By Andrew Mitchell
As the self-proclaimed outdoor recreational capital of Canada, Squamish offers everything from rock climbing to hiking and mountain biking. When the Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race series hosts an event in town on May 12, people will be able to cram all of those activities and more into a single day.
Organizers are expecting more than 200 participants to take part, as solos and teams. The course length is 40 km, give or take for navigation, and there are 25 mandatory checkpoints.
This is the first time that Squamish has hosted a MOMAR race, but likely won’t be the last.
“With all the amazing terrain and extensive network of trails, Squamish is made for adventure racing,” said MOMAR event director Bryan Tasaka.
The course is a secret, but was designed by professional adventure racer and recent Squamish arrival Jen Segger-Gigg to showcase the best of the area. The course will include a mountain bike stage, a trek stage, a bushwack, and a rappel — a first for the MOMAR series, made possible with a partnership with Squamish Rock Guides. There will be six rappel lines set up on course.
At press time the event was sold out, but it’s still possible to get on the waitlist by contacting info@mindovermountain.com .
The start time is at 9 a.m. and the estimated race time will be four to eight hours. There are categories for teams of four, teams of two, and solo racers.
The Squamish event kicks off the MOMAR series, which includes events at Shawnigan Lake on July 7, and in Cumberland on Sept. 29. Mind Over Mountain Event Co. also sponsors the GutBuster trail running series on Vancouver island, the Edge to Edge Marathon from Tofino to Ucluelet, and the urban Navigate the Streets orienteering competition in Vancouver on Sept. 15.
For more information on all the events, visit www.mindovermountain.com.
