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ADVENTURE RACING
Adventure Racing became popular in South Africa and worldwide due to the combination of various outdoor activities into one sport. This can include any 
combination of hiking, running, cycling, abseiling, swimming, rafting, etc. and test the endurance, team spirit and outdoor skills of the participants to the limit. Due to the nature of the sport competitions are always held in dramatic natural surroundings and often at established adventure centres. In more serious events, the competition can last several days during which the most difficult terrain is negotiated and endurance is tested to the limit. Competitions are held up to international levels and team members in the top teams are heavily sponsored due to the costs involved and the prestige that may be gained.
On the other hand, although organized and presented as a race or competition, local competitions do incorporate a number of elements ensuring that the 
participants are drawn from a wide spectrum of the population. Endurance is tested at different levels and the race is often entered only for the enjoyment of taking part in a team sport where persons of all ages and gender may take part. It often becomes a family sport involving all members in both racing and in support roles.
Important skills include orienteering and participants must also be reasonably fit. The route is often unknown up to the last briefing when the competitors simply have to be prepared to encounter any type of obstacle. Competitions may take place at any time of the day and often start and end in total darkness.
Some of the organisers are the following:
1) On Track Johannesburg (Greg Beedle)
Tel. (011) 782 6793
Cell 083 255 9208
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Cape Town (Mike Baker)
Tel (021) 976 6898
Cell 083 469 6110
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2) ACE Adventure Centre of Excellence (Hano Otto)
P O Box 1870, Faerie Glen, 0043
Fax. 012 662 1845
Cell 082 445 2365
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Website www.adventurecentre.co.za
Publications
OutThere (monthly)
Website www.outhere.co.za
Equipment required:
Specialised equipment such as climbing ropes, abseil gear, etc. is normally supplied by the organisers. Competitors should invariably have an own 
mountain bike, cycling equipment (helmet), head lamps, compasses (GPS’s) and cell phones over and above the normal inclement weather and active clothing. Prescribed items may include items such as a sleeping bag, bivvy or tent, light sticks and hydration equipment.
Support teams are regularly imperative to move equipment and provide general support. Equipment required by the support teams can be extensive and may include cool boxes, gazebos, cookware aand everything else needed for camping.
Equipment for competitors:
Base layers 5,1
Active clothing 5,2
Bad weather clothing 5,3 5,4
Sleeping bag 8,1 8,2
Navigational equipment 3,4
Backpack and hydration equipment 4,2
Head lamps 7,2
Cycling accessories 7,11
Light sticks 7,11
Equipment for support teams:
Tents and gazebos 2,1 2,2
Chairs and tables 2,3
Cookers 2,7
Coolboxes and freezers 9,1 9,2 9,3
Stoves 2,11
Containers 2,10
Some of the activities normally carried out as part of mountaineering, caving or in off road adventures have now been commercially exploited and combined into groups or individual adventure experiences. This may include abseiling, kloofing, canoeing, tubing, rafting, bungy jumping, quad biking and many others. It is strongly tourist orientated and fills a need which existed for a long time.
Activities are strictly controlled and carried out under supervision of professionals. Although providing all the necessary ‘kicks’ sought after in our day and age, it is relatively safe.
Manny of the outdoor magazines such as Outthere and Getaway devote odd articles to this sport and carry advertisements of venues where this sport can be enjoyed. The most complete reference, however, is the Africa Adventure Directory
Website www.africa-adventure.co.za
Africa Adventure Travel Directory
OutThere Magazine (www.outthere.co.za)
Numerous venues are available and are normally located in the more scenic tourist regions of our country.
Examples are:
1) African Coastal Adventures, 54 Edge Road, Beacon Bay, East London 5241.
www.africoast.co.za or www.wildcoastquads.co.za
tel/fax o43 7484550
Cell 0826501427 083 654 7173 083 300 6208
2) Karroo Quadbike Adventours Graaff-Reinet
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Tel. (049) 8910 107 Fax. (049) 892 5522
Cell 082 415 5035
3) Storms River Adventures Storms River Village Eastern Cape
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4) Olifants Adventure Centre Middelburg, Mphumalanga
Tel. (011) 884 4887
Cell 082 565 5874
To be off the beaten track in uncharted wilderness – to be separated by hundreds of kilometers from the nearest civilisation – to be on your own with a trustworthy vehicle designed and built to cope with any challenge that the wilderness can offer – to have all the essentials neatly and functionally provided and above all to have the knowledge and experience available to enjoy whatever may be encountered – This is considered by many the ultimate outdoor experience. We are fortunate to live on a continent that still offer endless scope for the off road enthusiast. Whether it be the Richtersveld, Kaokoland, the unknown regions of Zambia or Mozambique, a trip through Lesothto-all these places have their own characters and provide everlasting memories to the daring adventurer. The exilleration of even nearby venues provide the satisfaction that man and machine were properly tested quite apart from the envy of the neighbours when a mud covered vechicle is left in the driveway after such an outing!
The industry developed to provide the most sophisticated vehicles and equipment and the range of possibilities are further extended by the off road trailers, cravans, quadbikes and mountain bikes now available. This has developed into an experience in which the entire family can share.
Clubs and training facilities are avaiable in abundance and the marketing organisations of 4 x 4 vehicles extend their good service to also include training weekends. Privately owned farms, nature reserves and wilderness areas are increasingly developed with the off roader in mind and, not the least, as a source of income.
There seems to be no end to the innovation of new ideas and supply of new gadgets in this market. Off road trailers, rooftop tents, air bags, navigation equipment and off road refrigerators are but some of the many items to choose from. Some items needed by the off roader are:
Camping furniture such as tables and chairs 2,3
Tents and gazebos 2,1 2,3
Water filters 2,6
Cookers and stoves 2,7 2,11
Wash stands and shelves 2,5
Containers 2,10
Navigation equipment 3,1 3,4
Clothing 5,3 5,4 5,9
Multitools ` 7,1
Head lamps, torches and lanterns 7,2 7,3 7,4 7,7
Binoculars 7,6
Mattresses 8,5 8,6
Sleeping bags 8,3
Publications 10,3 10,4 10,5
Vehicle recovery equipment 7,11
Freezers and coolbags 9,1 9,2 9,3