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PentictonNow arrived at the Okanagan Lake waterfront this morning at 6:30 to cover the scheduled 7 am start of the grueling multi-day adventure race known as Expedition Canada.
In the event, the first of its kind ever in the region, four-person teams from across the nation and around the world will run, hike, bike, climb, paddle and swim as they navigate ther way through hundreds of kilometers throughout the South Okanagan. The fastest athletes will complete the course in two-plus days, the slowest will likely take to Oct. 3rd.
Given the extreme parameters, we were psyched to see the wild and crazy athletes who'd sign up for such a thing. But when we arrived, the start area was virtually empty. No athletes, no equipment, no noise. Had we arrived on the wrong day?
Then we spotted Mike Hill of Expedition Canada organizing body Hoodoo Adventures. And he quickly assured us we weren't losing our mind.
"No, they’re all in lockdown," he laughed. "Everything has been kept secret. They didn't know where the course was. They didn't even know where the start line was.
"They've been in a secure room at the hotel, and they’ve just been given their maps and their final course instructions in the last couple hours. They should be here any minute."
And as if on cue, the bunch of them came parading along Lakeshore Drive like excited grade school kids on a field trip. Except little kids wouldn't be carrying this much high-end gear.
We zipped over to meet them and talked first with a dude named Jordy Ydse, who told us he's a Penticton resident and a member of the "Valley Up-Risers" team.
"Yeah, we were locked up," he said, "and at 4:30 this morning we were given the information for the course and all the coordinates. We have up to four days to finish."
We asked Ydse why he got involved in something like this, and he answered simply. "I love this sport," he said. "There's nothing better. I love the pain."
Next we met up with Rob Pula from Windsor, Ontario. Of the four guys on his Team Kinetic Connection, three hail from Windsor and one lives in Saskatchewan. And they all came to Penticton specifically for the race.
"I've been doing this (adventure racing) for 20 odd years," said Pula, "but it's nice to have this Adventure Racing World Series here in Canada. That was the draw for us."
Later we chatted with Mexican resident Sergio Fernandes, part of a three-person team with buddies from Calgary and Vancouver. It’s Fernandes' sixth adventure race, and he said he "loves facing different challenges in different terrains with good friends."
According to Mike Hill, the event, which was initially scheduled for June of 2020 but due to COVID was bumped to the fall of 2020 then to now, was sold right out.
"We did sell out with 25 teams," he said, "Actually, we had 26. But with the delays and the things we've had to juggle, we ended up at 17. But they've all indicated they're coming next time."
In the next few hours and days, Expedition Canada competitors will find themselves in places like Skaha Bluffs, the Three Blind Mice trail network, Kelowna, Big White and at various spots in Okanagan Lake. Total distance covered is 403 kilometers.
And as each team carries a tracker, anyone can follow along live online. To do so, go here.
But the best news of all may come afterward. If all goes well, Expedition Canada will graduate from a demonstration race to a qualifier for the renowned Adventure Racing World Series. It'll become an annual deal, it'll attract high-profile athletes, it'll remain the only Canadian destination in the series, and it'll be another feather in the cap for Penticton.
For more information, head to the race website here.
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