Raid the North
Some of Canada\'s Finest Line-Up For Raid the North Nelson, BC
Geoff Langford, Race Director / 11.08.2005
This year’s race is hosted in Nelson, BC, on the weekend of Aug 19-21.
For years, Foster has been a regular figure at Raid the North – normally designing the course, or coordinating the ropes section. But for the first time, Foster will take his internationally competitive team to the start line.
“We’re excited to finally get to race Raid the North,� said Foster. “It’s been tough always working on the races, and never getting to line up with some of these exceptional teams on our home turf in Canada.�
Joining Holofibre at the start line will be last year’s western RTN winners, Pure from Vancouver, captained by Shane Worman. Perennial favourites Wild Rose from Calgary have a strong team lineup, and another Calgary team, Mike Melnick’s Outdoor Pursuit, is coming off a win at Full Moon in June.
Jim Doucette, who’s raced competitively in Canada and around the world for many years, has brought a new team together for this race – 2 Hot, 2 Not – and will certainly be a team to watch. But Vancouver’s Helly Hansen, captained by Denis Fontaine, might be the strongest challenger. Plagued by teammate illness and injuries in the past few years, their squad for this year’s race is strong and has been performing extremely well as a team and individually the last year.
These teams, and 20 other co-ed teams of four, will gather at a remote location near Nelson, BC at midnight on Friday, August 19, and head off into the mountains under a nearly full moon.
This 36-hour, 2 day non-stop race will take teams of four through a 125 km course of lake and river paddling, on- and off-trail trekking, mountain biking and rappelling.
The city of Nelson sprang up on the shores of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the late 1860’s on the strength of gold and silver mining. Competitors in Raid the North will revisit many of the historic mining and trade routes in the area as they undertake this adventure.
Today, the Kootenays are a paradise for outdoor sports enthusiasts - the award winning terrain and the enchanting landscape creates a mecca for hiking, paddling, climbing, mountain biking and all winter sports imaginable.
The race will run through until 12 noon on Sunday the 21st, with teams challenging the course non-stop for 36 hours. The finish line will be located at Nelson’s Lakeside Park. Everyone is invited out to cheer teams on. There are several accessible “Transition Areas� for spectators as well, but as the course is kept secret until the night before the race, details will be released to local media on Friday, August 19. Check your paper, radio, www.sleepmonsters.ca or www.raidthenorth.com for more details.
In addition to Raid the North, Frontier Adventure Racing will also be holding the Salomon Adventure Challenge– a 5-8 hour adventure race. This one-day event will take place Saturday, Aug 20th starting at 10:00am and will take teams of three through a 30 km course of paddling, mountain biking and trekking. This race starts and finishes at Lakeside Park in Nelson. This series is designed to be a fun, yet challenging way to enjoy adventure racing, and a great opportunity for beginners to participate in this growing sport.
What: Raid the North
Salomon Adventure Challenge
When: August 19-21, 2005
Where: Raid the North – Nelson, BC
Salomon Adventure Challenge – Nelson, BC
Registration is still available for both events at www.raidthenorth.com – grab a few friends and join us for an unforgettable adventure weekend. Or, come volunteer as CP staff or join our medic team – there are many roles available, and it’s a great way to experience the sport of adventure racing. A strong volunteer team makes these events more enjoyable and memorable for competitors. More information and registration is also available at www.raidthenorth.com.
Frontier Adventure Racing Inc.
Now in its eighth year of operation, Frontier Adventure Racing has established an international reputation for solid logistics and challenging courses. These non-stop races, ranging in length from the 5-8 hour Salomon Adventure Challenges, the 36-hour Raid the North Series and the 6-day Raid the North Extreme, require teams to trek, mountain bike, paddle and negotiate fixed ropes, while navigating an unmarked course through the wilderness. Likened to an expedition with a stopwatch, adventure racing requires teamwork, perseverance and strong navigation and wilderness survival skills.
SleepMonsters
