11 March 2008
With 53 teams from 18 countries confirmed for the 2008 Bull of Africa Adventure Race, the organisers are confident it will be the biggest ever expedition race on the continent.
With entries all but closed, race organisers Hano and Sonja Otto of Adventure Centre of Excellence (Ace) have released a list of confirmed teams for the international event, which is set to run from 9 to 16 August.
"As part of the prestigious Adventure Racing World Series, Bull of Africa is rated as a must-do event by some of the best adventure racers in the world", says race director Hano Otto.
Many nationalities involved
"The teams lining up at the start include top extreme athletes from Brazil, Russia, Finland, Australia, Guatemala, France and the USA, to name but a few of the many nationalities involved".
At last count, a record 53 teams from around the globe are confirmed starters for the gruelling expedition-style race. South Africa's 24 teams may feel they have home-ground advantage, but they will have their work cut out against what promises to be a top drawer international contingent.
Leading the local charge will be the experienced Team Land Rover Experience, with Martin "The Machine" Dreyer and John Collins at the core of a tough team. Cyanosis, under the gritty leadership of Nicholas Mulder, claimed a 5th at XPD Portugal last year, and they will be gunning for a top-three finish.
International title challengers
International teams expected to do well at Bull of Africa include Team ERtips from France (they have won "The Raid" twice, and have lost count of their numerous podium finishes); the Swedish unit Team Bjurfors, who came in third at Bull of Africa Richtersveld in 2005; and the unrelenting Aussie Stingers from Down Under.
They placed a solid second at XPD Australia, and boast the Australian mountain biking champion, as well as the World Rogaining Championships pairs winners as part of their formidable team.
The team to beat, however, is probably Buff Coolmax from Spain. Their title-challenging consistency over many years all over the world makes them a serious threat to take the honours.
Women's duel
An interesting duel is set to unfold amongst the all-women teams, of which there are four at this stage. Team Dew Point from South Africa will face off in a tough test against Team Haglofs (Finland), Team Girls-on-top (New Zealand) and the world-beating Team Arena from Russia. The latter foursome finished the top 10 in XPD Portugal, and will certainly aim to emulate their performance at The Bull of Africa.
Dawn-to-dusk racing will see the teams traverse the southern part of the Wild Coast, the remote and unspoilt wilderness area along the Eastern Cape coast. Competitors can expect an exhilarating blend of indigenous forests, muddy swamps, wild rivers, pristine estuaries, savannah plains, and a daunting coastline as part of the planned 570-kilometre route.
The sponsors, Bunker Capital, have put up a huge R300 000 in total prize money, making the Bull of Africa the richest ever expedition race on African soil.
World Championships qualifier
The Bull of Africa will be a qualifier for the Adventure Racing World Championships to be held in Brazil in October as the final event on the Adventure Racing World Series, a circuit of premier AR events, in which 10 countries host professional events around the globe over a 12-month period.
The official website for the series is Sleep Monsters. In South Africa, the websites ar.co.za and Ndorfin will be official partners of The Bull of Africa.
SAinfo reporter
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