Okanagan odyssey begins today for adventure racers
Teams of adventure-seekers from around the world are in the Okanagan again this week for a self-propelled, 580-kilometre race that will test their trail running, mountain biking, paddling, orienteering and rappelling skills.
All of the teams competing in Expedition Canada will leave today from an as-yet undisclosed location in Penticton and have up to six days to complete the course. The fastest racers are expected to finish in four days.
“To foster an adventurous spirit, and save some excitement for race day, the exact course will not be released until a couple of hours before the event,” said organizer Lyndi Hill of Hoodoo Adventures in a press release for the thirdannual edition.
“All we can say at this point is that the race host city is in Penticton. Teams will be given the course on the way to the start line. The course will be released the morning of the race.”
Each four-person team will be given a tracking device so friends, family and race officials can monitor their progress. Race officials will stage equipment, like bikes and canoes, on the course, but competitors will otherwise be unsupported.
Teams are coming from Japan, Poland, France, the U.S. and all over Canada, and are divided into five categories: women, men, mixed, masters (combined age of 190 years or more) and young (combined age of 110 years or less)
The winning group will punch its ticket to the Adventure Racing World Championships in Paraguay in September.
Last year’s winners, who started in Kelowna, then headed south along the west side of Okanagan Lane and into the Similkameen before finishing in Penticton, completed the course in 73 hours and 13 minutes. The second-place squad finished about eight hours later.