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Elf Authentic Adventure
April 14-29, 2000
THE PRO FILE: Team Varig
Three of the four members of this North American team have international racing experience, while all four possess the ability to win and most importantly, the commitment to compete at the level required to be successful in a major race. Co-Captain Dan O'Shea has competed or worked in every major adventure race, including the Eco-Challenge, the Raid Gauloises, the Southern Traverse and the Beast of the East.

A tenacious competitor who's strong all around, he captained the winning team in the 1998 Desert Endurance Marathon. Alan Bishop, the other co-captain, is an Eco-Challenge veteran and former Canadian Armed Forces Special Forces member. He is highly skilled in mountaineering, rock climbing, ocean and white water kayaking, and wilderness navigation.

Enter here for two free tickets on Varig Brazilian Airlines for an authentic adventure of your own. [more]

Harald Zundel, a former Navy SEAL, is an extremely strong cyclist who'll pull a teammate up a hill to keep moving. He was introduced to adventure racing as a competitor at the 1998 Desert Endurance Marathon. After a winning performance, he was immediately hooked and proceeded to compete successfully during the 1998-99 racing season (Southern Traverse, Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, Hi-Tec National Championship).

Petit Pinson is especially strong in cycling, climbing, and swimming, and is a gifted natural athlete entering her first international expedition-length race. She placed 4th place overall (with teammate O'Shea) in the 99 Hi-Tec National Championship. Roland Davies, Mark McMahon, and Julie Minihan will support team Varig Air/RavenWolf-Destiny.

Exchange Project

In the exchange component, Team Varig Air will work with Viva Rio, a non-profit organization that facilitates community, social, and environmental projects in Brazil. The team will train facilitators to work with at-risk youth in "experiential learning" settings, using outdoor adventure as a metaphor for and method of change. The project is a development initiative centered on providing leadership and skill-training opportunities for youth populations and community members from cities, villages and townships touched by the Elf Authentic Adventure expedition. The project aims to help a diverse representation of youth populations and serve a variety of different needs and community development issues. The target age of youth is 11 to 19 years old.