The Patagonian Expedition Race has been a fixture on the adventure racing calendar for ten years. Over that period, the race has earned itself a reputation for being one of the toughest around while also earning rave reviews from athletes for the stunning courses that were created year in and year out. Now, it seems the future of the race is in serious jeopardy and the adventure racing community runs the risk of losing yet another classic expedition length event.
The news broke earlier today in a local Chilean newspaper (translation required). Race managers Stjepan Pavicic is suspending the race for 2014 due to lack of local support from the authorities in the Patagonia region. As you can imagine, putting on a race of this caliber on an annual basis, particularly in a remote setting, can be very difficult. From the sound of things, it seems Pavicic doesn’t feel like his race is getting the support it needs to thrive. This is particularly disheartening considering the amount of exposure it brings to the region and the revenue it generates for the local economy.
Pavicic has said that he will wait until June 10 to make a final announcement on the fate of the race. The hope is that perhaps one or two of the sponsors will step up to lend a hand, or perhaps a new sponsor might be interested in joining the team. Barring some kind of miracle however, it now appears that there will be no Patagonian Expedition Race next year. He does say he’ll reassess the situation in 2015 to see if it is viable to bring back the event at that time.
So?? Any outdoor-oriented companies out there looking for a little exposure want to step in and save this great race? I’m sure the race directors would love to hear from you.
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