Two weeks ago, Team Cyanosis finished their final preparations for the Adventure Racing World Championships by winning the latest sprint race in the Kinetic Adventure Series. The team (which included Brian Gardner at the last moment, usually of Team Red Ants, when team captain Nicholas Mulder fell ill) put together a solid performance to win on the high-paced course against intensely competitive teams. A few final days of team training have confirmed that the team is now fit and ready to take on the World’s Best at the World Championships in Spain.
The Adventure Racing World Champs will take place in western Spain from 03-09 October 2010. The 4-person teams will encounter a tough and varied 700km race course, which the top teams expect to finish in approximately 4 or 5 days. The teams will be required to complete the non-stop course using the race disciplines of mountain biking, running and hiking, rope work, paddling and roller blading at different stages.
The Cyanosis team is quite experienced having competed in a variety of World Series races in the last 6 years. The core team of Nicholas Mulder, Ryno Griesel and Clinton Mackintosh, all based in Gauteng, will be joined by Canadian adventure racer Jen Segger, who has previously raced with the team at the 2008 Bull of Africa. They will be competing against a large contingent of 65 international teams from 28 different countries, including almost all the world’s current top teams, for the coveted top placings in the race.
The team are already in Spain, making sure that they have their final preparations and gear in place. Bikes have already been unpacked and assembled, with only registration, kit check and a bit of last minute food shopping left to attend. The race will start Sunday morning in the historical setting of the walled city of Avila, taking in the western provinces of Spain before finishing in the city of Salamanca. There will be intense coverage of the race in various press, with live updates on the web. All teams will be carrying satellite transponders that will relay their latest locations back to race HQ, allowing internet followers up to the moment information on the latest race standings.
2010 Adventure Racing World Champs site – www.raidbimbache.com
With two South African teams participating (the other being Cape-based Merell Adventure Addicts), there should also be some regular updates on the South African Adventure Racing website (www.ar.co.za). Team Cyanosis will be looking to place in the Top 10 in the race after a disastrous injury left one team member unable to race at full speed just a couple of days before last year’s Championship in Portugal.
Team Cyanosis is proud to have the following sponsors supporting them:
– First Ascent outdoor apparel, Salomon and Crocs adventure, trail running and casual footwear, Petzl headlamps, Foodstate vitamins and supplements, SPN sports nutrition, Island Tribe sun lotion, Mule Bar 100% natural energy bars.
– Specialized bikes and accessories, Summit Cycles in Midrand, Suunto field compasses and wristop computers, O’Neill wetsuits, BSC compression garments, Kreature.co.za outdoor and survival shop.