Rodent Invasion Down Under as Rat Race Goes Global
TUESDAY, 19 AUGUST 2008
The Rat Race Urban Adventure Series has formally launched its inaugural Australian event in Melbourne for November 22-23, 2008. The cult urban adventure phenomenon, which started in Edinburgh in 2004, has officially 'gone global' and organizers, Detail Events, promise more international (and Southern Hemisphere) dates to follow soon.
Staged in an urban landscape, the Rat Race is a multi-disciplined team challenge of navigation, endurance, mental agility, running, climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, and abseiling, combined with surreal sporting tests and obstacles at different checkpoints across some of the most challenging terrain.
The Melbourne Rat Race is sure to pack an awesome punch and event crew promise a rip-roaring ride through the very best Australia's sporting city has to offer. Melbourne is a city literally 'built on Sport' with Olympic Games legacy, more stadiums than the entire Premier League, and a Grand Prix racing circuit in the city centre! The Rat Race is sure to make the most of this cornucopia of sporting and urban delights.
Stepping up to the plate are superstar local outfit IDQ, who have partnered with Rat Race Adventure Ltd to deliver the Australian events. Boasting an Everest Mountaineer, coaching credentials with AFL clubs, and the Australian national netball team, ex-competitive triathletes, and Victoria Police Tactical Operations personnel, IDQ is a sporting and performance training agency thirsty for Rat Race action.
Speaking at the Rat Race launch in Melbourne Docklands last week, Andrew McTrusty from IDQ, said: "If ever a city was built with the Rat Race in mind, it is Melbourne - with a staggering amount of places to get wet, dirty, and ratty, Melbourne is set to become the most intense Rat Race on the planet. No doubt we have some surprises in store for locals and guests alike and if you think you've seen it all, think again..."
The Rat Race has now been staged in cities including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton, Belfast, and Birmingham and closer to home, this month sees the first Rat Race taking place in Newcastle, with an inaugural Republic of Ireland event being staged in Galway on September 6. It's then the British Isles season finale in London on September 27-28, 2008 for a Capital showdown, complete with the new Outward Bound youth class event taking place alongside the main action.
The challenge then moves Down Under for Melbourne on November 22-23 and further Southern Hemisphere dates are promised for early 2009, which will see more Australian events take place, together with indications of events in other territories, too.
Rat Race founder Jim Mee said: "Melbourne is a venue that the Rat Race feels right at home in. Both myself and Rat Race chief course planner Gary Tompsett have recce-ed a good few times now with IDQ and this will be a supercharged event. We have found the right location and the right partners for the first event out - with the British Isles. Setting up our stall on the other side of the Earth was always going to happen and we wanted to ensure all the pieces of the jigsaw were in place. They are - a great venue, a superb partner, and we know we have Rat-tastic course. From five years of Rat Racing, we have now carefully packaged the Rat Race as a Joint Venture proposition and I would encourage others interested in this opportunity to get in touch. We will actively be growing our global reach throughout 2009 and beyond. Prepare to be ratified."
Those contesting the overall 2008 UK Series title will be fighting for a place on the starting grid in Melbourne. The winners of the 2008 UK Series will be announced after the London event on September 27 and 28 and will join the Aussies on the start line to fight the corner for UK adventure racers; with their obvious Rat Racing experience, up against tough competition from local adventure heavyweights. It promises to be quite a battle in the heat of the Australian summer.
The full scoop on the new Melbourne event is shown on the Rat Race website - ratraceadventure.com.
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