Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 12 JUN 2010

Welcome to Adventure Race Montenegro 2010 – Two Day Expedition Challenge !
PRESS RELEASE – 12 JUNE
Montenegro Expedition Challenge www.montenegroexpeditionchallenge.com
October 1-3: Adventure Race Montenegro's Expedition Challenge will test the competitors’ stamina with a two day feast of wild adventure on foot, mountain biking, river rafting, kayaking, orienteering and perhaps a few surprises thrown in ! The route traverses high plateau, mountain peaks and river canyons across the spectacular and wild terrain of Northern Montenegro. Open to mixed and open teams of 2 or 4 people. Route locations include : Biogradska Gora National Park, remote Sinjajevina Plateau, the stunning Tara Canyon, Durmitor National Park, Sćepan Polje and Piva Lake.
Latest news:
The United States Adventure Racing Association (USARA) http://www.usara.com/ has selected Adventure Race Montenegro (ARM) as part of the "Grand Prize" awarded to USARA's Number One Nationally Ranked Team in 2010. As part of the newly signed partnership agreement, USARA's number one team will receive free entry into the 2011 Expedition Challenge.

 "Growth in the sport of Adventure Racing is exploding," says Troy Farrar, President of USAhttp://www.adventureteam.in.rsRA, "and not just in the United States, but around the world. Which is why we're happy to support this professionally organized event in Montenegro."

Jack Delf, Race Director for Adventure Race Montenegro stated "We are honored to partner with USARA, and look forward to welcoming America's number one ranked team to compete in Adventure Race Montenegro. This will bring significant benefits to a country that is quickly gaining a reputation as Europe's next adventure destination".

Winners of the Serbian Adventure Race http://www.adventureteam.in.rs will also compete in Montenegro’s Expedition Challenge in 2010.
Crist Inman of La Paz Group www.lapazgroup.com, an advisor to the Wenger Patagonia Expedition Race, visited Montenegro in May 2010 to spend a week with Adventure Race Montenegro Directors advising on route planning, logistics and marketing.

The 2010 Route has been finalized and the race profile is attached. The route will not be revealed to competitors until the night before the race, however we can confirm there will be approximately :
• 80 kms on foot
• 15 kms by kayak
• 35 kms on river rafts
• 82 kms on mountain bikes
The race will start in the mountain resort town of Kolasin and Adventure race Montenegro is pleased to announce our cooperation with the Kolasin 1450 ski resort www.kolasin1450.com who will host the start of the race from the top of the main ski lift. After approximately 212 kms of mountains, rivers, plateaus, canyons and lakes those who last the distance will make it to the finish line at Donja Brezna. There will be 2 mandatory rest periods during the race.
Aside from those mentioned already the following outfitters are involved in helping to stage this year’s race and a big thanks is given to them for their support, enthusiasm and commitment.
• Explorer, Kolasin www.montenegroexplorer.co.me/eng
• Kamp Grab http://www.tara-grab.com/en/00.html 
• Perun Cycle Club, Niksic
• Ciclomont
• Adventure Park Montenegro
Montenegro Adventure Series www.montenegroadventureseries.com 
This year’s Montenegro Expedition Challenge and the one day Adventure race are both part of the inaugural Montenegro Adventure Series, a collaboration between Montenegro’s premier adventure sport events including :
• XVI Paths of King Nikola – (Road Cycle Race),was held on 29 April – 2 May 2010. The annual race is already part of the UCI Europe tour competition and attracts professional cyclists from many European countries
• 31st FAI World Style and Accuracy Parachute Championships and 5th FAI Junior World Style and Accuracy Parachuting Championships, 28 August - 4 September 2010
• VI Trophy Montenegro MTB XCO (annual Mountain Biking Race through National Park Prokletije and part of the "Gusinje Summer" festivities), 1-2 August 2010, Plav
• IV Trophy Trebjesa MTB XCO (annual Mountain Biking Race) was held on 19 May
• XI Montenegro Trophy/Montenegro Off-Road Discovery – 4 day, international off road rally, 11th – 14th of September
For more information visit the Montenegro Adventure Series website.
Contact
To take part in this year’s Montenegro Expedition Challenge or for more press or travel and accommodation information please contact info@adventureracemontenegro.com or contact Hayley (English) +382 (0)67 268 971 or Janko +382 (0)67 603 712 (Crnogorski).

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 14 JAN 2010

“In 2010 Montenegro will stage the first 48 hour Expedition Challenge Adventure Race in the Balkans. The event will attract competitors from across Europe to will challenge their stamina and outdoor survival skills against some of Europe’s most rugged mountain landscapes”

Adventure Racing in Montenegro:

In 2007 a group of ex-pat adventurers decided to take advantage of Montenegro’s unique potential as a venue for outdoor adventure sports.

Montenegro has spectacular rugged mountain landscapes which must rank among the least known outdoor sports destinations in Europe! Not only is the north of Montenegro rarely visited by tourism but is also sparsely populated. In the winter months, 50% of Montenegro is uninhabited, traditional summer grazing only occupies a further 25% of the land area. Much of Montenegro is still covered by virgin forest and uncultivated natural landscapes, which constitute some of Europe’s last wilderness areas. Within this landscape hides a 40km ‘untouched’ stretch of the Tara, one of the world’s deepest canyons, Canyon Nevidio, the last canyon to be explored in Europe, and the incomparable Sinjajevina plateau a 40km2 high rocky pasture without roads, telephones or electricity. There are 3 national parks, numerous fast flowing mountain rivers and more than 150 peaks over 2000m high.

To promote Adventure Tourism in Montenegro, Black Mountain Montenegro (http://www.montenegroholiday.com) and Kayak Montenegro (http://www.kayakmontenegro.com) set up ARM, (Adventure Race Montenegro) and organised the Montenegro’s first adventure race in 2007. The aim was to promote outdoor sports, increase awareness of environmental issues and raise money for local charities. The race followed the Boka Kotorska by Kayak, Mountain bike and on foot to support the Matija charity and Forum MNE a non profit youth training group. 60 competitors took part and more than 12 local businesses donated money and equipment. Adventure Race Montenegro was born.

In 2008 and 2009 the race followed similar formats with the inclusion of a UNDP supported race in Mojkovac and a clay pigeon shooting challenge added to the event.

“The race has been a great success when you consider the level of local and international interest and involvement, all of our business sponsors have continued to support the event and the race has been gaining increasing coverage in local media. However, we were honing our organisational skills before moving to the next level. We want a race which ranks beside the world’s best and attracts the best adventure racers. We want to be a major fixture in the world’s adventure racing calendar. For that reason in 2010 we are staging something much more challenging” said Black Mountain’s Jack Delf, one of the race directors.

Promised support from the USAID stars project, local municipalities and our contacts in the world of adventure racing will help us stage a true 48 hour expedition challenge”.

Competing teams will traverse the Tara Canyon, Sinjajevina Plateau, Mount Durmitor (Montenegro’s highest peak) and the beautiful Piva Canyon. The event will be staged as part of Montenegro’s new LONAC outdoor season and will also draw help from other LONAC organisers.

Adventure Racing has enormous appeal in Europe, particularly among the young upmarket adventure travellers. Already many magazines and media have expressed an interest in covering the event. The 48 race spans the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of October, so can attract ‘entry level’ adventure racers from across Europe. (One team from America has already shown an interest in participating). The challenge will be more of stamina, navigation skills and expedition planning than athletic ability. Registration has not opened yet, but already teams are expressing an interest in competing.

The race will be a spectacular; the locations have been carefully chosen to offer a breathtaking backdrop, new challenges such as high ropes traverses have been added to make the event eye catching. “All of our existing sponsors will support us in 2010 but we still need help and support. For the first time this year, we will consider an overall event sponsor, but it would need to be a company which supports are ecological goals and appeals to young adventurers!”

“We believe that coverage of the event will launch Montenegro as Europe’s adventure destination in the next year. But we have plans for even more demanding challenges and locations in the future, a Trans- Balkans adventure race should not be ruled out!”

Potential sponsors or businesses should contact: jack@montenegroholiday.com

Anyone interested in participating or helping with the event should contact: info@adventureracemontenegro.com 

Notes:

IV Adventure Race Montenegro.
One day race on the 25th of September in the Boka Kotorska and a 2 day ARM E - Expedition Challenge style race on the 1st and 2nd of October.
‘Expedition Challenge’ will run over 48 hours. The location is in the north of Montenegro, following the Tara Canyon, Sinjajevina Plateau, Mount Durmitor before skirting the Bosnian border and the Piva Canyon to Niksic. The final route will not be unveiled to competitors before the start.

We will include, kayaking, rafting (along the 40km ‘wilderness’ stretch of the Tara, mountain biking, road biking and ropes sections. The possibility also exists to add in a 4x4 off road section and clay pigeon shoot!)

We already have the support of the NTO, USAID. COSV, Local municipalities, businesses and clubs will also help.

(LONAC) Montenegro Adventure Series

An ‘umbrella name,’ for a series of outdoor events in Montenegro, starting in 2010. This project is known as the Montenegro Adventure series www.montenegroadventureseries.com