Women's Adventure Race 4-18-09

Results

What a GREAT DAY! The Women's Adventure Race returned with much excitement. To start, teams were not given their map, but at 9am, as they lined up on foot at the starting line, were instructed that the maps were on a kayak in the middle of the bay...already a twist.

Teams continued with a 3 point orienteering section, biking, trail running, and finally adventure rafting. Team Big Fish Creative (2 person) took first overall. Team Little Fish Energy Lab took 3rd overall and 1st in the 3 person division, while our first ever deaf athlete Clare Norman finished 8th overall in the solo division.

Dee Grenko and Charla Paynter of team Bebe Sport kept on pushing right up until the end at 5 hours on the dot giving us 100% of teams finishing.

Great job ladies!

Our volunteers really made this race awesome. Karen Davis, Lisa Spear & Rick took over 1000 photos which you can view (and right click and save) HERE. Click on the 09 Phoenix Women's Adventure Race album.

Saguaro Lake, at Butcher Jones Cove

3-5 hours and so much fun you'll be talking about it for years to come!

Mt biking, hiking, adventure rafting, and team challenge events.

Update 4/14/09: Every vehicle, including volunteers, must pick up and display a "Tonto National Forest" users pass.  You can get them at Big5 Sporting goods, and many other places.  It is HIGHLY recommended that you get this before you leave as most places up there won't be open should you decide to arrive the morning of the race.  Here is more info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/tp/index.shtml.  If you already have a "Golden Eagle" passport and the "Tonto Upgrade" sticker, you don't need the pass.  If you don't know what that is, you don't have one.  For those of you coming in from out of town, the closest metro area to Saguaro Lake is East Mesa or East Scottsdale. 

Who: Solo, 2 & 3 person teams. All teammates must travel together at all times, and teams are encouraged to travel with each other as well...the more the merrier.

What:  Disciplines include hiking/trail running both on and off pavement, Mountain biking, adventure rafting, team Challenge Events* using a map with pre-marked checkpoints over a 15-20 mile course with a 2-5 hour finish time. Don't worry too much about navigating with a map, it's way easier than you might think. 

This race will be fun for all.  Nearly 100% of participants finish.  Bring friends and family to cheer you on.  Every racer will receive a custom Sierra Adventure Sports T-shirt or hat or socks or something unique.  

Where: Butcher Jones Beach, Saguaro Lake

When: 4-18-09 at 8:30 a.m. pre-race meeting (mandatory for all racers) 9am start - Rain or Shine

Why: Because Adventure Racing is a blast! 

Registration fees are: $85 - Solo, $170 -2 person, $255 - 3 person team.  Add $15 per person if registering after 4/4.   Click here to register by mail and save a few bucks on Active.com's user fees: Manual Registration Form
or register now by clicking here:

Help us speed things up at check in, each member of your team please print and sign this WAIVER and bring it with you

Refunds will not be given for any reason unless cancelled by us, however, in extreme circumstances the entry fee is transferable to a future race hosted by Sierra Adventure Sports.  Please understand this rule is in effect as arrangements for medical staff, insurance, etc., must be made in advance.

What is "Adventure Rafting" you ask?  Adventure rafting is paddling yourself from point to point in an inflatable raft! Yes, those rafts you see on the store shelves at Wal-Mart and REI. Your team will need to bring rafts and paddles with you. You may not exceed the manufacturers designated capacity for your raft, so if you're a three person team, you're going to need: 3 single person rafts, or 1 single and a double, or a three person raft. Any combination will do. You may also want to exceed the given specifications for comfort. Wal-Mart has 2 person rafts for $20 and singles for $10 currently.

You're also going to need paddles for each of you, though we don't care if they're raft, kayak or canoe paddles, just so you can move yourself along.

You will be required to where your life vest at all times on the water.  We ask that you bring your own PFD, however, email us if you need us to bring one for you.  

Personal Required gear - Mountain Bike, helmet, personal flotation device (the orange around the neck type are just $5 at Kmart and will work well in adventure rafting), paddle, method of carrying water (50 ounces minimum),  appropriate clothing, and shoes, 1 gallon of water, and any food you might need.  We'll keep it as simple as possible.  

Team Required gear - Map carrying case (big Ziploc ok), pencil's, blindfold, a basic first aid kit.  Rafts as outlined above. 

Recommended gear: Some sort of pack to carry your gear in, change of clothes, spare bike inner tubes or tire patch kits, bike repair tool(s).  We won't require you to carry bike innertubes, though when your walking 4 miles with flat, you'll wish you had.  A large plastic (Rubbermaid type) container to store your gear in in the transition area.

Good idea gear: Sunscreen & a hat, An extra pen or pencil, Energy gel or bars, A cell phone, though it must be off at all times while racing,

* Team Challenge Events
Some of the "Team-Challenge" events are geared towards teams and may be impossible to complete as a solo, though we will make these available to solo's whenever possible.  Even without the events, the course will be a challenging race for solo's.  

What is a "Team Challenge Event" you ask?  While you don't find out until the day of the race, there are a number of events or obstacles that you must overcome as a team.  While we may or may not use those listed below, here are some examples of what a mystery event can be: Teams helping each other over a 10 foot wall, completing a puzzle while blindfolded, carrying a sandbag from point to point, plank walks, etc.  These listed are all doable by nearly any team, though often take some careful thought on how to complete them.  You won't need any extra gear that you don't already have with you.  In the off chance that you cannot complete an event, you can go around it and accept a pre-set time penalty.  

Adventure Racing is all about overcoming obstacles in the most efficient manner possible. If you can't ride up a steep section of trail on your bike, you get off and walk. If you just can't run any longer, you walk as fast as you can, and when you can't walk fast, you slow down until you can, and your teammate tows you. And when your feeling strong, you tow your teammate. Adventure racing should above all else be fun and enjoyable.  In a recent survey we took on our website, less than 20% of people race for prizes, though nearly 100% race for "Fun" and "New Experiences", and 70% race for fitness goals.  

We at Sierra Adventure Sports hope you fall in love with Adventure Racing like we have.  We feel strongly that sports aren't meant to be enjoyed from the couch; they are meant to be enjoyed while your out in it! 

Quotes from previous years WAR: "I've never had so much fun!", "This is the greatest thing I've ever done.", "I can't wait to do this again."

 We’ll have snack food after the race to help you add back some of the energy you will burn.  If you have special needs or desires, please bring something along for yourself.  

 Many thanks to our sponsors who make it happen: REI, Racelab, RoadID.com, Hammer Nutrition, SWEAT Magazine, and Navigation Games Magazine.