I'm a lot better at racing than at life. Two such events have emerged in Utah this year. Expedition events typically require teams of four or five members of mixed gender. Members are to stick together and if one becomes disabled through injury or illness, the entire team is disqualified, although these teams often finish the race unranked. Last year, Burnett added a uniform nationality requirement on each team to lend credibility to the world champion title he has bestowed on winners of the Eco-Challenge, which competes with other expedition events for athletes, sponsors and media exposure.
Corporate sponsors make racing possible for most competitors.
For future races, the team is hoping to land deals outside the sports industry with Starbucks and Celestial Seasons. Still, adventure racing hardly pays the bills and Wilson teaches part-time at a Park City preschool. He also has a stake in a Moab-based outdoor instruction service, Sol Adventures, which is operated by his sister Anne Wilson. The Raid Gauloises is coming down from the mountains and heading to Vietnam. The past three editions of the Raid, the original endurance-expedition race, have been held at altitude.