Registration is now open for the 2008 edition of ARWS – Estoril Portugal eXPeDition Race. Reduce prices and a special lottery of a free inscription for the 2009 ARWC in Portugal are the big news!!!.

Estoril Portugal XPD 2008 will be in early December, from 30 Nov to 4 December and according to the organizers will be a very difficult and challenging race. They have designed a course that explores the amazing SOUTHWEST COAST of EUROPE and its magnificent cliffs, beaches and sand dunes, which look rather like the shores of the north african desert.

Bryan Sharp writes

Final Thoughts!

As with everything in life there are good and bad points..........
Firstly the bad.......I'll get back to them.......When I can think of one!

Secondly the good........
Where to start? From the minute we arrived at the airport we were met with a warm welcome and
every moment since felt part of the team, not just a runner but an integral part of the
whole event. The logistics of moving runners, support staff and equipment means the event is
limited to around 40 competitors, this allows everyone to get to know each other very
quickly and very well.

Bryan Sharp writes

Day 5 Terre De Haut

As the sun rose on the last day a feeling of anticipation was acompanied by a disappointment, the event was nearly over. Just one more amazing run and the adventure would be over, with hindsight the locally produced rum would be our guide for the closing night's ceremony, so maybe it wasn't over yet!
At first glance there had either been a printing error or an angry child armed with felt tip pen had gotten a hold of our route maps. A closer inspection of the numerous arrows and lines revealed the course was made up of no less than three interlinked out and back style routes. The first and third were tours of hill mounted battlements with the second taking us inside the walls of a beautifully preserved colonial stone fort perched high above the island's coastline.

Bryan Sharp writes

Day 4 Basse-Terre

A lakeside country park provided our pitch for the evening. Soft turf being a pleasant change from pentrating, coarse sand.
The usual morning routine of wash, breakfast, kit check and race brief was undetraken as if we were heading to another day at the office. If you work in an office at the summit of a 1097m high mountain blanketed in unforgiving jungle and race your colleagues to work and back maybe this is just another day at the office, we don't, today was anything but routine.
To give you an diea of perspective, Snowdon is 1085m and the last time we checked North Wales didn't look like the set from Jurassic Park.

Over the tracks of Volcanoes - From April to May

Main characteristics :

* A hard Trail in the hearth of the Mediterranean
* A race through the wild nature to climb the highest active volcanoes in Europe: Mt Stromboli and Mt Etna.
* Between sea and mountain, in the beautiful frame of Aeolian Islands and Mt Etna

Sicily Volcano Trail is an international, non competitive, race. The "sky runners" are the bold participants who challenge themselves "across the sky", running at high altitude. The 2007 Sicily Volcano Trail is the forth edition of this unique event.

An amazing adventure trail and competition taking place in the heart of the Mediterranean, between the Aeolian Islands and Mt Etna. A 100 Km race divided into 5 timed runs with 4670 mt total drop.

Bryan Sharp writes

Race Day 3 Marie Gallante

Having slept the previous nights under canvas it was a luxury to awaken in a sports hall surrounded by our fellow competitors in a make shift dormitory. Breakfast was as prompt as ever with today bringing a few more sighs and moans as the runners propped themselves up onto their feet.
We were to be driven by coach to the start and finish at our beach side sports hall. At first glance the route map seemed basic and straight forward, then we realised it was double sided! Delayed starts are never good and news of a one hour delay was not welcome, but the event organisers ensured us it was to complete additional course markers so losing an hour of cool morning would prevent anyone getting lost in the heat of midday and suffering the consequences.

Byran Sharp writes

Day 2 Grand Terre

Today was scheduled to be the longest leg of the event, following a coastal path around the east face of the island. We started from camp through the town of Le Moule with a safety car leading the way, a gentle sea breeze and an overcast sky made conditions more hospitable for the for the Anglais/Ecosse partners in crime. Twenty minutes passed quite quickly before the car peeled away and the competitors were left with only basic course markers and a route map to find their way. Behind the beach lay a giant strip of rough, jagged volcanic stone that was to be our playground as the course began to display it's technical side.