Welcome
See event details below!
Online Entry, Entry Procedure, Cancellations and Refunds
ENTRY PROCEDURE
- Entries open 1 November 2022. Limited entries.
- All teams are welcome enter.
- Fill in online entry form.
- Expedition Africa will contact your team with a Welcome letter and bank details.
- All payments must be completed by end of July 2023.
- Team member substitutions can still be made until end August 2023. No charge for the substitutions.
ENTRY FEE
- International teams: $ TBC per team of four.
- South African teams: R TBC per team of four.
- Accommodation is not included in entry fee. Visit accommodation tab to book accommodation
ENTRY FEE INCLUDES
- A full service Expedition Adventure, which will be the 2023 World Championship of the Adventure Racing World Series.
- Team Logistical support.
- An Expedition Africa 2023 garment.
- Race Bib
- Awards ceremony dinner.
- Two Fluid double kayaks for the team and paddles if needed.
- Spot Live tracking of teams progress.
- Medical backup.
- Local hand made trophy.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
Teams may cancel their entry at any stage by e-mailing the event organizers.
- Full guaranteed refund until 31 July 2023 – if a team cannot attend.
- No refunds are applicable after 31 July 2023 – if a team cannot attend.
- Only make a payment for your entry when certain that you will attend the event. Once you have made a payment, we start planning for your participation and costs are being incurred.
- Teams are not permitted to transfer their fees paid to future events if they are not able to make this edition of the event.
- Teams are permitted to transfer or sell their entry to another team if available. This will be a transaction between the teams. Teams must notify Expedition Africa as soon as possible in the case of a team entry being transferred or sold.
- If two teams do not have sufficient members and decide to join together, this will be strictly considered as one team cancelling their entry. Refund policy will be as stated above, no exceptions.
- If the race is cancelled due to acts of God, natural disasters, terrorism, or other reasons, the organizers will make every effort to refund as much of the entry fee as possible to all teams. However, all teams should be aware that any refunds will be considered after event costs have been calculated. Given the high number of fixed costs associated with organizing the race teams should also be aware that any refund is likely to be minimal. The race will not be re-scheduled.
Expedition Concept
ADVENTURE CONCEPT
- What is Adventure Racing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=occW94DgWT4&t=17s
- Adventure racing is a multi-discipline endurance sport where competitors compete in teams, navigating from control point to control point in a number of disciplines.
- Disciplines include: mountain biking, trekking, kayaking and orienteering.
- Teams are expected to navigate using a map and landmarks.
- Teams must be able to operate in harsh remote environments in all weather conditions.
- Teams travel throughout the night. They can decide if, when and where to rest.
- The first team to complete the whole course, with all the control points visited will be declared the winner.
- Teams are required to complete the entire distance together (always within hearing and visual distance of each other), helping and assisting each other.
- Teamwork and team dynamics are essential. A detailed understanding of your teammates and of your own capabilities is essential.
History of Expedition Africa
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Meet the Expedition Africa Team
Meet the Expedition Africa Team
Heidi and Stephan Muller
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Race Directors
Sharing our love for adventure and traveling to like minded people. Striving for excellence in the adventures we create. #itsallaboutlove
Anton Muller
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Anton Muller has been assisting Kinetic Events with their GPS tracking and live race websites for the past 8 years. Anton lives in Perth, Australia with his wife and 3 children. He usually joins us for the major races and manages the smaller races remotely from Australia. For those have not previously met Anton, he is actually Stephan’s (slightly) older brother. In the real world, Anton works as an IT Analyst, specializing in Data Analytics. He is also a very keen cyclist, regularly competing in mountain & road races.
Kirsten Oliver
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Kirsten is a freelance photographer addicted to photographing adventure races and other events that showcase the relationship of people and the beautiful world around them. She delights in chasing after Adventure teams in wild terrains across the globe to capture the essence of their journey for the world to enjoy. Kirsten has photographed a number of adventure racing expeditions from Raid in France to Expedition Africa and India. In 2019 she will be traveling to Scandinavia once again to shoot for the Nordic Islands Adventure Race before returning South for Expedition Africa Rodrigues a few months later. Watch out for images encapsulating adventure racers exploring some of the most unique and spectacular places in the world.”
Craig Giese
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Craig Giese is an Outdoor Adventure Photographer and Media Content Developer based in East London, South Africa.
He has a passion for the outdoors, caring for the environment and is inspired by nature.
“Adventure is all around us. We just need to go and
He loves any adventure based activities, exploring big mountains and capturing special moments from his adventures.
He has worked with Kinetic Events on Expedition India (2017, 2019) and this will be his 2nd Expedition Africa Event and is looking forward to exploring the magnificent Island of Rodrigues.
Favourite Adventure quote
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Christo and Charlene
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Christo is a registered BLS medic and Charlene is a qualified Level 3 first aider and has also done Sports Injury Management. Both are also accredited safety officers. They both have over 20 years experience in emergency services. Christo has been part of the Expedition Africa medical team since 2016 when and Charlene joined the EA team in 2018. This husband and wife team is always ready and willing to assist whenever needed, be it medical, set up, time keeping or whatever needs doing.
Yolanda
![](https://pirbtech.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Yolanda-300x300.jpg)
Yolanda joined Expedition Africa as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic in 2019. She is a graduate of the University of Johannesburg. She is a great outdoor enthusiast & enjoys working at our adventure races. She summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya & Tabana Ntlenyana in Lesotho. Successfully trekked to Everest basecamp, walked the Portuguese Camino & the length of Holland. Pieter Pad starts in the north & ends in the south – 493km. She is always willing to go beyond her duty as a paramedic. She is the Covid compliance officer during registration, time keeping, ensuring the athletes are well taken care of at the transition points & collecting bibs at the finish. Athletes are fond of Yolanda because she takes care of their injuries & provides moral support in the form of coffee & rusks. She is the one staying awake until everyone is safely over the finish line. Being a paramedic is a very rewarding profession
Media Partner
Sleep Monsters
![](https://pirbtech.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sleepmonsters-300x300.jpg)
Find a Team
FIND A TEAM
If you want to join an existing team, create a new team or are looking for members to fill up your team, contact us at stephan@kinetic-events.co.za and we will list your contact details below:
Volunteers
VOLUNTEERS
- The best way to be part of the race if you cannot participate yourself is to become a volunteer.
- If you are interested please contact Heidi – 082 564 6468 or mail at heidi@kinetic-events.co.za
- Volunteers just need to reach the registration venue on their own cost.
- Volunteers will receive a race garment.
- Accommodation will be provided. Specific details to be provided on request.
- Come and be part of this adventure.
Team format and Teams entered
TEAM FORMAT
- Teams of 4 members of any combination – (males and/or females)
- Only mixed teams of four with at least one member being female will be eligible for the free entry at the Adventure Racing World Championship in 2023.
TEAMS ENTERED
1. TEAM: (ARWS 2022 World Champions)
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2. TEAM: (Winner Patagonia Raid 2023)
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3. TEAM: (Winner PC12 Adventure Race 2023)
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4. TEAM: (Winner Adventure Race Malaysia 2023)
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5. TEAM: (Winner Nordic Islands Adventure Race)
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6. TEAM: (Winner ARWS Europe Regional Series 2022)
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7. TEAM: (Winner ARWS Oceania Regional Series 2022)
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8. TEAM: (Winner ARWS Africa Regional Series 2022)
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9. TEAM: (Winner ARWS South America Regional Series 2022)
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Location Information – Eastern Cape
LOCATION INFORMATION
- The location will be Eastern Cape, South Africa.
- Event HQ and accommodation partner will be the Cape St. Francis Resort: https://www.capestfrancis.co.za/
- International teams must book their flights to David Stuurman International Airport in Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth.
EASTERN CAPE GENERAL INFORMATION
In 2023, Expedition Africa will return to the Eastern Cape https://visiteasterncape.co.za/, the second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces.
The diverse Eastern Cape Province is situated between the Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal and bordered by the Orange River and Drakensberg Mountains. The Kouga Local Municipality and the Sarah Baartman Municipality will be our hosts.
The key ingredients to select an ideal area for an Adventure Race of this magnitude is to find an area which is far away from any human development to ensure teams have a true wilderness experience and also be close enough to world class internet structures and fast and dependable logistical network with transitions that offers a welcome retrieve from the wild, the Eastern Cape matches this description.
The Eastern Cape in South Africa boasts some of the world’s best beaches and 800 km of unspoilt picturesque coastlines where blue oceans tumble onto quiet beaches. The Eastern Cape coastline is a mecca to all water sports enthusiasts and has a popular and thriving surfing culture. On the wilder side these beaches are unspoilt and virtually untouched. The Southern Right Whales and their calves are regularly spotted from the high dunes view, usually between May and November.
The Wild Coast of South Africa is all about natural drama. Jade-green grass ices the hills and mountains, and black rocky cliffs plummet into the wild blue waters below.
Wildlife is abundant in the Eastern Cape. The big five, Lion, Leopard, Rhino , elephant, and the African Buffalo are easily spotted at numerous reserves across the province. Malaria free luxury private reserves as Kariega Game Reserve https://www.kariega.co.za/ as well as national reserves such as Addo Elephant Park https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/ offers a fantastic wildlife experience for visitors.
An often disregarded area of the Eastern Cape, referred to as the ‘dry heart’ of South Africa, is the Karoo Heartland. The Karoo Heartland’s rugged and intense beauty is dominated by vast, flat plains, rocky Mountains, and the biggest assortment of succulents in the world. The Karoo Heartland lies at the heart of South Africa. This beautiful, water-strapped, and desolate area is a series of mountains, vast plains, star studded skies, farmland, idiosyncratic little towns reminiscent of yesteryear and space – lots of it.
The rugged beauty of the Baviaanskloof recently awarded World Heritage Site and the Kouga Wilderness area is a vast wilderness area. This land of raw wilderness with its rocky passes, rugged gorges, indigenous forests, crystal mountain streams, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and numerous baboons roaming the area is truly one of the last true wilderness areas that exists. Baviaanskloof offers hours of beautiful scenery.
Host Resort and Attractions
HOST RESORT
- Cape St. Francis Resort. https://www.capestfrancis.co.za/
- The Cape St. Francis Resort will play host to ARWC 2023.
- This resort is situated on the beach, surrounded by nature and a short trip away from all the attractions that the Eastern Cape offers.
- The resort is an ideal host for a World Championship. The resort layout will ensure that all teams stay in close vicinity to the finish line.The village feeling of a finishing zone is vital to create a welcoming experience for all teams.
- Family and supporters are welcome to join their teams on their visit to the Eastern Cape and stay at the resort while waiting for their teams to arrive at the finish line. The waiting time can be spend on the sunny beach or a visit to a game reserve and view the Big Five.
- The resort has two on-site restaurants, Joe Fish restaurant and Full Stop Cafe.
AREA ATTRACTIONS
- Kariega Private Game Reserve: https://www.kariega.co.za/
- Addo Elephant National Park: https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/
- Surf schools in St. Francis and at Jeffreys Bay.
- Canyoning: https://www.africanyon.com/
- Bungy jumping: https://www.faceadrenalin.com/
- Kayak adventure: https://untouchedadventures.activitar.com/products
- Sandboarding: https://www.sandboarding.infojeffreysbay.com/
- Golf Course: https://stfrancislinks.com/
Accommodation and Airport Transfers
ACCOMMODATION
- Email: anita@capestfrancisresort.co.za for all accommodation bookings.
- Please mention that you are part of Expedition Africa AR World Championships 2023.
- 14 night packages and 5 night packages are available.
- The above packages can be customized according to team needs.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS
- Free airport transfers for all teams from David Stuurman International Airport Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth to the Cape St. Francis Resort are provided in the entry fee. (Only applicable if accommodation is booked at the resort).
- South African teams can use their own transport to the host resort, and park their vehicles at the resort for the duration of the race.
Dates & Times
DATES & TIMES
SATURDAY – 14 OCTOBER 2023
- 15H00: Equipment transfer from David Stuurman International Airport Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth to Cape St. Francis Resort.
SUNDAY – 15 OCTOBER 2023
- 15H00: Equipment transfer from David Stuurman International Airport Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth to Cape St. Francis Resort.
MONDAY – 16 OCTOBER 2023
- 15H00: Equipment transfer from David Stuurman International Airport Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth to Cape St. Francis Resort.
TUESDAY – 17 OCTOBER 2023
- 8h00: Event administration, Team Registration and Equipment inspection.
- 12h00: Team race briefing
- 14h00: Media briefing
- 17h00: Welcoming ceremony.
WEDNESDAY – 18 OCTOBER 2023
- 8h00: Community project.
- 12h00: Team captains Quistions and answers.
- 15h00: Re-supply boxes hand in,
- 15h00: Packed cycle boxes hand in.
- 15h00: Packed kayak bags hand in.
THURSDAY – 19 OCTOBER 2023
- 6h00: Bus transfer to race start.
SATURDAY – 28 OCTOBER 2023
- 17h00. Awards ceremony and dinner.
SUNDAY – 29 OCTOBER 2023
- 6h00: International teams bus transfer to David Stuurman International Airport Gqerbha / Port Elizabeth.
Distance, Route and Disciplines
DISTANCE AND ROUTE
- The expedition will cover approximately TBC km. Winning team 4 days (sleep excluded), last team nine days.
- Mountain biking 50 % = TBC km (approx).
- Trekking 40% = TBC km (approx).
- Kayaking 10% = TBC km (approx).
- 8 legs with 7 transitions.
- More accurate distances of individual legs will be released at registration and at Expedition briefing.
- All teams will be able to finish before Saturday night awards ceremony
DISCIPLINES
- Mountain biking – teams should be prepared for a range of riding including single track, steep hills, gravel roads and sealed roads.
- Trekking – will involve traveling by foot through rugged and diverse terrain.
- Kayaking – each team will receive a 2 double Fluid kayaks http://www.fluidkayaks.com/project/synergy-recreational-kayak/ NO SAILS ALLOWED
- Orienteering – orienteering is an extremely important part of the race. The course is not marked and teams are required to navigate using maps.
Maps
MAPS
- Maps supplied will be 1:50 000 topographical maps – A3 size.
- Each team will receive two sets of maps.
- Teams will copy route on to maps from a master map as Expedition progresses. Information on this will be given at briefing.
- Google maps may also be supplied for navigation on certain legs.
- Waterproofing of maps is essential.
- Stationary to prepare route on map is needed. Different colours pens, sellotape, scissors etc. Two sets to be placed in both re-supply boxes.
- Maps will not be replaced if team misplaces maps.
Cycles Boxes and Re-supply boxes
CYCLE BOXES
- Teams must provide their own waterproof cycle boxes (no cardboard boxes) for cycle transport.
- Maximum dimensions allowed: 1400 x 800 x 300 mm (NO EXCEPTIONS)
- Maximum weight limit for one packed cycle box is 25 kg.
- The cycle boxes must have handles on the sides to enable the volunteers to carry it.
- The organisers will transport the cycles from transition to transition.
RE-SUPPLY BOXES
- The organisers will provide teams with 2 re-supply boxes each at the start in which to pack gear and food.
- Teams will need to plan meticulously all their equipment and sustenance, and then pack them into their re-supply boxes.
- Size of the re-supply box is – 160 liter. (81 cm long * 37 cm wide * 40 cm high). Maximum packed weight 25 kg.
- Only boxes supplied by the organizers may be used, teams can’t use their own re-supply boxes.
- The organizers will move these boxes to various points on the route.
- Boxes will be available at designated transition areas somewhere on route. The position of these transition areas will be indicated in the adventure book.
- Re-supply boxes needs to be secured with cable ties by the teams before being moved by the organisers.
Competency Required
COMPETENCY REQUIRED
- At least two members of the team must be capable of navigating by compass and map during the day and night. The team must be able to orientate a map, identify grid references on a map, take a bearing between two points on a map, and understand the impact of magnetic declination.
- The teams must be able to describe what your team will do if it became lost.
- At least one member of the team must hold a minimum qualification of Level One First Aid.
- All team members must be suitably competent in all the disciplines included in the event as specified by the race organizer and be able to complete the event without any assistance from any person other than their own team members.
- Swim 100 m of any stroke.
- By entering this event, teams acknowledge that they are competent in all skills as stated above to complete such an event.
Equipment required and Inspection
EQUIPMENT
To Be Announced
Event Rules & Regulations & Personal Responsibility
EVENT RULES & REGULATIONS
Click HERE for the ARWS rules & regulations (download & save a copy)
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
- I understand and acknowledge that participating in this event is a dangerous activity. I am aware and understand the activities I will be involved in. I am aware of the hazards involved and acknowledge that there is always risk of injury (including permanent injury, mental injury, paralysis and death). In my judgment I have sufficient competence, knowledge, common sense, experience, survival skills and equipment to participate in all the event activities in a manner safe to myself and others.
- I understand and agree that, in the first instance, I am responsible for the provision of first aid to myself and those around me, I know and accept that rescue by the organisers, or emergency services, may not be possible immediately (e.g.: Night, rain, equipment failure, other rescue etc.)
- If I get to a point in the course that I believe the level of inherent risk is unacceptable for me, and I am not confident in completing it safely, it is my responsibility to take action. I must choose an alternate route, avoid the hazard, or even withdraw from that leg or the race. I accept this self-responsibility.
- Use common sense to “assess” areas for personal safety
- I and my whole team have read this paragraph, understand it and indemnify the event organiser against all claims.
Eco Awareness
ECO AWARENESS
Teams are to adhere to the following stipulations at all times:
- All waste is to be carried to the closest transition for disposal.
- Human waste is to be buried between 20 and 25 cm below the soil surface.
- Picking of flowers, cutting of walking sticks and/or any damage to the natural vegetation (even though they might appear to be dead) is prohibited. The making of fires, whatever the circumstances and no matter how small, are prohibited along the entire route.
- No tree, rock etc. may be defaced in any manner.
- Be polite and courteous to local inhabitants. Pass quietly through settlements, especially at night.
Prizes & Awards
PRIZES / AWARDS
- $ 50 000 USD – divided between the first 5 teams.
- First mixed team will receive a paid entry for the Adventure Racing World Championships in 2024.
- All participants will receive local hand made Expedition Africa trophies.