The Race

   Primal Quest 2006 Video

About PQ

Q. What is Primal Quest?

A. Primal Quest is “the World’s Most Difficult Human Endurance Competition”, a 5-10 day expedition adventure race. It is the largest non-motorized, multi-sport, multi-day event of its kind in the US.

Q. What is an adventure race?

A. An adventure race is “a dream come true for the adventure seeking athlete. It demands what all other sports combined can ever demand of an athlete. Adventure racing demands strength, courage, intelligence, organization, commitment, speed, teamwork, endurance, and an ability to compete without sleep. It also requires that you maintain a certain level of proficiency in many different disciplines including navigation, climbing, paddling, and biking, and continually adds new disciplines to the list, like whitewater swimming and canyoneering.” “You compete in the open wilderness, surviving on what you carry on your back, problem solving with a group of friends and being challenged physically and mentally. Life just doesn’t get much better than this.”

Definition from ‘The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing’ by Don Mann and Kara Schaad

Q. What are the dates for the next Primal Quest?

A. June 21 - July 2, 2008

Q. Where will the 20008 race be located?

A. The 5th edition of the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race will be held in the great state of Montana.

Q. Where else has the Primal Quest race been held?

A. The inaugural race in Telluride, CO (2002) was followed by Lake Tahoe, CA (2003) and the San Juan Islands of Washington State (2004). Always looking to provide competitors with a dramatic change of scenery from race to race, the 4th edition of PQ pitted teams against each other and the hostile summer desert environs of Moab, UT (2006).

Q. What is the purse in 2008?

A. $100,000 USD cash and prizes

Q. How many teams will participate this year?

A. 80 - 90 Co-ed teams are expected to compete in 2008.

Q. What teams are participating this year?

A. Click here for a list of 2008 teams. 

 

HISTORY AND CONCEPT

Primal Quest, LLC was founded in 2001 with the goal of bringing a world-class, multi-sport expedition race to North America. The concept of Primal Quest ® included the fusion of premier television coverage for the event, substantial prize money for the winning teams, and responsible use of back country lands to promote a positive environmental message.

OVERVIEW

Primal Quest® is an environmentally friendly, ecologically aware wilderness Expedition Adventure Race. Teams of experienced back country adventure athletes journey across expansive terrain using only a map, a compass and combined skills. Successfully finishing requires much more than stamina and mental fortitude. It requires selfless teamwork, spirit and absolute determination. Only co-ed teams of four are permitted to race. Team members are required to travel together at all times and must finish together in order to be officially ranked. Over $100,000 in Cash and Prizes will be awarded to the top finishing teams.

ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Primal Quest is in full accordance with the United States Adventure Racing Association publication entitled “Adventure Racing Ecological Standards”

and incorporates these standards in all phases of the planning, race management and post race activities. Adventurers competing in Primal Quest are required to practice responsible back country travel at all times. Teams only travel where permitted; do not build campfires; and strictly adhere to pack it in, pack it out rules. Learn more about our Environmental Ethos.

EXPEDITION ADVENTURE RACES

Origins of adventure racing date back to the 1980’s and New Zealand. In the mid 1990’s the concept became popularized by such events as the Raid Gauloises, Eco-Challenge and the BEAST of the East.In 2002, Primal Quest was introduced and quickly earned worldwide recognition as the sport’

s premier event. By 2003, Primal Quest became the first Expedition Adventure Race to be shown on network television (CBS). The events have been professionally filmed to document the drama and excitement of traveling 400+ miles, non-stop, day and night, through beautiful and unforgiving terrain using only non-motorized transportation. Racing against the clock, other teams, and the forces of nature, teams must trek, climb, kayak, raft, mountain bike, to successfully reach the finish line.

The first Primal Quest was held in 2002 in the Telluride, Colorado region. 62 teams from 8 countries participated in the inaugural event. The winning team, SoBe/SmartWool was comprised of three Americans Mike Kloser, Michael Tobin, and Danelle Ballangee and New Zealander Steve Gurney. They completed the course in a little over 3 days (Kloser and Tobin would go on to be part of the winning team for the next three Primal Quest races).The 2003 edition of Primal Quest brought together 80 teams from around the world to the Lake Tahoe area in the Sierras. 457 miles and 4 days, 17 hours, 43 minutes later the winning team members of Nike ACG/Balance Bar crossed Lake Tahoe to reach the finish.In the 2004 Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race, held in the San Juan Islands and Cascade Mountain Range of Washington, Team Seagate (NZ) and Team Nike ACG/Balance Bar (USA) tied for first place, finishing just over 5 days of racing. At Primal Quest Utah in 2006 Team Nike/Powerblast was once again the first team across the finish line.