Adventure racers get the hump with camel challenge

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge - the ultimate outdoor endurance race being held under the patronage of Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council - lived up to its 'testing' promise as the 25 teams still in contention faced unforeseen difficulties in day four's camel trekking trial, with organisers eventually deciding to consider the stage as un-timed.

The ruling means that the third-day standings are back in play as the teams head into the penultimate day's mountain bike trial.

Day's one and two leader, Team Eurosport NZ, regain their top spot with an overall Challenge time of 32 hours, 29 minutes despite a strong push yesterday by USA's Team Nike, Wilsa Hellyhansen of France and fellow Kiwi countrymen, Orionhealth.com, who had to start the mountain bike trial on their day three overall Challenge times of 32h32, 32h48 and 33h02 respectively.

Many of the teams, having never used camels in an endurance race, found the newest addition to their team quite a handful, leading them to fail to make the necessary ground to complete the day's final checkpoint in Hamim. After intense deliberation, organisers marked the stage as 'transient', meaning all is still to play for over the final two days.

Geographic diversity

Setting off yesterday morning, the four leading teams, separated by just 33 minutes, contested a gruelling 54 kilometre mountain bike race. Swapping their hiking boots for cycling shoes, this stage could be decisive in determining the overall winner.

The final day's trials include adventure running, which will kick-start proceedings, followed by mountain biking, a desert hike, cross orienteering, and rope and mountaineering activities to end the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in Al Ain's historic Jahili Fort.

Designed to demonstrate the geographic diversity of Abu Dhabi, the Challenge incorporated a range of sporting disciplines from sea kayaking down the emirate's stunning coastline to adventure running through the meandering dunes of the Liwa desert, to rope climbing the dizzy heights of the UAE's highest point, Jebel Hafeet.

Speaking about the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, Shaikh Hazza said: "The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is a dynamic example of a world-class sporting event and should be inspiration for young Emiratis across the country.

"Sport in Abu Dhabi is going from strength-to-strength and can only continue to establish its international pedigree with events of this calibre."