NAARS 2014 Series Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope this finds you all doing well and in good spirits. We would like to thank all of you for your support in building such positive energy  for the sport of adventure racing in 2013. It is hard to believe that the The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge is only a few short months away, and we will soon be starting another season of the NAARS. We have already seen an increased interest in race inclusion for 2014 from across the U.S. thanks to all of us working together.  Our crew is excited for yet another year and the opportunity to  learn and grow. The 90 minute Docu-Adventure following TeamSOG in the 2012 Season will be airing around the Holiday season on NBC Universal Sports. We will provide more information on dates and airtimes as the air date approaches.

Some of the major subjects that have been thrown around by different RDs that we feel are directly relevant to our sport are:

A.      Having a non-profit governing body. USA triathlon, USA Cycling and  USA Running have all been directly responsible for the unprecedented growth of their sports. USA Triathlon has seen a 300% growth over the last decade. It is imperative that any governing body for our sport be NON-Profit.

B.      GPS?! Everyone has it, it is nearly impossible to officiate its use or (non-use), and it brings a map to your device.

NAARS would like to facilitate a chat session among Race Directors on this and other subjects in late November. If you would like to participate or if you have suggestions that you feel would help our sport continue to grow, please let us know by emailing info@americanadventuresports.com to provide you a date, time, and invite to the chat room.

From a logistics stand point, Gnarly Crew Media has rebuilt the NAARS website for 2014 in hopes of making it cleaner, the results submission process more streamlined, and make the rankings easily accessible for racers. Basically, we think it’s a lot better and welcome any feedback for improvements that we can make upon the platform prior to our series' start in March of 2014. As always we will be trying to get SWAG out as quickly as possible this season with the hopes that our sponsors provide the items upon schedule.

 With the addition of new sponsors already, we have been enabled to offer the Regional Championship races over $5,000 worth of gear including a bike rack from the folks at Kuat and a $300 certificate for the winning coed elite team to use towards the 2014 Championship produced in the Badlands, ND  by Andy Magness of ENDAR. Prestige and Prime race inclusion will both still be available as well with the same premise as last year. You can review all the perks of each sanctioning level under to Directors page on the new site. The race addition process for the calendar is now open along with the new race results submission form. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns, we look forward to working with all of you again in 2014 and hope to see you in Belize racing or volunteering. Please contact Doug at doug@americanadventuresports.com if you are interested he can help/hook you up with pricing for traveling and/or competing.

Best Regards,

Ashley Reefer

Director of Business Development

American Adventure Sports

ashleyreefer@americanadventuresports.com

Kuat joins NAARS for the 2014 AR season

The North American Adventure Racing Series (NAARS) is embarking on its second year with the International Series Championship the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge just around the corner in February of 2014. The NAARS Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge has attracted teams from Denmark to Brazil and has stolen coverage from the AR World Series championship by blogger extraordinaire/AR enthusiast Gear Junkie.

NAARS is thrilled to announce the recent acquisition of partnership between the platform and Küat (koo-at) bicycle rack and accessory company. Küat will be providing six of their racks for each of the Regional Championships in the U.S. and Canada and one for the 2014 Legendary North Dakota Series Championship up to a $3,300 value, pro-deal cards for Prestige Race Winners and the American Adventure Sports Adventure Racing Team.

About Küat: The Küat team embraces style and substance equally, but doesn’t stop there. With each product, they strive to improve the look and functionality, and then find ways to exceed expectations through innovative features and impeccable detailing. Leading the industry in innovation and design the company produces the best hitch rack on the market the NV including a rear ratchet system, hitch lock, integrated cable lock, and a built-in repair stand for pre-ride prep or post-ride cleanup- a fully loaded stunner. The company also delivers at the same high standards for roof rack lovers with the Trio system featuring the 3 Way™ fork mount system, the TRIO can handle any bike you own. Top that off with a slim line design, security system, and rugged good looks and you have the most complete fork mount rack ever designed.

About NAARS: The North American Adventure Racing Series was launched in 2012 as a way to expand our former platform The East Coast Adventure Racing Series. NAARS is a series of 50 international adventure races ranging from Canada to Belize. We pride ourselves in having the largest prize purse of any Adventure Racing Series in the World. Races are sanctioned three ways Prestige, Prime and Basic. These designate how much gear and ranking points that will be up for grabs at each event for participants.  The series Championship The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge will be in February of 2014, get ready

2014 NAARS Championship Race Location Announced

The North American Adventure Racing Series (NAARS) is proud to announce that the 2014 North American Adventure Racing Series National Championship will be produced by Race Director Andy Magnus of ENDRacing in North Dakota. This Legendary Adventure Race will be a 30 to 36 hour test of fortitude in the Badland’s, North Dakota, featuring some of America’s most breathtaking landscapes. Andy and his ENDRacing team joined the North American Adventure Racing Series with the inclusion of multiple races in the 2013 season. The END racing team is committed to bringing serious adventure racing to the Great Plains. The small organization is made up of some of the best racers in the USA, and brings their wealth of knowledge to designing amazing courses. The END (Extreme North Dakota) concept began with the hosting of North Dakota's first ever Adventure Race back in 2007.

The 2014 North American Adventure Racing Series will include 80 races from coast to coast in the U.S. along with a collection of races in Canada. The platform will include Regional Championships in Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, West, and Canada. NAARS is currently accepting bids for each of the Regional Championships for the 2014 season. Series Founder Doug Crytzer says he is “Thrilled to be working with Andy and his organization to offer adventure racers a National Championship in a location that will challenge and “wow” participants with its beauty and terrain.”

View some of the amazing pictures provided by ENDRacing of the Badlands Terrain:

                   

Meet the RD: 180 Adventure

Organization: 180 Adventure

Race: Stubborn Mule Adventure Race – 30-Hr

Race Director: Paula Waite

Tomahawk, Wisconsin – June 9, 2013 – What's tougher than a Muddy Buddy and more fun than a Tough Mudder? How about 30 hours of non-stop biking, running, and paddling with only a map, compass, and your team's wits to guide you?!

The Stubborn Mule Adventure Race will test competitors' mettle as they hunt for hidden checkpoints around the county. “Teams will cover from 50 to over 100 miles, entirely under their own power,” says Paula Waite, race director and course designer for 180 Adventure. Those competing in the 30-hour expedition event will race through the night – fighting the “sleep monsters” while navigating the north woods terrain in the dark. Racers in the 12-hour event may not have to fight to stay awake through their race, but it isn't a walk in the park either. “Success in adventure racing is not just about being the fastest bikers, runners and paddlers. To win, teammates must work well together and choose their routes carefully.” GPS devices are not allowed; teams must rely on their own skills to find their way.

Stubborn Mule is expected to draw over 150 participants. “We have a great mix: many brand new, never-raced-before teams all the way up to teams who've competed on the national level. We have folks coming in from more than a dozen states and even have an international team flying in”. The race begins at 6 a.m., Saturday, June 29 in a to-be-announced location near Tomahawk. Why so secret? Part of the challenge of adventure racing is route-finding and quick decision making. Teams won't know the starting location until one week prior to race day, and they find out where they are headed until they receive their maps at the starting line. At that point they must plan and chart their routes all under the pressure of the ticking clock.

How did you get into adventure race production?

Midwest adventure racers lost two Wisconsin-based race organizations about 5-6 years ago which meant 3-4 fewer races in the state each year. I had been racing since 2000, loved the sport and the AR family, and was always intrigued by the idea of hosting an adventure race. Ok, maybe I was a little obsessed... The decline in races worried me and there were rumblings in the local AR community that the sport was dying. To me, it meant somebody needed to step up and keep the sport alive and well. That is when 180 Adventure and Stubborn Mule were born. As we enter our 4th season of AR production, I still am obsessed, though I like to call it passionate!

What are the biggest challenges you face as an RD in your area?

The biggest challenge? Keeping the race course size manageable! There are so many beautiful spots here that it is difficult not to overextend by trying to fit them all into each event. When I'm struggling to figure out how to incorporate a fantastic paddle section into the race, for example, I have to keep telling myself, save some of it for next year!

On a more serious note, I think a challenge for our sport as whole is awareness and involvement among the masses. Everyone knows what a mud run is, but when I mention “adventure racing” to most people, I receive a puzzled look. Muddy Buddy can generate so much revenue while adventure races struggle to make ends meet, much less share some of those funds with a charity as much as we'd like to. Why? One of the issues for me, and maybe for all of us, is answering that question. Or maybe first, do we want to be bigger?

What can participants expect...that you're willing to share?

We do like to be secret about our courses don't we? This year, I've seen more wildlife than ever when working on the course – bears, porcupines, and eagles! We are really taking teams into some pristine locations at Stubborn Mule. Expect challenging topography, scenic paddling, epic mountain biking and the best volunteer crew around!

What is the biggest change from last year's race?

Every year we work to tune the race and our operations to be the best they can be. We survey racers after every event and take their feedback very seriously. Last year we heard from several teams that the 2012 Mule was “the best race ever”. I'm not sure how much we want to change from that!

Actually, one big change is around our series involvement. We are VERY excited to partner with NAARS which means we are bringing an incredibly generous prize package to the racers this year – there will be far more on the prize table than ever before!

5. What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in the AR world?

Adventure racing is a roller coaster. Enjoy the ride!

Meet the RD: Pangea Adventure Racing

This sure is a busy weekend for NAARS with 5 races being held this Saturday! Pangea Adventure Racing will be hosting the South Eastern Regional Championship with the 30 hour Atomic AR. 500 points are up for grabs, so this could be a critical race for the competing teams. 

The Atomic AR is taking place in Blue Ridge, GA and is building on the success of last year's race by tapping into new territory! The 30 hour race will prove to be an exciting challenge for the elite athletes and will make for a competitive finish.

We recently talked to the Race director, Greg Owens, about his love and involvement with the sport of Adventure Racing, and here's what he had to say.

1. How did you get into adventure race production? 

In 2003, I did my first AR which was 18 hours and placed at the bottom of the leader board and have been addicted to this "get outdoors & play in the woods sport" ever since. I started Pangea Adventure Racing in the later part of 2007 as it appeared that AR in Florida was dwindling away. Most of our events have an intro level event that ranges from 3 to 5 hours and has helped to introduce many to AR.


2. What are the biggest challenges you face as a RD in your area?

Permitting is many times a challenge with new venues. Reaching new prospects is also challenging as they feel that AR's are beyond them and prefer to go participate in the Mud/Obstacle races sweeping the nation. Logistics with canoes early on was a issue as was volunteers though not so much an issue anymore.

3. What can participants expect...that you're willing to share?

Great views, mountains, single track biking, limited white water paddling in canoes, challenging land navigation.

4. What is the biggest change from last year's race?

With the date of the race being moved back one week, many new lands usually reserved for hunting become available. And no nighttime white water paddling.

5. What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in the AR world?

Have fun when training and train in multiple disciplines - for example do a good run followed with a nice bike ride back-to-back several times a week. Train eating the foods you plan to use during the event. Couple of weeks or further out prior to the event, train with teammates if possible for a long weekend. Not necessarily sleep deprived but a good weekend of training and include the night aspect so you are comfortable with your lights. Lastly, have a transitions plan so you can minimize time spent in TAs.

AAS Yough Xtreme 10HR Adventure Race Recap

AAS Yough Xtreme 10HR Adventure Race Recap

by: TeamSOG

COURSE: 

Start: with run prologue on Rail-Trail from foot bridge out to far side of RR bridge and back to pick up bikes. 

Bike 1: Bike up Baughman to Sugarloaf Junction and CP1, then bike up Sugarloaf to Overlook (CP 2 and bike drop). 

Run 1: Run down Fire Tower Road to Ramcat put-in (CP3). 

Paddle: Middle Yough to Pull-out in Ohipyle (CP4). 

Run 2: (The slog) Up (South) Rail Trail to re entrant vicin UTM 632300 / 4411500. Southeast (Up) reentrant to CP5 at Gaswell on Gaswell Road. Continue up reentrant to Fire Tower Road and to CP6 at overlook to pick up bikes. 

Bike 2: Bike South and West on Lytle Road, picking up CP8 at reentrant/creek/deer trail South of CP6. Continue on Lytle to Sugarloaf to Ohippyle to Rail Trail to Campground and CP 9 at Cemetery in vicin of Group Campsite. Descend Kentuck to junction Jonathan Run Trail, up Jonathan Run Trail to top/road junction and CP 10. Descend Jonathan Run to Rail Trail and Rail Trail South to Finish at Wilderness Voyageurs. 

TeamSOG Shenandoah Epic AR Race Report

REV3 Shenandoah Epic Adventure Race - 26hr 
By: TeamSOG

Saturday Apr 20

10 AM

Paddling (Canoes) 32:31 3.0 mi

Race start at Goods Landing. Paddled to Seakford. All the top teams finished this leg together.

Trail Running 1:14:40 5.0 mi +1300ft

Quick trek for 3 CPs. One was at the top of the ridge. We moved fast to separate ourselves and found a shortcut to gain even more time.

11 AM

Paddling (Canoes) 1:58:19 15.0 mi

Finished the paddling leg to Low Water Bridge. Water was moving fast which was great. We were moving slow and lost some time to most teams here.

Dan and I swamped in Compton Rapids. I was swinging around to catch a line and overcompensated. Only lost about 3 minutes, just enough to dump the boat and keep going. Water felt great. Dan lost his mango though.

1 PM

Mountain Biking 5:45:38

After we completed the "challenges" we got on our bikes. (It took Rev3 15 minutes to do a challenge we did in less than 5. I would have been upset. This was pretty crucial.)

Rode over Shawl Gap to EFurnace. Then up to Strasburg Reservoir and along the Massanutten trail to WoodstockTower and back to EFurnace.

My tow line broke 1 mile in and Dan's didn't have any bungee on it making towing hard. We resorted to pushing and shifting a lot of weight between packs.

We had two steep climbs but two pretty sweet downhills. The Massanutten trail wasn't as bad as we thought but still required quite a bit of dismounting and walking. The return trip seemed to have much better flow. We rode most of Massanutten trail with Odyssey and were right behind Rev3 the entire time but we had 1 more CP than both of them at the time. We were sneaky enough to not let Rev3 know where we were as we "hid" from them when they passed us on the way back.

I did an endo on the trail and busted the bursa sac in my left elbow. Pounded some Vitamin I and wrapped it up. Was able to finish the race without any significant pain or lack of motion.

8 PM

Trail Running 5:12:53

Technically was considered an Orienteering course but 90% of it was on trails and forest service roads. Counter clockwise seemed better because it meant going up the rocky technical trail and running down the roads. We also were able to save some time bushwhacking down to the reservoir.

We walked the entire climb. It was dark and technical and although I knew we could go faster I think the safety and recovery time was worth it. Plus I knew we would be able to run the entire second half much easier. JayXC had a slightly faster time going in the other direction but I imagine he ran quite a bit more than we did. He finished just as we were leaving on our bikes.

Meet the RD: REV3 Adventure

The second NAARS Prestige race of the season is a little over three weeks away! The REV3 

Shenandoah Epic is set for Saturday April, 20^th and will surely been a fun weekend for all in attendance. 

The great thing about REV3’s race is that it is truly suited for all levels of racers – beginners and advanced.  Set in the beautiful forest of Shenandoah State Park, the race will provide wonderful scenery as teams run around collecting as many points as possible and completing team challenges.  Registration is open until April 15^th, so there is still time to get signed up and have the time of your life doing something good for your body and mind!

Mark Harris, the race director, loves sharing his passion of Adventure Racing and introducing people to the sport.  Mark recently took some time and answered a few questions about his role in AR- here is his story.

How did you get into adventure race production?

Both Mike Spiller and myself started putting on local adventure races with a focus on families and getting kids outdoors about six years ago.  We both love the outdoors and have a passion for adventure racing and being able to put on fun events that mix biking, trail running, and navigation for youngsters was something that we enjoy doing. With a partnership with REV3 in the past 2 years, we have been able to reach a larger athletic audience.  In the next 18-24 months we have plans on expanding into trail running and mountain bike events.  This year we have established a new trail series and will be hosting 5k Glow Runs at numerous cities this summer. Our dedication to quality and ensuring that we put on fun and exciting event are our primary goals.

What are the biggest challenges you face as an RD in your area?

Safety and permitting. The safety of our competitors is our biggest challenge and concern.  By its very nature adventure racing, mountain biking and adventure sports have inherent risks.  Ensuring that we can provide the safest environment without being overbearing is very hard.  It leads to many sleepless nights.

Being able to balance a quality course and getting the permission from land owners, state authorities and federal authorities is challenging. This summer we are hosting a 3.5 day race in Wyoming and permitting for the course is a monumental tasks.  We are working with over 10 agencies and about 8-10 private land owners.  Getting everything to sync up is time consuming and mostly out of our control.  Contingency plans for route access are a necessity in the event a permit or access is revoked at the last minute.

What can participants expect...that you're willing to share?

For any of our races, competitors can expect a fun and challenging race that is geared toward beginner and expert racers.  We have taken part in many races that are either too hard and demoralizing or cater only toward elite racers.  We make sure that our courses can be completed by beginners and newcomers and still provide a challenge for the top teams in the country. 

What is the biggest change from last year's race?

We have invested heavily in an ePunch system.  We think this will prove a better experience for spectators and athletes by proving quick and accurate race updates and final results.  Having the digital systems also allows us to focus on other elements of the race rather than tabulating and calculating scores from traditional pin punch

passports which are very time-consuming.  Our epic weekend will see 180 teams racing so having a quick and accurate way to tabulate results is almost a necessity.  The ePunch system will help us grow our events without timing and scoring becoming a bottle neck.

What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in the AR world?

For shorter races general physical fitness is a must.  Get out on a bike and lay down some miles.  Practice your mountain biking skills and improve your technical skills through practice. 

Get the right gear. It makes all the difference especially in longer races. 29" wheels and a hard tail bike will really help biking efficiency. For longer races (12 hours plus) the number one thing is nutrition.  I have seen so many teams have to bail because they have not been eating and drinking throughout the race.  At 2 AM it is the hardest thing to keep eating and drinking when your belly just feels rank. Second to that is team chemistry.  There is no point in doing this stuff if you are not having fun.

Meet the RD: American Adventure Sports

After an exciting start to the The North American Adventure Racing Series (NAARS), the series continues with the Prestige Race, the American Adventure Sports Yough Xtreme on April 27^th, 2013.  This race is held in beautiful Ohiopyle State Park in western Pennsylvania as a 5-hour (Sport Class) and the 10-hour (Elite Class).  Only the 10-hour race will count towards the ranking points for the series. 

This challenging adventure race includes mountain biking, trail running, kayaking and orienteering for approximately 30 miles (for the Sport Class) or 60 miles (for the Elite Class). This "sprint" race is suitable for beginner, intermediate and advanced adventure racers and promises you the thrill of a lifetime.

Teams of one, two, three, or four people will be trekking, orienteering, mountain biking, kayak paddling for a combined 60+ miles.

Doug Crytzer, President and Founder of American Adventure Sports, is the Race Director of the Yough Xtreme AR. He has been producing high-quality, and challenging Adventure Races since he started the company in 1997. Here is part of his story.

What are the biggest challenges you face as an RD in your area?

Definitely the weather - it's ever changing and unpredictable. That’s why it is so important
that our athletes be prepared for any situation when competing.

What can participants expect...that you're willing to share?

Ha, ha. This is a fast tempo race that's lots of fun. Even though it’s one of the oldest
sprint races in the country, it’s always a challenging and beautiful course.

What is the biggest change from last year's race?

Though the Yough is held in the same park every year, it’s a different rac

What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in
the AR world?
In adventure racing, the fastest team doesn't always win and the slowest team doesn't always lose.  You must race with your teammates, don't race your teammates - team synergy is a force multiplier. You also have to control the mental aspect of the race by avoiding the highs and lows emotionally.

e every time. The entire course changes creating a need for a new strategy each year. 

And remember that being lost, getting a flat or swamping a boat, doesn't mean your race is over. Train like you race. Who Dares Wins! And of course, Body maintenance, body maintenance, body maintenance!

NAARS Maya Mountain Adventure Race

Greetings –

We hope this newsletter finds you well. We have arrived safely back in the U.S. and have spent the last week reflecting on our experiences and how lucky we are to have the opportunity that now stands before us. Belize and its people have provided us with incredible inspiration, and, since our return, we have been hard at work transforming our experience into action. There is much to do!

The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC ) has taken on a life of its own. What started as a typical adventure race production has developed into a testament of one of the last truly unspoiled corners of the world. On our first trip to Belize in February 2012, we were introduced to the beauty of the Maya Mountains and its people. When we returned in November of 2012, Friends of Conservation and Development (FCD) director, Rafael Manzanero, unlocked for us the secrets of the Chiquibul and the Mountain Pine Ridge and, with them, the possibilities they contained for an epic adventure race. We knew we’d come to the right place.

During this last visit to Belize, we set several goals for ourselves including routing the course, testing individual segments, deepening existing relationships to understand how we might mutually benefit from a world-class event, and securing new Belizean partners to provide logistical, operational, and media support for our endeavor while starting to generate local interest. Due to the warm receptions of Belizeans, as we’ve grown accustomed to, we were more successful than we could have hoped.

We started the week meeting with Ian Lizarraga, Chairman of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and Nancy Marin from the Belize Film Commission (BFC)/NMProductions to forge a partnership for financial support of the MMAC. After gaining a better understanding of BTB’s own goals and initiatives to boost adventure tourism in Belize, we are now hard at work drafting a detailed grant proposal to obtain matching funds from BTB to produce a feature documentary of the race. Aside from providing compelling, adrenaline pumping coverage of the event as teams race non-stop across 220+ miles of jungle wilderness, the film will showcase the natural beauty of Belize and the opportunity for adventure that exists within its borders. We truly believe that supporting each other will help us all achieve our goals.

The talented film crew from Aphelion Entertainment and Curbside Productions, who accompanied us on this latest trip to Belize, captured hours of amazing footage that included sweeping vistas, majestic scenery, and candid interviews. NMProductions additionally helped facilitate filming on location in Belize – a tremendous asset that allowed us to maximize our time. Curbside’s Dan McBride and Aphelion’s Justin Holt are now working on creating a trailer that represents our vision for the documentary, which we will be submitting along with the grant proposal later in March when we return to Belize to continue work on the MMAC.

Every seasoned race director knows that it takes an army to successfully produce an adventure race. When hundreds of sleepdeprived racers are spread out over hundreds of miles of remote wilderness, communications and safety are critical as well as having the trained staff and volunteers who provide them. While in Belize, we were lucky enough to connect with Loyda Martinez and Sargent Thomas Rivars representing the Belize Disaster and Rescue Response Team (BDARRT). As an NGO focusing on skills training for emergency response in both urban and wilderness settings, BDARRT will provide both ropes management and medical response for the racers should any emergency present itself. Loyda and Thomas additionally introduced us to Major Charlton Roches, the Operation and Training Officer of the Belize Defense Force (BDF). Major Roches and his resources will provide communication capabilities over the race course as well as additional medical response capabilities.

Although we dedicated a lot of time to securing these partnerships, we also were able to cover a great deal of the course by vehicle, on foot, and by boat. Aside from setting off on a few of our own expeditions to vet the proposed routes, Raul Rodriguez and Misael Romero at Hidden Valley Inn (HVI) graciously opened the doors of their 7,300 acre jungle paradise to us and lent us guide Rick for an amazing day that showed us even more beautiful locations for this epic race. Situated along the banks of the Macal River, Blackrock Lodge shared with us their stunning views of Blackrock Canyon and tranquil environment which attracts some of the world’s most beautiful birds (and some pretty adventurous travelers). Do we sound excited yet?!

The possibilities were expanded even further when Brian Woodye at the Institute of Archaeology/NICH granted us access to Belize’s magnificent Mayan ruins which will allow us to connect the race with the cultural heritage of Belize and its people. And of course, this was made possible by Major David Harvey at the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) who first unlocked the Maya Mountains for us by providing us with quality maps that previously seemed nonexistent.

We have accomplished a great deal, but there is still more to do. We will be returning to Belize in just a few weeks to work further on routing the course, finalizing checkpoint locations, securing sponsorship, and formalizing a detailed operational plan. We continue to work with the AR World Series to have the race sanctioned as an AR World Championship qualifier for 2014. We are also working on producing a race packet so that we can provide prospective racers with as much information about travel and accommodations as possible to aid in their race planning. We are happy to announce that Cahal Pech Village Resort overlooking beautiful San Ignacio will serve as the host hotel for the race.

As a result of our hard work to date as well as the support of our partners as detailed above, the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge promises to be an epic event. We have been overwhelmed by the beauty and hospitality of Belize and its people, and are so grateful to have the support of these skilled individuals and their organizations. While we have been successful in our quest to deepen the relationships with our partners, we are even prouder to say that many have also become close friends. At American Adventure Sports, we measure our success, not in dollars, but in the relationships that we build as we grow our business and our family. It is impossible to value the relationships we've made in Belize - they have not only enriched our lives but they also now provide the foundation for turning our vision into reality. Moreover, we hope that we are all moving towards a unified vision and a common goal of enhancing environmental awareness through adventure and making this world a better place.

Stay tuned!! There’s so much more to come on the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge!

- Doug, Julia, and the AAS Staff!

Meet the RD: KanDo Adventures

The North American Adventure RacingSeries (NAARS) kicks off with ThePalmetto Swamp Fox Adventure Race held on Saturday March 15, 2014.  This race, produced by KanDo Adventures, will be held in the Francis Marion National Forest north of Charleston, South Carolina.  Racers will travel across land, swamp and water seldom visited by man since the elusive Swamp Fox, Francis Marion.

Designed to cover approximately an exciting 55-60 miles, with a finishing time between 10-12 hours, Solo racers and teams of two, three and four members will face some of the most challenging obstacles that nature has in this region.  Racers will be required to plot UTM COORDINATES (Orienteering) to locate check points while KAYAKING/PADDLING (Approx. 10-12 miles), MOUNTAIN BIKING (Approx. 20-30 miles) and TREKKING/RUNNING (Approx. 15-20 miles).

The Swamp Fox course is lineal in nature but all points can be collected in any order within each element…

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE OF THE SWAMP AND PROVE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CAN’T!

Be sure to check out this preview of the Palmetto Swamp Fox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qScYxDMcNDc

Steve Morrone is the Race Director for KanDo Adventures and has been passionate about bringing Adventure Racing to the South Carolina area for a decade.   Here is part of his story.

How did you get into adventure race production? 

I was an adventure racer and at the time SC only produced 1 race a year so we had to travel outside of the state to find good races.  Also, the location where my team trained was a perfect location for an event so when I made the statement that "someone" should produce a race there, I was told "Yeah!  When are you gonna start?"  That was 10 years ago...

What are the biggest challenges you face as a RD in your area? 

I would imagine like anywhere, finding sponsors that help offset the cost of the events are hard to find.  Marketing is the second most difficult thing especially for those directors who have a passion for the sport and a full time position somewhere else.

What can participants expect...that you’re willing to share?

One Excellent adventure!  No matter whether their racing in our Palmetto Swamp Fox Adventure Race, Charleston's Mazing Race or ANY event that KanDo Adventures produces, racers will experience the best adventure in the region!

What is the biggest change from last year’s race?

Fresh new terrain to explore, new challenges to overcome and to experience an adventure of a lifetime.

What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in the AR world?

Follow the KanDo Adventures motto and the words my Marine Corp Drill Instructor Dad taught me which are, "There's No Such Thing As Can't!" Never admit failure, push through the hard things and always remember, this is great stuff!  Great words to live by!

For more information about KanDo Adventures and Steve's other races, visit www.kandoadventures.com or his Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/KanDo-Adventures.

For all things NAARS, visit www.NorthAmericanAR.com or www.facebook.com/northamericanar.