Raid the North Extreme
DART-nuun takes 2nd after a close top 3 battle
DART-nuun press release / 18.07.2007
Due to major flooding in the Prince Rupert area, the course required some drastic changes just weeks before the race was to begin. The senior management team at Frontier Adventure Racing was able to secure a new race location on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) - known as the Galapagos of the North - and get assistance from BC Ferries to provide the proper logistical support. The race and its members were embraced by their new host - the Haida Gwaii - and race headquarter was established at the newly constructed Haida Heritage Centre at Qay\'llnagaay.
The race started with a brief prologue through the streets of Prince Rupert and onto the ferry in route to the Queen Charlotte Islands where a three to four day non-stop expedition race around the islands unfolded. The final section of the race was back in Prince Rupert and consisted of a 24-30 hour race in and around the host town.
Starting from the Haida Heritage Center, the first kayak section began to spread the field of competitors. DART-nuun came off the water in 4th place and left the transition area in 3rd as their fast switch to trekking paid off. The first trekking stage of the race required teams to travel 20 kilometers, climb over 6,000 vertical feet through rugged island terrain, and test their navigation skills.
With the race split into stages there were also very aggressive cut off times set to assure teams moved throughout the course in order to participate in as much of the race as possible. After completing the trek in roughly 13 hours, DART-nuun found themselves tied for 2nd with team Sole and they would be two of the only four teams to complete the demanding section prior to the cutoff. Some teams spent as long as 50 hours on the section.
From here, the course took racers on a 300 kilometer biking and trekking trip that circumnavigated the north island (Graham Island) and had a dramatic change of scenery from alpine mountains to grasslands and miles of uninterrupted coastline. \"What a change from the thick forest and alpine terrain. We were lucky to see such unspoiled beaches,\" explained Mari while describing the trek along the northern spit of Queen Charlotte Islands. During this part of the race, DART-nuun and team Sole were always within minutes of each other and pushed to close the gap with the lead team – Yukon Wild.
Upon completing the route around the north end of the island, DART-nuun opted to sleep while Sole pressed on. After some much needed rest, the team paddled the inlet to Moresby Island and worked their way up Mt. Moresby, the tallest peak on the Queen Charlotte Islands at 1,164 meters. After ascending and descending this formidable island peak, the team had closed the gap to within 2 hours of the 2 lead teams that were now within minutes of each other.
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