The People Behind Race The Nile
It started with an idea — Pablo Rodriguez’s vision for Race The Nile. Together with co-founder Klemens Kollenz, that idea took shape. But it was in Uganda, under the leadership of strategic coordinator Lilly Ajarova, that Race The Nile truly came to life.
Where the Story Began
The story of Race The Nile began with a personal connection. During a volunteer stay with Amici di Angal, Spanish adventurer and tourism professional Pablo Rodriguez experienced Northern Uganda’s West Nile region far beyond the paths most visitors ever see. What he found was a landscape of striking beauty, resilient communities, deep cultural heritage, and hospitality that left a lasting impression.
The experience stayed with him long after he returned home. Pablo became convinced that West Nile deserved a place on the international adventure map — and that cycling, with its raw physicality and storytelling power, was the perfect way to put it there.
From that conviction, the idea for an international endurance cycling event in West Nile was born. But Pablo’s ambition went beyond the challenge of the ride itself. He envisioned something bigger: an event that could connect a demanding, largely unknown region to the wider world — building visibility, forging relationships, and creating real economic opportunity for the people and businesses of West Nile.
From Pablo’s Idea to Race The Nile
Pablo shared the idea with his Austrian friend and tourism colleague Klemens Kollenz. Their professional backgrounds in tourism, their shared passion for cycling and their interest in meaningful destination development provided the foundation for the next step.
Together, Pablo and Klemens developed the original idea into a structured event concept. As “PK Tourism Consultancy“, they created the Race The Nile brand, defined its international positioning and connected the race with a broader vision for tourism and regional development in West Nile.
The project was conceived as an ambitious ultra-endurance race and a platform to bring international attention to the region’s landscapes, communities, producers, and institutions. Pablo and Klemens remain jointly responsible for the organization, strategic development and international presentation of Race The Nile.
The Essential Connection in Uganda
A European idea could only become a credible project through strong leadership, trusted relationships, and detailed coordination on the ground in Uganda.
Lilly Ajarova recognized the potential of Race The Nile immediately, helping transform an ambitious conversation into a practical, workable initiative. Her deep knowledge of Uganda, her institutional relationships, and her ability to bring stakeholders together have proven essential to the project’s development.
Today, Lilly leads the strategic coordination of Race The Nile within Uganda — connecting the initiative with institutions, authorities, tourism stakeholders, operating partners, and regional organizations. Her contribution places local knowledge, credibility, and implementation capacity at the very centre of the project.
Together, Pablo Rodriguez, Klemens Kollenz, and Lilly Ajarova form the core leadership behind Race The Nile: the originator, the co-founder and brand developer, and the Uganda-based strategic lead who enables the initiative to operate within the country and across the region.
Core responsibilities
- Race The Nile brand development
- International event concept
- Tourism and destination positioning
- International media communication
- Strategic partnership development
- Coordination between Europe and Uganda
- Integration of local and regional stakeholders
A Shared Purpose
Together, the three members of Race The Nile‘s core leadership share a clear ambition: to create a demanding international sporting experience that directs visibility, partnerships, and economic activity toward West Nile.
Sporting ambition
Race The Nile introduces experienced endurance riders to a demanding and largely unexplored cycling environment in Northern Uganda.
Regional visibility
The event provides an international platform for the landscapes, communities, cultural heritage and economic potential of West Nile.
Local value creation
Local businesses, producers, craftspeople, accommodation providers, cycling structures and community organizations are intended to participate throughout the event chain.
Building With the Region, Not Just In It
Race The Nile is being developed hand-in-hand with local communities, entrepreneurs, cultural actors, institutions, tourism stakeholders, and grassroots cycling structures across West Nile.
Regional partners contribute local cycling expertise, route knowledge, logistics, community relationships, and operational capacity, while local producers, craftspeople, hospitality providers, and service businesses form an integral part of the wider event model.
This approach reflects the purpose that originally brought Pablo, Klemens, and Lilly together: to create an event capable of generating international attention while ensuring a meaningful share of activity, spending, and opportunity remains connected to the region itself.
The inaugural edition marks only the beginning. Race The Nile is designed to grow into a recurring signature event — and a platform for responsible, experience-based tourism development in West Nile for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created and founded Race The Nile?
Pablo Rodriguez created the original idea for Race The
Nile after his volunteer experience and personal
engagement in Northern Uganda. He is the founder and
originator of the initiative. Klemens Kollenz is the co-founder who developed
the initial idea together with Pablo into a structured
international event, brand and tourism-positioning
concept.
What is Lilly Ajarova’s role in Race The Nile?
Lilly Ajarova is the Uganda-based strategic lead and
central coordinator of Race The Nile. She manages
institutional relationships, supports local coordination
and connects the international concept with stakeholders
and partners in Uganda.
Who owns the Race The Nile brand?
The Race The Nile brand is owned by PK Tourism Consult. The company leads the international concept, tourism positioning, brand development and international
communication of Race The Nile.
Who organizes Race The Nile?
Pablo Rodriguez and Klemens Kollenz jointly organize and
develop Race The Nile through PK Tourism Consultancy in cooperation with the Local Organizing Company Wuza Ltd. Lilly Ajarova leads strategic coordination and
institutional relationships in Uganda. Cycling specialists such as the Westnile Cyclist Club, tourism and community partners contribute regional knowledge and implementation capacity.
How did the Race The Nile idea begin?
The idea began after Pablo Rodriguez spent time volunteering with Amici di Angal in Northern Uganda. His experience of West Nile inspired the concept of an international cycling event that could combine endurance sport with international visibility and regional value creation.
Official Information and Media Enquiries
For verified information about the origin, founders, leadership, brand ownership or international development of Race The Nile, please contact the official Race The Nile media and brand team.
Race The Nile is a brand owned and internationally developed by
PK Tourism Consult
