Archive through October 04, 2002
TV ClubHouse: Archive: Eco-Challenge (Going on now - Ethan and Jenna & others participating):
Archive through October 04, 2002
Car54 | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 05:32 am     This week's TV Guide has an article that says that Ethan Zohn and Jenna Lewis have teamed up with 2 other racers( Tim and Adam from Road Rules) to compete in this Fall's Eco-Challenge. It will be filmed in Fiji in October and will air in April. |
Fruitbat | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 05:48 am     Thank you so much for all the news you bring to this board.  |
Wargod | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 08:56 am     Wow, Eco-challenge is tough! I also can't wait to see it. Thanks Car! |
Jagger | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 09:04 am     I wonder if those guys have any idea what they are in for, I've watched Eco-Challenge before and it is really tough work. Thanks for the heads up Car54. |
Car54 | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 10:45 am     I think Ethan will do great, and I don't know the Road Rules guys, but I don't remember Jenna being that tough...she is brave! |
Vanillarose | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 12:36 pm     I love Eco-challenge, although I've only seen one season. It makes Survivor look wimpy, so it should be really interesting to see how Ethan and Jenna do! Thanks for the info!
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Ryn | Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 10:17 pm     Just to add a tiny bit to this (since Car stole my thunder) - the Eco Challenge race begins Oct 11th. |
Oregonfire | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 12:00 am     I love the Eco-Challenge. What channel? Has an American (U.S.) team won yet? Seems the American teams in the past were in the middle of the pack, but not front runners. |
Tess | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 12:12 am     I thought team Eco-Internet (something like that) was American (U.S.), Oregon. They won time before last. For the life of me I can't think who won this last one...but I think it was either the New Zealand team or one of the American teams. Thanks for the info Car and Ryn. I love Eco-Challenge also. Oh, Oregon, here in MN we find Eco-Challenge on USA Network. aaaack unless it's really on Discovery Channel. Dang, I think I should just go to sleep. |
Oregonfire | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 12:26 am     Thanks Tess. The Discovery Channel, that I get (basic cable). I thought I also saw the Eco-Challenge advertised on the TBS Superstation? Oh well. I can stop being lazy and look in up here on the internet. |
Car54 | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 01:39 am     Sorry Ryn... I was excited...I LOOOOVVVEEE Eco-Challenge! MB really makes those guys suffer! This one films in October, but we won't see it til April. Wonder when the race info goes up on the website? |
Tess | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 02:58 am     What???? We don't see it til April? Carrrrrr....(That's me whining at 4:57am in case you didn't recognize it.) What the heck? I was so positive you were giving us the utterly fantastic news that there is to be an Eco-Challenge aired next week. Btw--did y'all see the armed forces special Eco-Challenge they had last year? That was great, too. Now I'm going to grumble in my sleep. |
Car54 | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:01 am     They don't even DO the race til Oct 11! MB has to edit it like crazy and he has at least 2 Survivors to film... If their schedule goes like last year, the spring Survivor went into filming between Thanksgiving and finished just before Christmas and started airing in late Jan/Feb...so they are pretty busy! |
Resortgirl | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:07 am     Morning Tess and Car!! I love the eco challenge! It'll be fun to see Ethan and Jenna in it!! Woo Hoo!! |
Myjohnhenry | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 08:42 am     I love Eco Challenge as well!!! |
Wargod | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 08:43 am     Tess, think of it this way, if Eco-challenge were to air next week....we'd never have anytime for anything! We got Survivor, The amazing Race, plus a whole bunch of new shows going on...when would we get the chance to watch Eco-challenge? I'm just hoping someone remembers to remind me when it starts closer to the date, LOL. I'm absolutely horrible at remembering things! |
Car54 | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 09:01 am     War, Eco Challenge usually does not get a huge amount of press because it is on USA and it is hard core athletes...not celebs. I bet Ethan's being on will bring some media attention to the show when it is on. He is friends with MB, and will probably help promote the show. |
Wargod | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 09:10 am     Hubby and I have been watching it for a few years now. We really enjoy it. If I remember right the only reason we saw it in the first place was hubby was channel surfing and came across it. We were hooked though! |
Yankee_In_Ca | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 10:02 am     Finally, a topic I actually KNOW something about!! To answer a few questions/add a few comments: Eco-Challenge is on USA Network in the U.S., and on Discovery Channel in Canada. I agree, the Survivor thing is a stunt to get press attention for the race. I have been to several adventure races (including many Eco-Challenges), and I would be very surprised if the "celeb" team did well. (Not being negative -- just my opinion.) It is even tougher "in person" than it appears on TV -- trust me. When you're there, it becomes really obvious that it takes far more than physical strength to do well in these races. For most, just finishing is a MAJOR accomplishment. RE: U.S. teams -- Team Eco-Internet has won the Eco-Challenge, and they are a U.S. team. The captain, Ian, is a U.S. citizen by way of Australia. One year, a team from Vail, Colorado won. Even though the race happens in October, the show won't air until next year. The reason is that the race takes place over a 10-12 day period, 24 hours a day, with 75 or so teams. Can you imagine the amount of film that is shot during the race? Thousands and thousands of hours. It takes a while to edit it all down, decide who your show's lead "characters" (teams) will be, and make it into a cohesive, good television program. That's why it takes a while to actually air. One other thing to mention -- the Eco-Challenge (and other races like it, incl. the Southern Traverse, Raid Gauloises, World Champs, etc.) is a REAL race with REAL athletes. While it has survival aspects, it's not a made-for-television game like Survivor or Big Brother, etc. So while it makes for compelling TV, it's not quite as "sexy" to the American press, which is why it doesn't get as much coverage. (FYI, I am not affiliated in any way with the Eco-Challenge. I am, however, a long-time follower of adventure racing.) |
Yankee_In_Ca | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 10:13 am     One other thing I can't help mentioning. Did you guys know that, while the Eco-Challenge is the best-known race in North America (mostly because of the media exposure by way of Mark Burnett's success), it is not MB's concept? Adventure/expedition racing was actually born in New Zealand over 25 years ago. There are two races, the Raid Gauloises (out of France) and the Southern Traverse (out of New Zealand) that have been around far, far longer than the Eco. In fact, Mark brought adventure racing to the U.S. after racing in the Raid Gauloises and catching the "bug." The top teams that compete in Eco-Challenge also compete in these other major races -- in addition to other European and Asian teams who are considered some of adventure racing's premier racers, but who don't race in the Eco (the Eco has the most expensive entry fee of them all). To many international teams, the Raid & Southern Traverse are actually more prestigious. Not that any of this matters -- Eco is still awesome -- but I just wanted to share that little history lesson!! |
Marysafan | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 10:36 am     Thanks Yankee...hubby and I happened on Eco challenge by accident. We were immediately taken with how grueling it was, but we were "hooked" right away. |
Jagger | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 10:52 am     Great explanation of it Yankee, I've watched it several different years and you are right, this is a real race, and a very very difficult race. The contestants train for this race the entire year and they still come out sore and busted up. Some of the graphics on the show are pretty nasty, like when they show their feet with the skin hanging off of them, etc, don't want to go into too mcuh detail of the groosumeness of the show. |
Oregonfire | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 12:01 pm     Thanks Yankee for the background info. when was the first Eco-challenge? Ten years ago or so? Thanks. Hmm, maybe won't get to see it here in April. Will wait and see. |
Yankee_In_Ca | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 02:34 pm     OK, I just came back to the boards and re-read what I wrote above. Can you guys tell that I really, really like adventure racing?? Sorry if I went off on a tangent... Call me a loser! Oregonfire, the first Eco-Challenge was in 1995, and was held in Utah. Let's test my memory for useless trivia: 1995-Utah; 1996-British Columbia; 1997-Australia; 1998-Argentina (Patagonia); 1999-Morocco; 2000-Borneo; 2001-New Zealand; 2002-Fiji. I'm pretty sure that's right -- I might have flipped around Argentina and Australia, but I think that's right. |
Oregonfire | Friday, October 04, 2002 - 02:43 pm     Thanks again, Yankee. There are worse things to be addicted to than adventure racing, I'm sure. Now I know that I watched part of the Argentina one, and I think part of the New Zealand one. |
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