Is The Raid Dead?

In the world of adventure racing The Raid has been a respected and well known event for a long time. It's origins date back a long way, and it has been one of the pillars of the sport. But today we get news that the Raid is changing it's name to The Saab Salomon Mountain Sports Game.

The format will be completely different than anything we've seen before in AR. In fact, I'm not sure you can call it adventure racing at all anymore. There will be five different events, held over five days, and opened to 80 teams of three in male, female, or mixed catgories. The events will include Mountain Biking (Day 1), Mountaineering (Day 2), White Water Activities (Day 3), Ropes Activities (Day 4), and Orienteering (Day 5). You can find more in this PDF.

It's sad to see such an event as the Raid change it's format so dramatically. What does this mean for the sport of adventure racing? Are the major expedition length races becoming a thing of the past? Are we seeing the end of the epic, multi-day races like the Raid, Primal Quest, and Eco-Challenge? Yak at Check Point Zero, weighs in with his thoughts in his latest blog entry.

The Raid: Teams Still Straggling In

The Raid World Championship isn't over just yet, even though the podium is full, and the prize money has been handed out. The battle for fourth place was heated, and well fought, and in the end, Addidas Natventure crossed the finish line ahead of Spyder and Les Arcs who fell of the pace and all the way back to 6th place. Other teams haven't given up yet either, as some times just reaching the finish is a victory in a race of this length. More teams have continued to straggle in all afternoon, as the race closes in on it's official finish.

The Raid: Nike Wins the World Championship!!

Team Nike Powerblast has been crowned the 2006 Raid World Champions! After a late night mountain bike section, the team used up it's remaining seven hours of rest time, and then took off early this morning to finish off the race, and the competion. At this time, no other teams have crossed the finishline, but Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen is in second place, with GoLite-Timberland in third, and Adidas Natventure in fourth, all of whom are racing close to one another, and vying for a podium finish.

The real question at the moment, is what happend to Les Arcs Quechua? They were running a close second to Nike the last we heard, but they have currently fallen to 6th place, behind Team Spyder who are running a great race and are currently looking like the 5th place finisher. I guess we'll have to wait until the race is over to find out what happened to the defending champs.

My blogs on these expedition length world championship adventure races are all starting to sound the same. "Nike Wins!" The team really is the best in the world, and they've proven it again in 2006 with wins in Primal Quest, The AR World Championships in Sweden, and now The Raid. Huge congratulations once more to Nike, and good luck to the rest of the field in the remaining races of 2006.

Update: The podium is set at the 2006 Raid World Championship, as Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen have claimed second place and GoLite Timberland third. Adidas Natventure and Les Arcs are currently fourth and fifth respectively. Further updates to come.

The Raid: Day 5 - Update!

I posted my first report on Day Five of the Raid World Championship earlier this morning, but since then, more news has come in. According to this report, the two top teams are now Nike and Les Arcs, who are neck and neck out on the course. The two teams, along with Willa Sport - Helly Hansen were, as I mentioned earlier, the only teams to beat the dark zone. Now, it seems as if it's down to Nike vs. Les Arcs with the end in sight. Nike still has seven hours of compulsory rest time left, while Les Arcs has nearly twelve hours remaining. All things being equal, it bodes well for the Americans in the hours ahead.

The Raid: Day 5 - Two Contenders KO'd!

It's already day five of the Raid World Championship and the top teams are coming down the home stretch. Nike now leads the race, followed by Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen, with Les Arcs Quechua in third some distance back. Nike still hold about an hour of rest time over Wilsa Sport as well, which will play in their favor as the teams battle for the top spot. GoLite-Timberland and Team Spyder finish off the top five.

Yesterday saw two of the top contenders in the race withdrawl. Both Ertips and Saab Salomon were forced to pull out with injuries, crushing their hopes of taking home the championship. Neither team was ever threatening the leaderboard, but they were both pre-race contenders to make some noise, and possibly grab a podium finish.

Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen also made a costly error that has allowed Nike to not only catch them, but put some distance between them. First it was a navigation error that allowed Nike to pull even, and then upon arriving at Assistance Point 11 together, Wilsa Sport was told they would be assessed a one hour penalty for not sticking to a mandatory course on an earlier leg. This allowed Nike to get out to the ropes course quicker, and earn a small lead.

According to this report on the Raid website, Nike is looking fresh and moving fast, which is bad news for the rest of the field. Meanwhile, Les Arcs is said to be "plodding" on the field, which may mean one of the teams behind them could catch them and edge them out for a podium finish. It should be an exciting race right down to the end!

The Raid: Day 4!

We're four days into the Raid World Championship, and at the moment, there are three teams at the top of the leaderboard racing neck and neck for the lead. Nike Powerblast leads the way, but in a virtual dead heat with Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen, and in third place is defending champ Les Arcs Quechua, an hour back, but within striking distance. These three teams got a jump on the others by getting off the water and avoiding a dark zone last night, which got them on their mountain bikes hours ahead of anyone else. Nike holds about a two hour lead over Wilsa in the compulsory rest time as well, while Les Arcs are four hours back. That all bodes well for Nike down the stretch run. At the moment, Spyder and Sport 2000 - Lafuma round out the top five. Lafuma is performing well, despite the fact that they haven't rested as long as the other teams, and haven't had much exposure in these expedition length races in the past.

The race is more than half-over now, so we can expect the teams to start crossing the finish line, I'd guess sometime on late Thursday or early Friday. Still plenty of racing to go though, and the podium is still up for grabs. Also, the "Media" sections of the Raid website have been updated with photos and video as well.

Raid Update: Day 3!

It's Day Three of the Raid World Championship, and over night the top teams grabbed some rest, and prepared for todays long (139km) bike leg. Current leader Les Arcs-Quechua rested for four hours before heading out, while Wilsa Sport/Helly Hansen, and Nike Powerblast elected to take six hours of sleep. Nike is especially good on the bikes, so I'd guess they feel like they can make up the ground out on the course, while eliminating more of the mandatory rest time. All in all, there were roughly six teams within forty minutes of one another at the top of the leaderboard last night. At the moment, the leaderboard is experiencing technical issues, so I can't give an up to date list of the standings. However, you can read more about in the Overnight Update at the Official Site of the race.

Update: The Leaderboards are working again. At the moment, Wilsa Sport - Helly Hansen and Les Arcs Quechua share a virtual tie for the lead, about an hour or so up on the next pack of teams, which includes Sport 2000 - Lafuma, Team Spyder, Nike Powerblast, and GoLite TImberland, all of which are very close to one another. Nike has banked up the most rest time of the top teams however, and Sport 2000 - Lafuma lags behind the others in that department. I know I've said it in a couple of my previous posts, but I can't help but say it again. Having the Compulsory Rest Time remaining listed on the leaderboard really helps to understand what is happening out there. Such a great addition that I hope all the major races provide in the future. At this point, I think it's only a matter of time before Sport 2000 starts to fall off the pace. They have six hours less rest time than Nike, and that's going to take it's toll. Plus, they simply have to stop, by race rules, at some point to, to catch up to the others in that area.

The Raid: Compulsory Rest Time Explained

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the Raid World Championship requires the teams to rest a minimum of 27 hours over the course of the race. In an effort to allow those of us who are following the action at home, using the web, they've added the official rest time remaining for each team to the leaderboard. If you mouse over the team name, a pop up occurs giving you an up to date reading of how much rest time remains.

This helps to give a little insight into a team's sleep strategy and how they approach the race. For instance, some teams like to bank up rest time early so they are well rested, and have the compulsory time out of the way, for later in the race, when they need to make a dash for the finish line. Other teams, on the other hand, will try to build a big lead, then take some rest time, allowing teams to close the gap. The more experienced, and successful teams, seem to find a great balance of sneaking in some rest when they can, and spreading it out over time, but having it out of the way for later stages. The race rules also require the teams to take their rest periods in a minimum of four hour blocks. Any less than that, and it doesn't count towards the compulsory rest time.

Of some interest in this race, you'll notice a few teams actually have more than 27 hours of compulsory rest time. That is due to the fact that there was a special stage that had a required time to complete of five hours. If you completed it early, you could rest for the remaining time or you could move on to the next stage. If you decided to move on, the portion of the remaining mandatory five hours is added to the teams compulsory rest time, thus resulting in more than the pre-set 27 hours. If you took more than five hours to complete the special section, the time it took you beyond the five hours, is then subtracted from your compulsory rest time.

Get it? Does any of that make sense?

Raid Updates at CPZ

Check Point Zero has posted a trio of good articles to get everyone up to speed with what's going on at the Raid World Championship. First up, we have this Pre-Race Overview which is still helpful even after the start to help understand the race and top teams. The second article reports on the start of the race and the early hours on the course. Finally, there is this article on the events of Day 1, which was led by Les Arcs Quechua, the winner of last years event.

The current leaderboard has Les Arcs in third place behind Sport 2000 - Lafuma in first, and Nike Powerblast who have done just that, power blasted, all the way up into second place. GoLite Timberland and Team Spyder round out the top five. Sport 2000 - Lafuma still hasn't banked up any rest time, which will eventually come back to bite them. Nike has banked the most rest time thus far, as is usual for them. Nike is so experienced that they know when to rest and when to move fast, and in the end, they tend to move faster than everyone else, especially when the lack of rest puts the other teams at a distinct disadvantage.

The Raid WC is On!

We're a little more than a day into the Raid World Championship, and a quick glance at the leaderboard shows there are some unexpected names at the top. Currently in first is Sport 2000 - Lafuma, followed by Team Spyder, and GoLite-Timberland coming close behind in third. Spyder and GoLite are veterans to the sport, and have raced well over the the past year. But as for the leaders, I have to say that I really don't know much about them at this point. You will notice that while they have a sizeable lead at the moment, they also have not banked any rest time yet, which means that lead will likely be erased when they do eventually stop.

One thing I like about the leaderboard for The Raid is that it actually shows how much rest time they teams have banked so far. The race requires the teams to take at least 27 hours of rest over the length of the course. Many of the expedition length races have started to require teams take rests in order to race smarter and safer. While some people complain that it takes away some of the "adventure" of the sport, I think it's a great rule, and ithelps tl keep the racers, and the sport itself, healthy and accident free.

At this point of the race, two teams have already withdrawn, and I'm sure a few more will follow. There are still six more days of racing to go, and I'm sure the leaderboard will change a number of times before we crown a champion. Pre-Race favorites Nike Powerblast are currently racing in 11th place, by the way.

The Raid World Championship Kicks Off Tomorrow!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of yet another epic adventure race, this time set in the wilds near Quebec, Canada. It's The Raid World Championship, which will pit 26 of the best teams in the world against one another on a 1000km course. Pre-race activites are underway however, as the teams have gathered for the mandatory gear check-in. American teams to keep an eye out for include Team Spyder, Salomon Crested Butte, and of course Team Nike. It's hard to pick against Nike, who have dominated the sport once more this season, but there are some talented teams in the field that could give them a run, such as GoLite, Saab Salomon, and Les Arcs-Quechua. I'll be keeping an eye on this one throughout the weekend, and posting as news comes in. Don't expect the winners to cross the finish line for more than a week however.

Preparing for The Raid World Championship.

We're just over a week away from another major adventure race. This time it's the Raid World Championship being held in the Quebec area of Canada, where the top qualifying teams from all over the world will be competing for another top title. CPZ has come through with another great article that has a number of top adventure racers remarking on how they prepare for a race of this magnitude. Interesting stuff as always, and insightful for anyone who hasn't run an expedition length race before. Only 8 days, and counting, until The Raid!

Raid Savoy Report

The third stage of The Raid qualifying events was held in the Savoy region of France a few weeks back, and helped set the stage for the upcoming World Championships in Canada this September. "http://www.greatoutdoors.com/">The Great Outdoors has posted this report from the race, and while it's better late than never, it's probably mostly old news by now. Still, it's nice to get some first hand reporting from the race, since most of what we heard came directly from The Raid Organization itself.

Raid World Championship Qualifiers Announced

Check Point Zero has posted this article that lists the teams that have qualified for the Raid World Championship, which will be held in Saguenay-Lake Saint Jean region of Canada this September. Amongst the top contenders are ERTIPS, which recently won The Raid: Savoy, Team Nike, and Wila Sport/Helly Hansen. In addition to Nike, three other American teams will be making the trip, Team Spyder and Salomon Crested Butte. The field is diverse, well rounded, and challenging, which should make for a great race.

After you get done reading up on all the teams in the Raid at CPZ, be sure to check out this little preview of the region that will be hosting the Advendure Racing World Championship in August.

The Raid: ERTIPS Wins in Savoy

TheRaid.org is reporting that the French team of ERTIPS has one the third, and final, qualifying round for the Raid World Championship, with a convincing win over the weekend. They will now go on to Canada in September, along with a host of other qualifying teams, to vie for the World Championship. Second place went to Les Arcs Quechua 2, another French team, with Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen coming in third. Saab Salomon and Salomon Espana round out the top five.

Raid Savoy Update

The third stage of the Raid qualifying races kicked off this morning in the Savory region of France. You can find updates over at the official Raid website. As of this moment, through Stage D, Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen has the lead on the course, followed by ERTIPS, German team Saab Salomon, Les Arcs Quechua 2, and Salomon Espana rounding out the top 5. You'll recall that yesterday I predicted that Les Arcs Quechua would take this stage of the race, and you'll see there is a team with that name in the top 5. However, that is team 2 of the Les Arcs Quechua teams. Where is the one I picked you ask? They're currently in 19th place, about an hour and a half back. If they're going to make me look like I know what I'm talking about, they'd better get moving!

Raid Savoy This Weekend

The third, and final qualifier, for this years Raid: World Championship, will take place this weekend in the Savor region of France. Checkpoint Zero has a weather report and course overview for the weekend activies, and it looks like it should be another fun, challenging race. Were I pressed to pick a team to win, I'd probably place my money on Les Arcs Quechua, the French team that has been racing so well over the past year or so. They'll have the home field advantage for sure, and have been clicking on all cylinders in these Raid events. Of course, you should never count out Nike, who are listed as racing in this event, but I haven't had that confirmed just yet.

Update: Checking the Nike website's schedule, shows that they have removed this race from their list, so it appears they will not be racing this weekend in France. My guess is, since they won the earlier qualifier in Idaho, they elected to pass on this one.

Raid Report: Better Late Than Never!

GreatOutDoors.com has published a report on the Idaho leg of the Raid that was run a few weeks back. I reported on it then, and as anyone who is a fan of the sport will know, Team Nike took the victory. Still, it's always good to get a race report for a different source, and as I said, better late than never.

Raid Results!

According to TheRaid.Org Team Nike has claimed victory at the Raid Stage 2 race that took place over the weekend in Idaho, with reigning world champs LES ARCS-QUECHUA of France, and Team Nike/Beaver Creek coming in second and third respectively. From all accounts, it sounds like it was a spirited race, and hopefully we'll see a rematch in Canada later this fall. You can read more about the event here, and I'll post more detailed information as it becomes available.

The Raid: Stage Two

The second stage of The Raid World Cup has come to Idaho, and the race is well underway already. At this moment, the two Nike Teams are out in front, with Team Nike in first place, and Team Nike/Beaver Creek in second. There is still plenty of racing to go, and the winner qualifies for the World Championship coming up in October. You can get Raid updates over at Check Point Zero or The Raid.org