Several days ago, the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) organization posted a news release about a buyout by Heidi Muller. Muller has been CEO for the past year and is in full operational charge of the global adventure racing series, which has grown significantly under her leadership. Now, the South African businesswoman has taken the principal shareholding and the company has re-registered in the USA as ‘The Adventure Racing World Series’. The three investors listed in the buyout release are Jason Wilford, Michael Bond, and Philip Sigsworth who all have connections to Northwest Arkansas.
Today, I reached out to Michael Bond, he confirmed that the Adventure Racing World Series is moving its headquarters to Bentonville, Arkansas. That’s quite a move from Queensland, Australia. There are no details available on the timing of the move. Philip Sigsworth, another NWA investor is the Foundation Secretary with the Ozark Outdoor Foundation which is supporting the Expedition Ozark and Adventure Ozark adventure races coming up this spring. Expedition Ozark is slated to be an ARWS qualifying event.
Over the past 25 years, Arkansas has been home to many adventure races including the Ozark Challenge out of Byrd’s Adventure Center on the Mulberry River, Raid the Rock Series, a sometimes urban race held in central Arkansas, the Sylamore Hardcore out of Mountain Home, a sprint series that lasted several years, and numerous other races around the state. Arkansas is definitely a great place to grow Adventure Racing, with its main disciplines of trekking (running/hiking), rock climbing or other rope work, paddling, mountain biking, and orienteering, finding its home in The Natural State.
5 Responses
This is a huge amazing move for everyone involved. Sooooo cool. Congratulations
You need to correct your article where you cite one of the events or whatever regarding the one at Sylamore “Located in Mountain HOME, AR”! Sylamore is a creek (in a very small “town”) for which is actually called “Sylamore Creek” (which runs directly into the White River) and for which is Located in Mountain VIEW, AR and NOT Located in Mountain HOME, AR! I literally live on the White River at what is Called “Allison, AR & Sylamore”! This location is TECHNICALLY in Allison, AR, which is just about two Miles NORTH of Mountain VIEW, AR! However, My actual physical address is Mountain View, even though I technically and physically live in ALLISON, AR (@ Allison and Sylamore)! Mountain VIEW is about 50 Minutes SOUTH of Mountain HOME, and Sylamore CREEK is about 45 Minutes SOUTH of Mountain HOME, so that’s a BIG DIFFERENCE in regards to the WRONG Town of Mountain HOME that you cited! So many people get Mountain Home and Mountain View Mixed up, but there really is a HUGE difference! Anyways, just wanted to let you know should you want to correct this, because there is no such thing as Sylamore being anywhere near Mountain HOME! Aside from that, this was a very informative article!
Shelly, the event was called the Sylamore Hardcore. The race started north of Mountain Home on Lake Norfork and finished in the Sylamore Ranger District, south of Norfork, Arkansas. I did the race and remember it very well. Adventure Races, particularly a 36-hour race like this covers a lot of ground.
This is an amazing opportunity for NW Arkansas & the Natural State to share our beautiful mountains and rivers with the world. We have the very best here!
I would encourage organizers to hold races in other regions of Arkansas. This glorious state doesn’t begin and end with the Ozark mountains. There is so much more to explore and most of those communities could definitely benefit from the tourism dollars.