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The Adventure Race World Championship Costa Rica (ARWC) 2013 organization is defining the final details for the competition that would take place between November 29^th and December 12^th in the Central American country.

 

The race would be a huge challenge for all participants: The teams will have to cross the country from the Pacific to the Caribbean coast and from Costa Rica-Nicaragua’s border to Costa Rica-Panama’s border; completing an 815km route across rural & tourist zones, mountains, places with difficult access, rivers and beaches.

 

Being a Non - Stop race (competitors do not stop during the race), the exposure to mental exhaustion and highly physical demands will make of this competition one of the toughest events in the whole world.

 

"We have worked hard, not only to display Costa Rica’s natural beauties, but to take advantage of this beauties and achieve a challenging journey. The teams will have to give their best efforts to complete the route," said Alexander "Pongo" Baker, ARWC Director.

 

The ARWC is the closing event for the Adventure Race World Series, the most prestigious Adventure Race circuit in the world. Teams from ALL continents would attend the World Championship in Costa Rica.

According to the Costa Rica Tourism Board Assistant Manager and Marketing Director, Ireth Rodriguez, the Board has supported the planning process for almost four years, working for the achievement to host the ARWC.  

"This unprecedented event reinforces Costa Rica’s position as an adventure destination with a sustainable tourism model development. Once again, sports and tourism works together in our country to take advantage of our spectacular natural resources, our strategic location and our extraordinary tourism amenities to organize & host a global event like the ARWC. An event that will catch a worldwide attention and would consolidate Costa Rica as a differentiate tourist destination”, said Rodriguez. 
 

 

Teams, qualifiers & Costa Rica’s participation
The ARWC will involve around 80 mixed teams (24 of them elite
teams), each one with four team members.

 

By today there are 69 teams confirmed, though this number will increase by at least a dozen more after the inclusion of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place of the four remaining qualifying competitions in the World Series. The organization can provide invitational wild cards to other teams with certain characteristics.

 

More than 30 nations from around the world would be represented in the ARWC.

 

Being hosts will allow a wide participation for Costa Rican teams. The World Championship will have at least 9 local teams composed by experienced adventure race athletes. Most of them have international experience and had participated in previous ARWS races.

 

“We just received a confirmation from Japan, which assures a worldwide representation in Costa Rica’s ARWC with countries from all the continents. The race would be a great exposure, not only for our country, but also for our adventure athletes. In the ARWC they will run with the top adventure athletes in the world. We hope to add one more local team in the following days,” said the Managing Race Director, Johana Argüello.

 

Costa Rica’s Teams are: Toyota Costa Rica, Trópico Extremo, Coast to Coast Extreme, Aerodiva, Banano de Costa Rica – Specialized - Maco, Hyundai – Costa Rica Spirit, Banano de Costa Rica  - Specialized – Agricenter, JEEP Adventure Race Team, and Extreme Adventure Costa Rica.
 

Competition route & prizes
The competition route is top secret and would be revealed a few hours before the race. Our slogan coast to coast and border to border can give an idea about it to the participants and can assure them something: They should train hard if they want to finish the race without any problems.

 

The ARWC Costa Rica is achieved thanks to the support of its sponsors: Toyota, Toyota Rent a Car, Adventures of Sarapiqui, Rios Tropicales, Horizontes Travel Agency, Kailash Brazil and Costa Rica Tourism Board, who committed to the economic and logistical needs for the race.

 

The winning team will take approximately 140 hours - nearly six days – to complete the route through challenges like mountain bike, rafting, trekking, kayak, canopy, rappel, canyoning and orienteering. There is a $75.000 USD prize to distribute between the first five teams to finish, as well as presents from our sponsors and invitations to adventure events for the 2014 season.