You need to try this race whether you are a beginner or advanced racer. The course will be designed to keep all racers on the course for the entire 12 hours. A combination of regular and bonus check points will require teams to develop a race strategy to obtain as many checkpoints as they can in 12 hours.
The course is being designed by Kevin Howser who is the navigator for the Cumberland Trail Connection adventure race team. The team finished 3rd overall in the United States Adventure Racing Association (USARA) standings in 2010 and 8th overall in 2011.
The race is a USARA regional qualifier. The top 4 coed, male, and female teams will qualify for the October national championship race in Catskills of New York. The winning coed team will receive regional championship jackets as well as a $400 scholarship toward their national championship entrance fee. The race is also a Checkpoint Tracker series point’s race. Checkpoint Tracker’s Championship race will be held at the New River Gorge in West Virginia in September.
The race will start and end at the South End Rod and Gun Club near Oldtown Maryland. Please see the Directions. The race course will be in the Green Ridge State Forest. Participants will not know the course until the morning of the race. The full course will be approximately 60 total miles of trekking, biking, and paddling. Less experienced teams will not cover the entire distance, but will still be able to enjoy smaller segments of each section.
Cumberland Trail Connection will be offering free orienteering clinics to the public this spring. Check back for scheduled dates and to sign up. The same instruction you will receive for free will cost you over $400 elsewhere. The clinics will be instructed by Kevin Howser and Dave Mowery from the adventure race team.
There will be a post race meal that you don’t want to miss. We will be having a feast to replenish your bodies. Steaks, corn cooked in an iron kettle, and vegetarian dishes are just some of the items being planned. Additional meal tickets can be purchased for family and friends at a nominal fee.
Registration packets can be picked up the day before the race at the Cumberland Trail Connection bike shop located at Canal Place in Cumberland Maryland. The packets can also be picked up race day at the start/finish.