John Jacoby, race director, said the 2008 Anaconda race has reached record numbers of competitors.

“Over 1,500 participants have registered so far. This is a 25 per cent increase from last year. It is outstanding - it makes the WA Anaconda Adventure Race among the biggest adventure races in the world in terms of the number of competitors.”

The Anaconda Adventure Race contributes greatly to Western Australian tourism and with so many athletes competing; it is a truly spectacular event.

Some of the Anaconda race athletes including, world adventure race champion Richard Ussher, will also be visiting local schools on Friday October 31 to discuss with students the importance of being active.

The 52 km race will start at 7.30am at Old Dunsborough Boat Ramp and include ocean swimming (1.8 km), ocean kayaking (12.5 km), coastal and trail running (14.2 km), mountain biking (22 km) and a final run (1.8 km). The race is also accessible to beginners, with a ‘relay teams’ category where participants can join up with friends and colleagues to do just one leg each.

This is the fourth year of Anaconda Adventure races, which began with the first race in Lorne in December 2005. Adventure racing attracts ‘every day’ people and elite athletes from around the globe.

Adventure racing is a combination of off-road triathlon and surf life saving. It has emerged as the big brother to marathons and road races and has increased in popularity all around the world. Participants can find more information and register by visiting www.anacondaadventurerace.com