The
toughest expedition race in the
world, presented every year by
The Discovery Channel,
sponsored by various
corporations which change from year to year. Two
two-hour shows are
created to
cover the race, and do a
good job at showing the
challenges everyone faces.
There are always teams entered from all around the world, each being marked as being from a specific country, though the memebers are not always all from that country. Teams consist of four people, and members of both sexes are required. Each team is given a number, but is usually known by their team name. The team must run the race together, if any one member has to stop for any reason, the entire team is disqualified.
Each year, a new location is chosen for the race, picked from some of the toughest terrain anywhere in the world. The event tests competitors in various types of terrain, such as lakes, rivers, forests, deserts, and mountains. Various means of travel are used in the different sections. Some areas have the competitors travelling on bicycles or horses, others in kayaks or rafts, and always a large portion on foot. There is also some climbing and rapelling involved.
The coverage is good because it not only shows the leaders, but any big event happening to any team is shown, and the ones that are just challenged to complete the race also receive coverage, because even that feat is not easy.
(years are when the race occured, not when it was aired. It's usually done late in the year, and brodcast early in the next. I believe, I could be wrong)
1996 - The first Eco-Challenge, done in British Columbia, Canada.
1997 - Eco-Challenge Australia.
1998 - Eco-Challenge Morocco. One of the interesting moments in this race was when Team Malaysia had to deal with their female teammate spraining her ankle. Instead of quitting the race, they kept going, with the other teammates taking turns carrying her. Quite amazing.
1999 - Eco-Challenge Argentina. Took place in the region known as Patagonia. The course took racers through rapids, forests, the foothills of the Andes, and actually up into the mountains themselves. Won by Team Greenpeace. Was notable because two of the teams, that were just struggling to finish, actually started working together, considering themselves as one team, which is a first. This allowed the group of eight to finish. There also was even some time that, due to weather, they considered stopping the race, as even the infrastructure, such as communications, was in trouble.