The lack of time between the announcement and the event came in for considerable criticism from local teams, who are still at the fringe of international adventure racing and still have only a minimal understanding of its requirements. While Taiwan produces a share of outstanding athletes in various fields, there is limited interdisciplinary interaction at the present time. "We all want to be the best in our fields," Robin Dai (戴昌 盛), a mountaineering specialist who will serve as chief marshal on rappelling legs of the race, said at a promotional event for the Challenge.
Marc Turckenburgh of team MTI Formosa Star pointed out what is probably the key to the popularity of Action Asia in Taiwan -- namely that it gives older athletes a way of developing. "At 37, there are few sports where I can compete with younger athletes in their specialties. That's because I am an all-rounder," said the telecommunications manager and sportsman. "Much of an adventure race happens in your head," and older competitors have the advantage of
experience.
As Taiwan develops a deeper pool of athletes, the shift to multidiscipline activities is likely to increase, as many local participants see adventure racing as a way of discovering new
challenges.
According to Maddess, the delay has worked in favor of the event, allowing more time to mobilize locals both to participate and assist in the event. In addition to 25 top climbers who will be serving as marshals, 50 coast guards will also be on standby for the event for the kayaking and swimming legs. Although the water is expected to be somewhat chilly, Maddess said that the weather at the moment is probably ideal for adventure racing, with little danger of contestants overheating or dehydrating.
Speaking about the introduction of two-person teams, Maddess said that the main event will still be based around the three-person teams, with two-person teams getting a certificate of completion. They will not be in contention for the main trophy.
As of press time, 20 local teams, nine foreign teams and one celebrity team have registered to take part in the Challenge. Past races have tended to be dominated by expatriate teams in the open categories, a trend that is likely to remain unchanged this year.
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