The Sabah Adventure Challenge (SAC) is back for the 10th year. It enjoys a reputation for providing a challenging, yet engaging race which encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery in North Borneo.

Unique in its format, The Sabah Adventure Challenge has teams of two or three participants per team racing from dawn to dusk. These teams will be traversing jungle clad mountain ranges, down cascading rivers and hiking through some of Asia's prime rain forests. Adventure disciplines will include jungle trekking, mountain biking, and orienteering.

Sabah Adventure remains unique because it offers novice and experienced teams a challenging experience over the course of three days where teamwork, preparation and the spirit of adventure racing all play a part in determining your success or failure in completing the race.
As one of the oldest adventure races in Asia, the Sabah Adventure Challenge is a three day race covering a total of some 140-200 kilometers. Each year, we increase the technical aspects of map reading and team dynamics and the same can be said for 2009. So bring your brains as well as your muscles!

 

RACE SCENARIO:

• At least 50% of the Race Course consists of Mountain Biking
• A Maximum of 45% of the Race Course consists of Hiking/ Orienteering/ Bi-athlon
• 5% of the Race will include a possible tire tube section down a grade 2 river.
 

RACE CATEGORIES:

Teams compete in 2 or 3 person teams in either the adventure or extreme categories for the race.
*All race entries per team include race maps, race course notes, and 10th anniversary t-shirt
*Teams may elect to race in an all female, mixed or all male team in either the adventure or extreme categories.

 

ADVENTURE CLASS will be a tough challenge for the average fit weekend warrior. It has all the same activities as the Extreme Class but racing will only be done during the day and the race distance will be some 20-30% shorter than the extreme category. On average, to complete each day will see teams racing for about 5 to 10 hours.
 

EXTREME CLASS is for fit athletes who want to push their minds and bodies to the limit. It may include some night racing. The first team will need at least 8-12 hours to complete the day's course. Team work is essential in this category and navigation will be essential in completing the day's challenge. Routes are longer and tougher than the Adventure category.
 

Compulsory:

Per Team:
• Compass
• Watch
• Medical Kit (list provided below)
• Deep Heat Spray x 1 per team
• 1 x Sunscreen (SPF 50+, please consult your doctor if you are prone to allergic reactions to any sun screen prior to coming out to the SAC)
-1 x sleeping tent

Tent (1 per team of 2 people for the base camp which will be collected and sent with your gear at the start of the race to the camp site for you. You do not need to carry this during the race in your pack.)
 

Per Competitor:
• Headlamp
• 1 x 3 Litre Water Bladder
• Additional Batteries for your headlamp/Torch
• Rain Jacket
• Plate/Spoon/Fork/Knife (Basic cutlery for meals)
• Cup for Drinks/Refreshments
• 2 x Glow Sticks and adequate masking tape to fix on glow sticks to helmet or hat (back and front)
• 1 x Long Sleeve shirt (loose sizing, not fitting)
• 1 x Jungle Hat/Boonie Hat (covers your front, sides and back of your neck)
• 5 x Salt Re-hydration Salts (Per Person per day)
• 1 x Sarong or Towel (to cover your head/neck/back of your head) available in most textile shops in Singapore or Hong Kong/China
 

Recommended

• Altimeter
• Map Case Holder
• Sun protection, such as a hat, sun screen
• Powerfood/isotonic drink
• Torch light
• Vaseline (for feet, crotch and blisters)
• Mosquito Spray
• Sleeping Mat
 

Bike Sections:

Compulsory

Per Team:
• Pump
• Basic repair kit ( including 1 Alan key set)

Per Competitor:
• Mountain bike
• Helmet
• Spare tube
• Red back light
• Front light (headlamp is not acceptable as a replacement for front light while Mountain Biking. It may be used in unison with a front light but not as a replacement for a front light)

Recommended:
• Bike with front fork suspension
• Map holder that can be fixed to the handle bar of bike
• Chain tool
• Bike gloves
• Tire patches
• Base camp repair kit with additional items such as break pads, tire, etc (This may be left with your gear which will be transported daily from base camp to base camp so you are able to conduct repairs on your bicycles if necessary)
 

Water Sections:

Recommended:
• Small waterproof bag/dry bag if necessary and zip lock bags (adequate quantity to store your mandatory equipment and medical kit)
 

Medical Kit (Compulsory)
Medical Equipment

MEDICAL NOTES

Each team in the Sabah Adventure Challenge is required to have a medical kit and the teams are required to carry a basic medical kit such as the one listed below, with them. Teams will be required to carry a smaller kit with contents from this list to deal with bleeding and basic injuries that require immediate treatment or pain relief.

While some medical assistance will be available and will be provided for emergencies during the race, participants should be aware that there may be times that medical assistance may not be immediately available should an injury take place in a remote area.

Medical assistance will be available at the base camp for all participants. If a participant requires further treatment or requires treatment that is not available at the base camp, the medical team and organizers will arrange for the participant to be transported to the nearest hospital.

The medical team at the base camp will not be responsible for handling routine foot care (treatment of minor blisters etc). These are the responsibility of the race participants themselves and participants should ensure that they have enough blister dressings to last the full duration of the race.

Participants who have known allergies should inform the Race Doctor of these, a minimum of 30 days before the start of the race.

Participants requiring intravenous fluids/rehydration at anytime during the duration of the Sabah Adventure Challenge will be automatically disqualified.

The decision of the Race Doctors or the Race Director to stop a participant from continuing the race or to disqualify the participant on medical grounds shall be final and non-disputable.

The use of all stimulants (e.g. caffeine tablets) is strictly prohibited.

Medical Kit for Participants:
1. 3” x 5ft roll of stretch gauze bandage material (e.g. Crepe, ACE wrap, Coban or Peha-haft).
2. 3” x 5ft roll of non-stretch Sports Strapping tape (NOT duct tape).
3. 2” x 3” non-adherent wound dressing (e.g. Melolin).
4. 3” x 5” pressure dressing for heavy bleeding.
5. Electrolyte replacement tablets or sachets, minimum sodium content: 400 mg each. Table salt is not acceptable.
6. Water purification tablets or equivalent in liquid form. (i.e. Iodine)
7. Anti-histamine tablets (non-sedating anti-histamines are recommended e.g. Clarityne, Aerius/Clarinex, Telfast/Allegra).
8. Blister dressings (e.g. Compeed, Moleskin). Each team should ensure that they have enough for three race days.
9. Antiseptic solution (e.g. Betadine, Iodine).
10. Anti-itch cream or gel (e.g. Eurax, Hydrocortisone, Eumovate).
11. Anti-inflammatory tablets (Ibuprofen, Synflex, Feldene, Aspirin etc).
12. Anti-diarrhoea tablets (e.g. Lomotil, Imodium).
13. Anti-bacterial ointment or cream (e.g. Bactraban, Neosporin).
14. Sunblock (SPF 30+) and lip balm with sun screen.
15. A small pair of scissors.
16. For those with known medical conditions: appropriate quantities of their required medication.
 

Leptospirosis

As the race may involve traveling in or traversing rivers and streams, race participants and volunteers are advised there may be a slightly increased risk of contracting Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterium and is usually transmitted to humans through water contaminated with urine from infected animals.

Preventive Measures: There is no vaccine available to prevent leptospirosis. Participants might benefit from chemoprophylaxis. Until further data becomes available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta recommends that travelers who might be at increased risk for leptospirosis be advised to consider chemoprophylaxis with doxycycline (200 milligrams orally, once a week), begun 1 to 2 days before exposure and continuing through the period of exposure. Participants should consult their own doctors about this before arriving for the race. The Organisers and the Race Medical Team will not be providing race participants with any prophylactic medication.

Malaria

Malaria should not pose a major problem as the race will not be held in known malarial areas but as always, there is a very small amount of risk involved and participants, especially those from overseas, are advised to take malaria prophylaxis. They should consult their own doctors on this matter, for appropriate prophylaxis in advance of their arrival to Sabah.

PRIZES

(Note from race director: the prizes for SAC09 for adventure and extreme have been amended on the 8th December 2008 due to a race budget revision and cuts in sponsorship funding from key sponsors due to the current and expected economic crunch in late 08 and early 09. We have tried to ensure there was little effect on the prizes but this was unavoidable and as such, please find a revised prize listing according to category)

Extreme Category

1st RM2500.00 + 1 Polar CS400 + 1 RS200SD
For more information on CS400, please visit: http://www.polar.fi/sg-en/products/cycling/cs400 and http://www.polar.fi/sg-en/products/running_multisport/RS200sd

2nd RM2000.00 + 2 Polar CS200 CAD
For more information on CS200 CAD, please visit: http://www.polar.fi/sg-en/products/cycling/cs200cad

3rd RM1500.00 + 2 Polar CS100B
For more information on CS100B, please visit: http://www.polar.fi/sg-en/products/cycling/CS100b


Adventure Category

1st Oakley Thump Glasses MP3 Player x 2 + 2 Polar Adventure Watch's + RM1200 + 2 Polarized Ryder Sunglasses

2nd Oakley Thump Glasses MP3 Player x 2 + 2 Polar Heart Rate Monitor Watch's + RM850 + 2 Polarized Ryder Sunglasses

3rd RM600 + 2 Polarized Ryder Sunglasses