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The best teams on the planet
400 km to run through, a hard-going adventure


 
For the second time in the history of the AR World Championship, Raid in France will organize the 2018 edition, taking place on the magnificent Reunion Island. From 4th to 16th of November, the top worldwide racing teams will plunge into this unique sporting and human adventure.

• 25 nations, 75 teams of 4 runners (including at least 1 woman)
• Between 5 and 8 days of non-stop race, day and night
• In total autonomy, immersed in the wilderness
• A succession of activities: trek, mountain biking, kayak, rafting, caving, canyon...

A message from Pascal Bahuaud, race director

«Halfway through the recognition phases on the island, we can promise a very «autonomy and adventure-typed» 2018 route. We are preparing a physically, intellectually and technically engaged event. Racers will discover an island which is extremely in its topography where it will be difficult for them to progress. Overall, the first teams will evolve during 4,5 to 5 days and the last ones for 8 days. All that, without any assistance, but with the obligation to manage their sleep as well as possible. The quintessence of the raid spirit»

A challenging route
Adventure races are a succession of non-stop sports disciplines: mountain biking, trek, kayak, packraft, canyoning or caving. Each one has specificities but also difficulties. Treks are announced as extremely hard in orienteering. Sometimes, teams will have to securise themselves with ropes because impressive crests will be crossed. To guarantee a continual progress, many parts of rope and abseiling will be necessary. Mountain biking portions will let the racers in the conquest of some of the highest peaks of Reunion Island (we count 5 ones at more than 2 500 meters of altitude on the island). They will also go through the many sugar cane plantations. Racers will be in total immersion in what constitutes the island’s identity. The route will bring them to its heart. The diversity of the landscapes as the one of the ground will mark this high level adventure.

Packraft or the autonomous adventure
Practiced on the adventure races for some years, packrafting allows to navigate through rivers on inflatable crafts. Packrafts are known for their ability to adapt to any situation. In fact, racers can deflate and reinflate their boat as many times as they want and take it on their back during the trek sections because its weight is only about 4 kg.

The opportunity to discover the history of Reunion Island
«The brown paths» will be taken. They date back to the slavery period (17th century) and were made under the feet of slaves who escaped and climbed to the heights to live free. They take its name from the sentence «doing maronnage» used to say that the slaves had fled.


About ARWS / created in 2001, the Adventure Racing World Series federates the international “long-distance” adventure races. It is the circuit that organizes and structures the World Cup of the 11th legs of adventure races around the world. All these rounds are qualifier events in the ARWC (Adventure Racing World Championship).

Press contact: Vincent Feuillet / +33 4 72 98 07 90 - +33 6 62 39 86 91 vincent@raidinfrance.fr
Regarding the journalists willing to join us and follow the race on the field, please send us back the press accreditation downloadable in the media heading of the website www.raidinfrance.fr.
 
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www.raidinfrance.com / www.arworldseries.com
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