DANFORTH, Maine — One of the area’s most popular outdoor endurance challenges is returning for its 12th season as the annual East Grand Adventure Race takes place Saturday, May 13.
The 20-mile race includes a new 1-mile compass run, new 10-mile mountain biking route, eight miles of paddling (canoe or kayak), and a climbing wall challenge in the East Grand School gymnasium.
“While we may keep the mud pit crawl and the log rolling (air temps permitting),” said Dave Conley, event organizer. “We’re planning on adding new and exciting challenges along the race route including a wall to scale, a culvert to crawl through, an environmental station where racers need to identify branches of evergreen trees, and perhaps of real interest for teens, is a paintball challenge where racers earn time off when hitting moving targets.”
Approaching the finish line on the Baskahegan Stream are East Grand school outdoor education students Matthew Potter (bow) and Philip Farley (stern). The duo won their high school division and the race overall last year with a time of 3:35:26 and are looking to repeat this year. (Contributed photo/Whitney Crone)
Divisions for the race include: race in pairs in the high school boys, girls and mixed category; adult men, women and mixed; and junior and seniors. The open division can be solo, teams of any size or a relay event.
“In short, anything that doesn’t fit into the other divisions can compete in the open division,” Conley said.
Also new this year is a family division offering a condensed version of the race (run and paddle only) for those with younger children or desiring a shorter race.
Prizes include seven $100 and seven $50 gift certificates to Ski Rack Sports awarded to first- and second-place winners in the three high school divisions and for the juniors in the junior/senior division. All racers are entered into a drawing for a new Vapor Kayak, paddle and life jacket donated by Old Town Canoe.
Advanced registration before Friday, May 12, is $20 per person which includes trophies, T-shirt and a lunch. Registration on the day of the event is $30.
Proceeds benefit East Grand School’s Outdoor Education program.
For more information about the race and to download race application, please visit the school’s website at www.eastgrandschool.org, call Dave Conley at 448-2743 or email dave@canoethewild.com.
