Has Adventure Racing Lost ‘The Last Wild Race’?
Rob Howard / 06.06.2013
After a decade of organising the Patagonian Expedition Race the Race Director Stjepan Pavicic has told a Chilean newspaper that the 2014 race won’t go ahead, although he’s set a date of June 10th before that decision will be officially confirmed.
The delay is a last ditch attempt to get more local and government support for the race, which has now run for 10 years and gained a reputation as the toughest in the world. Over the past decade the race has raised the profile of Chilean Patagonia as an Eco-tourism destination, attracting teams from around the world and generating hundreds of hours of T.V. coverage, and thousands of newspaper, magazine and online articles. (SleepMonsters has reported on all 10 races.)
It is a contribution to the local tourism economy Pavicic values at $81 million, and he’s made it very clear he needs more financial support, either from the Chilean authorities or a new sponsor. In what is described as ‘a terse statement’ to the paper he’s said that after the decision on June 10th there will be no going back on it.
The race presents immense logistical difficulties and their associated costs, and has been run by a small and dedicated team led by Pavicic. He has always been a no-compromise Race Director, taking teams to places which are more remote than any other race visits, including stages on Tierra del Fuego, crossing the Patagonian ice sheet and paddling in the Magellan Strait. Sustaining that commitment to pure adventure has always been a financial tightrope and required a huge personal effort by all involved, not least Pavicic. (In this SleepMonsters interview with him in 2006 there were already questions about cancellation and the financial constraints he was working under.)
Given the timescale it looks like only a last gasp miracle can save next year’s race, although Pavicic has said he will review the situation for 2015, so there is still hope we’ve not seen the last ‘Last Wild Race’.
(You can read the original newspaper article here. Requires translation.)
