The Swazi Xtreme at FEAT

The Swazi Xtreme was brought to FEAT by Race Director Darron Raw.

Catch the video here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is Adventure Racing going ?

In recent times since the rather confusing Adventure Racing World Champs, there has been a lot of debate on the direction that the sport is taking. There have been in particular some strong attacks on the use of optional points (OP’s) otherwise referred to as rogaining.  A lively debate took place here on a Checkpoint Tracker blog by Sean Clancy.

 

The following is our African perspective on this debate and the reason why we believe Adventure racing has evolved in this manner.

Prospective race organisers: don’t get put off the idea of rogaine type elements in an Adventure Race. I say ‘rogaine-type” simply because in many AR events the concept is adapted from a true rogaine, and AR has evolved this way for good reasons.

I have organised the Swazi Xtreme in Africa for the past 10 years. It has typically been a 3-day event ranging from 180-450km in length. For many years it has been the largest adventure race on the continent, measured in participation numbers.

For our first few years we employed the A to Z approach: it was a brutal event with only 30% of the teams achieving official finishes and the rest DNF (Did Not Finish – mainly because of missing cut-offs or lost morale and withdrawal when cut-off’s are perceived to be out-of-reach).

Problems with this A-Z approach:
1 – no-one likes a DNF result… and we saw our numbers dropping.
2- the difference between fast and slow teams was too great – winning teams often blitzed the course 30 hours faster than the slower teams and quite often packed up and went home before prize-giving and the official cut-off.
3- the race often spread out over more than 100km of trail, making race logistics and safety management difficult. 100km on an AR course can mean up to 200km by vehicle especially in poor access areas. We would typically be forced (by the lack of resources/competent marshals) to re-cycle our transition and control point marshals during a race – but when a race gets this far spread-out if becomes unmanageable.
4 – the racing became boring. Teams typically got themselves into finishing order in the first 12-18 hours, then cruised to maintain their splits. Results became very predictable.
5- at first DNF teams returned to re-attempt the event for two or three years in a row, in the hope of getting a hard-won official finish, but when it became apparent that they had no hope, the debate that raged here in our AR chat groups was: why should we participate at such great effort and expense, when in effect all we are doing is subsidizing the event for a few elite teams.

We saw the writing on the wall and evolved to hold two events rolled into one. A shorter SPORT event for weekend warriors and a tough PRO event for elite teams. Our numbers shot up to record levels, but this approach added some difficulties too:

1- In affect, we ended up running two almost separate races over the 3-days, which despite the potential economies of scale, became an even greater organisational challenge. Even with attempts to have common transition points for both SPORT and PRO events, we were often forced into having separate transitions by simple distance constraints… which doubled set-up costs, pre-event organisation and race management.
2- the ratio of race returns to cost/time input by the race director became unsustainable, as designing two events that could run successfully side-by-side was incredibly demanding and complex.
3- SPORT racers still struggled with the event, especially the night legs where navigational skills were at a premium.
4- we still had considerable gaps in both the PRO and SPORT fields with some teams still finishing 24 hours or more ahead of the rest. Who in an elite team wants to hang around for a 4th day prize-giving, for an event that is completed in 1.5 days?

In recent years we finally solved these problems in two ways. First, our SPORT event became a staged race, racing predominately daylight hours only, whilst the PRO racers raced day and night. The PRO night legs would typically be a loop that brought them back to the same overnight transition used by the SPORT racers by daybreak.

Second, we introduced rogaine style Optional Points (OP’s) as an overlay for the Compulsory Point(CP)defined race route. Optional Points(OP’s)are in effect a voluntary short-coursing system that is much more flexible than traditional re-routing approaches. The Compulsory Points(CP’s) define the shortest A to Z route. Miss a CP and teams are marked unofficial finishers – full-stop. The winning team in both events is determined as the team that obviously had all compulsory points checked and had the most optional points collected, from zig-zagging on and off the A-Z route. If teams were tied on points – the final result was based on the shortest race time on the final stage.

For this approach to work, it requires more optional points than can be physically collected during any one stage. It creates a dynamic where teams that want to win have to stretch themselves from start to finish of each stage and to constantly make strategic changes to route choice. Teams may not collect a missed CP or OP in the next stage, but depending on race design teams could be allowed to mix the use of bike, foot and canoe to go back for missed points – if this adds strategic value to the race.

To ease the event’s logistical management we split the race into 5 days – Day 1, Day 1(night), Day 2, Day 2(night) and Day 3. Teams were forced to finish each stage within the allocated 12 hours 6am to 6pm, 6pm to 6am, with PRO races doing all 5 stages and the SPORT racers only doing the 3 daylight legs. This allowed us to open and close stages at designated times and shift marshals ahead on the course. Teams that stayed out longer than the 12 hours lost an Optional Point for every 10 minutes that they overshot the stage cut-off… a disaster for competitive teams. Really slow teams would be forced to stick to CP points for the next stage until back with the rest of the race field.

What were the benefits of this approach:
1- we started achieving 90% and 100% finishing rates – our participants got what they wanted – to officially finish the event.
2- we could run the race with a small team of highly competent marshals rather than risk slip-up’s with a huge band of ill-prepared volunteers.
3- the event stayed within a focused area at all times making paramedic attention and Race Director problem-solving much more effective.
4- all teams arrived at the finish at the same time – sometimes the entire field within an hour of each other – great atmosphere.
5- novice teams got to race side-by-side with elite teams re-joining the A-Z compulsory route from time to time – a great morale booster.
6 – the fast teams in the PRO and SPORT events raced for 60 and 36 hours respectively to arrive at the finish physically stuffed but elated by the challenge of squeezing in extra OP’s under time pressure. Teams can never afford to cruise and “maintain position”, as the variable route options mean not knowing until the end of a stage if another team hasn’t collected extra OP’s.  The slowest SPORT and PRO teams would race for a similar length of time, arriving at the finish equally challenged by the same hours of effort, but spent on a lesser compulsory race distance.
7 – teams are able to recover from disasters and stay in the race. For example, a team with major mechanical issues on a cycle leg, could straight-line the CP’s to the transition towed or even on foot, and then start the next leg fast, still in contention, rather than being forced into a DNF by the sheer impossibility of completing an inflexible long leg with a broken bike. Or teams with a physically-ailing member could voluntarily short-course a stage by sticking to CP’s, finish the stage early, bank some sleep or get medical assistance in transition, then kick off the next stage stronger and faster.
8 – teams are able to specialise and make use of strategic strengths. A strong cycling team would maximise optionals on cycle legs, whilst a strong team on foot would aim to use this to their advantage instead.
9 – bottlenecks at ropework sessions can eliminated by setting up separate SPORT and PRO ropes – so fast teams would generally not be held up behind slow racers. Ropework has often been made a weighted optional point, i.e: an OP at the bottom and at the top of the cliff making it a worthwhile double point. One or neither points need be compulsory, so if an unforeseen bottleneck does occur teams can collect the first CP or OP – for getting there, but elect to carry on without completing the section if a queue is encountered and the second optional point is not worth the wait.
10 – OP’s can be set for any special skill activities or very extremely adventurous sections. This allows teams with hang-ups about ropework, scaling heights, big cliff-into-water jumps, claustrophobia or white-water sections to still enter the event knowing that they aren’t forced to do activities they don’t feel comfortable with. These very adventurous activities can be weighted with a cluster of OP’s to reward the truly skilled and adventurous teams.
11 – this flexible event design means that a race director doesn’t need to change the course mid-race if foul weather or other unforeseen impacts effect the race. All competitors will automatically stick closer to the CP’s and cut-out OP’s that will be too time consuming in thick fog, howling winds, torrential downpours, snow, excessive heat etc.
12. This approach allows organisers to keep it straight and simple. This CP/OP mix does not need any complicated time additions or subtractions. Teams/spectators can be easily kept updated on how many optional points they have – simple round numbers 24, 39, 70 etc… and this can be conveyed live to the internet-viewing public with simple and available technology. Its only on the last leg to the finish when teams are timed for tie-breaker purposes. Points collected can be updated against a stage by stage 12 hour count-down.
13. The simplicity of this system requires little translation. Foreign-language racers can focus on map-reading and not on rule interpretation.

This approach has really worked for us on the Swazi Xtreme and I believe from direct feedback from individuals who have raced all of our events – that this most recent approach is also the most successful.

So why do some passionate AR enthusiasts detest rogaining or optional points?

The challenge I believe for race organisers is to keep the spirit of adventure alive. Teams need to be adventuring and using the best means (cycle, foot, rope, raft, canoe) to tackle a particular leg or obstacle.  They also need to feel that they are going somewhere. There must be a logical flow to the route. Out and back tree-type branches from a single trunk is a painful and demoralising route design. Instead the optional race routes should appear like a multi-stemmed vine criss-crossing the CP-defined trunk route.

In planning an event, the race director should be looking for a main compulsory route first, then at numerous optional routes, and lastly selecting the optimum positions to place both CP’s and OP’s. The race should be about route choice and not points. The point scoring system can be so simple that a 10-year old can manage it. Let the beauty of the event be the translation of map features into successful route choice and forget any other hard to explain scoring or timing mechanisms.

…and finally: true adventure is unpredictable, optional points or routes introduce an element of luck, as some points may turn out easier and quicker to reach than others. However, this doesn’t mean route choice is a lottery – the best elite teams are consistently the “luckiest” ones too.

If racers want to race nose to tail down an almost similar A-Z route just to say they officially finished a 180km race, then my response is for them to take up Ironman or similar predictable triathlon events that are all about physical endurance or speed. Adventure Racing by its very nature requires the added value of elements such as uncertainty, risk and luck together with the strategic matching of physical and mental ability to the race environment.

Keep adding value! Keep the spirit of adventure alive.

Darron Raw
Race Director
Swazi Xtreme
2001 to 2010

 

Swazi Xtreme Send-off Party

From http://www.ar.co.za:

Considering that this time last week we were bashing through the bushes under the blazing Swazi sun, I think it is only fitting that this race gets a rousing send-off – since we didn’t get to celebrate at the event.

Swazi Xtreme has, for 10 years, been an event that has demanded dedication, time, planning and committment; and it has brought with it dramas, stresses, happiness and sadness. And that’s just on Darron’s side of things. Planning a 250km (or should I say 450km…. haha) race annually is a major undertaking. A number of years ago the 120km SPORT option was introduced, upping Darron’s workload in terms of working out shorter routes and finding suitable overnight transitions. The two courses worked well, enticing more people to come play in the Kingdom.

Darron, thank you for your commitment and courage in taking up this challenge annually – on top of your work committments. And also to Anita, who has handled admin year after year. She has also kept Darron together, body and soul; his hours of sleep diminish as the race draws nearer.

For us, racers, Swazi Xtreme has brought personal achievements, successes and disappointments, challenges, excitement, laughter and tears. Many of us have looked forward to the event year after year with many notching five or more Swazi Xtreme races.

This decade of Swazi Xtreme leaves memories of jumps (off waterfalls and rocky cliffs), annual April Fool gags, the Great T-Shirt Debate of 2002, spectacular ropes sections, flooded potholes, raging rapids, freezing cold, sweltering heat, ghost towns, mountains and deep valleys, railway lines and a bat guano-filled cave.

Yes, an era of South African adventure racing has come to an end and a celebration is due. It’ll be a place for war stories and memories, laughter and cheer.

Saturday, 21 August 2010 (this coming Saturday)

Venue: The lawns at Emmarentia (look for the www.AR.co.za feather banner flying high)

Time: 13h00 – 15h30

To bring: Picnic munchies, blankies, camp chairs, children, games (dogs are also allowed at Emmies).

If you took part in this Swazi Xtreme, previous Swazi Xtreme races or if you’ve always wanted to do one (so this invitation kinda includes the whole AR community), then come along for an afternoon in the sun. Everyone welcome.

This is an opportunity to offer three cheers to an event that has been a major part of adventure racing in South Africa for a decade.

The Race Organisers are somewhat gutted not to be able to attend their own send-off party!  But such is life, hard decisions and responsibilities sometimes dictate otherwise.

We’d like to thank all those who’ve joined us for the past few years for REALLY BEING THERE. You are NOT ordinary people!

Team Yoshimi Race Report

Team Yoshimi have been a regular feature on the Swazi Xtreme for the past few years.

Their race report tells us all sorts of things that we otherwise wouldn’t have known about: using warthog burrows to traverse electrified game fences, overcoming sleep monsters and much more.

Read all about it on: http://bit.ly/xtremeYos

SX 2010: Team Bikes ‘n Wines put their hands in the air

I just wanted to say thanks again for all your organizing in putting together an awesome race, albeit rather challenging!

We journeyed all the way from Cape Town and even though my stuffed up ankle forced us to call it quits before the last cycle, it was still worth the trip!

I just wanted to let you know about another side adventure we had en route that made it all that much more memorable!

After we arrived at St Augustine school on the second night and learned that Jabberwock had pulled out we found ourselves out in front all of a sudden… from that transition T9. We headed out on the hike up to Siteki. We were struggling to find the second OP and had been hovering around the farm yard retracing our steps and trying to get the correct bearing from the main gate of that farm, doing a little bundu bashing in seach of what was a slight stumbling block for us when all of a sudden we were surrounded by vehicles and next thing I knew I had an AK47 pointed at me! They thought my hiking pole was a weapon and were shouting for me to drop it and put my hands up!!!! After proceeding cautiously towards the cars’ bright lights I was (slightly) relieved when I realized they were policeman and security armed guards!!!

After a very heated initial outburst from the farm owner, he started to calm down when he realized we were part of the race but still couldn’t fathom why we were running around the place at 1am. He was aware that the race was going to be coming through his farm and said he had granted permission but didn’t realise it would be at night. The general mood of the farm owner and all the guards etc soon changed and before long they became very jovial and pointed us in the right direction and wished us well!!!!

It was classic…. The owner did seem like a fairly esteemed gentleman… he just kept repeating.. “But why do you do this thing in the middle of the night! You must wait for the day!”   We tried to explain as best we could but I still think that he thought we were a little crazy!!!

After that we heard from other teams that he had left his induna directing people around the dwelling to the OP.  One for the campfire!

Looking back at it all it just added an exciting little story to tell mates when we got home… and although I was quite petrified for a few moments… I was actually quite impressed by how quickly the police got there and how well they all handled the situation!

Unfortunately that point seemed to be where our luck ran out and where we started to make a few more errors and watched our lead slip away! I then went over my ankle quite badly hike down to the jumar and hobbled exceptionally slowly into transition!!!

I had been wanting to do the race for a few years now but never got my act together… the fact that it was the last one forced me to be a little more proactive and now I wish I had done more!!!!!!

[this legendary SX tale courtesy of Chris Fisher – Team Bikes ‘n Wines]

Swazi Xtreme – preliminary results

Congrat’s to those that attacked the SX 2010 with so much passion this year.

The SX (both SPORT & PRO) events were tough… and according to many comments: “reminiscent of Swazi’s past!”

A little bit of extra value was added in distance and the format changed to include a more continuous flow to the event… similar to the non-stop nature of earlier years. The SPORT competitors had to tackle a minimum distance of 250km (there were no optional points) to finish officially whilst the PRO event required at least 450km to capture all CP’s and OP’s, with many teams logging over 400km just on Compulsary Points.

The PRO team event was won by Stefan Muller and his Kinetic team in what was Stefan’s 10th Swazi Xtreme. Could there have been a more worthy winner? Stefan’s team was made up largely of novices: Danie van Aswegen, Wiehan van der Merwe and Lizelle van der Merwe… which is a great result for the individuals themselves and a nice precedent for other new-comers to the sport… don’t be scared – go big.

The second PRO team were the Red Ants – another name from the SX’s Hall of Fame – and a collection of some of the event’s podium finishers from many year’s before: Brian Gardner, Phillipe van de Leeuw, Tim Deane and Jane Swarbreck.

There was no official third place finisher in the PRO event. Sadly the early leaders Team Jabberwock, who had opened a sizeable lead, were forced to withdraw on day 2 after the effects of their early efforts took toll.

In the PRO pairs category Kay Motion –  a mixed team of event novices Nathan Thompson and Liezel Smit did a remarkable job in conquering the course, leading home Alex Pope and Paul Bothma racing as Cipralex 1 and PJ Doyer and John Le Roux the Alligators, who finished in a close third.

Whilst the PRO event turned more into an exercise in survival, the SPORT event was a real race with at least 4 teams in contention at times. Perennial winners Team Aeeish saw their first day lead disappear when they overshot the end of the paddle leg and ended up deep in Mozambique in unchartered territory. However, Deon Bruss, Hilliary Pitchford, Gordon Johnstone and James Stewart managed to keep focus to make it three year’s in a row.

Second in the SPORT event were Swazi Moto, a local Swazi team made up of Kim and Robin Roques, Nadja Shields and Mike Richardson, a two guys, two girls combination that raced solidly to beat DNA Dinamics into 3rd.  The 3rd placed team was made up of Nicol Jordaan, Henco Jordaan, Hercu du Preez and Dorette Kriel.

The SPORT pairs category is currently being cross-checked. Results to follow.

A full list of official finishers will be posted in due course, as well as those who completed the PRO “Lite” short course.

There are many more stories to be told – Team Khakibos sleeping in a dagga field, Here be Dragon’s being snared in a monster trap and Team Placement hike-a-biking up the Lubombo Mountains just for fun.

Congratulations to all who took part – there were no soft teams out there.  Thank you for helping us make the final Swazi Xtreme true to its reputation.

Directions to the start

Our start is at Nisela Safaris in southern Swaziland – see direction below under RACE LOCATION tab.

Update on paddling leg

Just a quick update on the paddling legs. I have tested both paddling legs over the last two days…to get an idea of conditions as close to race day as possible.

Results:

Section 1: easy, with a need for some quick portages around potential boat-breakers. No spraydecks needed on K2’s. Sit-on-tops fine to use.

Section 2: easy for anyone who has paddled Grade 1 and 2 rivers. There were a few more rapids than I remember from the past… and my novice experience crash-test crew did a fair amount of swimming. That said – water levels are low and the stretch is just paddleable. K2’s would be the choice boat for speed, but if you are a novice crew with no rapid experience and have borrowed a carbon kevlar boat for the event – I’d think twice. Sit-on-top plastic boats are fine to use. Glassfibre surf-ski’s are going to take punishment, unless you are very very skillful.

Sad news: I didn’t see a single croc or hippo – the state of our natural environment is clearly a cause for concern.

Entries are open for the 2010 Swazi Xtreme

The time has come to put your best foot forward. Entries are open for the 2010 Swazi Xtreme.

Cut to the chase – download your entry form here.

Or read on to hear what is going on this year in the race build-up.

Swazi Xtreme ends on a high note

The 9th edition of southern Africa’s longest running adventure race, the Swazi Xtreme, came to a head this week on Monday, April 27th. Twenty five teams of adventure racers took part in the event, and achieved one of the highest finishing rates ever in an AR in Africa.

Once again, this year’s field of Swazi Xtremists got exactly what they bargained for: 60 hours of exhilarating adventure. Dawn on the 24th of April saw an enthusiastic posse of athletes surge from the boma at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, thus signalling the start of Swazi Xtreme 2009. The celebrated multi-sport challenge started off slightly differently this year, with teams running along hippo paths and dirt roads on the first leg, and with no idea of what waited for them beyond the Checkpoint One.

They encountered the first curveball of the event at the Mlilwane gates, where they got their ‘missing’ map and boarded a bus into Mbabane. An urban orienteering segment saw teams scatter throughout the city, but then it was back to basics as the teams trekked into the mountains around the capital. Racing at a blistering pace, the top teams navigated their way via a caving section and onto a pumping rafting leg.

A boat-chomping Grade 4 rapid at the weir caused a fair amount of thrills and spills, and cooled off the competitors before they slogged into a massive mountain trek. The action continued unabated with a lake swim in full kit, plus a furious paddle in search of Optional Points (OPs) along the dam shore. Day One was finished – as were some competitors – on the bikes, with the Pro Teams cycling way into the night before banking a few hours of compulsory sleep in the forests of Mhlambanyatsi.

Although the 250 km route was this year dominated by mountain biking, racers trekked through a combination of luscious middle-veldt, high-lying grassland, savannah woodland and pine forest. A cliff scramble and hikes onto the exposed rock domes overlooking the Usuthu River added to the dramatic race route, while the white-water rafting and caving segments made sure the adrenaline kept pumping for the full 60 hours.

The race format adopted last year saw racers balancing risk and reward as they opted for maximum distance over the race window of 60 hours. This innovative approach shifted the focus from the usual ‘shortest time takes podium’ approach, instead compelling teams to go all out for maximum distance till the clock stops. Route choice, although determined by compulsory Control Points (CPs), were varied by the teams in order to add to their overall distance by gunning for as many optional OPs as possible.

Although it would be no easy task to pick a single highlight from Swazi Xtreme 2009, the finishing stage through the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary must rate high on the emotional radar for the majority of competitors. Breathtaking views from atop towering Nyonyane (or The Rock of Execution); then a gut-thumping downhill onto the grassy plains below and a finally a speedy cruise home amidst zebra, impala and wildebeest – it surely does not get much better than this!

A smaller-than-usual field did not deter from the enthusiasm suffusing this unique event, and it was clear from the word go that the Pro Event would be dominated by a face-off between reigning champs Cyanosis and the McCain Adventure Fanatics. With first-string Adventure Addicts resting for the Bimbache Extreme in Spain, it was up to Bubbles, Cobus, Craig and Donovan to fly the flag, and the certainly did a sterling job.

In the end, however, it was the unerring navigation of Nicholas and the consistency of his team mates, Clint, Ryno and Susan who saw them home with 94 points (out of a possible 95) as the deserved winners. McCain steamed in with 91 points, while Aieesh.com took the Sport Event with 52 points over 2nd-placed Gijima’s 50 points.

Three days and two nights of uninterrupted racing offered an excellent window on the many action options on offer here in ‘The Kingdom’, and this outdoor experience is sure to bring many racers and spectators back for another taste of Swazi. Organiser Darron Raw once again maximised the country’s breathtaking landscape: “We believe strongly in AR being an adventure and not just an endurance slog, and we hope the little twists and turns in this year’s event offered a window on the stunning tourism options the country offers”.

The Swazi Xtreme is organised and underwritten by Swazi Trails, Swaziland’s leading tour operators. The company has been leading the pack locally since 1987, and continues to promote Swaziland’s extraordinary adventure industry to an ever-growing global travel industry. Other sponsors are Airlink Swaziland, http://www.swazi.travel, Times of Swaziland, Swaziland Tourism Authority and http://www.ar.co.za

For info on the Swazi Xtreme and its various sponsors, check out these web sites -:

Event Information – www.swazixtreme.co.sz
Travel Sponsor – www.swazi.travel
Airline sponsor – www.flyswaziland.com
Web sponsor – www.ar.co.za
Media Sponsor – www.times.co.sz