RACE PREVIEW
T
he Adventurethon off road craze has been sweeping the
nation with a series of events since 2010. The revolutionary
new format called 'Demolish' just made the offering so
much better, and athletes in the South East Queensland
area are set to benefit as only three hours south at Grafton, NSW
will be the first event of its kind this November 25 and 26.
So what is Adventurethon Demolish? It’s a multisport event held
over three separate days and events, where the times are tallied
together on the final day of the event, with the time advantage
given at the start line to allow the crowning of the
overall champion.
The major benefit of the demolishing of the standard
Adventurethon format is that by breaking the disciplines into
individual legs, the organisers can find the best race venues
without the need to compromise.
The upcoming Clarence Valley event starts at Grafton’s
famous Bom Bom Mountain Bike Park where athletes will wind
their way through kilometres of flowing mountain bike tracks,
which will excite the senses. There’s something for the beginner
and the experienced racers but it’s also a well-built series of
flowing features that you can’t help but smile when you ride it. A
combination of jumps and snake-like turns will have you grinning
from ear to ear. There will also be a few temporary features
brought in to beef things up for the weekend; don’t worry though,
as there will be B lines in place to ensure there are easy options for
those not as confident with technical riding.
After this, it’s just a short drive out to your campsite at the Gorge
for the night and the location for the Adventure Run leg. Adventure
run is the term used as they couldn’t really call it a trail run, as part
of the run is along a trail besides the river but after crossing the
river there are sections of rock boulders to negotiate, meaning
more of a rock scramble which is just so refreshing that there are
opportunities to get really off road in a fun and exciting way. There
are also a few special features for those that take on the biggest
challenges with some mystery activities set to be announced
soon…Given the way the Adventurethon run legs have been going
around the country it is anticipated that it might include ropes,
abseiling and maybe tubing down rapids or something to that
effect. Details haven’t been announced but based on the race
location and the videos there is so much that could be done.
The following day is the paddle leg and the time advantage
gained in the first two legs gets calculated and paddlers are sent
off based on their standing after the weekend. The idea being
that when you cross the finish line you will know who the winner
is. Racing aside there is a great piece of river running through
the Clarence Valley - called the mighty Clarence River! The 20km
section for the long course winds between Lilydale Bridge and
Copmanhurst and the river is flat with sections that narrow and
turn into easy rapids called gravel races…the gravel race is one of
the most easy features to run and the stretch in that bit of river,
according to Grafton Paddlesports Steve Muir, is “the perfect place
to try your first bit of whitewater paddle." The fun thing about the
rapids is that you can go faster and it adds a bit of excitement in
the moving water. If you are not a paddler then this is actually a
great place to start, as there will be hire boats and even the ability
to share a double kayak over the distance where having some peer
assistance can help you make it through the paddle and share a
great adventure.
The main catchment of athletes are set to come from South East
Queensland with hundreds of athletes signing up and thousands
of views on the videos launching the format. Do yourself a favour
and check out the videos about The Demolish event at Clarence
Valley and get down to do at least one of the events…in a world
where all the events look and feel the same it’s so refreshing to
see something different, get out of the city away from the hustle
and bustle and enjoy a camping weekend away with the people
that matter to you. A night under the stars with a campfire, banter,
music and conversations, waking up on the edge of the river and
reconnecting with nature - this is what memories are made of.
MULTISPORT MAGAZINE | 17