Team Supplierpipeline win Raid the Hammer

The trio of Bob Miller, Scott Ford and Bill Wells on Team Supplierpipeline (SPI) held off former North American orienteering Champion Nick Duca and his team (The Foreigners) to cruise to an easy win at this year's Raid the Hammer. SPI is Canada's top international adventure racing team. Earlier this year they placed 4th at the very prestigious and very tough Primal Quest Adventure race in the US. Just 2 weeks ago they beat Team Nike in a race in Mexico. The three veteran international adventure racers participate in many orienteering races during the year including GHO Canada GHO training and the THOMASS winter series.

"I did my first Raid the Hammer/Raid the Rib in 2000, and have tried to race in them ever since. I've been adventure racing for 7 years, and I started orienteering a bit more over the past 2 years" says Miller.

"Orienteering is actually great practice for adventure racing, and vice versa. Both sports require strong navigation skills in order to excel. The mental challenges are also similar, since they often stem from good, or bad navigation. With adventure racing, there are the added mental challenges of sleep deprivation over multiple days, and constantly switching disciplines. However, some orienteering events (Rogaine's) also take place over a24-hour period, which brings the effects of sleep deprivation into the picture. For the past two years we've been incorporating as many orienteering events into our training as possible. We've found they help keep our navigation skills sharp, they've improved our off-trail running (bushwhacking) capabilities, and they provide a great up-tempo running workout" he adds.

Team Supplierpipeline is sending two teams to the NuevoLeon Outdoor Challenge (www.nloch2006.com) in Mexico at the end of the month. They are waiting to hear the official race dates for events in 2007 and in the mean time will use the THOMASS winter series for running and orienteering training.

Nick Duca, Giles Malet and Laszlo Orosz (Team Foreigners) took the early lead in this year's Raid the Hammer after the Matrix section where team members split up to get several checkpoints on their own, but SPI caught them on the run up the Niagara Escarpment. Duca has participated in the last 10 World Orienteering Championships and will focus on the THOMASS seies as well but adds "if I get some good training over the winter for next year selection races and who knows , maybe another WOC".

Third place was taken by Coalition of the Wiling with former North American Orienteering Champion Mark Adams, National orienteering squad member Chris Piller and marathon runner Wes Roberts.

The coed category was very close with the lead changing several times during the 4 hour race. Team Beowulf took the win followed by Compass Schmompass and Team Salomon/Suunto.
Fourth place coed was Team Indiana Pye comprising Liza Pye, a member of one of Canada's top AR teams (SRS), Simon Donatao (a veteran of international adventure racing) and Adam van Koeverden. Adam van Koeverden was a double medallist (Gold and Silver) in kayaking at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and used the Raid the Hammer for some endurance training.

Upcoming Adventure Running races....

THOMASS - the winter series this year will include a team competition. 7 races for only $175 for a team of 3. Now that is great winter adventure value!

GIANT's RIB RAID - Saturday, April 7th (Easter Weekend, Milton)