Expedition Ozark

Expedition Ozark Opens in Fayetteville

Rob Howard / 01.04.2023

On a bright but chill spring evening in the Historic Square in downtown Fayetteville, Expedition Ozark opened with a ceremony to welcome teams to the inaugural race and to Northwest Arkansas.

The assembled teams and their supporters gathered in front of a low stage and in their midst a group of local scouts and guides stood holding the national flags of all of the countries represented at the race, each with a racer beside them.

Michael Spivey, the CEO of the Ozark Outdoor Foundation was the first speaker and he thanked all of those who had played a part in delivering the new race, a process which he said had taken an effort and commitment beyond anything the organisation had expected when taking on the task of staging an expedition race. 

He acknowledged the staff of the foundation, Race Directors Danny Collins and Jason Bettis, the volunteers who give their time freely and the many sponsors who backed the race, including Walmart and the towns of Bentonville and Fayetteville.  He thanked the many parks, authorities and individuals who have allowed access to land which the race will cross, and spoke of the enduring rights of the native peoples of those lands.

Major Jordan of Fayetteville gave an impassioned speech of welcome to the town, saying all were welcome and should enjoy the facilities of Fayetteville and their time in the surrounding forests, parks and mountains.  He added that to have visiting athletes from 13 countries was important to help promote the outdoor opportunities in Northwest Arkansas, and that it was an impressive achievement for a first race.

Next, it was time for the flag parade, and one by one the scouts proudly carried their flags through the crowd, each walking alongside a racer chosen to represent their country.  The flag carriers then lined up with their flags at the back of the stage, while the Race Directors spoke of how much they hoped the course would both delight and challenge the racers.  Danny Collins said, “This is such a fantastic area to live in and I think it’s one of the best in the country, maybe the world, for the variety of outdoor recreation opportunities it offers.  We’ll show you what the Ozarks have to offer on this race.”

ARWS CEO, Heidi Muller, was the final speaker and she too thanked everyone for their hard work putting the race together, and added that there are racers from 5 continents gathered for this first Expedition Ozark

After the ceremony teams headed into the downtown area to try the restaurants Mayor Jordan had recommended and some stayed in the square for a while, chatting with racers they knew from other events around the US and the world.  Some met up earlier in the day as well, going to the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball game, which the race had provided tickets to.  

This evening all of the teams are staying in the Graduate Hotel, and tomorrow it will be a busy day with registration and kit checks taking place, and race briefings in the evening.