BC’S WEST KOOTENAYS TO HOST INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION RACE

(Rossland, BC) -- BC’s West Kootenays has been selected as the destination for the 2010 edition of the internationally acclaimed expedition race Raid the North Extreme, to be held September 4-12, 2010.  The event is organized by Frontier Adventure Sports & Training Inc (Frontier), Canada’s premier adventure racing company.

Frontier first hosted Raid the North Extreme (RTNX) in 1999, and it is now one of the world's most recognized expedition-length adventure races. Renowned for its focus on real wilderness, real navigation, and real adventure, RTNX is a traditional wilderness adventure race.  Over 6 days, co-ed teams of four will navigate a 500km+ expedition over an unmarked route by canoe, kayak, mountain bike, fixed ropes, and on foot.

“It’s hard to imagine a better place for a wilderness expedition race than the West Kootenays,” said Geoff Langford, RTNX Race Director.  A pristine region of rivers, lakes and waterfalls; alpine meadows and jagged snow-capped mountains; beaches and hot springs, the Kootenays grabs at the adventurer’s soul.

The West Kootenays are world-renowned for unbeatable mountain biking trails, including Rossland’s Seven Summits Trail, named one of IMBA’s Epic Trails.  And of BC’s seven national parks, four are in the Kootenays.

For thousands of years, this area was home to the Kootenai First Nations, who were recognized for their incredible paddling skills, as they travelled the region by water.  In the mid-1800’s, the Gold Rush changed the Kootenays forever, and has left a legacy and history of the spirit of exploration.

Raid the North Extreme is about more than a challenging wilderness expedition; the race has always served as a platform to highlight the host region’s history, character, and First Nations communities.  The rich mining and pioneer spirit of the area will capture the imagination of racers as they experience dormant volcanoes, abandoned railway trestles and tunnels, old mining claim access trails, and ghost towns.

And of course, racers will never be alone with the abundant wildlife of the area, as plentiful populations of eagles, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, and bears make the area home.

"We're very pleased that RTNX will take place in the Kootenays this year" stated Kevin Jolly, Chair of the Lower Columbia Community Development team (LCCDT). "It's a great opportunity to showcase and position the region as a great place to live, work and play to outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world" stated Jolly.

Co-ed teams of four are expected to travel to the race from all corners of Canada and the US, as well as Australia, New Zealand, the UK and South America.  Frontier provides teams with a true wilderness expedition experience:  armed with maps and a compass, they must select their own routes between checkpoints, often navigating more than 75kms with no course markings.  Only magnetic north and a sense of adventure will guide their way.

Teams receive their maps one day in advance to allow just enough time to plan their route and strategy.  Navigation is often the single biggest challenge of this race, although unpredictable autumn weather in the Rockies will also impact who wins, and even who finishes.
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
 
Registration will open April 26 online at www.RaidTheNorthExtreme.com.