Adventure Race in the Amazon
Writer & Adventure Sports Athlete: Jukka Pinola, Finland
When Finnish adventure sports athlete Jukka Pinola participated in the Malacara Race 500 – Amazonica 2026, he faced approximately 500 kilometers of cycling, paddling, and trekking through the Amazon. In the extreme conditions, access to safe drinking water was crucial. With the FreeBact® Water Drink Mini , his team avoided stomach problems, unlike several other teams. Here, Jukka himself recounts the race, the accident that changed the course, and the experiences from just over four days in the Amazon.
"In late May, the adventure sports race Malacara Race 500 – Amazonica 2026 was organized, with the race area located in the Amazon rainforest around the Rio Negro in Brazil. The race was non-stop from start to finish and covered a distance of approximately 500 kilometers. The route consisted of about 200 kilometers of cycling, 200 kilometers of canoeing, and 100 kilometers of trekking, supplemented with some rope sections – all in untouched and wild nature. In long endurance races, the ability to stay healthy is crucial, and in this particular race, the extreme heat and humidity were a major challenge. Therefore, hydration was a key factor.
Our team consisted of participants from Finland, France, Paraguay, and Mexico. We had never raced together before and only met at the race center in Manaus, where we spent a few days preparing for the start.
The race began with a short orientation section along the banks of the Rio Negro near Manaus. This was followed by 40 kilometers of paddling on the river in very hot conditions, making it important to ensure adequate hydration from the very beginning. After the paddling, the race continued with a 120-kilometer mountain bike section. During the cycling, the typical rainforest weather hit with heavy downpours. The mud became so deep that bikes had to be carried in several places as the wheels simply couldn't turn.
Our race started quite well. We made some minor navigation errors at the beginning, but the team spirit was good, and we had a lot of energy after the first day of racing. The next stage took us deep into the jungle on an approximately 80-kilometer packraft section, followed by a shorter trek. Unfortunately, one of our team members fell into a rocky stream during this transition and severely injured his hand. We had to carry him back to a checkpoint and call for help. The injured participant was taken to the hospital while the rest of the team remained in the jungle overnight, awaiting news of his condition.
The next morning, we received the reassuring news that despite the hand injury, he was otherwise fine. Once we had this information, we decided to continue the adventure with a reduced team, even though we had officially withdrawn from the race as a team. We still wanted to continue experiencing the amazing nature and facing the challenges ahead of us.
After just over four days, we finally reached the finish line after a very exciting and eventful race. We had to skip some of the final sections, but that mattered less. The most important thing was that our injured teammate had received care and that we had, despite everything, experienced the incredible biodiversity of the Amazon.
Adventure sports always involve new, unexpected, and varied conditions where the ability to take care of oneself is crucial. At the center of it all is fluid and energy intake. Since it's impossible to carry unlimited amounts of water, one often has to obtain it from nature.
During my long career of competing around the world, I have always relied on Xinix products, and this time too – in the middle of the Amazon – the water purification products worked perfectly. Our team stayed healthy both during and after the race, and we had no problems with drinking water. In the Amazon, there is plenty of water, and thanks to Xinix, it was also safe to drink.
I'm not sure what the other teams used to purify their water, but I know that some of the participants had really severe stomach problems. It was easy for us to smile and tell them what we had used to purify the water, without any problems at all.
This race unfortunately ended with us having to withdraw from the official competition, but despite everything, it was an exciting and unique experience. Above all, I am glad that our injured teammate is recovering well from the accident. For me, this was also a comeback after several years away from competition. During the race, I realized that I want to experience more unforgettable adventures like this with my teammates and continue to explore and challenge myself in the amazing nature that exists around the world. There will definitely be more races in the future.
It will be exciting to see where the next race will take place – planning is already underway. And wherever the next adventure takes me, Xinix will be there to ensure a safe and secure fluid supply for both me and my team.
______________
Product that was used during the trip: FreeBact® Water Drink Mini
