Revision of Extreme North Dakota Bicycle, Orienteering, and Boat Race (END-BOB) from Sun, 03/24/2013 - 12:45

Race Summary - Registration Open! Click Here to register.
 

Updated information for this event is on the END-BOB Facebook page

The Extreme North Dakota Bike, Orienteering and Boat Race (END-BOB) is a new event this year.  It combines a couple of hours of biking (approx. 15 miles) with a couple of hours (8-10 miles) of downstream canoeing resulting in a very challenging (but still fun) event. 

This event will be challenging for big-time competitors, but doable and enjoyable for kids, adults, and adults who like to behave like kids.

This is not a race in the classic sense -- where speed is what matters.  The main challenge in this race is to get to all the checkpoints scattered around the course. 

Freedom!  Unlike those "other" races where the race director tells you where to go and in what order, this one is wide open.  There are almost no rules and you can hit the checkpoints in (just about) any order and any way you wish.  Pure rogaine fun.

The race will be held on the Grand Forks Greenway and some country roads south of Grand Forks, and on the Red River.  Current plans have the start and finish in Lincoln Drive Park but if some things work out, we may move downtown.

So, this will be an event for all: those rabbits who like to set speed records can do their thing – it will definitely be tough and challenging enough to keep their interest.  Others, who want to have fun enjoying some of the best that Grand Forks has to offer, can be more casual.

Details
 
Date: The race is Saturday, June 15, 2013.  Check in, fill out the waiver form, etc. on Friday, June 14 at the Ski and Bike Shop, 1711 S Washington St  in Grand Forks, 6-8 pm.  Alternatively, race day check in will be 7:30-8:30 am at the Lincoln Drive Park warming house.  First racers will start at 9 am.

Start and End Location: Lincoln Drive Park, Grand Forks.  Go to GF Greenway map to see a map that will get you to race start/finish and also show where much of the race will be.

Cap: Race will be limited to 30 paying teams.

Registration fee:  $25 per person.  There will be no refunds if the race happens, and we know you want it to happen even if the weather is obscenely poor.
 
Entry Includes:  Maps, swag, light post race refreshments, and a prize pool.
 
Teams: Teams may have 1-4 members but practicality suggests you want to make sure your team will all fit in a boat together!  Teams will be grouped into categories based on team size and experience; there will be special categories for teams that include kids!

Biking: The bike course will be mostly on dirt and grassy trails.  A small amount will be on paved bike trail and on gravel roads.  You are welcome to use any bike you wish but skinny tires may not be the best idea!  Length of the ride depends on the route you take, it is on the order of 15 miles long, and a trial run took us about 80 minutes without looking for any check points.

Boating: After biking south, participants will boat back to town.  You may use any water craft you wish, as long as it is human powered and it is something you can get in or on.  Canoe, kayak, row boat, paddle board . . . 1 paddler, 2 paddlers, or more – do it your way.  The boat distance is less than the bike distance, perhaps 10 miles long.

Swimming: There will be no swimming.

Orienteering: There is no set race course.  Instead, there will be check points.  Your challenge is to navigate to them in the order specified.  To aid you, we will provide you with maps showing checkpoint locations.  Other useful tools (that you may care to bring) include a compass and measuring devices, and a bike computer to measure distances.  No GPS units of any sort may be used!
 
Scoring:  Teams collect a point for each checkpoint (CP) they visit during the course.  Some CP's are optional so that slower or less experienced teams can still complete the course by opting out of these as they see fit.  Teams will be placed in approriate categories (based on number of team members and experience) and then ranked based on score.  Teams with the same score are ranked based on finish time.

Equipment:  You must provide your own boating equipment (including life vests), bikes, and navigation equipment.  You will drop off your boats at the launch point prior to race start.  Race organizers will bring your bikes back to the race finish -- if you trust us to move your bikes.

 

Any profits from this event will be used to support the Grand Forks boathouse project currently being negotiated by Ground UP Advntures.