It started earlier this year as an international poll that pulled together adventure racing participants, communities, clubs, race directors and national organisations, and has culminated in the establishment of an International Adventure Racing Association (IARA) which has already been endorsed by national associations and adventure racing communities from over 22 countries.
In April 2023, Adventure Racing countries voted to establish an independent association for their sport.
In a Zoom meeting last night, Thursday 7 December 2023, an Interim Committee for IARA was elected from nominees put forward by the international Adventure Racing community. The committee will see the Association through the next 12 months in the lead up to their first Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The working arrangements of the Association will be fleshed out with the Association’s focus on strengthening the communication network between adventure racing countries for the sharing of knowledge, experience and resources, and assisting countries to establish national organisations.
The long term vision of the new association is to support the development and growth of Adventure Racing representation in countries throughout the world, define and elevate global standards in terms of fair play, safety, quality, sustainability and protect the ‘spirit of adventure’ in Adventure Racing.
As elected chairperson Cormac Mac Donnell (Ireland) says, “We have the roof and walls of our house; the next year will be about building the rooms and moving in some furniture”.
For much of 2023, the AR Countries Working group has facilitated polls, communications, meetings, and task groups to arrive at a Draft Constitution signed and endorsed by 22 Adventure Racing (AR) countries for the new Association. The group communicated with AR countries through each step of the process, called for nominations for the Interim Committee and set up last night’s Establishment Meeting.
The AR Working Group now concludes its work as the Interim Committee takes up the baton in establishing the new association.
Lisa de Speville (South Africa), who worked extensively with Mac Donnell in the AR Countries Working Group, will now assume the role of General Administrator within IARA.
“We have had incredible support from the Adventure Racing community with people raising their hands to be on the committee, or to be available for task groups during the year ahead. They have many years of experience in Adventure Racing, strong involvements with single-discipline sporting bodies, skills from their professional lives, and the desire to make a positive contribution to the sport that has given them so much.”
A few initial IARA tasks will get ticked off in the next two weeks as the year-that-was winds down for the festive season. The Interim Committee will meet in early January 2024 to plot the way forward with tasks and timelines. The Committee aims to bring in creativity and innovation to purpose-build an international body that services its countries and communities in the unique sport of Adventure Racing.
International Adventure Racing Association Interim Committee for 2024
| Role | Name |
| Chairperson | Cormac Mac Donnell, Ireland |
| Operations Officer | Marijn Edelenbosch, Netherlands |
| General Administrator | Lisa de Speville, South Africa |
| Membership Officer | Marek Navratil, Czech Republic |
| with support from | Warley Costa, Brazil |
| Communications Officer | Alen Pujol, Uruguay |
| Finance Officer | Adrian Crane, USA |
| Marketing &Media Officer | Kati Vehmas, Finland &Samuel Eloy, Brazil |
| with support from | Dana Jahn Odvody, Czech RepublicJohn Harris, USA |
Countries that have signed and support the Draft Constitution
Countries with established national Adventure Racing structures: Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherland, USA, Uruguay with endorsement from Spain.
Active Adventure Racing countries: Australia,Costa Rica, India, Colombia, Norway, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, and United Kingdom.
IARA can be contacted at contact@internationaladventureracing.org