to choose whether to attempt all checkpoints, or miss key ones and take the time penalty in lieu of saving energy in the precipitous 200-meter high dunes.
The endurance race finally ends with a two-day, 128-km sea kayaking section back to the finishing line in Abu Dhabi city.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFF0tj1zTY&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3nvhiHDda8
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hLoFT79q8s&feature=related
co-ed teams of four make their way through a punishing six-day, 400 kilometre (average) route across Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
- the largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates. The event is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council and has a prize purse of US$236,500, with the winning team receiving US$40,000.
Incorporating a number of disciplines, including trail running
Trail running
Trail running is a variant on running that differs markedly from road running and track running. Trail running generally takes place on hiking trails, most commonly single track trails, although fire roads are not uncommon. A distinguishing characteristic of the trails is that they are often...
, sea kayaking, rope works, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, desert orienteering and adventure running
Adventure running
Adventure running is the sport of running over a variety of surfaces , generally over long distances, where the racer has to overcome nature...
, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge was developed by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority is a statutory body in the United Arab Emirates established in 2004 under the Government of Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification strategy. The authority has wide-ranging responsibilities for the promotion and development of the emirate’s tourism industry and...
(ADTA) to showcase the emirate’s diverse landscapes, including city scenes, islands, desert, oases and rocky heights.
History
Since its inception in 2007, the Challenge has attracted a swelling number of participating teams from across the globe which has earned it a reputation of the world’s most international adventure race.The first Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge took place from the 9–14 December 2007, and featured 26 teams from 15 countries. The route was 404 kilometers with an altitude difference of 5,165 metres.
The winners were New Zealand’s Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
team, which was made up of Richard Ussher
Richard Ussher
Richard Arland Ussher is a New Zealand multisport athlete. He is a Four-time winner of the Speight’s Coast to Coast multisport race....
(Captain – New Zealand), Elina Ussher (Finland), Aaron Prince (New Zealand) and Gordon Walker (New Zealand).
The 2008 edition, which ran from 12–17 December, started with 36 teams from 19 nations (384 kilometre/4,277 metre) - a 30 percent increase in entries over the previous year. Boasting a new look route, which incorporated the nature-based destination of Sir Bani Yas
Sir Bani Yas
Sir Bani Yas is a natural Island located southwest of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It lies offshore from Jebel Dhanna, which serves as a crossing point to other islands such as Dalma. Sir Bani Yas is from north to south and from east to west making it the largest,...
island in the emirate’s Al Gharbia (Western) Province, the 2008 event was again won by a team captained by Richard Ussher (New Zealand). Racing under the banner of Team Desert Islands, Ussher was joined by Elina Ussher (Finland), Jarad Kohlar (Australia) and Henry Jay (USA).
The 2009 edition, which was held from 4-9 December, increased in entries again. A then-record 40 teams from 20 nations completed the 379 kilometres distance at an altitude difference of 4,979 metres. Richard and Elina Ussher (Team Quasr Al Sarab) achieved their hat trick, winning for the third time in a row with a commanding display.
For 2010, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge has seen team participation reach fully capacity three months before the race with 50 teams from 20 nations confirmed for the new-look event, running 10-15 December.
A clear sign of the sport's increasing domestic popularity, nine UAE-based teams have signed up - the largest number to be enrolled from the local market - and a third up on last year. Traditional adventure racing stalwarts France have eight teams in the fray and Great Britain has four.
Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, the United States and South Africa have also increased their entries with three teams each, with Russia and China having two apiece. Switzerland, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Turkey and Spain round off the list of participating nations with one team each.
Twenty eight teams will debut at this year's Challenge, with Canada, Norway and New Caledonia, a Southwest Pacific island, being represented for the first time.
Route
Whilst the route changes from year to year, it retains certain characteristics. Traditionally, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge begins with a spectator-friendly, multi-discipline Abu Dhabi city leg.This is generally followed on day two with a sea kayaking leg, where teams take to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
’s shallow waters in specially designed two-man kayaks.
Days three, four and five typically see the athletes enter the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) and the eastern Liwa Oasis
Liwa Oasis
The Liwa Oasis is a large oasis area in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.- Geography :Liwa Oasis is about 100 km south of the Persian Gulf coast and 150 km SSW of the city of Abu Dhabi, on the northern edge of Rub' al Khali desert. It is centered around and stretches about 100 km east-west, along...
village of Hamim, where they have to complete a multi-leg desert orientation and mountain-biking route.
The final day sees the athletes scale Jebel Hafeet
Jebel Hafeet
Jebel Hafeet is a mountain primarily in the United Arab Emirates on the outskirts of Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The mountain actually straddles part of the border with Oman. The mountain rises 1249 meters and offers an impressive view over the city...
– one of the emirate’s tallest peaks – before completing a sprint to the historic Jahili Fort in the oasis city of Al Ain
Al Ain
Al Ain |Spring]]), also known as the Garden City due to its greenery, is the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates. With a population of 374,000 , it is located approximately 160 km east of the capital Abu Dhabi and about...
, the cultural heart of the emirate.
2010 Route
In addition to an enhanced line-up, the 2010 Challenge boasts a new-look course, with the six-day race beginning and ending in the UAE capital for the first time.Following the traditional city-wide triathlon prologue, teams will navigate in a clockwise direction from east to west, beginning in the Oasis City of Al Ain for a confrontation with the rugged outcrops of the emirate’s highest peak, Jebel Hafeet - a complete direction reversal of previous years’ courses.
From the mountains, the teams will then traverse the vast expanse of the Rub’ al Khali - one of the world’s largest expanses of unbroken sand, larger than Holland, France and Belgium combined – for two-days of multi-checkpoint, lung bursting desert trekking. Tactics also come into play during this leg, as teams have to choose whether to attempt all checkpoints, or miss key ones and take the time penalty in lieu of saving energy in the precipitous 200-meter high dunes.
The endurance race finally ends with a two-day, 128-km sea kayaking section back to the finishing line in Abu Dhabi city.
Roll of honour
| Year | Rank | Team | Team members | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1. |  Eurosport NZ |
Richard Ussher, Elina Ussher, Aaron Prince, Gordon Walker | 40:55:12 hrs |
| 2. |  Nike |
Mike Kloser, Michael Tobin, Chris Forme, Sari Anderson | 41:15:32 hrs. | |
| 3. |  Wilsa Helly Hansen |
Karine Baillet, Francois Faloci, Sebastien Sxay, Alain Berger | 41:26:25 hrs. | |
| 23. |  TDIC - Right To Play |
Farah Barakat, Gregory Antunes, Steve Coutard, Francois Lhote | 116:11:10 hrs. | |
| 2008 | 1. | Desert Islands |
Richard Ussher, Elina Ussher, Jarad Kohlar, Jay Henry | 39:18:20 hrs. |
| 2. | Team NZL |
Gordon Walker, Gordon Blythen, George Christison, Fleur Pawsey | 39:25:23 hrs. | |
| 3. | Sport 2000 Vibram Outdry |
Jacky Boisset, Myriam Guillot, Sylvian Montagny, Francois Faloci | 39:31:42 hrs. | |
| 28. | Emerson |
Giles Richardson, John Young, Kevin West, Rachel Clough | 63:24:45 hrs. | |
| 2009 | 1. | Qasr Al Sarab |
Richard Ussher, Elina Ussher, Marcel Hagener, Nathan Fa'avae | 46:19:06 hrs. |
| 2. | ADCO |
Fleur Pawsey, George Christison, Gordon Blythen, Stuart Lynch | 46:55:14 hrs. | |
| 3. | Vibram Sport 2000 |
Jacky Boisset, Myriam Guillot, Sylvain Montagny, Dwarne Farley | 47:26:16 hrs. | |
| 13. | Abu Dhabi Falcons |
Adrian Heyes, Kevin Wesy, John Young, Catherine Todd | 56:32:25 hrs. |
Videos
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFariQpvqlo2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFF0tj1zTY&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3nvhiHDda8
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hLoFT79q8s&feature=related