Adventure Team Challenge - Coleman Exponent Open Challenge Series 2008

What is the Adventure Challenge? This challenge is staged over a weekend. Arrive Friday evening and set up your tent or campervan at Basecamp. The challenge will consist of various mountain biking, running/trekking, orienteering, night navigation and canoeing stages. Most stages have an orienteering format so you can do as much or as little as you wish within the time limit. Visit control points and gain points. Finish late and lose points. Great introduction to the world of Adventure Racing, but in a more relaxed and social environment.

How long is the Challenge? The challenge is staged over a weekend, and you are free to do as much, or as little, as you are comfortable with. The challenge operates from a central basecamp, where you will return to at various times. All in all, you could expect to spend around 5 hours mountain biking, 2 hours canoeing, 2 hours night navigation, 3 hours orienteering and 5 hours trekking or running.

How hard is the Challenge? This is as hard as you wish to make it..! Newcomers may wish to take it easy and find their feet - more experienced adventurers may venture a bit further, and risk losing points for a late return. Obviously fitness and experience play a large part, but your success or failure depend heavily upon your challenge planning and good estimations of your own teams abilities.

Who takes part in this Challenge? We have a good mix of participants from very experienced Adventure Racers, to 'newbies' wanting to test the water before entering larger, more elitist events. Solo iIndividuals, pairs, and teams of four are all welcome to take part in our Adventure Challenges.

Typical Merseyventure Adventure Challenge.

Friday 1900 - 2200 hours: Teams arrive, register, set up camp.

Saturday 0800: Pre-event Briefing, map & control, start time give out.

Saturday 0900 - 1400: Challenge 1 - Mountain Biking

Saturday 1500 - 1800: Challenge 2 - Trail Run/Walk

Saturday 2100 - 2300: Challenge 3 - Night Navigation

Sunday 0900 - 1200: Challenge 4 - Canoeing

Sunday 1300 - 1600: Challenge 5 - Orienteering

Sunday 1700: End of Challenge Prize Giving

All about Merseyventure Adventure Challenges

Basecamp: Your centre of operations. You will need to provide your own facilities for camping, getting changed, stowing equipment, cooking meals, resting. Most popular option is a simple tent, but others may bring a campervan. Some teams will bring friends or relatives to help provide support services. You will return to your Basecamp at various intervals during the day, and will sleep overnight there.

Challenge Stages: Most challenge stages are based upon a score orienteering format. This means that you will have a set amount of time to try and visit as many control points within the set time as you feel able. Each control has a set points value, depending upon how easy or hard it is to visit. You may visit as many, or as few controls as you feel able within the time limit - enabling teams of all abilities to take part. However, a late return will result in a late return penalty which will reduce you points earnings - so good planning is essential.

Mountain Biking: MTB Stages will offer a number of both on and off road routes, where you can ride as far and as high as you feel comfortable with. All routes will be on public rights of way, and you should expect to share your route with other road or bridleway users. You must provide your own cycle, in servicable condition, with front and rear lighting. You must carry a minimum level of repair items.

Canoeing: Canoes and related safety equipment will be provided for you by Merseyventure, and each event will have a safety craft available for any team capsize. Although currently all teams must use the canoe as provided to ensure fairness - you are free to use your own paddles, and personal floatation devices.