MEDIA RELEASE: Last week, the International Adventure Racing Association (IARA) held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Zoom. The meeting, where the organisation’s constitution, Membership Statutes and a 2025 committee were voted in, was attended by 44 participants from 19 countries.
In his 2024 report, Interim Chairperson Cormac MacDonnell described the association’s first year as their “start-up year” where the committee organised themselves around key areas of marketing and communications, admin and organisation development, membership development, and a few additional project areas.
In his address, MacDonnell highlighted the organisation’s solid foundation and work around good governance practices, hosting open meetings and publishing all meeting minutes. In addition, they established communication channels with adventure racing national associations, communities and country representatives.
IARA’s key focus in its first year was on developing the membership structure, writing statutes, and establishing its member base. The organisation went into the AGM with 11 national adventure racing organisations as Full Members (voting) and two Associate Members (non-voting companies). Their membership application and validation process will continue through 2025 in their work with more adventure racing countries and also with organisations that have close links to the sport.
MacDonnell also mentioned the successful removal of the words ‘adventure racing’ from the proposed definition of World Pentathlon (UIPM) sports. This inclusion came about as a result of the merger of World Obstacle with UIPM. The UIPM members voted against a motion that was presented at their Annual Congress in November. In addition, IARA initiated an #ARsaysNo campaign with a petition that was signed by 1,300 adventure racers from around the world supporting IARA’s stand on this.
“This was a small victory that brought the AR community together,” MacDonnell said. “It is our hope that World Obstacle will take this as another sign that the adventure racing community wants them to stop claiming adventure racing as one of their sports.”
The size of the Steering Committee has been trimmed down with only six officer positions. Nominees voted in for 2025 include Cormac MacDonnell (Chairperson, Ireland), Lisa de Speville (General Secretary, South Africa), Ross Phillips (Treasurer, UK), Wayne Leek (Media & PR, UK) and General Members Alen Pujol (Uruguay) and Nils Filius (Netherlands).
“Much of the development and policy work will be shaped by small project groups, made up of volunteers and people from the AR community,” MacDonnell explained.
“We think this model will be more efficient and it also means that people can get involved in the projects that they are interested in for short-term, fixed periods, and they will not have to attend monthly Steering Committee meetings and the like.”
Wrapping up, MacDonnell thanked the 2024 Interim Committee and looked at what is to come for the year ahead.
“Overall, it has been a busy and productive first year and I would like to extend a word of thanks to everyone on the Interim Steering Committee. It has been great working with you all and seeing your passion for the sport of adventure racing.
“We have made a good start and we have established a good foundation for IARA to build off. It is up to the members and the adventure racing community to continue to give their support by taking opportunities to get involved and help IARA to develop and grow as a strong voice for the sport of adventure racing around the world.”
Read the minutes from the meeting, watch the Zoom recording or review documents circulated before the meeting on our AGM 2025 page.
ENDS