Adventure Racing, Family Style!
END-FAR - Extreme North Dakota's Family Adventure Race - is almost here! The race takes place on Sunday, October 7th in and around Lincoln Park (in Grand Forks, ND) from 1-3 pm. Race day registration will be available starting at noon at the warming house. The race is open to families (parent's racing with their kids) or 'kid only' teams (youth racers between the age of 11 and 16). The event involves using map and compass navigation to locate as many 'checkpoints' as possible over 2 hours. There are also a couple of 'mystery challenges' to break up all the running, biking, and paddling
Walhalla Youth Attempt State's Toughest Race
Hunter Soli (17) and Jesse Schurman (16) were part of a four man team that attempted to complete Extreme North Dakota's END-AR 24, a 24 hour adventure race, on August 25th and 26th. Adventure racing requires team work and plenty of endurance as teams navigate their way using map and compass to a series of checkpoints on a course that remains a mystery until race day. The pair were plunging in the deep end with END-AR 24 - an event covered over 50 miles of rugged and remote terrain in the Pembina Gorge region and took most tea
16 year old challenges END-WET
16 year old Braydon Love from Jamestown was the youngest swimmer to take on the mighty Red River of the North during the inaugual Extreme North Dakota Watersports Endurance Test (END-WET). The event was put on by ENDracing, Ground UP's partner organization, and pitted boaters, stand up paddle boarders, and, yes, swimmers against 27 miles of river. Starting in East Grand Forks, MN, and finishing in Oslo, MN, Braydon and his team-mate Ben Smith, swapped miles as they raced for victory in the relay team category.
We're official!
Jim Grijalva, Vice Chairman, recieved a letter from the IRS yesterday that begins
We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.....
Woo hoo! It was an interesting experience in patience and the specificity of language, but we made it. Now we can get serious - so stay tuned!
Adventure Kids
Last weekend brought one of the premiere adventure events in the state to the Red River Valley - ENDracing's END-SPAR - a six and a half hour adventure race located in and around turtle river state park. The event sold out months ago and drew experienced adventure athletes from throughout the region and Southern Canada. Six 'kids' joined the hundred odd adults to test their mettle against a tough course that involved mountain biking, trekking, pack-rafting, and mystery challenges and map and compass navigation.
Youth Climbers Represent!
Ten young superstars from the climbing club took part in the semiannual climbing competition at Northern Heights Rock Gym in mid April. While all the climbers deserve recognition for their achievements, special accolades go to Asaliah, Emmit, and Keegan who placed first, second and third respectively in the youth category. Several of the club members, despite their qualifying by age for the youth category, decided to enter in the intermediate category and go head to head with climbers twice thier ages.
Climbing Club fills up!
The second session of our climbing club is bursting at the seams and registration is now closed! We've got a good mix of new and returning climbers and even one person driving up from Fargo every Monday to join our band of budding ascensionists. We'll keep you posted on future dates, and in the meantime, make sure to check out our youth adventure racing camp happening this summer from June 4th to June 7th.