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in June 2002 (www.OARevents.com). and the inaugural Eco-Primal Quest, (www.ecoprimalquest.com) july 2002. Both are non-stop expeditions across the Colorado. And, don't forget the Odyssey folks' other creations: The Endorphin Fix, Beast of the East and MEGA Dose (www.OARevents.com). Odyssey race directors Don Mann and Joy Marr have made adventure racing not only challenging, but also accessible to an array of endurance athletes. This month, four-day MEGA Dose (October 19-23), designed for f it and experienced teams of four, two or daring soloists, winds competitors through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Offering a 200-mile PRO and 125-mile SPORT class, the cou rse challenges racers in paddling, whitewater swimming, biking, trekking and cl im bing savvy. They aim to please. After all, as the Odyssey Event crew says, "Your pa in is our pleasure." The next level of adventure racing in cludes the multi- week bigg ies, crafted for seaso ned endurance ath let es with refined fitness and expert skil ls. Th ese races are not for ten- derfoots. From Octobe r 2 1 to November 2, 75 international teams take on New Zealand's rugged elements during the Eco- Challenge (www.ecoc hallenge.com). A week later (November 9 to 17), New Zealand's long sta ndi ng Southern Tr averse (www.southe rntraverse.com) cha llenges coed four-person teams to trek, mountain bike, paddle and absei l t hrough the Sout h Island's serrated mountain ridges, glacia l-formed val leys, bush- fringed lakes. Adding to the November melting pot is the fifth annual Mild Seven Outdoor Quest (www.msoq.com).(Novemberl-5.2001) inLijiang. China. The four-day stage race features kayaking, repelling, hiking and biking through the lush Yunnan Province. The triple bonus is that teams actually sleep at night. New to the adventure-racing scene, Expedition BVI (www.expedi- tionbvLcom ) is all the buzz right now. Saying bah humbug to the winter blues, BVI serves up a four-day Carribean competition along pristine beaches of the British Virgin Islands (December 11-14, 2001). Fifty four-person teams will cover 200 miles of beautiful water passages and lush tropical mountaintops via kayaks, sailboats, mountain bikes, maps, compasses, scuba gear, moun- taineering equipment and fixed ropes. Then there's the granddaddy of them all-the Raid Gauloises (www.raid-gauloises.com).TobeheldinVietnam.summer 2002.this Raid promises to wow competitors and locals ali ke. Five-person coed teams will explore their nature through the mountains and emerald green waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. So, how do you get started? Attend ing an adventure racing school like Colorado Adventure Training (www.adventuretraining.com). Odyssey Adventure Racing Academy (wwwOARevents.com) or Sol Adventure (www.soladventures.com) is a terrific way to lea rn necessary ath let ic and safety skills to advance to a higher level of competition. Expert adventurers teach students the ropes and make adventure rac- ing dreams a reality.-Stefani Jackenthal 21