The Eden Challenge adventure race turns 10 years old this year. Now known as Merrell Eden Duo, the event is organised by Jan Heenop from 24-7 Adventure.
“The event started after the insane experience at my first adventure race, a 200km in the Eshowe area in early 2000. I raced in Team Iridium with Lisa de Speville, Camel Trophy guru Pieter du Plessis and mountain biker John Donovan, says Heenop.
The first Eden Challenge was 250 kilometres in distance. “I put an abseil in a location that makes me laugh at myself 10 years later. The fact that nobody was injured that year was a pure miracle!” he adds. “I have learned such a lot since those first few years.”
The race has been presented in the Ciskei, Klein Karoo, Knysna forest and as far West as Hermanus. “In recent years the event has been based in the heart of ‘Eden territory’, between George and Knysna,” explains Heenop.
Sponsorship from off-road footwear brand Merrell started two years ago. The event is now known as Merrell Eden Duo (MED).
“We have had the most wonderful experiences with our country’s best adventure racers taking part over the years. We’ve also been able give developing teams opportunities to race as well as for juniors to take part. Our goal is to develop the sport of adventure racing and grow numbers of participants,” Heenop says. The team entry format allows pairs of any combination.
Merrell Eden Duo 150km is a similar to a multisport race, where everyone does the same course, but it also includes an element of navigation – there are no markers to follow – rather than being a classic adventure race format. The route is described on the event website. If you’re into a bit more adventure, there’s a 200km course with additional CPs and an increased navigation component . “On the Saturday we give families and newcomers the opportunity to have fun over a short 50km route,” says Heenop.
This year the race starts on Saturday, 30 October 2010 and runs over two days.