Gerard Fusil's Bike and Run Adventure - Adventure Racing on a Budget

Gerald Fusil is a man who always puts his ideas intoplace on the East Coast of Oman, however some of
action and others follow. The founder of the Raidthe place names were only known to the locals.
Gauloises, The world's first true expedition race isDecember 2005. A barmy evening camped by the
always on the lookout to expand the sport. The costsea saw Gerard Fusil briefing the gathered teams
of competing in adventure racing has reached a levelfrom France, Oman, UK, Réunion, Austria,
that few teams can now afford. Organisers andHolland and Australia. Most teams had arrived in the
adventure racers are faced with high travel andmorning so had little time to prepare. Support vehicles
insurance costs. One way to attract racers is to offerwere shared by two teams, so competitors spent the
large sums in prize money, and top teams can make anight poring over maps and packing gear into the
living, but what about the average racer.vehicles by torchlight.
Last Year, During the annual Reunion D'AventuresThe following day at dawn a convoy of vehicles
race, Gerard Fusil added a bike and run discipline whichtransported the team to the start line in a nearby Wadi.
required the four person team to share two mountainThe first day included a section of running only along
bikes during a couple of legs of the race. The trial wasgoat tracks and this proved to be decisive as the
a success as teams were forced to think of tactics toAustralian and one local Omani team got lost allowing
complete the legs in the fastest possible way. Somea French team to build an unassailable lead.
teams doubled up on the downhill sections, othersLater in the week Gerard Fusil had mapped out the
stayed, whilst the more successful set up a relaycourse with a 17k twisting climb from the sea to 1500
system with the rider going a set distance beforemetres and also a section of canyoning with a number
leaving the bike at the edge of the track for their teamof swims.
mate, who would get on and then leapfrog them.Gerard Fusil had arranged camping or bivouacs in a
Gerard Fusil saw an opportunity to return once againnumber of scenic areas, with the stages starting in the
to the basis of Expedition Adventure Racing. Providingearly morning most teams would finish around mid-day
teams the chance to explore a country, interface withor early afternoon.
the local population and race in exotic locations withThe terrain in Oman is varied from lush oasis to harsh
out the need to transport large amounts of gear.rocky hillsides and of course seas of sandiness where
Gerard Fusil announced his ideas at the Reunionthe teams finished the race. Gerard Fusil held the prize
D'Aventures prize giving and the world waited withgiving in Muscat the winners being a husband and wife
bated breadth.team Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen from France. Second
September 2005 saw Gerard Fusil Launch the Bikeplace went to the Australians and a Local Omani team
and Run Concept to the World with the Omancame in third.
Adventure. Details were brief, two person teams toTeams came from many different backgrounds,
share one bike with only one person to be on the bikeAdventure racers, tri-athletes, marathon runners,
at one time. The race would be run in a number ofmountain bikers; the final count saw adventure racers
stages including a night stage and teams had to behowever leading the way.
prepared to camp in the wild. Time was short soVirtually all teams adopted the general tactic of leap
Gerard Fusil used the course notes from the 1992frogging, however there were at least a couple of
Raid Gauloises for parts of the course.incidents when teams missed the bike, including one on
Gerald Fusil made one other departure from the normthe long climb for an all female team which required an
by pre-announcing the lengths of each stay and theextra 4k to be covered to collect the bike!
names of the overnight camps. The race was to take