Nathan Fa'avae

It takes a Tour de France cyclist about 90 hours of cycling, spread over three weeks with rest days, to win the race. To win an adventure race can take up to 160 hours of non-stop racing over six days, with virtually no sleep or rest. To excel at this sport requires an elite level of skill in mountain running, cycling, biking, kayaking, rafting and navigation but, above all, an almost superhuman capacity to endure suffering and pain.

In this book, world champion adventure racer Nathan Fa’avae, considered by many to be the best in the history of the sport, shares his life story, and provides a unique insight into this remarkable pursuit.

Part-Samoan, Nathan was raised in Nelson, and it was as a wayward adolescent that he discovered outdoor adventure. Since then he has never looked back, and has been a full-time adventurer working as an outdoor educator, the owner of multiple adventure-based businesses, and a professional athlete.

His career has taken him all over the world, and he has raced in the deserts of Africa, Mexico and the Emirates, the plains of Tibet and China, and the peaks and valleys of Nepal, Ecuador, Brazil, Patagonia, Russia, the European Alps, and New Zealand.

Nathan Fa’ave: Adventurer at heart is a story of courage and perseverance, and of overcoming tremendous challenges. Nathan’s career as an adventure racer has been made even harder by atrial fibrillation, a heart condition which has threatened many times to stop his sporting endeavours. Nathan Fa’avae is a remarkable New Zealander, and this book is a moving and inspiring account of what it takes to become a world champion.