36 teams from all over the world converged on the surreal landscape of Abu Dhabi to compete in the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. They would cover over 361 kilometers before it was over, racing along a course that would not only test their capacity for physical and mental endurance but also take them on a journey of discovery, as they kayaked, biked and trekked across some of Arabia's most remarkable and treasured natural attractions.

Don't miss the opening episode of NBC's Jeep World of Adventure Sports featuring the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challegne on January 18th at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.

Richard USSHER, captain of DESERT ISLANDS (NZ), draws on the experience and talents of his teammates to complete an error free final day, inspiring his team all the way to the finish at Al Ain to win the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.

6 days ago, the 36 teams competing in the 2008 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge set out from Abu Dhabi city to cover a 361km adventure racing course that would not only test their capacity for physical and mental endurance but also take them on a journey of discovery, as they kayaked, biked and trekked across some of Abu Dhabi's most remarkable and treasured natural attractions.

From the very start on Corniche Beach, competition among the teams was fierce but it was impossible to predict how tight the race would be by the time the teams reached the garden city of Al Ain for the final showdown on the last day. With only 63 seconds between the first and second teams and 2 seconds separating third and fourth, the contenders for the podium places would have to give of their best and remain focused for the duration of the final three sections of this 6-day race.

At 06:00 this morning, in the shadow of the Jebel Hafeet Mountains, the teams raced away on their bikes from the bivouac in Green Mubazzarah up the smooth tarmac road that twists and turns 12km to the 1000m summit of this a jagged rock formation that rips across the skyline east of the city. At the outcome TEAM NZ (NZ) were squeezed into 4th fastest allowing race leaders DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) to stretch their slim race lead to just over 3 minutes. French team SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA) managed the third fastest over this section, taking advantage of a puncture that slowed rivals WILSA HH (FRA), to finish 8 minutes ahead of their compatriots and subsequently steal 3rd place.

On the following section, comprising a 14.5km trek across rocky tracks interspersed with some breathtaking rope works, one of which was a spine-tingling 200m abseil, DESERTS ISLANDS (NZ) finished third but were still widening the narrow gap between themselves and second place TEAM NZ, who clocked in 28 seconds slower. SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA) were elated with their performance on the ropes, putting a further 6 minutes on WILSA HH (FRA) and virtually securing the last podium place.

The final 27km bike ride into the finish at the historic Jahli Fort in the centre of Al Ain would determine the outcome for the team that had taken the race lead on the first day, DESERT ISLANDS (NZ), and clung to it throughout the 6 days, staving off repeated, strong challenges from compatriots TEAM NZ. Making sure they kept out of trouble by racing slightly to the side of the speeding peloton, this remarkable quartet of Elina and Richard USSHER, Jarad KOHLAR and Jay HENRY produced a flawless finish to what had been a flawless race.

Final Ranking - Top 5

1 DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) 39:18:20
2 TEAM NZ (NZ) 39:25:23
3 SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA) 39:31:42
4 WILSA HH (FRA) 39:46:34
5 NIKE (USA) 40:06:20

As night fell, the leading teams embarked on the remaining 44km of the desert trekking stage, each one hoping to find the combination of speed and guile needed to break the deadlock in the overall ranking.

As the fastest teams arrived at the finish line in Hassab on the penultimate day's racing, the top five on this year's Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge remained virtually unchanged, despite breaking all the records on was an astonishingly fast but arduous 107km through the Rub al Kahli (Empty Quarter).

A short burst of speed over the last kilometer earned the French of SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY the fastest time, coming in at 3:40am. Jacky BOISSET and his crew completed this section in 20h28:06. Rest period management had been already cited as the key to success in this stage: "We approached this as if it were a series of 10 short stages of around 10 kilometers each with rest periods ranging from 40 minutes to 2h30," explained the French captain.

Barely seconds behind came TEAM NZ (NZ) who had done their best in an effort to arrest the race lead from compatriots DESERT ISLANDS (NZ), who came in 5th, but without success. "We ran well through the night with a group of teams and managed to edge ahead but we decided to wait for NIKE (USA) at one rest point which allowed Richard USSHER's team to close the gap again," confessed Gordon WALKER.

NIKE themselves were next in, taking third best time, a fitting reward for having raced throughout the night alongside the other leading teams and allowing navigator Chris FORNE to act as pathfinder. "We spent the whole night with a group of around 5 teams following Chris FORNE. He just kept going, selflessly blazing a trail across the dunes," Marcel HAGENER of WILSA HH (FRA), the 4th finisher, proclaimed. The convoy of five race leaders may well have come in all within 2 minutes of each other but doing so required taking some risks: "We were going really well until at one point we made a route choice that put us out of sync with the front teams. We rectified the error and came back hard to stay in contention," confessed Richard USSHER, captain of DESERT ISLANDS (NZ).

As things stand, the two Kiwi teams most in the running for first and second are a mere 60 seconds apart and only two seconds separate the two French teams looking good for third place! An incredible state of affairs after 35 hours of intense and relentless competition.

As they finished during the course of the day, the teams were transferred by bus to Al Ain, in readiness for the final and decisive day, involving a 12km MTB grind from Green Mubazzarah to the top of Jebel Hafeet Mountain, a 14.6km trek with a breathtaking 200m abseil in the middle and a final, nail-biting bike sprint to the finish at the beautiful and historic Jahili Fort in the city centre.

Top 5 after Section E - Desert Trekking - 107km

1 DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) 35h40:47
2 TEAM NZ (NZ) 35h41:50
3 WILSA HH (FRA) 35h58:12
4 SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA) 35h58:14
5 NIKE (USA) 36h24:45

For the second day of the race, based on the picturesque Sir Bani Yas Island, the teams started with an opening 45.5km MTB section followed by a 27km kayaking leg culminating at Umm al Kurkum Island, where competitors will now spend the night.

The herds of gazelles that abound in the Sir Bani Yas Island nature reserve were certainly perplexed. Their usual calm was somewhat disrupted this morning at sunrise as the teams sped by on the opening 45.5km MTB section, leaving a substantial cloud of dust in their wake. A looping course took them around Sir Bani Yas Island, the glow of the setting full moon being rapidly replaced by a rising sun growing brighter and hotter with passing minutes. With only 300m of elevation gain over the entire course, the only redoubtable adversary was going to be the tracts of soft sand interspersed by the draining roller-coaster ride. In the final reckoning, DESERT ISLANDS (NZ), NIKE (USA), TEAM NZ (NZ) and TEAM SOLE (USA) were the fastest along with SPORT 2000 VIBRAM LAFUMA (FRA). NIKE (USA) put in the fastest time at 1h37 covering the course at an average of over 28km/h.

After a break of around two hours, the teams undertook the first leg of a sea kayaking section prudently shortened to 27km, due to unusually strong winds and troublesome swell. Racing away from East Beach, the 36 teams first negotiated the emerald waters of a mangrove-strewn lagoon before undertaking the demanding 14.5km paddle out onto the high seas towards Umm al Kurkum Island.

TEAM SOLE (USA) led the fleet a few meters ahead of current race leaders DESERT ISLAND (NZ), TEAM NZ (NZ), WILSA HH (FRA), ADCO AROC (AUS) and SPORT 2000 VIBRAM OUTDRY (FRA). The French completed a magnificent paddle by eventually taking first place at the end of the day with the best time on the section at 2h59.

The French, led by Francois FALOCI and Jacky BOISSET are currently sitting in 3rd place in the overall ranking, with the Kiwis of DESERT ISLAND and TEAM NZ just ahead. The last of the 35 teams finished this section shortly before nightfall, joining the other competitors on Kurkum Island for a welcome overnight bivouac and a chance to recharge their batteries before the massive and challenging section tomorrow, kayaking to Mirfa, 82km along the coast.

Provisional Top 5 after Section C - Sea Kayaking 27km

1 DESERT ISLANDS (NZ) 7h00:24
2 TEAM NZ (NZ) 7h10:49
3 SPORT 2000 LAFUMA OUTDRY (FRA) 7h11:52
4 ADCO AROC (AUS) 7h17:31
5 TEAM SOLE (USA) 7h17:40

photo by Mike Bitton