XTrail Altay Expedition

Xtrail Altay 2018 is an expedition-length adventure race held each year in the remote region of Altay in Xinjiang province in north-western China. The race, for mixed teams of four, is 600km long (with a shorter 250km course), involves hiking, paddling, mountain biking and ropework with significant navigation. The winning team is expected to finish in approximately 72 hours (3 days), though the course will remain open for six days. Prize money of US$50,000 will be shared between the first 5 teams and the winner is awarded an entry to the Adventure Race World Series Championship in the island of Reunion in November.

Altay is situated in the very remote, north-western corner of China, a prefecture that borders on Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia. The country is spectacular, with mountain ranges among which are massive valleys and grasslands, rivers and lakes. Its culture is mainly pastoral, with Kazakh and Mongolian herders with their sheep, goats and camels ranging over hundreds of miles. Xtrail Altay was first staged there in 2016.

Read an interview with Nathan Fa'avae, one of the sport of adventure racing's most successful competitors as he and his team, Avaya, head to Altay 2018. And at the other of the spectrum, read about the hopes and fears of Team Sanfo x Kailas as they set off on this year's event, their first expedition length race.

For more information about the event, see the Xtrail Altay Expedition website.