Beyond | the Beyond

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Can Marathoners and Ultrarunners Find Happiness in Adventure Racing?

BY JOHN VONHOF

DVENTURE RACING is an evolving multisport discipline fast becom-ing the sport that challenges individuals where other sports leave off. Most of us have heard of the Eco-Challenge and the Raid Gauloises. The televised coverage of these two events has brought the excitement of adventure racing to the public’s attention faster than any other new sport.

Michael Epstein, the executive producer of the Hi-Tec Adventure Racing Series, provides impressive statistics on the growing interest in adventure racing. In 1997, the Hi-Tec series drew 1,800 participants to four events. The numbers multiplied to eight events in 1998 with 6,000 participants. He estimates 10,000 participants will have experienced 10 events by the end of 1999.