John Howard (adventure racer)
Encyclopedia
John Howard is considered the central pioneer of adventure racing
.
Very few individuals have dominated endurance sports in the way John dominated adventure racing. Since winning the first ever major adventure race held in the world, the Raid Gauloises in 1989, he went on to win every significant race in the sport, including Eco-Challenge
(three times), the Raid Gauloises
(three times), the Elf Authentique, the ESPN X-Games (twice) and the Southern Traverse. In addition, he has served as a course designer or advisor to numerous high-profile outdoor adventure events, including the Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, Action Asia and New Zealand's Coast to Coast.
A native New Zealander, Howard is perceived as somewhat of an enigma in the sport. At the Raids Gauloises in Borneo in 1994, he revolutionised the way teams approached adventure races such as the Eco-Challenge
and Raid Gauloises
by taking the bare minimum of equipment, including food and water, between checkpoints, and wearing shorts, a t-shirt and running shoes, and carrying a microscopic backpack. Previously competitors had competed in hiking and mountaineering gear and carried heavy bags throughout the event. This gave Howard and his team a huge advantage and they blitzed the course, winning an expected eight-day race in five. His advantage was only temporary; from 1995, everybody was racing in a similar, stripped-down fashion.
Ian Adamson
, considered by many the Michael Jordan of the sport, describes Howard as, "... a unique individual. He cultivates a disheveled look to maintain his individuality and to match his already eccentric persona. On a personal level he is extremely caring and generous, and I would (and have) placed my life in his hands. John looks like a mountain man because he is. He has an immensely deep background in all back country skills since this is the life he has led since he was a teenager. He has also been winning adventure races longer than most athletes have been around. Finally, he races exclusively with people he likes, respects and who he knows he can win with."
On August 20, 2005, Primal Quest
announced that John Howard was joining the world's premier adventure race as Technical Director.
Adventure racing
Adventure racing is a combination of two or more endurance disciplines, including orienteering and/or navigation , cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling and climbing and related rope skills...
.
Very few individuals have dominated endurance sports in the way John dominated adventure racing. Since winning the first ever major adventure race held in the world, the Raid Gauloises in 1989, he went on to win every significant race in the sport, including Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge: The Expedition Race is a multi-day expedition length adventure race in which teams of four compete. It aired from April 1995 to April 2002....
(three times), the Raid Gauloises
Raid Gauloises
The Raid Gauloises or The Raid is considered by many to be the first modern adventure race and was first held in 1989. Its creator, Gerald Fusil, took the existing concept of long distance endurance races, and focused on the team aspects, requiring each competitor to be part of a five person co-ed...
(three times), the Elf Authentique, the ESPN X-Games (twice) and the Southern Traverse. In addition, he has served as a course designer or advisor to numerous high-profile outdoor adventure events, including the Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, Action Asia and New Zealand's Coast to Coast.
A native New Zealander, Howard is perceived as somewhat of an enigma in the sport. At the Raids Gauloises in Borneo in 1994, he revolutionised the way teams approached adventure races such as the Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge: The Expedition Race is a multi-day expedition length adventure race in which teams of four compete. It aired from April 1995 to April 2002....
and Raid Gauloises
Raid Gauloises
The Raid Gauloises or The Raid is considered by many to be the first modern adventure race and was first held in 1989. Its creator, Gerald Fusil, took the existing concept of long distance endurance races, and focused on the team aspects, requiring each competitor to be part of a five person co-ed...
by taking the bare minimum of equipment, including food and water, between checkpoints, and wearing shorts, a t-shirt and running shoes, and carrying a microscopic backpack. Previously competitors had competed in hiking and mountaineering gear and carried heavy bags throughout the event. This gave Howard and his team a huge advantage and they blitzed the course, winning an expected eight-day race in five. His advantage was only temporary; from 1995, everybody was racing in a similar, stripped-down fashion.
Ian Adamson
Ian Adamson (adventure racer)
Ian Adamson is a most successful adventure racer of all time.-Career:A professional athlete since 1997, Ian has dominated the sport of adventure racing with seven world championship wins, 16 world championship podium finishes, 22 international adventure race championship titles and Gold, Silver and...
, considered by many the Michael Jordan of the sport, describes Howard as, "... a unique individual. He cultivates a disheveled look to maintain his individuality and to match his already eccentric persona. On a personal level he is extremely caring and generous, and I would (and have) placed my life in his hands. John looks like a mountain man because he is. He has an immensely deep background in all back country skills since this is the life he has led since he was a teenager. He has also been winning adventure races longer than most athletes have been around. Finally, he races exclusively with people he likes, respects and who he knows he can win with."
On August 20, 2005, Primal Quest
Primal Quest
Primal Quest was an expedition-length adventure race that has been called one of the most difficult athletic events in the world and was cited as the most prestigious expedition event in North America. The race once featured the largest prize purse in adventure racing. Each race lasted up to ten...
announced that John Howard was joining the world's premier adventure race as Technical Director.
External links
- Interview with John Howard Polish AR site Napieraj.pl