Bangkok Eco Challenge Adventure Race
Good news for all the “adrenaline junkies” who prepared for last year's Essilor Bangkok Eco Adventure Race. This event was supposed to have taken place last year, but was postponed to mid-February due to the floods.
The time has come, because this race will definitely start on Saturday, February 11 in Nong Chok, a town east of Suvarnabhumi Airport, half an hour's drive from Bangkok. Rice fields, lakes, swamps, wooden bridges and even temple grounds then become the playground for people who dare to take on such a challenge.
It is an Adventure Race of more than 50 kilometers for teams of two people, which not only features elements such as tracking, running, mountain biking, swimming and kayaking, but also provides some mystery assignments. The race starts at half past eight in the morning and will take between 3 and 8 hours per team. There will be racing in different categories, you can register online at www.ama-events.com
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND & CAREER
“It's hard to believe we were able to organize such an interesting adventure race just an hour's drive from the city center,” says Serge Henkens, the race director. The track goes through an area of greenery and participating in the race offers an unforgettable experience to witness the beauty of the Thai countryside. “Nong Chok is very different from the courses previously used in Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. It is much flatter here, there are no hills or mountains and no jungle either,” says Henkens.
In the past 10 years, adventure races have become popular in Thailand. “What makes this unique sport attractive and exciting for adventure racers is that the riders don't know what's coming,” says Henkens. “They don't know the course and they don't know the distances per part either. They must be ready for all scenarios. These unknown factors, in combination with nature, are the main reasons for the enormous success of this new sport.”
The “racing center” in Nong Chok is the Korean International School of Bangkok, where all kinds of attractions are also available for accompanying children. While supervisors and family can relax there with a snack and a drink, the riders will have to work up a sweat.
About this blogger
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Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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