Adventure Race World Championship takes Hong Kong team through shark-infested waters during 420km race
- Ryan Blair and his team are heading to Reunion Island for a race that involves paddling in an area with so many sharks that surfing is banned
Ryan Blair is leading a Hong Kong team through the Adventure Race World Championship on Reunion Island, with water so densely inhabited by sharks that surfing has been banned. But they are focused on a podium finish.
The race takes the four-person team 420 kilometres around the Indian Ocean island, 162km on foot, 182km by mountain bike and 78km of kayaking or on rafts they have to carry throughout the multi-day race. More than a few days and adventure racing becomes an expedition.
“The biggest challenge with expedition racing at the elite level is dealing with sleep deprivation through several nights while still trying to push the pace and not make navigation mistakes or crash on the bike,” Blair said.
“To even have a chance to finish in the top 10 or 20 you are talking about perhaps two or three hours sleep per day average.”
The team is made up of Blair, Thai Jantaraboon Kiangchaipaiphana and Brazilians Guilherme Pahl Siqueira Silva and Camila De Araujo Nicolau.
