Primal Quest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primal Quest is an expedition-length adventure race that has been called one of the difficult athletic events in the world and is cited as the most prestigious expedition event in North America. [1] The race once featured the largest prize purse in adventure racing, and has been called the Super Bowl of adventure racing. [2] Each race lasts up to ten days, with winning teams completing the course in approximately six days. Each team is required to have four members and must be co-ed.
Each team is required to carry a GPS device allowing race organizers and spectators to track each team real-time via the Internet on the Primal Quest website.
The first Primal Quest was held in 2002 in Telluride, Colorado. In 2003, the race moved to Lake Tahoe and 2004 featured a course on San Juan Island, in the State of Washington. CBS broadcast highlights of the race in 2003 and 2004, the first expedition adventure race to be featured on network television.
Primal Quest was not held in 2005 but returned in June 2006 to the Utah desert where racers faced a course of approximately 420 miles and temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Returning to the roots of adventure racing, no support crews were permitted for the racers, requiring teams to carry more gear and up to three days of food. Disciplines included mountain biking, trekking, horseback riding, technical rope skills, mountaineering, kayaking and white water swimming. Primal Quest Utah was broadcast internationally as four one-hour episodes on ESPN2 and a one hour recap and finale on ABC Sports. Barrett Productions produced the video.
On June 21, 2008, Primal Quest will return. The race will be held in the Gallatin National Forest, near Bozeman Montana. Similar to past events, the 2008 event will involve teams of four racers, last up to 10 days and cover approximately 450 miles (including over 100,000 feet of elevation gain). Support crews will be required.
Contents |
[edit] External links
- Primal Quest Home Page
- A variety of Primal Quest Videos
- Photo essay on the race
- Video of the 2006 race
- Information on 2006 Primal Quest Video
- Study on Primal Quest Participants
[edit] 2008 Primal Quest Montana Team Websites
[edit] Locations/Results
2002 Telluride
1st SoBe/SmartWool - became Nike ACG/Balance Bar in 2003
2nd Team Montrail
3rd Team GoLite
2003 Lake Tahoe
1st Nike ACG/Balance Bar
2nd AROC
3rd Team Seagate
2004 San Juan Island
1st Seagate
1st (tie) Nike ACG/Balance Bar
3rd Holofiber
2006 Moab Utah
1st Nike PowerBlast
2nd GoLite/Timberland
3rd Merrell/Wigwam Adventure
