High school adventure pushes teens to defy their limits

Algoma University
News Release

**********************

SAULT STE. MARIE - On May 3rd and 4th 2008, Ontario High School students from Almonte to Wawa and all points in between will get the thrill of negotiating their way across over 25 km of wilderness terrain at the 2nd annual High School Adventure Challenge. The provincial event will take place in Huntsville Ontario at the Deerhurst Resort.

“This year’s event will be fantastic,” said the event’s marketing director Nadine Robinson. “We want high school students to push their limits, get outdoors, get dirty, and make friends from across the province.”

Racers will traverse the wilderness in teams of three by foot, bike and canoe with only a map and a compass to guide them. No experience is necessary and competitors do not have to be elite athletes to take part. “Most of the competitors from last year were beginners to the sport, so the race is designed as a fun, safe, first step into adventure racing,” commented Robinson. “The course has been improved using feedback from last year’s competitors and is again being designed by Lawrence Foster a renowned eco-challenge competitor.”

The inaugural event in 2007 saw more than 180 students from over thirty high schools in Ontario and Quebec participate. A team from Mayfield Secondary School from Caledon Ontario won the overall race as well as the male category, Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS) from Desbarats Ontario emerged victorious in the female race, and a team from Almaguin Highlands High School in South River Ontario claimed top spot in the co-ed team category.
Safety is paramount to the organizers. The race will be run by Frontier Adventure Sports & Training who boast over 11 years of safety and experience in the business. “As a parent, my main concern was for the safety of the racers,” said Lynn Goulding who attended the 2007 event, mother of a competitor from the CASS winning female team. “This worry was put to rest after seeing all the safety personnel, checkpoint systems and volunteers covering the entire race! It was one of the most exciting events I have seen!”

This year’s High School Adventure Challenge is presented by Algoma U of Sault Ste. Marie with the endorsement of Les Stroud, TV’s Survivorman. Other sponsors include the Dairy Farmers of Canada, CTV, the Toronto Sun, the Sault Star, Deerhurst Resort, Research in Motion, and the Canadian Racing Adventure Association. Sponsors across the province are still being sought to assist teams in need and to create an unforgettable experience for the participants.

About Algoma U

Algoma U is home to approximately 1,200 students. Offering more than 30-degree options including programs in Computer Science, Business Administration, Fine Arts, Community Economic & Social Development, and Biology; Algoma U is committed to offering a personal education experience unlike any university in Ontario. To learn more, visit www.algomau.ca.

For more information, visit the event website www.adventureracers.ca/now.

**********************