Posted: June 20, 2005

Adventure Racing: South Africa And Scotland Bid For 2007 AR World Championship

June 20 2005: A bidding war has been launched by adventure racing companies in South Africa and Scotland for the rights to run the 2007 Adventure Racing World Championship.

AR World Series director Geoff Hunt flies to South Africa today (June 20) as an observer for the Bull of Africa event. In August he will attend the Wilderness ARC race in Scotland.

"Both events are very keen to get the nod to hold the world series in 2007. As a director of Southern Traverse, which holds the rights for the AR World Championship, I will be looking first hand at the organisation of the events, their safety plans and other relevant issues to ensure they have the ability to successfully hold a world class race."

This year's World Championship is being held in the Buller region of New Zealand's West Coast in November while the 2006 event will be staged by Explore Sweden in Sweden.

There are 10 international events on the Adventure Racing World Series circuit and Hunt says the World Championship is the flagship for the sport.

"The series has grown significantly since it was launched and the World Championship is seen very much as a prestigious event. I'm really excited about the huge interest, and to have two companies bidding for the event in 2007, underlines the reputation the World Championship has developed."

Hunt met Wilderness ARC principal Phil Humphries, and representatives of the promotional group Event Scotland recently in London, to discuss their proposed bid.

"Scotland is holding a national event, known as Highland 2007, and Event Scotland sees the Adventure Racing World Championship as an excellent way to help showcase the country internationally."

Hunt says he is looking forward to holding similar discussions in South Africa with the organisers of the Bull of Africa. "I am keen to see their proposal for the 2007 World Championship which will help us weigh up the two bids."

The winner of the 2007 bid will be announced after the World Championship in Buller this year.

The Adventure Racing World Series is an international circuit of premiere adventure races representing 9 countries creating a 12 month calendar of professional events around the world.

The series events are: Beast of the East-USA, Raid the North Extreme- Canada Ecomotion/Pro - Brazil Appalachian Extreme - USA Explore Sweden - Sweden The Bull of Africa - South Africa Terra Incognita - Croatia Bergson Winter Challenge -Poland Wilderness ARC - Scotland and Southern Traverse -New Zealand. Adventure Racing World Series events are qualifiers for the Adventure Racing World Championship

Southern Traverse Ltd is a premier international sports event management company operating elite events around the world, including the Adventure Racing World Championship, the AR World Series and the Southern Traverse.

For Further Information:
Geoff Hunt
Event Director
0064 3 4418215
traverse@queenstown.co.nz
www.southerntraverse.com

Jenny Mcleod
Media Manager
(MOBILE) 0064 21 357173
mcleod@queenstown.co.nz