The Greek Beginning

In our country, the sport flourished in the late ’90s. It all started on May 22, 1999, when together with Yiannis Theocharopoulos and Mike Argyris we organized the 1st Athlos (Quest) Parnithas, where 25 teams of two athletes each covered roughly 60 km through running, mountain biking, and descending the Goura Gorge.

That same fall, the 1st Salomon X-Experience took place in Karpenisi, a two-day race with teams of four athletes, in which at least one woman’s participation was mandatory.

From then on, other significant events followed, such as the Pindos Crossing, the Pindos Challenge, and the Tzoumerka Atlos (Quest), while at the same time we watched in awe international races like the Raid Gauloise and the legendary Eco Challenge, spanning 500+ km of continuous action in remote parts of the world.

Unfortunately, after 2006, Adventure Races disappeared from our country. The reasons were many: difficulty in finding teammates with both comparable fitness and technical skills, as well as the high costs involved.

Those of us who took part remember them with nostalgia, as each race left behind stories to last a lifetime. So, when Advendure offered me the opportunity to join the Norcha Adventure Race in Portugal for journalistic coverage, I gladly accepted — eager to see what has changed compared to the past and to once again experience up close the efforts of athletes and organizers.

The International Scene

Today, the global stage is dominated by the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS), a platform that brings together more than 80 Adventure Races in iconic locations. The ARWS includes both multi-day Adventure Races in some of the most demanding and remote places on the planet, as well as regional races lasting a single day or a weekend. Every year, the world’s top teams compete in the World Championship, which this year will be hosted in Canada, on September 22, in Penticton, British Columbia. Called Expedition Canada, the event features an impressive 750+ km, 10-day course through valleys, lakes, alpine peaks, and wild forests, where 60 teams from 25 countries will compete for the title of Adventure Racing World Champion.

The Vision of Pedro Pinto – Race Director of NORCHA

“We believe that adventure requires adaptation to new situations. In full alignment with this spirit, we decided to step out of our comfort zone and create a sporting event that pushes beyond human limits, while at the same time focusing on team goals and strengthening the environmental conditions that surround us. Solidarity, humility, dedication, and integrity are some of the values that guide us in the pursuit of excellence, building moments that help us contribute to a better world.”

NORCHA Adventure Race – Portugal in the Spotlight

This year’s NORCHA Adventure Race in Portugal was a true ode to adventure. Teams of four athletes, with the mandatory participation of at least one woman, crossed 500 km in 4 days through the stunning Douro Valley, an area famous for its three National Parks and the quality of its wines.

With the clock never stopping, athletes moved with minimal sleep breaks, combining running, mountain biking, and kayaking, always navigating with map and compass, as any electronic aid was strictly forbidden.

Self-sufficiency was absolute: food and equipment had to be organized in advance, packed into special boxes, and await the teams at transition points. Any mistake in the logistics planning could prove fatal.

On the eve of the race, the 13 teams (11 fully compliant with the regulations, since one consisted only of men and another had only two members) prepared their gear, supplies, and underwent a technical inspection where they presented the mandatory equipment (headlamp, waterproof jacket, emergency sleeping bag, chemical lights, first aid kit, and a rope).

That same evening, in a beautiful venue accompanied by excellent artistic performances, the official team presentation took place, and the athletes received their race bibs.

The next morning, after the technical briefing at the hotel, the athletes were transported to the start area, where at 9:45 a.m., upon receiving the first map, the race officially began.

The opening stage was an orienteering run (4 km) through the town. Upon returning, teams had to present photos of the mandatory checkpoints at race headquarters before receiving the maps for the next stage, which was mountain biking.

This process was repeated at the end of each stage and continued until the race’s conclusion.

The challenge by the numbers:

• 7 mountain bike stages: 358 km
• 5 running stages: 101 km
• 4 kayaking stages: 52 km

A total of 16 stages, during which teams had to locate 72 checkpoints. They photographed each one using a mobile phone provided by the organizers, which could only be used to make a call in case of emergency — an action that automatically meant the team’s withdrawal from the race.

The Battle at the Top

From the very beginning, it was clear that the fierce competition would be between three teams. After 5 hours of racing, Team Aaros from Denmark had taken a small lead, with the Spanish teams Repuesto Ojea Pixeralia and Alpha Dental just a few minutes behind.

Throughout the night, there were several changes in the standings, as each team decided when and where to stop for rest.

With temperatures swinging from 25°C during the day to just 5°C at night, some teams chose to sleep during the hottest hours and move through the cooler night.

Two days in, the two leading teams had covered 260 kilometers with only a small time gap between them, while the Uruguayans of Ultra Sport climbed into third place. Meanwhile, Alpha Dental dropped from second to sixth after losing 2 hours and 30 minutes searching for a checkpoint, which left them mentally and physically exhausted.

On the third day, for safety reasons, the organizers canceled a 31 km night kayaking stage, where the fastest team was expected to need around 5 hours. They imposed a mandatory 3-hour stop for all teams, during which they were also transported to the next stage.

The Finish line

After three days, the penultimate stage — a 24 km run — proved decisive, as the gap between the leading Team Aaros and the second-placed Repuesto Ojea Pixeralia was about one hour. In the final 55 km mountain bike stage, the Spanish team decided not to collect all the checkpoints and instead head straight for the finish, knowing that the third team, Ultra Sport, posed no threat (they were 1 hour and 30 minutes behind and had already skipped the penultimate stage).

Team Aaros completed the 500 km with 14,000 meters of elevation gain in 3 days, 8 hours, and 40 minutes, while sleeping a total of just 5 hours and 30 minutes!

Experiencing the effort up close, I couldn’t help but compare the past with the present. Our races back then were far more technical, with many trails, much more difficult terrain, and crossings of several gorges. Of course, the overall length of the race and the available days to complete it strongly influence the organizer’s decision when designing the course, and there are certainly races of every level of difficulty.

In conclusion, I would say this particular race is ideal as an introduction to the world of multi-day adventure racing, since its technical difficulty was low, the environment safe, and the weather conditions at this time of year nearly perfect.

A Lifetime Experience

Like every Adventure Race, the Norcha Adventure Race is not just an event — it is an epic of endurance and teamwork. It is an experience that confronts you with your limits, bonds you with your team, and immerses you in the wild beauty of nature. For those who dared to stand on the starting line, this journey in Portugal will remain unforgettable.

And you? Would you dare to try it?

Nikos Kostopoulos

Photo copyright: Nikos Kostopoulos, Randy Ericksen, Marcos Ferrer, Pedro Costa