Nike ACG Wins Final Balance Bar Adventure Sprint
Lauren Pelletreau / 20.10.2004
In this true introduction to adventure racing, Balance Bar Adventure Sprint competitors tested their skills in trail running, mountain biking and kayaking. The competitors also faced various special tests, which included: the Mud Pit, Ride N\' Tie, Teeter-Totter Madness, the Swinging Walls, and the final 12-foot military wall.
Seasoned adventure racer Danelle Ballengee stepped in for Team Nike ACG, racing alongside Dan Weiland and Darren Lacy. Ballengee was filling in for Rebecca Hodgetts, who suffered an injury earlier in the month at the Balance Bar Adventure Sprint in Richmond, VA. Defending Series champions Team Balance Bar competed with Harald Zundel, Addy Goodvibes and Monique Merrell. Team Nike ACG moved ahead of the crowd on the first mountain bike leg and then continued to steadily grow that lead throughout the race.
Teams began the race with the first of three 4-mile mountain bike legs, followed by the first of two Nike ACG Trail Runs. Once off the trails, competitors were sent to the crowd-pleasing Mud Pit, where they were made to travel through the mud on their bellies, while remaining in contact with one another at all times.
Next they ran to the beach to begin the 1.5-mile kayak leg. While in their boats, racers encountered the ‘kayak overboard’ special test, where team mates had to exchange boats with one another. This was followed by a quick cargo net traverse, and another mountain bike leg. The second mountain bike leg was a ride n\' tie where teams were allowed only to use two bikes to complete the section, forcing one to run. After the ride n\' tie, racers headed out on a 4-mile Nike ACG Trail Run.
Next up was Teeter-Totter Madness, where competitors had to get on the teeter-totters and then exit onto an elevated structure without the teeter-totter or any member of the team touching the ground. A successful go at the Teeter-Totters brought teams to the third and final mountain bike leg.
Off the trails for the last time, racers had to complete two more special tests before the course was complete. The Swinging Walls required balance and strength as teams had to climb across the elevated and swaying walls. The final test was the 12-foot Military Wall requiring racers to get one team mate up on the Wall before being allowed to use the rope to assist the other two.
Full results and details of the $60,000 prize purse distribution to coed teams are on www.balancebaradventure.com.
Bonelli Park Coed Division Results
1. Team Nike ACG - 2:21:43
2. Team BALANCE BAR
3. Team Red Bull - 2:25:43
4. Team Revo - 2:36:55
5. Team TIMEX- 2:44:52
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