Revision of Extreme North Dakota Spring Primer Adventure Race (END-SPAR) from Tue, 05/07/2013 - 14:41

 
 
 
2013 Race is OVER!!! This year's edition featured one of the toughest mandatory courses we've ever had, thanks to mother natures well timed spring thaw.  Check out the photos to see what you missed or relive the adventure. Click HERE to see results.  
 
Race Summary:   Gear List (2013 edition)

The Extreme North Dakota Spring Primer Adventure Race (END-SPAR) - it's our annual sprint distance race designed to provide a means for those new to adventure racing to get their feet wet (and muddy and possibly blistered!) without committing to a longer race.  That said, it's no picnic and could probably be accurately billed as the 'second hardest race in North Dakota'.  The race is held in and around Turtle River State Park about 30 miles west of Grand Forks, North Dakota.  Each year the course will change entirely and new mystery challenges will be presented.

Besides being a great entry point into the sport of AR, it is also an opportunity for experienced teams to hone their skills for the coming season and/or develop new skills that will prepare them for longer races.  I like to think that when racers who are well acquainted with (and able to complete) the ENDracing series do other races they will happily realize that their ability to comfortably be 'out of their comfort zone' is more than a match for most events.
 
Details: Racer updates via our Facebook event page.
 
Date: Late April, 2014 (TBD)
 
Time: Race start 10 am.  Pre-race meeting, 9:40 am. 
 
Cap: Race will be limited to 30 paying teams.  Teams receiving free entry will not count towards this cap.  The race is expected to fill up.
 
Registration fee:  $40 pp (early), $50 pp (regular)
 
Location: Turtle River State Park, near Arvilla, ND. 
 
Entry Includes:  Maps, park entry, all mystery challenge equipment, swag, light post race refreshments, and a prize pool.  
 
Categories: 3/4 person coed (premiere), 3/4 person all male (open), 2 person open, 2 person coed.  There will be additional categories created for 3/4 person all female and 2 person all female teams if we recieve 3 or more entries in each category.  If there are fewer than three entries then these teams will compete in their respective coed categories for category prizes and placings.
 
Disciplines:  Every race will include running/trekking, mt. biking (including single-track),  and map and compass navigation (all mandatory points for END-SPAR will be pre-plotted).  Additional disciplines, depending on the year's course, might include climbing/rope work (tree climbing, rope ladders, two and three wire bridges, tyrolean traverses, rope swings, etc), pack-rafting, swimming, or canoeing.  
 
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 are ranked based on score.  Teams with the same score are ranked based on finish time.

Refund Policy: Sorry, there are no refunds of your registration fee if the race happens.  In event of severe weather, a modified course may be offered on the same day or an alternate date chosen.  Registered racers unable to make the new date would be offered credit towards another ENDracing event in an amount equal to 75% of the registration cost.  If the event is cancelled entirely due to weather or natural disaster, all registered racers will receive the 75% credit.  In the extremely unlikely event that the event is cancelled for other reasons (lack of participant numbers, for example), full refunds will be provided, of course.
 
Other Details: TBD
 
Past Races
 
2013 ResultsPhotos, Videos (1, 2), Press  (1, 2)
 
2012 Results, Photos, Videos (1, 2, 3)
 
 
2010 Results, Videos (1, 2)

All profits from this event - and all ENDracing events - will help support Ground UP adventures, a local North Dakota non-profit dedicated to bringing adventure to the region's youth and larger communities.