Saturday, February 11, 2012
Note: The race recap is located on a separate page, but you are close…
Early check-in, Gazelle Sports: Friday from 11:30 am-1:30 pm and 5-9 pm
Same-day check-in, Cannonsburg Ski Area, main lodge: Saturday from 6:45 am to 7:45 am
Race briefing: 8:00 am to 8:30 am
Race start (wave): 9:00 am male/male, 9:05 am female/female, and 9:10 am
co-ed
Race cutoff: 12:00 pm male/male, 12:05 pm female/female, or 12:10 pm co-ed
Lunch: whenever you want; heck, during the race if you really get hungry. It’s on your own.
Award ceremony and raffle: 1:00-1:45
Post-race chill-out at the Cannonsburg Cedar Lounge: 2:00-whenever
BEFORE THE RACE
We would encourage you to invite friends and family to watch the race. We will offer race maps to spectators (first come basis) so they can check out some of the fun challenges.
We will race snow or shine. In the event of a thunderstorm or major blizzzrd, we will postpone the race until conditions improve. During the race, please seek shelter during these conditions. No prize is worth risking your life.
Race day check-in
Get your shirt, passport, and “bib” number if you didn’t make it to Friday night early registration. Attach your number on your backpack or wherever most visible. Make sure you keep your passport on you from now until the minute you hand it in! Also, put your names and mobile phone numbers on it in case you drop it so someone can call you and leave it for you to pick up.
Pre-race briefing
We’ll go over rules, answer any questions, explain the passport and hand out an instruction sheet and maps. Bring your passport with you. The passport is the piece of paper you’ll punch at each checkpoint to prove you found it. You must punch the correct box in the passport so we can verify you were indeed there. A card with a number will be attached to the flag. Check it to confirm you got the right one. At most challenges, you will punch the passport upon arrival and a volunteer will hand you the second punch if you complete the challenge successfully. Punch the “CH” box next to the CP box you just punched.
The race instructions/clues will list the rules, describe the course and the challenge activities, and provide hints about where checkpoints are located.
The maps will be topographical and may also be street format. Most, if not all, checkpoints will be shown on them. It’s critical that you do not lose or destroy your passport, maps or instructions! You can waterproof your maps with packing tape or contact paper if desired (find at Meijer-type stores).
DURING THE RACE
The trekking/orienteering portion of the race is roughly 5-7 miles. We can increase or decrease this based on the conditions in the woods. If the snow is deep, the course will be shortened. If there is no snow, we will add checkpoints. There will not be any biking leg, although a short challenge will require you to ride a fat-wheel bike on snow if you choose to do it. We will note which checkpoints are “advanced.” Teams that are not going at a fast pace should consider skipping these as they require going a significant distance or over dodgy terrain to obtain. They are meant to challenge the elite teams trying to obtain all CPs.
All CPs are optional.
The format will be “breakout” style. You can get any checkpoint in any order. Teams will head out in dozens of directions. Ideally, this will greatly minimize lines. A transition area is not likely although you can access gear and food from your car at any time.
Water and Gatorade will be available at the lodge only. Restrooms are available inside the lodge.
Checkpoints may be out of view, tucked behind trees or a hill, but generally are not
difficult to find. They will usually be located at eye level. Check your map to
see where the point is located and consult your instruction sheet for the clue
which will help you determine its more exact location.
Each checkpoint will have an orange and white flag with a punch attached to it. Look for the checkpoint number attached to the flag/punch to confirm which checkpoint you are at and punch the corresponding box on your passport.
The goal is to maximize the number of checkpoints on your passport within the three hour time limit. A team that gets 25 checkpoints in 2 hours and 59 minutes will finish ahead of a team that gets 24 checkpoints in 2 hours.
We will have medical professionals on site if you are injured. Call the number on the race instructions sheet for minor medical issues. In an emergency, call 911.
AFTER THE RACE
Join us for the post-race awards. We’ll pass out some great prizes to the top teams in each division and in some other categories. We’ll raffle off a bunch of stuff too.
We’ll then head to the Cedar Lounge upstairs in the lodge, look at photos from the race, drink some suds (or hot cocoa), and share stories.
The charity partners for this race are the Cannonsburg Challenged Ski Association (www.skiccsa.org), which provides lessons and adaptive ski equipment to people with disabilities and A-T Children’s Project (www.atcp.org), which aims to find a cure or life-improving therapies for ataxia-telangiectasia, a lethal genetic disease that attacks children.
Questions? www.facebook.com/grUrbanAdventureRace is a great place to ask
questions and get answers so others can learn from your question. For questions
specific to you, email Mark VanTongeren, race director.
