Another new event this year to the Adventure Racing Ontario Points Series is the Cataraqui Adventure Trek, a 4 hour race held near Kingston on August 28th.
Whether you are a seasoned competitor who wants to push your athletic limits or a first-time adventure racer who just wants to give the sport a try, the Cataraqui Adventure Trek has something to offer. The race features a unique and beginner-friendly 7-10km lap course format which allows solo racers, relay teams, and 2-person teams to run, bike and paddle on a marked course as many times as they can (or want to) in four hours. This format truly allows racers to “choose their own adventure” and go as hard or easy as they want to during the race.
Race directors Michelle McShane and Tammie Stanton, both experienced adventure racers themselves, started the Cataraqui Adventure Trek in 2015 out of a desire to see an adventure race hosted in Kingston. They kept thinking that, “somebody needs to put on a race here,” then realized, “we’re somebody!” With their experience as racers coupled with backgrounds in the fitness / outdoor industry and event management, they knew they had the right skill set to create a safe, yet challenging event that would appeal to competitors of all levels.
Cataraqui Adventure Trek race directors Michelle McShane and Tammie Stanton on race day.
Fun fact: in the 2015 Cataraqui Adventure Trek, competitors completed anywhere between 10km and 60km during the four hour race.
Held on private land that features a mountain bike trail network, highlights of the Cataraqui Adventure Trek include its flowing singletrack mountain biking section and its spectator friendly format. Racers pass through a central transition area several times on each lap, allowing friends and family to cheer them on as they challenge themselves to complete as many laps as possible in the time allowed. Because all racers finish at the same time, the event boasts a festive post-race celebration and awards ceremony, where athletes can refuel at a local food truck or check out the community vendors, both of which give the Cataraqui Adventure Trek a festival-like feel.
Fun fact: in the 2015 Cataraqui Adventure Trek, 12 of the 16 volunteers were family members of the race directors, and half were their children. Talk about family friendly!
While both the race directors and participants considered 2015 was considered a great success, there have been a couple of tweaks made for 2016 to improve it further, including a longer paddling section and the addition of a 2-person team option where racers stay together for the full four hours.
The start of the 2015 Cataraqui Adventure Trek.
Have you got what it takes to race the CAT? Take advantage of the Cataraqui Adventure Trek’s early bird deadline of April 15th and pay only $55.00 per racer! Visit http://catadventuretrek.wix.com/racethecat to register for the event or find out more. The race also has a Facebook page where participants can stay up-to-date on this year’s event.