Adventure Racing: Storm the Trent Race Report - Team Running Free

Monday, June 19, 2006 - 04:05 PM

The rain and cool weather cleared just in time for the start of the Storm the Trent adventure race this past weekend.

175 racers in the solo, co-ed and 4-person categories gathered in Millbrook, On. for the 5th Anniversary of the Storm and the organizers of the event did not disappoint. The pre-race meeting held in the Millbrook arena provided the teams with the route info and maps needed to complete the race and teams were given a surprise twist. Teams were told that they would receive a sealed envelope that they could not open until the race started! As the athletes boarded the bus for the Squirrel Creek Conservation Area, the adrenaline started to flow.

Upon arrival, the buses emptied and all racers gathered around race organizer Sean Roper as he distributed the sealed envelopes. The teams tore them open and the race was on! The envelope contained a map that outlined the first 3 checkpoints hidden within the conservation area. Teams scattered around the park, finding the checkpoints at the entrance, in a marsh and down by the water’s edge. In addition, teams were required to find their bike plates and attach them before they headed down to the water to paddle out to find the next 2 checkpoints.

A 3 km paddle east led the teams to their first point where they had to retrieve a “word”. Teams then had to return back to the canoe put-in point and continue 4km beyond it in the boats to find their next checkpoint. A quick 180o turn and a 4km paddle led the groups back to the put-in point and to their bikes. All racers shed their paddling gear, grabbed their bikes and headed out towards the Ganaraska Forest. A 35km trek across back roads, up punishing climbs and down a couple of thrilling hills led the group to the Forest where they were met with a 5km ride through sandy double track and fire roads to the next checkpoint and transition to the 1st run portion of the race.

Teams headed into the Ganaraska to find 3 different checkpoints scattered within a 5km loop of the Forest. Then end of the loop brought racers back to their bikes where they headed back towards the arena and the finish line……..or so they thought. At the end of the bike, another transition point found the athletes faced with a “team task” which consisted of shoveling mulch and transporting bags of it to another checkpoint. With the task complete, the athletes faced a final, grueling run through the forest and, finally, across an open field where they crossed the finish line completely spent from a great day of racing.

The day ended with a full BBQ, awards presentations to the top 3 finishers of each race and a slew of door prizes generously donated by several race sponsors, including RUNNING FREE! All in all, the Storm the Trent 2006 edition was a fantastic event and the Storm is definitely one race that every adventure racer should have on their calendar.

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