RAPID ASCENT NEWS

Anaconda Adventure Race National Series Confirmed

Anaconda and Rapid Ascent have again joined forces and will bring not 1 but 3 Anaconda Adventure Races to you in 2006. Courses have been set and the new races are absolute crackers. Kicking off the National Series will be the Gold Coast on Saturday August 26. For those who think the Gold Coast is all glitz & glamour, think again, this race will take you over beach and hinterland in one giant loop and introduce you to some amazing parts of the Gold Coast you never knew existed.

Next on the calendar is Geographe Bay (South-West WA) on September 24. With picture perfect coastline and migrating whales highly likely to bob up next to your surf ski during the paddle leg, this is a race not to be missed and features a very special surprise for mountain bikers. Each of these new races will offer a huge kitty of prizemoney and sponsor products. Closing out the 2006 Series will be Lorne on December 10, again the Australian Sprint Adventure Racing Championships and offering an even larger kitty than last year. Entries for all 3 races will open at the end of February, with a 20% discount if you're crazy enough to enter all 3, check out the website for further details. Each race has a strict field limit of 600 entries so get in quickly.

World's Biggest Ever Kayak Test

Building on our test of 17 different kayaks last year, we will this year be conducting the world's most comprehensive test of kayaks, with over 30 craft to be tested, including scientific testing of each boat's fluid mechanics.

For the nerds and techno-wizzes amongst us, the results will provide many hours of exciting reading. If you'd like to see a particular type of kayak tested, then send us your suggestions here. Similarly if you would like to be part of the study, please email us.

Last year's results can be found here.

XPD

50 teams of 4 people will set out on the XPD Expedition Adventure Race in Tasmania next week. Race favourites Team AROC with an all-star line-up will be taking minimal sleep and look difficult to beat on current form, but there probably aren't going to be too many sad faces from other competitors who get to enjoy some stunning Tasmanian scenery along the way. For live race progress, check out www.sleepmonsters.com.au.

X-Adventure Raid World Cup

The Australian leg of the Raid qualifying series takes place in March in the Margaret River Region of Western Australia. Although competitors aren't likely to be launched into the wild Margaret River surf or get much time to enjoy the Region's magnificent wineries, there are plenty of other challenges in store over the 2 day course that includes orienteering, mountain biking, canoeing and rope activities. If the rope sections from last year's race at Albany are anything to go by (see photo), there are sure to be plenty of racing hearts on the rope sections. For further information, check out www.theraid.org.

Rapid Ascent website updated

Following on from your feeback after the Anaconda Adventure Race in Lorne, we have made an effort to continue to improve on our website. One of the first things you'll notice is the new menus down the left hand side (our various events are now the only thing that appear across the top) in an effort to make navigation easier. If you can't find something that you could swear used to be there, please let us know via the "contact us" form on the website and we'll try to help you out.

We've also made some pretty significant changes to the online gallery as well as finally loading up the remainder of John Barter's excellent images from Lorne. You should also notice a different "look" for each race: the state colours of navy for Lorne, maroon for Gold Coast and yellow and black for Geographe Bay. We have lots of further improvements in store for you over the next 12 months with an online training diary in the works, better photo viewing facilities, more detailed event results and easier online entry & change of team details. Thanks for all your tips so far.

Are you a photographer living in WA or QLD ?

We here at Rapid Ascent are keen to continue the event photography it started off with in Lorne, so if you would like to be involved in our Geographe Bay or Gold Coast Anaconda Adventure Races, and you have some experience in the field, please email us with some brief details about your photographic experience.