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Photo: Tommy Chang
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Altogether, 76 coed teams from 27 countries are vying for $100,000 in prize money in Borneo. Many squads are racing for the first time, but Burnett is adamant that the racecourse, kept secret until just before the start of the race, will be formidable. "We want to be very clear from the beginning that we will not compromise the difficulty or the quality of the race," he told competitors. "Some of the world's best teams will be racing against you in Sabah and we are committed to providing a challenging race for the top teams."
Burnett and his crew spent several weeks scouting potential course routes, eventually charting a path that requires nine disciplines, including jungle trekking, canyoning, canoeing, caving, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling and mountain biking.
Competitors will traverse harsh tropical rainforests, sail aquamarine seas, paddle swollen jungle rivers, scale densely forested hills and navigate deep caves. Amid the deafening buzz of the jungle, they will stumble upon cascading waterfalls, indigenous tribes and the occasional rampage of wild animals, including orangutan, wild boar, elephants, mouse deer and perhaps even the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros.
According to Burnett, part of the course, which passes through an area known locally as the "Lost World," has the potential to be particularly dangerous. "This race requires knowledge of jungle navigation," he wrote, warning competitors. "Do not take this lightly. The risk of getting lost in the jungle is extremely high."
For most competitors the race not only requires physical ability, but will demand mental and emotional strength they never knew they had. Competitors must be able to mentally and emotionally endure extremely intense environments over the course of 320 miles. For many it will be like ...
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