Widdifield wins Provincial Adventure Challenge again

Algoma University
News Release

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SAULT STE. MARIE - 37 communities and cities showed up to race at the 4th annual provincial High School Adventure Challenge, Sunday May 3, 2010, but four cities dominated the rankings. Huntsville, Wawa, North Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie took away the top three places in the male, female, and co-ed categories.

Hosted by Algoma University, high school competitors from across Ontario canoed, mountain biked, and trekked in teams of three through the wilderness around Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, site of the upcoming G8 Summit. Four local teams from the Huntsville area showed their local prowess, properly defending their backyard for the first time in the event's four years run, as each team from the area placed in the top nine.

Competitors took off from a foggy start line at 8:15am, already wearing their lifejackets and carrying paddles to start the first leg of the course. The rain held off during the canoe section, where "Damien's GearHeads," a male team from Petawawa, posted the fasted paddle. The team made up of Gabriel Quenneville, Ben Jones, and Thomas Kennedy sped through the calm, still waters in just 53 minutes.

Teams then transitioned to the muddy mountain bike section, where they were doused by a warm, heavy rain intermittently, making for some seriously muddy sections. "Damien's GearHeads" also scored the fastest bike time at 1 hour 15 minutes.

The final leg of the race was orienteering, where teams navigated checkpoints with a map and a compass, including a swampy section that won the racers' hearts. The event champions, and winners of the male category and the fastest trek (a lightning-fast 19 minutes), were "i wii winnnny" from Widdifield Secondary School of North Bay, who crossed the finish line after just 3 hours 56 minutes on the course. These repeat champions, Nathan Swain, Adam Bullock, Greg Bourdon, competed last year under the name of the "Banana Splits".

Second place was taken by "Under the Influence of Adventure" of Sault Ste. Marie with a time of 4:13. Troy Straatman, Jordan Day, and Jason Willet represented Sir James Dunn Secondary School. Team CND of Huntsville High School, made up of Nick Laning, Cameron Raynor, and Dylan Jones missed second place by one minute coming in third place in the male category.

Dylan's sister, Holly Jones, also of Huntsville High School, competed with Leslie Klinkman and Sarah Johnstone, bringing the "Hoya Girls" to victory in the female category with a time of 4:27. "Les Stroud's Survivorwomen," a team from Fellowes High School in Pembroke sponsored by Stroud took second place. Leonie Coleman, Melanie Plante, and Renee-Claude Carriere were shocked when their idol showed up live to present their prize. "Simard's Bush Babies" of Michipicoten High School in Wawa placed third and were awarded the spirit award; their team comprised Jocelyn Sager, Rachel Amos, and Natasha Belisle.

The co-ed category was won by team "Lost and Alone" also of Michipicoten H.S. in Wawa, including a 2008 race champion Marcus Reid, along with Elsa Trovarello and Jason Mazzonello. Huntsville High School stole second and third place in the category. "Better Than You" finished in 4:18 (Aaron Eastmure, Matthew Eastmure, Keelin Pringnitz) and "All We Do Is Win" took third, with Brady Irving, Nate Riley, Natalie Connell.

To prepare for the race, teams attended free workshops given by elite adventure racers and athletes on Saturday, and raced the 25km course on Sunday. The High School Adventure Challenge was designed as a safe, first-step into adventure racing by internationally acclaimed course designer and two-time Eco Challenge winner Lawrence Foster, who is also the Mantracker TV series chase supervisor. Acknowledging that the race is not about winning, Foster said: "This race is about teamwork, perseverance, and leadership, but also about making lasting friendships and memories. Racers learn a lot about themselves that they can take forward in life."

A total of 42 high schools, including students from 37 communities and cities across Ontario raced including teams from: Ancaster, Barrie, Blind River, Caledon, Caledonia, Comber, Eganville, Etobicoke, Guelph, Huntsville, Inwood, Kleinburg, Lakefield, Markdale, Midhurst, North Bay, Norwich, Ohsweken, Orangeville, Oro Station, Orton, Ottawa, Palgrave, Pembroke, Petawawa, Proton Station, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Terra Cotta, Toronto, Utterson, Warsaw, Watford, Wawa, White River.

"I am extremely proud of our racers this weekend," commented Nadine Robinson, the event coordinator. "We can only hope that our global leaders exhibit the same sense of teamwork, dedication, perseverance and enthusiasm that we saw this weekend at next month's G8 Summit at Deerhurst Resort."

Winning teams received prize packages from Research In Motion, Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop, Algoma University, Frontier Adventure Sports, Axis Gear, Celliant, Algoma Bicycle Company, Velorution, award plaques and ultimate bragging rights across the province.

Among the sponsors for teams in need were, Simard Foot & Ankle Clinic, Pat Chan, Les Stroud, and Algoma Bicycle Company.

The 2010 Provincial High School Adventure Challenge was again hosted by Algoma University. Sponsors who provided financial or in-kind support including: CTV, Research in Motion, Sault Star, PaddleFoot, 99.5 YES FM, Deerhurst Resort, Survivorman, Axis Gear, Pictographics, Celliant, Algoma Bicycle Company, Velorution, Canadian Adventure Racing Association, and Frontier Adventure Sports & Training.

For more information, and the full race results please visit www.adventureracers.ca.

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