Jacqueliine Windh is in the middle of all the action at the Baja Travesia and is doing a great job of posting photos and race reports on Sleepmonsters.ca.
After CP 8, it is DARTnuun, DARTnuun/NW Kayaks, and the Lina’s Yogaslackers in the top three positions. SuburbanRush.com is back in 14th place but I’m sure they will move up as we get further into the race.
Today is the start of the 500km Baja Travesia down in Mexico. You may remember this race from last year when Team Helly Hansen / MOMAR were almost lost at sea in the first stage of the race. Click here to read Gary Robbin’s account of there incredible adventure.
Although Gary and Todd are not there this year, we will be cheering on a few other MOMAR regulars on three different teams. At the race we have Dean Wutke leading SuburbanRush.com, Lina Augaitis joining the Yogaslackers, and Jen Segger-Gigg is back with DART-nuun who are going for their third win in a row at Baja. Go CANADA!
You can follow their progress via live satelitte tracking on Sleepmonsters.ca. Tofino’s Jacqueline Windh is live on location in Baja reporting on the race and has posted up some pre-race reports on the Sleepmonsters.ca site.
I was just thinking of a few great memories from the Easter MOMAR we did back in 2005. For some reason, I though it would be a good idea to run a race in March figuring enough people are in shape and ready to get an early jump on the AR season. The race went from Crofton and over Maple Mountain on foot, then a paddle in Maple Bay, finishing with a mountain bike on Mt. Tzouhalem.
It was a tough race but it was one of my favorite courses. The race started with mini orienteering Easter Egg Hunt where racers had to find four checkpoints, collect the eggs, and then return them to the start for their next map. It was comical watching racers follow a few of the ‘known’ racers in the wrong direction and then seeing the race favorites come out of the stage at the very back of the pack.
For a great Sunday morning read, click here to check out the Post Race Report that I wrote.
Happy Easter!
The Yeti Snowshoe Series wrapped up its four race series on Cypress Mountain yesterday. Over 175 snowshoers took on the 5km or 10km course in what was also the Canadian National Championships. The MOMAR joined forces with Steed Cycles in the 10km team category and the ALS Adventure Challenge in the 5km. Both teams finished 2nd in their respective categories. Here are some photos from the day.
Big Thanks to Marc Campbell, organizer of the Yeti for allowing the MOMAR to be part of a great series! Congrats to Marc on another successful year!
The 8th season of the GutBuster Trail Running Series begins on April 6th at Royal Roads University. For those of who haven’t heard, the GutBuster was sold to the boys at Frontrunners Westshore. Mark and Nick are the proud new owners of the Island’s best trail running series and will give some great new energy to the series. The big change is that they are adding a 3km Ascent on Mt. Washington!
Thanks to everyone who has supported the GutBuster over the years and helped make it what it is today! Good luck to Mark and Nick who will take this race to new levels of GutBusting fun.
The second race in the Yeti Snowshoe Running Series took place this past Saturday on Mt. Seymour. Over 150 runners were on the start line in either the 5km or 10km course. The MOMAR joined forces with the ALS Challenge and put together a solid team for the 10km race and place 4th overall.
The ALS Challenge is a great adventure race that raises money and develops awareness for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). They have two races coming up this summer (June 8 & July 19). Each race is approximately ~20km and features mountain biking, kayaking, and trail running.
On the Team ALS/MOMAR roster were Heather McIntosh, Billy Adams, Mark Coates, Taeko Tereuchi, and Jason Loutitt. Taeko finished in 9th spot in the female category and Jason placed 5th. Nice work to the entire team on a job well done!
Race Director, Marc Campbell, was in bed sick with the flu so I was asked to help out instead of running. I actually didn’t mind since I haven’t done any running in two weeks. Things are super busy for me as I’m part of the team planning Surrey’s WinterFest Celebration coming up on Feb 9th. If any of you are interested in making the trip out for a great day of family fun and live entertainment, go to www.winterfest.surrey.ca.
Great to see everyone again!
A big thanks goes out to the 80 people who came out to the Victoria edition of Pushing the Limits slideshow. Gary and Todd put on another great evening of adventure filled stories and cool photos.
Thanks to Mark and Nick, co-owners of Frontrunners in Langford, for hosting the event and offering 20% off everything in the store.
Rumours are swirling that the shows will be added in Nanaimo and Squamish in the new year. Stay tuned to the MOMAR BLOG for more details.
If you’re out on the West Coast this weekend, be sure to check out the inaugural Eight on the Edge. This is an 8km run that is on road and on the spectacular Wild Pacific Trail. Go to www.ucluelet.ca to register.
This past Sunday, I decided to take part in an orienteering event put on by the Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club. The appeal was that it was being held in the Delta Watershed where we used to go to party in highschool and where I first rode a mountain bike. I know the trails really well so I figured that it might make things a bit easier for me.
This was my first time participating in a GVOC event and race featured three course options. I signed up for the long course and there were nine others in my category. My goal was to find 13 checkpoints on the 1:10000 map and then we would get a new map at CP13 which had another 14 checkpoints. This was also my first run since twisting my ankle in Ontario last month and I was a bit worried how it would hold up.
So off I went on a comfortable pace while always maintaining contact with my map. I opted to stay on the trails as much as possible and avoid bushwacking. I managed to find all the CPs on the first map without any issues. The next map was a 1:4000 scale map and I found this one a bit more challenging. The scale change took a bit of time to get used to and I would find myself overshooting trails and running in circles looking for the CP. However, this stage was a lot more fun with lots of bushwacking and trips in and out of gullies.
I finished with a time of 149 minutes and good enough for 4th place. However, the winner, Thomas Nipen, completed the race in 61 minutes which I find truly impressive. Reflecting back on my race, I think I need to make quicker decisions on route choice and learn map symbol descriptions. Click here to view the results.
The GVOC has events year round and their next two meets are on Nov 11th (North Shore) and Dec 9th (Crescent Beach). I’m going to try do them both so hopefully I’ll see you there too. For more info, go to http://www.orienteeringbc.ca/gvoc/
Check out the 2007 season of Cross on the Rock — a five race Cyclo-Cross series on Vancouver Island. Not sure what Cyclo-cross is? Click here to read all about it.
The MOMAR is proud to sponsor Lina Augaitis on her journey to Trinidad where she will be competing in the Trinidad Coast 2 Coast Adventure Race. Racers will paddle, road ride, and trail run for two days across the Island. Lina will be posting race reports over the next few days so keep checking back to see how she is doing. Good luck Lina!!!
By Lina Augaitis
I’m getting excited and nervous for my big trip and race. I still can’t believe how it all came together.
Sept 10th: It started with a random find on the internet; to checking the site several times a day, wishing/dreaming I could somehow make it happen and get to this race. To sending an email to the race director because I was curious about certain things and couldn’t get the race out of my mind. To chatting with the race director; he was willing to put me up with accommodations, hook me up with a support crew and organize a kayak for me.
September 13th: Somehow I managed to find a good deal on a flight and booked it last minute; I read the fine print and realized it was cheap until that night.
September 13th, 11pm: I was going to Trinidad, on my own, racing in this two day stage race solo with a desire and hope to win… but still had so many questions?
With little kayak experience… I told some individuals about the race and some pretty amazing people in the community reached out and gave me more than I would ever ask for. Ben Fast, a local kayaker has taken time out of his busy life to help me with some last minute kayak instructions and training; that I now realize I would have been at a loss without. This has been an adventure in itself. In three sessions this past week I have learned some new paddling techniques, learned to use a wing blade properly and have gone from only ever being in a big stable kayak to sitting in a tipy surf ski in waves. It’s all a part of the adventure.
Gary Cassulis, is one person that has provided me with such great support. Always, giving me some good tips, providing me with ideas, lifts to kayaking sessions and other places, food, and positive thoughts. He has definitely helped make this adventure possible. THANK YOU!
I’ve been busy racing lots and this race will cap off a summer of racing and adventure. In month of September, I have managed to race almost every weekend and hope that this will help me in Trinidad. I feel fit and strong and am now just maintaining and resting until the race. I had one last race this past weekend. The final MOMAR race was a great last big intense work out and confidence booster before I head down to Trinidad.
Sponsors have stepped it up last minute and are a part of helping me make my dreams and wishes a reality. MOMAR, Steed Cycles and NUUN Hydrations have been great to me.
So, today I will be busing down to Seattle and catching a flight to a new place and hopefully will have a lot of positive great experiences to share with everyone. I can now only hope the weather will be great, the equipment will work well and that I am having a good two days for the race and the rest will unfold as it does.
I will be updating my blog as much as possible.
The race website is http://www.trinidadcoast2coast.com/
Live, Love, Laugh,..DREAM!
Lina
Here’s a really great event to do this coming weekend. The 9th Annual Turkey Trot is a 10km run around False Creek in Vancouver. The start and finish are on Granville Island. I participated in this run a few years ago and it is easily one of the best 10km runs out there. The course is amazing, the post race refreshments were first class, and the entertainment gave the event a great vibe.
Look for me at the MOMAR / Navigate the Streets tent located at the finish line. Come by and say HI!
For more information, go to www.turkeytrot.ca.
Tomorrow is the start of the inaugural Keen Adventure Sport Games in Collingwood, Ontario. My race partner, Tim Logie, and I flew out on Tuesday and have been vacationing with our respective cousins in Toronto for the past few days.
I’m just waiting for him to arrive and then we’ll make the two hour drive north to race checkin later today.
The weekend of racing will start with a 10km Canoe stage on Beaver River, followed by a 30km Mountain Bike, and a 12km Run. I’ve never been on trails out here so I’m looking forward to seeing how it compares to BC.
Meanwhile, back on the West Coast, Team Helly Hansen/MOMAR’s Todd Nowack is racing the 4th Dimension 24 hour race with Lina Augatis. Gary is taking the weekend off from racing but has been updating his blog with stories, photos, and videos from his recent XPD Expedition Race.
Tonight is the 8th night of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. The weather could not be better for getting some training in on the water. I was out there yesterday getting ready for Sunday’s Oceanman.
Tonight’s course features an 8km and 4km option. Boat rentals are still available. Free smokies after the race. Tons of prizes too! All the info can be found at www.bigchop.ca.
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