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The
History of Adventure Racing.
It began with the inspired thought of a French
reporter called Gerard Fusil, in 1989. While reporting on some of the top endurance
races in the world, like the Whitbred, the Marathon De Sables, and the
Paris-Dakar Rally, Fusil dreamed of a sport where mixed sex teams of endurance
athletes traveled through remote areas and cultures by multiple human
disciplines. The Raid Gauloises and adventure racing were born.
The success of the Raid spawned other races like
the Southern Traverse and the Beast of the East. In 1995 a former Raid
competitor, Mark Burnett, started a race called the now defunct Eco-Challenge and through
savvy marketing built adventure racing recognition in the US.
Large events like the Eco-Primal Quest (formerly Subaru Primal Quest) have
caught the eye of many large TV networks and spawn semi-professional adventure
racing teams. The success of the expedition length adventure race has led to many
smaller multi-day and sprint races. In years past smaller races like the Hi-Tec/Balance
Bar sprint series alone, gave thousands of Americans a taste of adventure racing. New races
continue to pop up all over the world. Adventure racing appeals to a broad
spectrum of competitors from other sports like mountain bikers, runners and
triathletes but the largest appeal is among the passionate watchers with
adventurous spirits who enjoy marveling at the spectacle of televised expedition
competitions from the comfort of their homes.
A few years ago when Fusil gathered a handful of
crazy endurance athletes in New Zealand
to attempt the first Raid Gauloises, prize money wasn't a thought.
Racers raced to race, to test limits, to experience other cultures and to push
the human envelope. Today they do the same, except teams sponsored by drug
companies, dotcoms, SUV makers, and outdoor gear manufacturers are common, where
team budgets may reach $20,000 per expedition race (including entry fees). And the sport
continues to grow by leaps and bounds. You can watch it all come together at a
local race or by watching the largest races on TV.
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