- Event is scheduled for July 21st, 2012.
- Starting Location - near downtown, Grand Forks, ND. Ending Location - Oslo, MN.
- Registration opens March 1st!!!! (limited swimming spaces available)
Categories:
- Two person - Open/Coed in canoe or two person kayak ($50 pp)
- Solo - Male/Female in kayak, surfski ($50)
- Solo - Male/Female on stand-up paddleboard ($50)
- Relay team (2-6 members) - swim ($40 pp)
- Solo - swim ($200 pp - includes support boat)
Registration fees include awesome swag, great prizes (for top finishers in each category and a prize raffle), some sort of post race food (TBD), and, most importantly, a super event. There will be a number of places for spectators to watch the race as it progresses. The race ends right in Oslo during their annual summer festival - Oslo Days. Oslo days has lots of family friendly activities and provides a nice 'glimpse' of small town celebrations for those swimmers coming from out of state who have never experienced upper-midwest charm.
What, you don't believe anyone from around here wants to swim 26 miles in the Red River? ah, come on..... i can name at least a handful of folks just chomping at the bit.... (:
Teams will need to provide their own 'team boat (motorized OK). Race organizers will provide a support boat/support person for each solo swimmer as part of the entry fee. Racers entering any o the paddle categories will need to provide all of their own equipment. There are a limited number of canoe rental possibilities in Grand Forks and nearby Crookston (30 minutes away). Beyond Crookston, the nearest rental facilities that we know of are in Fargo, just over an hour to the south. Time credits will be offered for any teams who rent canoes from Fargo and paddle them to Grand Forks on the friday before the event (: (only kidding).
Relay swimmers can swim in any order but new swimmers must enter the water up-river of the retiring swimmer and before the retiring swimmer makes contact with the support boat. No physical contact between the active swimmer and the boat is allowed. Swimmers are allowed to change out within 100 yards of any mile marker, so must swim, at minimum, one mile per rotation. River miles will be clearly marked on river right.
Wetsuits are allowed for swimmers, but we will introduce a handicap system fairly rank wetsuit clad and non-wetsuit clad swimmers in the solo category. Water temps in mid july are typically 75+ degrees. Current speed should be roughly 1 mile per hour, give or take. Wind speed and direction will also play a significant role in how difficult the challenge ends up being on race day - so plan for anything!
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.
Relay swimmers can swim in any order but new swimmers must enter the water up-river of the retiring swimmer and before the retiring swimmer makes contact with the support boat. No physical contact between the active swimmer and the boat is allowed. Swimmers are allowed to change out within 100 yards of any mile marker, so must swim, at minimum, one mile per rotation. River miles will be clearly marked on river right.
Wetsuits are allowed for swimmers, but we will introduce a handicap system fairly rank wetsuit clad and non-wetsuit clad swimmers in the solo category. Water temps in mid july are typically 75+ degrees. Current speed should be roughly 1 mile per hour, give or take. Wind speed and direction will also play a significant role in how difficult the challenge ends up being on race day - so plan for anything!
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.
