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UAE Meets World’s Top Endurance Athletes At Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge Start Line |
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Fans and spectators in for fun-filled day at Abu Dhabi CornicheFans and spectators from across the UAE can cheer on their favourite teams and enjoy fun-filled activities as the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge - one of the world’s toughest endurance race - gets underway early morning Friday (10th December) along Abu Dhabi’s scenic Corniche. To make the day truly enjoyable for the whole family, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) – organiser of the annual sporting event – has lined up a host of spectator activities to keep fans busy as they watch the world’s top endurance racers in action at the Corniche Public Beach. “As our way of thanking the community for their continuing support of the event, we have organised attractions for the whole family,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, ADTA. “While cheering for their countries’ teams, fans can enjoy activities such as volleyball, trampoline, handball and football, as well as day-long competitions to win tickets to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s biggest indoor theme park.” With this year’s edition sporting a new-look 426km course, the gruelling cross-emirate race will, for the first time, see more than 200 of the world’s best endurance athletes traverse from east to west, beginning with an adventure triathlon that involves canoeing, running and swimming along the Corniche. “This year’s record-breaking full capacity line-up of 50 squads from 18 countries, including nine teams from the UAE, is testament to the growing popularity of the event, both locally and internationally,” added Al Sheikh. “Significantly, the presence of 30 rookie teams brings further excitement to the competition as seasoned and novice squads test their skill and overall team strategy in a battle between experience and enthusiasm. “And with two female-dominated squads from South Africa and Russia in the mix for the first time this year, a ‘battle of the sexes’ sub-plot just makes the race doubly interesting.” Following Friday’s opening day adventure triathlon in Abu Dhabi city; all 50 squads head to the Oasis City of Al Ain as they ready for the five-day battle through Abu Dhabi’s scenic yet physically demanding landscapes, which include the rolling desert expanse of The Empty Quarter, lush greenery of Al Ain and the dizzying heights of Jebel Hafeet. Combining mountain biking, adventure running, mountaineering, desert orienteering, the event then culminates with a sea kayaking stage that ends where the entire race started – Abu Dhabi Corniche – on Wednesday (15th December). Leading this year’s charge to the finish line will be New Zealand’s Thule Adventure Team, which is led by three-time Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge winners, Richard and Elina Ussher, along with Marcel Hagener and Nathan Fa’avae. Fellow Kiwis, Team Orion Adventure, led by two-time Adventure Challenge runner-up Fleur Pawsey, is also back Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team, the crack-endurance squad backed by ADTA, is also expected to go all out this time as it looks to make up from last year’s early race retirement. The team is led by 2005 Ironman World Champion, Faris Al Sultan. Yet, with its most competitive field to date, many veterans will be looking over their shoulders to the high-quality first timers looking to make their marks. Some notables among the record 30 rookie teams include four-time multi-discipline Olympian and gold medal winner, Sheila Taormina of the Yankee Scribes team from USA; Guinness World Record teammates for the ‘Longest Football Marathon’, Jean-Marc Laventure and Alex Pinchin of the UAE’s Monaqasat Adventure Team; two-time European Military Biathlon champion Christian Wiig Boen of the Norwegian Team; and 2009 Adventure Racing World Champion Nick Gracie of the Adidas Terex Team from the UK. Among the rookie squads, France and host UAE both have six apiece, while Australia has three. China, Denmark, the United States, England and South Africa have two each, while Canada, Norway, Russia, Singapore, and Sweden are all represented by one new entry. Out of record-breaking total 50 teams, the UAE and France share the honours of having the most entries with nine a piece, followed by Sweden with four. Australia, England, New Zealand, the United States and South Africa have three apiece, while China, Denmark and Russia have two teams each. Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Singapore and Spain will each be represented by one team. The challenge was conceived by ADTA to globally promote the emirate’s burgeoning credentials as a world-class adventure leisure destination and to showcase Abu Dhabi’s vast natural beauty. Following the event’s opening day on Friday, 10th December, racing fans will be also be able to cheer on their country’s teams at the finish, which takes place on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche public beach for the first time, on Wednesday (15th December). ADTA works closely with a number of governmental and commercial bodies to successfully stage the Challenge, including General Head Quarters of the Armed Forces (GHQ); Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA); Abu Dhabi Police; Al Ain Traffic Police; Abu Dhabi Customs; Ministry of Health; Abu Dhabi Beaches; Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Mirfa municipalities; and Emirates Palace. To find out more about Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2010, please log on to: www.abudhabi-adventure.com. |
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