To coincide with the latest World Obstacle Congress the International Adventure Racing Association (IARA) has reaffirmed their position as the governing body of Adventure Racing
With the upcoming World Obstacle Global Congress, it is important to remind the sporting world that representation must come from within the sport - not from adjacent disciplines. IARA holds that Adventure Racing is a distinct sport with its own long-established culture, values, and challenges. It deserves governance by those who live it and we reject ongoing efforts by World Obstacle to represent our sport.
Built by Adventure Racers, For Adventure Racers
IARA was founded in response to the global call for athlete-led governance. Since our inception, we have made meaningful progress. We:
- formed a volunteer steering committee with global representation that was voted in at our AGM by our members - national adventure racing structures
- developed a membership validation process for national adventure racing structures and Associated Members
- created a strategic framework built around three pillars:
- Strong Organisation: Transparent, inclusive, and built to last
- Strong Membership: Supportive, collaborative, and community-driven
- Strong Sport: Fair, safe, and sustainable for generations to come
From Strategy to Action
2025 marks a turning point and IARA is hard at work. In addition to outlining strategic priorities, IARA has launched projects with volunteer working groups to drive real progress across key areas:
- Global Membership Development: Expanding our reach by supporting and building partnerships with national adventure racing organisations, race directors and racers worldwide
- Youth Development: Creating pathways for the next generation of adventure racers
- Strategies for Fundraising, Categorisation & Communications: Strengthening our voice, adding structure and securing resources to grow the sport
These initiatives reflect our commitment to building—not just representing—the future of adventure racing.
We welcome all athletes, organisers, and stakeholders who care about the future of adventure racing to join and support our growing group of members. IARA is your home, and together we can build a sport that reflects our shared values and ambitions.
Maintaining Our Position
IARA rejects the self-appointed representation and inclusion of adventure racing as an ‘Obstacle Sport’ and discipline under the World Obstacle organisation. We object to World Obstacle’s ongoing attempts to include adventure racing in their merger with World Pentathlon.
At the upcoming annual World Obstacle Congress, we ask that obstacle sport national organisations and obstacle athletes show respect for adventure racing national associations and adventure racing athletes around the world by rejecting governance by World Obstacle over a sport to which their organisation has no connection.
We remain open to respectful dialogue, but our position remains firm and we hold World Obstacle President Ian Adamson to his word to respect the wishes of the national adventure racing organisations and global adventure racing community; adventure racing will be governed by adventure racers and our organisation, the structure that they voted to establish, IARA.
We are building the sport that we love - together.
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