Thought Sports

LAST CHANCE TO IMPROVE YOUR NAVIGATION SKILLS

We have our last navigation training camp for 2024 this weekend in Macedon and there are just a few tickets left. Improving your nav skills is easily the best investment you can make for Adventure Racing performance- and also your (and your teams) enjoyment.

Sign up now at
https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/event-details/navigation-training-for-adventure-racing-melbourne-3

Expedition AR

I would race but….My family wants to go for a holiday.

Q: Hey, do you want to go on a holiday later in the year.
A: Yeah, that sound great. Have you thought about Bright, Oh and I have a little thing I am going to do while I am there, that is super inspirational.

Bright is an amazing and popular holiday spot with families, adventure junkies, fine diners and wine drinkers. So while you and your team mates are out on the course, your family and friends can be enjoying a wide variety of fun activities (and not sleeping in a bivvy bag!)

Check out these top 10 lists of activities courtesy of Bright and Surrounds tourism page.

https://www.visitbright.com.au/things-to-do/trip-ideas/most-popular/

"I can't thank Rob enough for the Navigation Training Camp in May."

Jose Valerio travelled all the way from South Australia to attend our navigation training camp. Jose is a keen runner but new to Adventure Racing and knew he needed some help to be able to take on the lead navigator role with a less experienced team.

"The knowledge I gained was extremely valuable and was put to good use the following weekend where I participated and co-navigated in a local 24 hour AR. I became more confident as the day (and night) progressed. We had an amazing time out and not getting lost was key!"

Thanks for the feedback Jose. We love putting on training and sharing our love of navigation, but there aren't many free weekends in our schedule. The next training will again be held just north of Melbourne in Macedon on 7-8 September. Book your place today at https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/event-details/navigation-training-for-adventure-racing-melbourne-3

📸 courtesy of Sebastian Sival and

I would race but….I am not fit enough.

Lean in close because we are about to blow the lid of a bit of an adventure racing secret.

To complete an adventure race, particularly an expedition race, you don’t need to be able to run a sub 3hr marathon or be a highly tuned athlete who if you weren’t doing Expedition AR would probably be preparing for the upcoming Olympics.

Don’t misunderstand, you need to have a reasonably good level of fitness but it's probably not as high as you think. There is much more to it than that, mental toughness, grit, outdoor skills, endurance, wanting to spend time in the bush with your mates are potentially more important than your time at the Gold Coast Half marathon on the weekend.

Are you someone who loves embarking on multi-day hikes or bikepacking adventures and is seeking an extra challenge? If this sounds like you then ExpeditionAR is for you!

Get your team together today and enter at ExpeditionAR.com.au

We had our biggest navigation training day ever in Brisbane today! Perfect weather, 16 keen Adventure Racers, some classic spur gully terrain just north of the city and plenty of opportunity to learn how to read contours. We wish you great success in your upcoming races.

ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 - Team Coddiwomples profile

Four women traveling through life in a purposeful way towards an unknown destination. Dee, Sharon, Clare and Laura come from all different walks of life who share a love for outdoors and what Mother Nature has to offer.

Deanna and Sharon are sisters who have both had an adventure filled life, shared many adventures together and have a raced together and against each other in many races around the world. Deanna and Clare became lifelong friends after sharing a house together for a few years and ended up competing alongside each other in many outdoor events. Dee’s love for AR is contagious. Dee and Laura meet through obstacle course racing and Dee’s love for the sport rubbed off and eventually Laura got into the sport of AR.

Clare reached out to Deanna last year and was keen to enter a multi-day event and thanks to Clare, the Coddiwomples were formed. We have all spent time together in various ways and are now looking forward to joining forces to take on an epic challenge.
Dee is the catalyst behind our coming together and taking the plunge to take on the one of the hardest adventure races in the world, Expedition AR.

We are looking forward to being out in nature and sharing the journey together.

Scared about….. THE COLD! We are all hot bods. We feel as a team the cold will be our biggest challenge!

Thanks for signing up Coddiwomples, and we hope you find some good warm clothes to bring to the Victorian Alps in October.

I would race but.... I don't have a team.

We hear this one a lot, and I'm sure it's been a comment used since the early days of Adventure Racing, and no doubt forming a team is a barrier for many other sports.

Recently we have noticed that team captain's who are able to motivate and draft a full team have been getting rarer than an adventure racers foot with 5 toenails. As we have spent much more time racing races than directing races, we know the inner dynamics that make a team work. But it can be hard to start out and find your tribe, and that's where we can help. Jump on the website and register your interest and give a bit of information about your background.
https://www.expeditionar.com.au/team-mate-finder

There are several clubs around Australia that can help coordinate teams- the most successful being Tiger Adventure, who have just entered their 6th team in ExpeditionAR Chapter 2. So don't be shy and jump onto one of the many Facebook groups and introduce yourself and say you are looking for an adventure like no other 😁

Adventure 1 Expedition AR

Team Thought Sports are the defending Rogue 100 champions. This looks like a great location and the Rogue Adventure team always set such challenging courses. Stick the dates on the calendar now :-)

We're excited to announce that the third edition of the Raid 100 will head to the Discovery Coast region of Queensland. The seaside town of Tannum Sands will play host to the world's only expedition-length, rogaine-format adventure race from 4-9 May 2025.

The race returns with its familiar format of 100 check points spread over 100 hours of trekking, mountain biking, packrafting and navigating. The Raid 100 will double as the Adventure 1 Oceania World Cup in 2025.

Entries open in just over a week on Monday 8 July. Places are capped, so be sure to get in early - this not a race to be missed. Full details on the race announcement can be found here:

https://raidadventures.com/raid-100-heads-to-the-discovery-coast/

Lucky all the ExpeditionAR - CHAPTER 2 teams don't need to compete against Tim Boote this year

Our ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 Newsletter 2 has just been published.

Full of information for those keen adventurers already signed up, and plenty of motivation for those who are still lining their team up to get cracking and join the fun.

Check it out here

https://www.expeditionar.com.au/resources/newsletters/newsletter2

Thought Sports 1
Peak Adventure Tiger Adventure

"I would race but...... I don't have a packraft".

Sure we get it. Gathering all the necessary gear needed for an Adventure Race takes a lot of time and money. Packrafting is probably the best addition to the sport in the last 10 years and the courses are much more interesting and challenging as a result.

At Thought Sports we have been using MRS packrafts for the last 5 years and they are undoubted the best packraft on the market. Expedition AR participants we have two offers to help you get to the race with the best possible packrafts.
1. Any teams buying an MRS packraft before the race will receive a free MRS Bow bag normally worth $220.
2. Packraft hire is available from $220 so you don't need to find the money for a new packraft
https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/shop/Packraft-Hire-Expedition-AR-p674414060

Packraft hire is limited so please jump in quickly if your team needs one.

Congratulations to Joel Claxton on making 30 yards (or just over 200km) at the Wild Dog Backyard Ultra in Gippsland this weekend. Joel has been a competitor, volunteers and team mate for the last few years and it was great to see him push so far. Certainly anyone supported by .of.tia would go much further than they expected! 8 runners still on course heading into a cold 2nd night.
claxton

Winter hasn't been here long, but Rob is already dreaming of warmer climates. So we are heading to Queensland for a short break and answering the calls to organise some navigation training while we are up north.

Join us just north of Brisbane for a full day of training covering theory, practical exercises in the forest and a chat over dinner to ask about that mistake you regretted but didn't know how to prevent.

Sunday July 7th, 2024
More info and sign up here. Places are strictly limited and we have a 50% discount for Expedition AR competitors.

https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/event-details/ar-navigation-training-se-queensland-2

Who wants an excuse to travel to the French Alps in summer time?

Quite simply everyone!

ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 is the Oceania World Cup for and the winners of the Mixed Premier class will win a free entry to the A1 World Cup final. In 2025 that hosted by and will be in held in the Haute-Alps region. Erik Agostinelli and his team produce a classic, technical course that challenges even the most experienced racers with tough mountain stages. This event is going to be memorable and we will be excited to see who wins the entry at ExpeditionAR in the Victorian Alps in October.

But you've gotta be in it to win it!
More details at www.ExpeditionAR.com.au

Adventure 1

The 2nd event in the 2024 Riverina Trail Run Series & Murray Marathon Running Festival takes place tomorrow near Albury. We know a lot of our fans from this part of the world and its great to see the series picking up momentum year after year. Race 2 Albury Ranges has two distances 15km and 5km so suitable for all runners and walkers.
Check out all details here:
https://www.riverinatrails.com.au/riverina-trail-series/

Pictured is 2023 4 Peaks women's champion Elly Jackson
📸:

Fancy a trip to France?? Yes we certainly do

Who wants an excuse to travel to the French Alps in summer time?

Quite simply everyone!

ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 is the Oceania World Cup for and the winners of the Mixed Premier class will win a free entry to the A1 World Cup final. In 2025 that hosted by and will be in held in the Haute-Alps region. Erik Agostinelli and his team produce a classic, technical course that challenges even the most experienced racers with tough mountain stages. This event is going to be memorable and we will be excited to see who wins the entry at ExpeditionAR in the Victorian Alps in October.

But you've gotta be in it to win it!
More details at www.ExpeditionAR.com.au

Adventure 1

The Rogue Adventure Raid is always a headache, but that's why we keep coming back :-) 24hrs to collect as many of the 87 CP's as possible leaves you with so many possibilities. This is what every navigator loves until they get overwhelmed with choice and just can't make an more decisions.

Thanks to our team of Quint , Narelle Crozier and Claxton for convincing Preston to dust of the bike and find all the gear he hasn't used for a while and make the trip to QLD for the race. We put together a really good performance with minimal mistakes and came home with 2nd place after a great race from Alpine Avengers.

A huge thanks to St Pierre for continuing to put such time and effort into providing the highest quality course and map, especially with recent health issues severely impacting his time ability to spend time in the field.

To all the competitors, I hope we will see you at the next Adventure 1 event, Expedition AR in Bright, Victoria. We can guarantee you won't need portage wheels or encounter any muddy tidal flats, though the Queenslanders might need to bring a few warmer clothing options.

Here are some of the great photos from Margarete Oti

Team 2 Thought Sports are up in Queensland taking on a strong field for the annual Rogue Adventure 24hr Raid. Rob Preston Myall Quint Narelle Crozier are returning with new member Joel Claxton. Joel has been a long time training partner and it's great to have Gen Y member bringing the average age down.
Tune in for the live tracking action from 10am Sat to 10am Sunday.

Raid Adventures Live Tracking Check in on all the teams and follow their every navigational move. A link to live tracking will go live at 7am on race day HERE. Leaderboard A live leaderboard will be updated throughout the race with team’s scores as they pass through transition HERE. Photo Galleries Photos from th...

No one ever won an Adventure Race because they brought a new dropper post, but races are certainly won by classy navigation skills.

Just 4 weeks until the Thought Sports Navigation training camp. We have world champion coaches, and some participants training for the World Adventure Racing Championships, but this course will benefit any level of experience.

Where: Macedon/Woodend, 1hr north of Melbourne
When: 25-26th May, 2024
Register here today: https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/event-details/navigation-training-for-adventure-racing-melbourne-2

Expedition AR Obstacle Australia

Expedition AR Chapter 2 Early bird entries close at midnight tonight, 21st April.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to challenge yourself, and team over 500km of packrafting, mountain biking and trekking through the amazing Victorian Alps next spring.

20-27th October, 2024, based in Bright, Victoria.

www.expeditionar.com.au

The Rogue Raid is always a highlight of the Adventure Race calendar organised by Liam St Pierre. This race is always a good balance of navigation, strategy and physical challenges. We look forward to heading up to Queensland for the 2nd race of the Adventure 1 series.

This year's Rogue Raid is shaping up to be another competitive edition, with the top two teams from last year's race ready to battle it out again. We're also excited to be welcoming our interstate vistiors and regular Kiwi crew back to the race. Competitors will be emailed in the week before the race with final details. Check out the latest press release from the race here:
https://raidadventures.com/rogue-raid-moreton-bay/
Visit Moreton Bay Malaysia IB Adventure A1 National Series Adventure 1

Team Broken Compass return for Chapter 2- Victorian Alps

Broken Compass overcame a few team changes in 2023 but were ultimately very happy with their 4th place performance by utilising their two experienced team members - Duncan and Justin with the youthful enthusiasm of Andrew and Nathan (the youngest athlete in the race).

For 2024, the smiling assassin Kathryn Morland has joined the team and sure to add some organisational excellence and a move into the Premier Mixed Category. Kathryn commented that their teams had crossed paths quite a lot in Chapter 1, and she was impressed with their quiet determination and ability to push through transitions quickly. Kathryn is looking forward to the Victorian Alps, but also hopes they won't repeat the difficulties of navigation in the 'monkey forest' of the Coffs Coast.

Thought Sports

ExpeditionAR is just over 6 months away - 20-27th October 2024.

Early bird entries end this Sunday 21st April so save your team some money (to spend on a new packraft??) and get your entry in today.

500km of packrafting, amazing mountain bike trails and epic mountain landscapes, you won't want to miss ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 - Victorian Alps

www.expeditionar.com.au

Have you been happy with your navigation performance in your recent races?

Or do you like to take a back seat claiming 'I'm not the navigator'?.....

Come and learn from our team who have been honing their navigation skills for over 30 years and know how to put it into practice. Whether you are wanting to get to the finish of the next Sprint Adventure Race quicker, or want to beat your sister-in-law at the next Adventure 1 event, this intensive training course is for you.

Tickets are limited, for more information and to sign up check out more details here
https://www.thoughtsports.com.au/event-details/navigation-training-for-adventure-racing-melbourne-2

We are pleased to have our good friends at RemoteMed returning to look after our athletes at AR Chapter 2- Victorian Alps. Duncan and Maureen bring not only a wealth of emergency and communications training and experience, but also many years working on other endurance events around Australia. They know the Victorian Alps very well, and live just 30mins from Bright.

"RemoteMed is excited to, once again, be supporting ExpeditionAR in Australia. Our team of wilderness medics enjoyed supporting Chapter 1 around the awesome Coffs Harbour course last year. It was great to help the competitors put their all into the event" explains Duncan.

"We are stoked to be working with the Thought Sports team again on another Expedition Adventure Race."

Wildflow Tigers return to ExpeditionAR Chapter 2

Our winning Pursuit team is returning in 2024 to compete in the Pure Category. The team of Tim, James, Anthony and Christine overcame several team changes in the final few months, but performed to a high standard and had a great time.

Christine describes their Chapter 1 experience:
"In last years race, our team were accused of having too much fun at times! This may be true, but the course was tough and challenging enough to make us have to work seamlessly as a team to get through despite only meeting up 2 days earlier. It was also enough to make our team immediately plan to return this year. There were lots of spectacular views and I always love the Nymboida river but highlights for me were the waterfall abseil, the big long downhill rides and the final beach walk into the wind when our sunglasses got so scratched we couldn’t see but couldn’t take them off either!

We can't wait to see how this team performs against the top Pure teams- definitely a darkhorse for the podium.

1 Tiger Adventure Thought Sports

Our ExpeditionAR Chapter 2 Newsletter 1 has just been published.

Jammed packed full of information for those keen adventurers already signed up, and plenty of motivation for those who are still lining their team up to get cracking and join the fun.

https://www.expeditionar.com.au/resources/newsletters/newsletter1

Thought Sports Adventure 1