TACLOBAN CITY – The FEAR Youth Team Triumphs from New Zealand emerged victorious in the recent La Routa Adventure Eastern Visayas 2023 in Biliran.
The New Zealand team bested 13 other squads from India, Poland, Malaysia, and the Philippines in the regional championship of the Asian Racing World Series (ARWS)-Asia Championship.
They will compete in the Adventure Racing World Series in Ecuador in November 2024.
The four-day competition included running, swimming, paddling, biking, and rappelling, covering 300 to 350 kilometers of non-stop activities that tested the athletes' will and determination to finish the race.
The event was the first in the Philippines and was supported by the Department of Tourism and the provincial government of Biliran.
The province's safety features, lack of insurgency issues, and well-connected roads made the province ideal for the international competition, organizers said.
Jason Garido, La Routa organizer and race master, commended racers for navigating through challenging weather conditions, highlighting the essence of grace and poise in overcoming obstacles during adventure races.
“Adventure as its nature always has so many variables, the weather, difficulty in climate, and time. But as adventure racers, we always try to overcome. We should also reflect that when we overcome, we should do it with grace and poise, and whatever we do during the race speaks for who we are,” Garido said.
Heide Muller, CEO of Adventure Racing World Series, thanked the Philippine government for supporting the event.
She emphasized the role of adventure races in promoting the country as a premier destination for adventure tourism.
Muller encouraged more women to participate, citing the significant representation of women in the La Routa adventure race.