It’s been a week since MOMAR Cumberland and in that time people have been sharing their race experiences all over the blogosphere.  I’ve also had numerous emails from both racers and volunteers telling me what a great time they had.  It’s so great hearing everyone’s stories especially those from the mid pack who are out there more for the experience rather than a podium finish. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to write these up; I love reading each one and hearing first hand how things went out on course.

I have posted all the blog reports that I have found so far on the Race Results page of site, but here they as well.  Grab a coffee or a beer and enjoy the reads. Be sure to add your comments to the posts if you like them!

• Sleepmonster report by Jackie Windh
• Article in the Comox Valley Record Newspaper
• Article in the Revelstoke Times Newspaper
• Blog Report by Gary Robbins
• Blog Report by Sarah Seads
• Blog Report from Team HHVI
• Blog Report by Shane Ruljancich
• Blog Report from Colin Wilson
• Blog Report from MC Dave Norona
• Blog Report from Barb of Coast Mountain Sports
• Blog Report from Erik MacKinnon

On September 15^th, 2009 Coast Mountain Sports will launch its first ever online contest for a chance to win a Canadian Rockies Adventure Tour provided by Yamnuska Mountain Adventures.

Entries can be made online at www.coastmountain.com/contest from September 15 to October 27 by successfully completing the contest entry form. Customers also have a chance to gain additional entries using a unique numerical CODE found on their transaction receipt when making a purchase at Coast Mountain Sports during the contest period. This code is then entered into the corresponding field on the contest site.

The prize consists of a trip for two to Canmore, AB which includes return airfare to Calgary, ground transportation to and from Canmore, a six night stay at the Westridge Country Inn, a choice of outdoor pursuits including; hiking, scrambling or rock climbing all led by a professionally trained Yamnuska guide and a $500 Coast Mountain Sports Gift Card.

The latest and greatest Coast Mountain Sports store is opening its doors on June 4, 2009 at the corner of Yates Ave. and Broad St. in Victoria, BC.

With 8000 square feet of retail space, this new Victoria location will house the prestigious outdoor brands you’ve come to expect from Coast Mountain Sports – names like The North Face, Columbia, Merrell, Marmot, Salomon, Dakine, Black Diamond, Arc’Teryx, Osprey and more. Get ready to explore the new store for a great selection of camping, paddling and electronic gear to technical packs, travel bags, multi-sport footwear and apparel.

Be sure to join us for our Grand Opening events from June 10-15 where you can take 20% off our ticket price on most items in-store. Plus from June 10-12,  if you’re among the first 50 customers in the store, you can receive FREE merchandise (with a $25 minimum purchase).  See in-store for more details and be sure to check out our Grand Opening ad in the June 10, 11 & 12 Victoria Times Columnist.

This is the first Coast Mountain Sports location in Victoria, and it has been built within a beautiful heritage building in this very colourful and historic part of downtown. The renovation construction team took strong consideration to continue to preserve the existing interior brick and ceiling surfaces, keeping the integrity and history of the building intact. The ornate exterior of the building will be cleaned up and improved to fit better into the vibrant Broad Street community.

Coast Mountain Sports is excited to become a part of Victoria’s outdoor adventure community and we look forward to folding ourselves in to the colourful mosaic that makes up this vibrant city.

It was nothing but blue skies for the first race of the 2009 MOMAR season!  A record turnout of 241 registered racers signed up for either the 30km Sport Course or the 50km Enduro course designed by Jen Segger.  This was our third year in Squamish and to celebrate we added a checkpoint at the top Stawamus Chief.  I would like to thank all the Squamish community and landholders for supporting our event. More kudos go out to all of the racers, volunteers, and sponsors!!!

Congratulations to Bart Jarmula from Revelstoke for his first overall win of the MOMAR!

For full race results, click here.

Here are some photos from the day…

REGISTRATION AT THE HOWE SOUND INN & BREWING CO.

Volunteer, Yun Cheung-Ford, gives out a MOMAR T-Shirt. Everyone loved the design that Roddy Tasaka from Surface Collective created  (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

The Helly Hansen Gift Bags filled with goodies from our sponsors (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Registration lines flowed steady all night long. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Team Live to Tell Rob Macleod, Graham Schulz, Malcolm Schulz, and Chris Bishop from Squamish show off their pipes. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Volunteers, Laura Comuzzi and Yun Cheng-Ford take a Breather from their duties to peruse the latest edition of Breathe Magazine (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Pam Skeans and Shannon Collier from Squamish. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

RACE MORNING AT ALICE LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK

No apparent pre-race jitters for solo racer Bart Jarmula with Team Sleepmonsters.ca, Erica Gray and Heather Fraser, (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Coast Mountain Sports looks over the first of two maps that they would recieve on the day.  (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

The Victorious Secrets featuring Caroline Mackay, Alison Sum, Rosanna Sheppard, and Antonia Grady sex it up at the MOMAR. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

AND THEY’RE OFF

Enduro course start (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Live to Tell (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Sarah Seads rips down the road past Quest University (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Gary Robbins with a view of Howe Sound in the background. (photo by Amber Thom)

Mountain Devils (Lesley-Ann Marriott & Terry Stuart) summit the Stawamus Chief and arrive at CP 11 and then off to the rappel site. (photo by Amber Thom)

The father and son duo made up of Roger and Aaron Walmsley raced as team Generation Gap. Aaron was our youngest racer at 15 years old. (photo by Amber Thom)

Bart Jarmula from Revelstoke. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Team Helly Hansen Vancouver Island’s Justin Mark falls in the glacier fed river while wife and teammate Carey Sather looks on. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Meanwhile, teammate Jeff Reimer rides the river in style. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

THE FINISH LINE IN DOWNTOWN SQUAMISH

DONE! Happy times for Michelle Maislen from Washington State.  (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Garibaldi Highlands’ Kim Stegeman and Kate Drew celebrate their MOMAR finish. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

The Ladies of Suburban Rush and the Gentlemen of Suburban Rush at the finish line. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

Canadian adventure racing legend and seven time Eco-Challenge competitor, Bob Faulkner, crosses the finish line. (Photo by Mark Teasdale)

THE AWARDS CEREMONY AT QUEST UNIVERSITY

The top three in the solo male category: Gary Robbins (2rd), Bart Jarmula (1st), and Shane Ruljancich (3rd). Winners took home a Helly Hansen and Smartwool prize package, second place won Ryders sunglasses, and third won a wall tattoo from Surface Collective.  (photo by Amber Thom)

The top three in the Sport team of two female (photo by Amber Thom)

And the party! DJ Q-Pid played great tunes all night long and these were the last ones on the dance floor. (photo by Amber Thom)

Coast Mountain Sports have invited us to their Friends and Family Spring Event this Wednesday and Thursday.  Save big on all your gear for your next big adventure!  Click HERE to download the PDF that you can print out and bring into your nearest Coast Mountain Sports.

We would like to extent a big MOMAR welcome to Coast Mountain Sports who are joining us as our new Title Sponsor!  As leaders in outdoor equipment and apparel sales, Coast Mountain Sports is a your best bet to find everything you need for your next adventure race. And with 14 locations in BC and Alberta, you’re bound to find a store close to home.

Coast Mountain Sports is a retailer of some of our other sponsors like Helly Hansen, Ryders Eyewear, and KEEN.  Stay tuned for details on their mega prize packages that will be given away at each MOMAR!

I would also like to give thanks to Schick Xtreme3 for their amazing support over the past two years.  I’m sure everyone is going to miss loading up on their free supply of razors.