Top adventure racers and athletes give Forster the thumbs up

Ten of the best Adventure Racers and athletes from Australia and New Zealand went over the course for the Anaconda Adventure Race in Forster in an exclusive course preview held over the weekend.

With the likes of Gordon Walker, World Champion Multisport racer from New Zealand; Newcastle based professional triathlete Boyd Conrick and two times Olympic kayaker Yanda Nossiter all giving the thumbs up means this course is a real ripper.

The VIP athletes were led over all disciplines and legs of the course over two days with all the secrets of the new race revealed to try out. Some of these highlights included paddling under the spectacular cliffs of Bennetts Head with dolphins, mountain biking alongside Wallis Lake and over Yarrick Mountain and running along Lighthouse Beach and Myal Lakes National Park.

One of the secrets revealed on the weekend was a 400m paddle across Smiths Lake in the middle of the run leg. As an adventurous element to keep runners on their toes, competitors will be provided with a malibu surf board to paddle across the lake paddle mid way through the 11km run on day 1!

Professional Triathlete Boyd Conrick commented, "The course was really scenic and passed through some nice places. With the scenery being so attractive it helps take your mind off the pain you're going through come race day. Although a little different to triathlon, surf board paddle was fun - I'm looking forward to it." Click here for the full story.

Anaconda Gold Coast - Early Bird Entries close June 5th

We've extended ourearly bird offer for just a couple of days to June 5th. Get your entry in now for Anaconda Gold Coast and receive a $20 gift voucher from Anaconda, plus go in the draw for one of 2 x $500 Anaconda gift vouchers (one for an individual and one for a team) ! Your odds are good right now, so take a punt ! Winners announced June 7th.

Anaconda Course Familiarisation Sessions - Gold Coast, Forster & Geographe Bay

We've busily been preparing course familiarisation sessions for the first 3 races in the Anaconda Adventure Race national series.

Sessions on the Gold Coast are locked in for Sunday June 17th and Sunday July 8th, 2007. Full details can be found here.

There are two Anaconda Forster weekends dialled in for the weekends of 21st-22nd July and 1st-2nd September. Full details for these sessions can be found here.

And finally, there are 3 weekends on the agenda for Western Australia's Anaconda offering: Geographe Bay. Set aside the weekends of 18-19th August, 8th-9th September & 13th-14th October for all the fun and brutality that a weekend off the beaten track can provide. Full details can be found here.

Details for Anaconda Lorne familiarisation sessions will be announced in the coming months so stay tuned.

Junior Survivor Challenge Gold Coast - Online Entries Open

Online entries have opened for the 2007 Junior Survivor Challenge. Get in quickly and beat the field limit of 500. Click here to enter.

The Junior Survivor Challenge is a super fun adventure challenge designed and run especially for juniors aged between 7 and 13 years of age! Click here for the full story.

Rock - Shock and two smoking paddles ... 2007 style

An Anaconda - Ocean paddling double-barreled blockbuster!

As Dunsborough readies itself for a heady dose of sporting excellence, WA's paddling A-list load up to battle it out for the bragging rights and the chance to take out the 'King of Anaconda' crown that requires competitors to compete back to back solo in an itinerary that screams action and heart thumpin' fun.

Saturday's 'King of the Cape' epic ocean paddle is shaping up to be a surf ski smackdown on ocean paddling's 'black diamond route' that's brimming with jaw dropping scenery taking a peloton of paddlers from Smiths Beach around the Cape to Eagle Bay. Join the weekend tidal tour and check out the My Ocean website for more info www.myocean.com.au

Batteries charged on carbs and coffee, Sunday plays host to the weekend's premier colossus - The Anaconda Adventure Race - where the combined lowest times over 2 days of competition will determine who's who on the podium to claim the payoff and 'King of Anaconda' crown. Surf Life Saving heavyweights Stuart Reside, Mark Finucane and Andrew 'Pek' Stevens, to name just a few, will be some of the local favourites pushing the limits to emerge as champions.

Keen Adventure Race on YouTube !

For those of you who raced, reminisce your Keen Adventure Race - Great Ocean Road experience to the dulcit tones of Otway Odyssey competitor Xavier Rudd.

For those of you who didn't, check out what you missed, and start getting psyched for the next installment coming your way from Victoria's high country down to the ocean from 8th-12th April 2008.

The YouTube clip can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzrNFTOizXE

Kayak Training Sessions - Queensland

Surf Ironman star Guy Andrews will be hosting kayak training sessions for all level of paddlers at Currumbin on the Gold Coast in the lead up to the Anaconda Adventure Race.

These will cost $50 per person per session. If you do not have a boat or paddle these can be also hired through Guy for the morning for an additional $30, however there are only limited skis available so get in quickly! Click here for the full story.

Ash Nesbit 7th at Molokai World Championships

It was maximum pain for maximum gain at the annual Molokai World Championships in Hawaii last weekend with paddlers primed to harvest the powerful tradewinds on a sphincter loosening speedfest over the 60km course.

Traditionally downwind conditions turned the shifting shoals into a syrupy suffer-fest producing some of the slowest times in the races 31 year history.

WA's ruggedly chubby champion and hot podium prospect Ash Nesbit displayed coolness under fire in the grueling conditions spearheading the Aussie assault ghosting the shoulder of race icon Oscar Chalupsky (South Africa) at the front of the field. A tactical faux pas in the final kilometers saw Ash's luck sour as he slipped agonizingly out of contention.

Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin took the inshore line and broke away to take line honors (5:20:06) followed by South African paddlers Hank McGregor (5:22:16), Dawid Mocke (5:25:27) and 11 time champion Oscar Chalupsky (5:42:20). Well known former Olympian and Commonwealth Games swimmer Lisa Curry-Kenny (Aus) finished second in the women's OC1 category (7:04:22).

Junior Survivor - new school of cool

Suddenly your agreeable sidekicks are not so agreeable. They have all the answers (or think they do) and one thing they know for sure is that parents are oh so lame.

Solution?

Bond through shared experience with enough physical activity to conk everyone out on an Anaconda original where kids become grown-ups and grown-ups become kids.

Gold Coast's Junior Survivor has become a perennial favourite for families where today's ADD generation has definitely met its match. Kids cut loose on a beginner-friendly course stacked with hardcore challenges through a rolling out-and-back from Tugun SLSC that connects Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary picking up thrills and outdoor skills along the way.

A guaranteed reality check for the most brazen teens and adventure pups of all shapes and sizes. Your kids will mint great memories that consign the X-box and Playstation to their rightful role - pastimes to keep one occupied while convalescing in a plaster cast (No need to thank us).

For more information, email Sam Maffett.

National & International Adventure Racing round up

Adventure Racing World Championships 2007 Scotland

Tune in right now to Sleepmonster's coverage of the 2007 Adventure Racing world championships from Scotland. As we go to 'print', only 5 teams remain in the running for the overall prize with all others - including the team of 2006 world champion & Keen Adventure Race victor Richard Ussher - placed on a shortened course. Team Nike (according to their website the most successful adventure racing team in the history of the sport) look poised to add another title to their already impressive resume as they hold a commanding lead as the race draws to a close.

Mountain Designs Geoquest

Also check out Geocentric's live race coverage of the upcoming Mountain Designs Geoquest to be held on the Queen's birthday weekend in northern New South Wales. All up, nearly 70 teams of 4 will be battling it out.

Good luck to John Jacoby as he joins up with Rapid Ascent's own Sam Maffett, multiple Anaconda Adventure Race champion Guy Andrews and recently crowned Bribie Island Multisport champion Kim Beckinsale to form a new team: adventuregear.com.au ... Will this finally be the time John adds the one adventure racing crown that has previously eluded him ?