Adventure Travel | Badwater

In 2021, Join AdventureCORPS for a Brand New Vision of Stage Racing in the Republic of Artsakh!

Oct 22, 2019 - by Chris Kostman

Adventure Travel • Armenia

Above: Race Director Chris Kostman announces and explains the race.

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

World-class adventure awaits in Artsakh’s dramatic, mountainous landscape!

AdventureCORPS presents Artsakh Ultra, a six-day running race through the Republic of Artsakh

Oak Park, CA – In 2021, AdventureCORPS® – organizers of the world-famous Badwater® ultramarathon running races in Death Valley and across the USA – will host a six-day, point-to-point, 160-mile (260km) trail running stage race from Armenian into and across the Republic of Artsakh. The inaugural race will be held August 30 through September 4 of 2021, and the goal is to have 50 runners representing at least ten different countries participating.

Formerly known as Nagorno-Karabakh during the Soviet era, Artsakh is a fascinating, wonderful country that few people have even heard of, and even less have visited. AdventureCORPS aims to change both of those facts by bringing runners from all over the world to compete in the Artsakh Ultra™. The event will be held annually and AdventureCORPS already has plans underway to develop additional endurance sports events in Artsakh in the near future.

The Artsakh Ultra race will be held primarily on the Janapar Trail, a hiking trail network which stretches from adjacent Armenia into and across Artsakh. The route is primarily held on jeep tracks, along with single track trails, some dirt roads, and about 10 miles (16km) of paved roads.

The race will be organized in a “stage race” format, in which runners will run a certain section of the Janapar Trail each day. Each day’s “stage” will be timed separately, and overall results will be calculated by adding all six days’ times together. The first stage will be 22mi / 36km; the next four stages will vary from 26 to 34 miles (42 to 55km), while the final stage will be 16mi / 26km. With a total distance of 160mi (260km), there is a total of 26,000 feet (8000m) of elevation gain along the route.

Beginning in the northeastern Armenian city of Vardenis, after 15 miles (24km) and at the top of a 9000-foot (2743m) pass, competitors in the Artsakh Ultra will leave Armenia and cross into the Republic of Artsakh. From here they will follow the Janapar Trail – with a few side diversions to see ancient sites – and transect the majority of this magnificent country. The six nights on the trail will include tent camping the first three nights and hotel stays the final three nights. Luggage transport will be provided each day and most breakfast and dinner meals will be provided. (Runners will provide their own energy food while running, and will be on their own for restaurant dining on two nights: in Vank and in Stepanakert.)

Stage four of the Artsakh Ultra will finish in dramatic fashion at 1000-year-old Gandzasar Monastery, above the eclectic village of Vank, Artsakh.

Some of the exciting landmarks along the route include the monasteries of Dadivank, Gandzasar, and Hakobvank, Zuar hot springs, the lofty peak of Kachaghakaberd, the “We Are Our Mountains” sculpture in Stepanakert, and Hunot Canyon. Towns and villages along the route include Tsar, Karvachar, Zuar, Vank, Patara, Stepanakert, and Shushi.

The final stage will begin with a festival hosted by the Artsakh government in the capital city of Stepanakert, and will conclude with a celebratory bonfire, music, food, and dinner party in the city of Shushi, known as Artsakh’s cultural capital.

While the route will be incredibly beautiful and challenging, the race itself will also be a culturally immersive experience. Each day’s route will pass through one or more villages, while the overnights will be in or near villages and cities. Runners will eat the local, super healthy, incredibly fresh food. They will enjoy Armenian music, dance, and culture. Along the way, the runners will visit 1000-year-old Armenian churches, monasteries, and historic sites. And while each competitor will run as part of an international field of runners, they will be embraced, surrounded, and supported by the people of Artsakh and their Armenian food, music, language, and culture.

AdventureCORPS’ local charitable partner is Trails For Change NGO, the organization which is developing and signposting the Janapar Trail, along with other trails in Artsakh and Armenia.

This event is fully supported in principle and in action by the Government of Artsakh:

The Ministry takes the opportunity of this letter for expressing its readiness to provide this race with organizational support and all the other assistance that may be required from the Ministry’s side.

We highly appreciate your efforts to promote Artsakh as a welcoming destination for runners from all over the world and to show the great potential of adventure tourism of our country.

We wish you all the success in your endeavours to promote Artsakh’s tourism potential in general and Janapar Trail in particular through organizing such a great event.

– L. HOVHANNISYAN, Minister of Culture, Youth Affairs, and Tourism, Republic of Artsakh

The catalyst for the race is Armenian ultraunner Telma Ghazarian Altoon, who ran the entire 178-mile (286km) Janapar Trail in just two days, ten hours in June of 2017. (See video.) Her run effectively put the Janapar Trail on the map and led to a dramatic increase of support for trails by the Artsakh government and for Trails For Change NGO. Telma is a veteran of multiple Badwater races and a neighbor, friend, and ally of AdventureCORPS’ Chris Kostman. Telma is a major supporter of Artsakh Ultra™ and will be on hand to support the runners during the inaugural race. (See interview.)

“I have proudly carried the Armenian flag in ultra running races all around the globe, but nothing prepared me for the beauty and wonderful people of Artsakh when I ran the length of the Janapar Trail in 2017. I was entranced by the landscape, the warm hearts of the Artsakhzi people, and the awe-inspiring majesty of the historic monuments and gorgeous green mountains. But even as I finished my run, my dream turned to the idea of bringing runners from around the world to enjoy these adventurous trails and to soak in the Armenian culture. Ours is an ancient civilization, alive and well in the 21st century. I can’t wait to have runners come see and experience Artsakh!” – Telma Ghazarian Altoon

Chris Kostman, the race organizer – whose biography is below – had this to share:

“I have never been more excited on both personal and professional levels: First, Artsakh Ultra features the hallmarks of all my AdventureCORPS events: 1) Challenging Route. 2) Beautiful Route. 3) A fantastic, off-the-beaten-track location. 4) An intimate event experience organized to world-class standards.

But Artsakh Ultra goes even beyond my usual standards because of its focus on cultural immersion coupled with a close working relationship with the locals along the route and the very supportive Artsakh government. Also, as a lifelong lover of history, culture, language, and travel, it’s an absolute thrill for me to merge my personal passions with my professional pursuits.

“I’m organizing Artsakh Ultra for many reasons. First, yes, to provide an awesome racing experience in an extremely unique location, but also to promote the Republic of Artsakh as a tourism destination, to spur development of eco-tourism there, and to directly support the local economy. Back in the USA, I have all of my usual, tried-and-true vendors, but for this event I want to support the local economy as much as possible. As such, in either Artsakh or Armenia, I will have our race shirts produced, our race magazine printed, our race awards manufactured, and more. I will also hire locals to support the event. And beyond that, I am also working to promote running and outdoor adventuring in Artsakh as fantastic pursuits for the local citizens. (We have very special pricing, too, for Armenian citizens who live in Armenia or Artsakh; please inquire.) Trails For Change NGO is our local charitable partner, so we will promote and support their efforts, too. Also, Artsakh Ultra is the first in a long-range plan to develop and produce several endurance sports events in Artsakh. It’s an incredible country with so much to offer and I want to be at the forefront of making exciting things happen!”

Race organizer Chris Kostman hosted a Facebook Live announcement of the race on November 12, 2019 and that can be viewed at this link or at the top of this page.

Chris Kostman and Telma Ghazarian Altoon welcome you to the Republic of Artsakh! Here they are standing in front of the “We Are Our Mountains” sculpture in Stepanakert, the finish line for stage 5 of the Artsakh Ultra.

2021 Artsakh Ultra Schedule of Events and Route:
8/29, Sunday: Racer Check-In and Gear Check, Yerevan. (Hotel)
8/30, Monday:    Bus drive from Yerevan to Vardenis; Stage 1: Vardenis, Armenia – Tsar, Artsakh (Camp)
8/31 Tuesday:    Stage 2: Tsar – Karvajar – Nor Verinshen – Zuar Hot Springs (Camp)
9/1 Wednesday:    Stage 3: Zuar Hot Springs – Dadivank Monastery – Zuar Hot Springs (Camp)
9/2 Thursday: Stage 4: Zuar Hot Springs – Andzavner – Vank – Gandzasar Monastery (Hotel)
9/3 Friday:    Stage 5: Vank – Hakobvank – Kachaghakaberd – Patara – Stepanakert (Hotel)
9/4 Saturday:         Stage 6: Stepanakert – Vararakn Canyon – Shushi – Hunot Canyon – return to Shushi (Hotel)
9/5 Sunday: Bus drive from Shushi to Yerevan

Telma Ghazarian Altoon pauses for a photo at Umbrella Rock in Hunot Canyon during her 2017 run along the length of the Janapar Trail. This spot is featured in the final stage of the Artsakh Ultra.

WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA, PRESS CREDENTIALS, AND FURTHER INFO:
For more information about the Artsakh Ultra, visit the event webpage on the Badwater website.

For more information about visiting Artsakh, visit www.artsakh.travel

For accreditation for foreign journalists to attend and cover the event, click here.

An image gallery showing highlights of the entire route is available here, with “Photo Courtesy AdventureCORPS” attribution required for any posting or publication.

Official Hashtag across all social media: #ArtsakhUltra
Suggested Hashtags: #VisitArtsakh #PutArtsakhOnTheMap #TrailsForChangeNGO
Twitter: @Badwater
Badwater Instagram: @BadwaterHQ
Race Director Instagram: @ChrisKostman
Flickr Photostream: @AdventureCORPS
Facebook pages: AdventureCORPS and Badwater

Website for Trails For Change NGO, our local charitable partner: https://www.trailsforchangengo.org/

Website for the Janapar Trail: http://www.janapartrail.org

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS, INC.:
California-based AdventureCORPS®, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance sports events and the world’s toughest brand, BADWATER®. Adventure is their way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater® 135, BADWATER® Salton Sea, and BADWATER® Cape Fear, ARTSAKH Ultra™, and other events. Their products include the Badwater® line of apparel, skin care products, gear, and services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and “out there.” More info about AdventureCORPS and Badwater is available at www.adventurecorps.com and www.badwater.com

Badwater® and AdventureCORPS® are U.S. federally registered trademarks owned by AdventureCORPS, Inc. AdventureCORPS additionally claims “Artsakh Ultra™” as its exclusive trademark.

ABOUT CHRIS KOSTMAN (shown above while cycling across Artsakh):
The organizer and race director of the Artsakh Ultra is Chris Kostman, the Chief Adventure Officer at AdventureCORPS, Inc.

As an athlete, Chris Kostman got his start early in ultra sports: He set world ultra cycling records in high school in 1984 and 1985 (riding against the clock from San Francisco City Hall to Los Angeles City Hall) and completed the 3127-mile (5000km), eleven-day Race Across America bicycle race at age 20 in 1987. That was a springboard to competing in events as diverse as the Triple Ironman in France, the 6.5-mile Skaha Lake Ultra Swim in Canada, three 100-mile (162km) wintertime snowshoe running races in Alaska, and scores of long-distance road and mountain bike races.

His special event production career began in high school and grew in tandem with his athletic career. Chris has now produced over 150 world-class sporting events through his company, AdventureCORPS. Hosted in California’s Death Valley and Borrego Springs and on the slopes of Mt. Whitney and Palomar Mountain, as well as on the shores of North Carolina’s Cape Fear, these events include the world-famous Badwater Ultramarathon 135-mile foot race and its sister events, Badwater Salton Sea and Badwater Cape Fear.

Chris also directed the venerable Furnace Creek 508 ultracycling race from 1990 through 2013, and the Silver State 508 ultracycling race from 2014 through 2016. He also co-hosted an eight-day trail running stage race in the Kingdom of Mustang, Nepal in 2015 and a 100-mile (162km) trail race in the Yunan Province of China in 2016. Chris has also published over 250 articles about the endurance world, adventure, travel, archaeology, and human potential.

Chris holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in archaeology – with a focus on the Middle East and South Asia – from the University of California at Berkeley. He has worked on archaeological excavations in Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Egypt. His deep love of history, culture, language, and travel – and a lifestyle based upon “seeking and sharing adventure” – were instilled in him by his school teacher parents, Wayne and Shelby Kostman.

CONTACT:
Chris Kostman,
Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director

AdventureCORPS, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Rd #311
Oak Park, CA 91377 USA
Email: adventurecorps “at” gmail.com

Subscribe to the AdventureCORPS email newsletter at this link.

Please enjoy this five-minute video about the cultural and geographic wonders of Artsakh:

Live Tracking for Mt. Gaoligona UIltra in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China

Nov 13, 2016 - by Chris Kostman

Adventure Travel • China

Oak Park, CA / Tengchong, China – BADWATER®, the world’s toughest brand, is pleased to announce the inaugural Mt. Gaoligong Ultra in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China on November 18-19, 2016. The Badwater Race Director, Chris Kostman, is serving as the Co-Race Director and is involved with every aspect of the race. The 104-mile (168km) challenge – with a 36-hour time limit and and 29,000 feet (8800m) of elevation gain – is a mountain trail race through history and time. Live tracking of the competitors will be available both here on this page, as well as on the official website for the race at this link: MtGaoligong.com. The full race roster is below, and the field includes seventeen Badwater 135 veterans, many of whom are featured on the official race website at this link. Also below is the course map (which includes a 124km / 77mi “short cut” route with alternate awards and results), elevation profile, and outline of the checkpoints.

For our full race announcement, including a remarkable promotional video, click here.

Roster By Bib #: (scroll down for roster by first name)

Bib	Name	M/F	Nation	Age
2	Michel Pierre Poletti	Male	France	61
3	Mick Thwaites	Male	Australian	42
5	Nathan Montague	Male	United Kingdom	36
6	Jiang Tao	Male	China	39
7	Tu Dan	Male	China	38
8	Kerri Kanuga	Female	Grand Cayman Island	46
10	Frederic Asseline	Male	France	47
11	Andrew Glaze	Male	U.S.A	38
12	Jared Fetterolf	Male	U.S.A	28
13	Dai HongFei	Male	China	39
15	Bogdan Onyschenko	Male	Ukraine	41
16	David Tan Tian Wee	Male	Singapore	40
17	Cheryl J. Bihag	Female	Phillippine	43
18	Yang SuQi	Female	China	41
19	Lv ZhongLin	Male	China	42
20	Oksana Riabova	Female	Ukraine	28
21	Bai YuQiu	Female	China	45
22	Pu GeWen	Male	China	42
23	Luo CanHua	Male	China	24
25	Yuan KaiHong	Male	China	28
26	Hua ZhaoHong	Male	China	30
27	Shi HongXia	Female	China	38
28	Wei Chao	Male	China	32
29	Xie Peng	Male	China	32
30	Li Qiang	Male	China	30
31	Chen Kun	Male	China	39
32	Wang XiJun	Male	China	40
33	Jimmy Dean Freeman	Male	U.S.A	40
35	Sun Jian	Male	China	32
36	Joshua Holmes	Male	U.S.A	38
37	Stacey Shand	Female	Canada	37
39	Su ZhenLei	Male	China	34
40	Mauro Chasilew	Male	Brazil	47
41	Ray Sanchez	Male	U.S.A	49
42	Yu YanMeng	Female	China	27
43	Hiroyuki Nishimura	Male	Japan	46
46	Qin JunPing	Male	China	40
47	Andrea Kooiman	Female	U.S.A	41
48	Shi Feng	Male	China	30
49	Wu ZeNan	Female	China	26
50	Yuan Yuan	Female	China	35
51	Catra Corbett	Female	U.S.A	51
52	Gong MingCheng	Male	China	48
53	Li RenLi	Male	China	39
55	Luigi Dessy	Male	U.S.A	38
56	Yang Xiao Bo	Male	China	16
57	Huang YanBo	Male	China	38
58	Dion Leonard	Male	United Kingdom	41
59	Li GuoZhi	Male	China	64
60	Marcia Zhou	Female	U.S.A	28
70	Bob Becker	Male	U.S.A	71
84	Danny Westergaard	Male	U.S.A	57
87	Dan Lawson	Male	United Kingdom	43
93	Breeze Sharma	Male	India	42
99	Greg Pressler	Male	U.S.A	49

Roster by First Name:

Bib	Full name	M/F	Nation	Age
47	Andrea Kooiman	Female	U.S.A	41
11	Andrew Glaze	Male	U.S.A	38
21	Bai YuQiu	Female	China	45
70	Bob Becker	Male	U.S.A	71
15	Bogdan Onyschenko	Male	Ukraine	41
93	Breeze Sharma	Male	India	42
51	Catra Corbett	Female	U.S.A	51
31	Chen Kun	Male	China	39
17	Cheryl J. Bihag	Female	Phillippine	43
13	Dai HongFei	Male	China	39
87	Dan Lawson	Male	United Kingdom	43
84	Danny Westergaard	Male	U.S.A	57
16	David Tan Tian Wee	Male	Singapore	40
58	Dion Leonard	Male	United Kingdom	41
10	Frederic Asseline	Male	France	47
52	Gong MingCheng	Male	China	48
99	Greg Pressler	Male	U.S.A	49
43	Hiroyuki Nishimura	Male	Japan	46
26	Hua ZhaoHong	Male	China	30
57	Huang YanBo	Male	China	38
12	Jared Fetterolf	Male	U.S.A	28
6	Jiang Tao	Male	China	39
33	Jimmy Dean Freeman	Male	U.S.A	40
36	Joshua Holmes	Male	U.S.A	38
8	Kerri Kanuga	Female	Grand Cayman Island	46
59	Li GuoZhi	Male	China	64
30	Li Qiang	Male	China	30
53	Li RenLi	Male	China	39
55	Luigi Dessy	Male	U.S.A	38
23	Luo CanHua	Male	China	24
19	Lv ZhongLin	Male	China	42
60	Marcia Zhou	Female	U.S.A	28
40	Mauro Chasilew	Male	Brazil	47
2	Michel Pierre Poletti	Male	France	61
3	Mick Thwaites	Male	Australian	42
5	Nathan Montague	Male	United Kingdom	36
20	Oksana Riabova	Female	Ukraine	28
22	Pu GeWen	Male	China	42
46	Qin JunPing	Male	China	40
41	Ray Sanchez	Male	U.S.A	49
48	Shi Feng	Male	China	30
27	Shi HongXia	Female	China	38
37	Stacey Shand	Female	Canada	37
39	Su ZhenLei	Male	China	34
35	Sun Jian	Male	China	32
32	Wang XiJun	Male	China	40
28	Wei Chao	Male	China	32
49	Wu ZeNan	Female	China	26
29	Xie Peng	Male	China	32
18	Yang SuQi	Female	China	41
56	Yang Xiao Bo	Male	China	16
42	Yu YanMeng	Female	China	27
25	Yuan KaiHong	Male	China	28
50	Yuan Yuan	Female	China	35
7	涂丹(Tu Dan )	Male	China	38

168kmcoursemap 168kmcp 168kmelevation

Badwater announces Mt. Gaoligong Ultra in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China

Oct 03, 2016 - by Chris Kostman

Adventure Travel • China

Held in “China’s Colorado,” Mt Gaoligong Ultra is a Mountain Trail Race through Time and History

Oak Park, CA / Tengchong, China – BADWATER®, the world’s toughest brand, is pleased to announce the inaugural Mt. Gaoligong Ultra in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China on November 18-19 of this year. The 104-mile (168km) challenge – with a 36-hour time limit and 29,000 feet (8800m) of elevation gain – is a mountain trail race through history and time.

As befits anything that Badwater is developing and backing, the Mt. Gaoligong Ultra is extremely difficult, with well over 29,000 feet (8800m) of cumulative elevation gain, and a corresponding loss of more than 29,000 feet. It will be held primarily on mountain trails, including single track, double track, jeep roads, and some cobblestone paths. The start line will be at the Yin and Yang Gates in WenZhi-GuangChang Square in Tenchong – allowing the racers to balance their energies as they embark upon this epic challenge – but quickly disappears into the Mt. Gaoligong National Park and mountain range in all its green grandeur covered in trees, bamboo, ferns, and the occasional rice paddy.

Sections of the route traverse the 2400-year-old Southern Silk Road, while the Stillwell Road, a critical supply line built by the Americans during World War II, is also part of the race route. (Americans are particularly appreciated in Tengchong, in part because of the Stillwell Road, and also because the Flying Tigers – American pilots who volunteered to fly for the Chinese during WWII – were based here. (A large sculpture commemorates them outside the Tengchong Airport.) The finish line will be in 600-year-old HeShun Town, the ancient, cobblestone part of Tengchong, providing a historic and exhilarating final few miles for the racers as they complete their historic tour.

The race will be fully supported, with a marked trail, 14 fully stocked aid stations, drop bag service, and more; personal support crews are neither necessary nor encouraged due to the remoteness of the route. Though the main event will be the full 104-mile route, a 77-mile (124km) “short cut” route will be offered mid-race for those not on schedule to finish the entire route within the 36-hour time limit.

Registration for the event is already open, and many well-known Badwater race veterans have already registered. These include Americans Bob Becker, Catra Corbett, Jimmy Dean Freeman, Jared Fetterolf, Joshua Holmes, Andrea Kooiman, Greg Pressler, Ray Sanchez, and Danny Westergaard, plus Luigi Dessy of Puerto Rico, Mick Thwaites of Australia, Dan Lawson of the United Kingdom, Mauro Chasilew of Brazil, Stacey Shand of Canada, Breze Sharma of India, and Hiroyuki Nishimura of Japan.

This new race is not a Badwater® race, per se, but it is a “Badwater Presents” event which Chris Kostman, the Badwater Race Director, is helping to develop and for which he serves as co-race director. Kostman’s Chinese partners, XingZhi Yunnan Co. Ltd, are absolute professionals and extremely enthusiastic to host a world-class event this November, and annually thereafter. Kostman’s Chinese co-race director, Lin Ma, is rock solid and Kostman’s nickname for him is “Mr. Cool.” Even though his English is minimal and Kostman’s Chinese is even more non-existent, they both speak the same language when it comes to developing and hosting incredible, life-changing sporting events. Another of the principals from XingZhi, Margaret King, recently attended the STYR Labs Badwater 135, which Kostman directs. She and her colleagues work for XingZhi, a China-wide event production company helmed by Xiangdong (Ben) Qu, with over a decade of experience hosting scores of multi-day endurance events with up to 2000 entrants. All their events emphasize the crossroads between sport, culture, and tourism.

Hired as a consultant because of this 32 years of developing world-class – and world-famous – ultra events, Kostman spent eight days in Tengchong in June consulting on every aspect of the race, from routing to start line and finish line, trail marking, aid stations, medical support, communications, marketing, and more. Said Kostman, “I literally spent a full week teaching ‘the Badwater Way’ of creating, hosting, directing, managing, and marketing events. Fourteen to eighteen people shadowed my every move and took about a hundred pages of notes! On top of that, I was absolutely blown away by the entire route, the historic setting, and even more so by my Chinese partners!” Since June, Kostman and his Chinese colleagues have been having regular WeChat video conferences to work together to develop the race. In November, Kostman will be spend a full month in China to help host and direct the race. Further collaborations there and elsewhere in China are already in development.

For 2016 Mt. Gaoligong Ultra race results and live GPS tracking, click here.

Co-Race Directos Chris Kostman and Lin Ma exchange gifts during the Contract Signing Ceremony at Tengchong City Hall on June 13, 2016.

Co-Race Directors Chris Kostman and Lin Ma exchange gifts during the Contract Signing Ceremony at Tengchong City Hall on June 13, 2016.

Kostman is a lifelong historian who speaks several languages, has traveled extensively in over 50 countries, and worked for ten years as an archaeologist in the Middle East and South Asia. As such, the historic setting and deep multi-cultural opportunities of this event intrigue and inspire him on many levels: “I couldn’t be more thrilled about the race, the route, the history, and my partnership with the team at XingZhi. Bringing together my love of history and culture, with ultra sporting events, is a dream come true for me. But beyond that, I truly believe this race will be quickly recognized as one of the world’s top ‘Must Do’ ultramarathons. Plus, ultra running is relatively new to China as they have only about ten ultramarathons, so I’m excited and privileged to help bring this sport to the Chinese mainstream!”

The official website, including registration link, is http://www.mtgaoligong.com/

The race is also featured here on the Badwater website.

For Further Information, Contact:

Race Management: Margaret King of XingZhi Co. Ltd. at jindoudou “at” exploring.cn

Runners / Participants Contact: Ms. Zoe Qianzhao of XingZhi Yunnan Co. Ltd. at zhaoqian “at” expewise.com

Race Director / International Representative: Chris Kostman of AdventureCORPS at adventurecorps “at” gmail.com

Badwater heads to Mustang, Nepal! Track us via GPS!

Oct 14, 2015 - by Chris Kostman

Adventure Travel

In 2015, Badwater is going to a region of Nepal that even the Nepalese consider remote: The Kingdom of Mustang! It’s a dramatic, gorgeous, and exotic locale unlike anywhere else you’ve ever been, let alone run. To host this race and insure that the entire trip goes off fabulously, we have partnered with Richard Bull, organizer of Trail Running Nepal and the race director of the Mustang Trail Race and other events. He’s a British expat who has lived in Nepal for many years. His Mustang Trail Race is held annually in April, but in 2015 he is hosting a special “Badwater Presents” edition of that event in October, just for us.

Though the race course will be challenging, on rugged terrain at high altitudes, we believe it is the cultural experience that we will remember most, along with the camaraderie with fellow Badwater runners from around the globe. We are particularly pleased to mention that your Badwater race director, Chris Kostman, will be competing alongside everyone, as will his brother Keith Kostman, who has worked on the Badwater 135 webcast for more than ten years. It is now time for us to get “out there” and run with you!

The whole itinerary for the trip – from October 17 to 29 – is here and you can read much more about the event (also held annually in April) here.

Runner Tracking

You can track each runner’s movements via GPS with the Trackleaders.com service in the map embedded below. We have “Stage Zero” hike on the 19th and then the actual race days will be October 20-22 and 24-28, so those are the days you should “see” movement below. All the data will also be archived and can be “replayed” after the race.

NOTE: Keep in mind that this service is provided for fun and for informational purposes. Accuracy, – and functionality, for that matter – is not guaranteed. Satellite coverage in the Mustang region of Nepal is not as comprehensive as in Europe and the USA, so the “ping rate” will not be as frequent. Also, it’s possible that a unit could have its battery die, it could be turned off, or it could be carried / mounted improperly and thus not have its antenna pointed towards the sky. So, if some particular runner is “not moving” or just not appearing, it’s almost certainly just a technical glitch. DO NOT CONTACT US OR TRACKLEADERS with any complaints or queries. We will be OFF THE GRID and NOT checking email. Thanks for tuning in, though, and for your support!

NOTE: How could our adventure in Nepal possibly have gotten any better? Well, running legend Lizzy Hawker (UTMB 5x champ, 100km world champ, 24-hour world record holder, and a Cambridge Ph.D) has just joined the race field! She will lead out the field each morning and do the course markings. Her Delorme unit will be embedded with our units, so you will be able to track her, too, via the map below.

Badwater Presents Mustang Trail Race Roster:

First	Last	Gender	Age	City	State	Country	Nationality
Fabien	Billaud	Male	35	Singapore		Singapore	France
Arvid Olav	Bratlie	Male	54	Løten	Hedemark	Norway	Norway
Richard	Bull	Male	43	Kathmandu		Nepal	United Kingdom
Jared	Fetterolf	Male	26	Austin	TX	United States	United States
Gerald	Godoy	Male	48	Humble	TX	United States	United States
Matt	Ingram	Male	52	Sydney	NSW	Australia	Australia
Karla	Kent	Female	52	Las Vegas	NV	United States
Christopher	Kostman	Male	48	Oak Park	CA	United States	United States
Keith	Kostman	Male	52	Minneapolis	MN	United States	United States
Rebecca	Le Baron	Female	31	Boca Raton	FL	United States	United States
Thomas	Quirk	Male	39	Zurich		United States	Switzerland
Jacob	Reinbolt	Male	56	San Diego	CA	United States	United States
Russ	Reinbolt	Male	50	La Jolla	CA	United States	United States
Norunn	Solli	Female	46	Furnes		Norway	Norway
Megan	Steinebach	Female	38	Delray Beach	FL	United States	United States
Josette	Valloton	Female	51	Wallis	Arolla	Switzerland	Switzerland

Category: Adventure Travel

Held in “China’s Colorado,” Mt Gaoligong Ultra is a Mountain Trail Race through Time and History

Runner Tracking

Badwater Presents Mustang Trail Race Roster: