The race will be starting and finishing at the Longmen Camping Park at Fulung, where contestants will gather on Nov. 15 and prepare for the starter's gun, which will go off one hour before sunrise on Nov. 16. "We like to do something different for each race," Maddess said. "This time it is setting off in the dark. It should make things interesting for the first 40 minutes or so. Headlamps will be an essential piece of equipment -- you'll definitely need your hands."
While Maddess makes final adjustments for the event, Bishop is working with local groups to ensure that participation is not dominated by well-heeled expatriates based in Hong Kong.
"It is very important for us to get the community involved," Bishop said.
Action Asia Challenge has already established itself among the outdoor and sporting communities of Hong Kong and Thailand but has yet to make a real impression in Taiwan. Bishop said that of the core groups that compete regularly in the event, none are from Taiwan, but added he hoped that with greater local participation this would change.
"Adventure racing is one of the fastest growing areas of the sports market," Bishop said, adding that the ROC Tourism Bureau is the main sponsor for the event and has incorporated a regular booking for Action Asia Challenge as part of its bid to bring in more tourists. Judging from challenges over the last two years in Fuhsing township and Sun Moon Lake, local interest in adventure racing is growing, thought the event has yet to spawn locally organized challenges.
Action Asia Challenge is raced in teams of three, in four different categories: open men, open women, masters (combined age of three competitors over 120) and college (all participants are registered students). The cost of participation is NT$4,500 for local teams, which includes pre-race and post-race meals but not accommodation (college teams are half price). Participants will also be expected to provide their own equipment.
Pre-race preparations and dinner will take place at the Longmen Camping Park on Saturday Nov. 15 and the race will start pre-dawn on Nov. 16. The event will wrap up with a barbecue. Watch the Web site www.aachallenge.com or http://www.aachallenge.com for bulletins, or call Bayshore Pacific Group at (02) 2777 1725.
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