Lots of news, both good and bad. First the bad.
We have a DATE CHANGE for the fall 24 hour race. As we moved the race to Pembina this year, we're dealing with some different agencies and have met some resistance to holding the race over labour day weekend, as 1/2 mile of the proposed course passes through a fish and game department managed Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Labour day happens to be bow hunting opening weekend, and fish and game is unwilling to grant us the necessary permits.
If we're going to get anywhere in bringing these races to places where the prevailing attitude towards them is bewilderment, we're going to have to build bridges, not destroy them. And so after careful consideration, we feel that changing the date is our best and only real option. The new date is one weekend prior, August 27th and 28th. The race start will be moved up a bit to 2 pm on saturday. Hopefully this gives regional teams enough time to travel up race morning and possibly still get back home on sunday night (although if you want to do this, bring a volunteer and have them drive you back!). The post race meal will be an early dinner - we'll have you fed and prizes awarded by 5 pm at the latest. All teams already registered have been contacted and offered refunds if they can't race on the new dates.
Now for the good news.
The course is epic: awesome rivers, steep hillsides with dense bush, deep gorges, swamps, mud galore. This is going to test you. Most 24 hour races are close to 100 miles. Ours is only 65 or so, but you'll pay for those miles, and we guarantee that you won't finish (if you finish at all) feeling short changed. Additionally, we'd received some feedback that some of you would-be-racers couldn't do a labour day race anyway (sacred last lake weekend for families) and so now maybe you'll be able to make it out. This group includes Wedali, reigning North American champions (yeah, i know this might not seem like good news if you're not Wedali), so if these guys can make it, you might get to race against some of the very best.
Please feel free to contact me (701-330-0709) or email (endracing@gmail.com) with any questions or concerns. Sorry for any problems this change causes - or for your broken hearts if you'd been planning to race over labour day but now can't make it - but for those who can, it'll be well worth it.
Cheers everyone