GIANT´S RIB RAID UPDATE

INFORMATION GIANT'S RIB RAID - UPDATE #1 (March 10)

Mark Adams, 2-time North American Orienteering Champion, will once again be course planner for this spring's Giant's Rib Raid Adventure Run. Christiaan Piller, avid AR enthusiast and alternate on the Canadian National Team at last year’s World Orienteering Championships, will act as course consultant. (Someone’s gotta keep Adams in line. For those that remember the infamous ‘pieces of map’ that characterized the 2004 GRR, Adams appears to have softened his course setting approach, even admitting that “this time, I think I’ll give them whole maps. Or is that being too generous?”)

We caught up with Adams recently and asked him for the early scoop on this year’s event. “Gnarly but nice” was the initial response. As with the 2004 GRR, the event centre will be Halton County Inn off Sixth Line. But, says Adams “the course will be very different from 2004 – more terrain variety, a nice balance of trail, woods and even some very scenic road running. And great views all the way…. I can guarantee I’ll take competitors to places in Hilton Falls, Kelso and Rattlesnake they haven’t been before – oh wait a minute, did I just say too much?”

Asked what competitors can expect in the way of stages and challenges, Adams was coy, obviously not wanting to give too much away. But with tongue loosened by a couple of pulls from a keg of the best Faroe Islands brew (inside joke), he relented, offering this: “Well, I always steal Waddington’s best ideas, so sure ‘nuff there’s gotta be a Walk the Line. And of course there’s a Matrix. Oh and then there’s the IOU – Into, Over, Under – and that’s completely new. And the MicrObe – that’s new too, and it’s really cool, and…”. But at this point Adams clammed up, only muttering under his breath something obscure Easter Eggs (“don’t drop the egg?!”), so I guess we’ll have to wait until the next race update to get all the details.

Golden Horseshoe Orienteering will once again use the Sport Ident timing system (Electronic Passports) providing team's split times between every checkpoint within a minute of finishing the race.

Early sponsorship news: Golden Horseshoe Orienteering is pleased announce that this year’s Giant’s Rib Raid will be blessed with strong sponsor support. At this time confirmed sponsors include Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery, Adventure Attic, Axis Gear, and of course Backwoods Adventures.

Stay tuned for more race updates!