The AROC Adventures were the original events organised by AROC Sport between 2003 and 2007. The first season included 5 events in Canberra and 2 at Manly Dam in Sydney. Entrant numbers built up with each successive race in the first season with the first race held in Canberra in November 2003 having just 12 teams of three and the last race held at Manly Dam in April 2004 having 75 teams of three. Each race consisted of a ‘sprint’ format of 2.5 to 5 hours duration for teams of 3 people. The courses were generally located in easily accessible urban or coastal bushland in Canberra, Sydney or the NSW Central Coast. Each team used a map and compass to navigate around a course consisting of multiple short stages of riding, running, orienteering, paddling and swimming. Many races also included some surprise challenges along the way, such as water sliding, coastal swims or ten pin bowling.
In 2006, the first AROC Adventure Championship was held based from Ettalong Beach Resort. This event was slightly longer, taking 5 – 10 hours to complete.
After each event, some teams would send in race reports, describing the course, the thrills, the spills, and the bizarre challenges they encountered along the way. They also describe the deep sense of personal achievement as well as the team spirit that this type of event can generate. A selection of these reports is provided below.
- ‘Anything really is possible’ by Monica Lindemann, Mixed Nuts team, Canberra, December 2003
- ‘Banana boats, Parliament House and the Great Wall of China’ by Team RedHair, Canberra race 5, March 2004
- ‘As good as it gets!’ by Alina McMaster, Sydney Olympic Park, February 2005.
- ‘Mini tornadoes and lightning, but nothing stops an Adventure race!’ by Matt Koerber, Team Mirage-TerraX, Canberra, December 2005
- Astonishing Tales of the Sea – AROC Championships 2006, Ettalong Beach, NSW Central Coast. Report by Team Skink.
- Tharwa Outward Bound Adventure Race, December 2006. Report by Team Bigfish
- ‘Pantyhose, twists and turns’ AROC Night Adventure, Sydney Olympic Park, February 2007. Report by Team Hardtale HQ.