3rd Annual Breckenridge AdventureXstream Adventure Race
Nike/Balance Bar Wins Breckenridge AdventureXstream Race in Stormy Weather
28.07.2005
On July 23rd, more than 175 adventure racers battled it out over a 60-mile and 100-mile courses in Summit County consisting of mountain biking, kayaking, trail running, orienteering, trekking and in-line skating. Top Teams vying for the cash prize included Team NIKE/Balance Bar, Team Salomon USA/SmartWool, Team Boulder, Team Honeystinger, Team Bagel Works and Team Zorrel.com.The 24 hour race started at midnight with an illuminating sight of a mass of boats marked with glow sticks navigating amongst three checkpoints strategically placed on Dillon Reservoir. The 24 hour racers then ran to the Peninsula area for a challenging 30 Control Point Orienteering Section designed for the racers by the Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club.
Team NIKE/Balance Bar finished the Orienteering Section in first place followed by Team Salomon USA/SmartWool.
Racers then raced off for the mountain bike section with one of highlights being the Colorado Trail singletrack. Upon finishing the 50+ mile Mountain Bike section, top teams set off on a trek. Prior to descending the other side of the mountain top 24 hour teams and mid-pack 12 hour racers were caught in a sudden and vicious hail and lightening storm.
NIKE/Balance Bar, along with some other teams took shelter in a high mountain hut until the worst of the storm passed. Descending the mountain on foot to Copper Mountain, teams then inline skated or scootered on a wet and slippery bike path to the finish line. Many teams were forced to take a short course due to the weather after the mountain bike section, while others who beat the course closure were forced to battle it out with Mother Nature to the very end, facing high winds, lightening, hail and torrential rain. Only two 24-hour teams finished the original course (Team Nike/Balance Bar and Travis Macy, racing solo as Team ProTech/HighGear/TrainingRx).
“Summit County continues to be an exciting stop for the AdventureXstream Race Series,� said Race Director, Will Newcomer. “It provides world-class training ground for many of the world’s top adventure racers and the course is designed to challenge both world-class athletes and weekend warriors. It’s unfortunate that the afternoon storms, so common this time of year, wrecked havoc on the course and racers and we are thankful that everyone was able to get off of the mountain safely. We look forward to returning to Summit County next year with this event and a new 3-5 hour Summit Sprint Race.�See All Event Posts
