Left Coast Low Down
Adventure Racing in the land of fruits and nuts

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

New California Race Series!

Rich Brazeau, who not only pioneered the Explore California series but also served as CEO of a little race you may have heard of, popped me this email last night:

http://www.norcal-ar.com/

The first race is slated for March 15, 2008... with more being added soon. We're planning 5 events for 2008, with each race getting progressively harder (of course). More details on the other venues will be announced soon. One interesting aspect that we're incorporating into the races is the ability to finish each race at a fixed time. We're first introducing the concept at the 3/15/2008 race (Pacheco State Park) and are keeping it under wraps until that point. The net result should definitely yield a growth of interest in the sport. If you have a moment, take a look at the site and let me know what you think! I'd love to get your feedback. Finally, make sure you sign up for our Tips & Tricks newsletter (http://www.norcal-ar.com/newsletter.htm) and pass the word that I'm out of RD "retirement" and the region has an adventure racing series once again! Thanks!

No, thank you, Rich. This is incredibly good news for the California AR community.

posted by Gordon @ 11:33 AM   0 comments

Monday, January 14, 2008

The BAAR Brawl


I am usually reluctant to post anything on public site about the BAAR Brawl, but since readership of this blog ranges in the low to mid single figures, who's going to know?


The reluctance stems from the operating philosophy of the BAAR (Bay Area Adventure Racers) Brawl: it isn't really a race. It is a semi-underground 24-hour training exercise. Since there are no permits (or entry fees, or awards, support or even carefully calibrated time-trials), it neccessarily remains pretty much a bandit event.


But it also seems to be more than that. On the landing page of adventureracereports.com, you'll see a bunch of races, all thrilling in their own way, but only one with over 9,000 page views: the Brawl.


Much of its infamy has to do with its laughable finishing percentage of less than 4%. And that's on a good year. In 2007, not a single person did the whole course. In 2006, Austin Murphy and I nabbed the highest number of CPs, but skipped a bunch and so didn't really "win" anything. The most epic year, 2005, saw only a handful finish: my two teammates and I, and one other team who took - seriously - several months to do so.


Rick Baraff, a member of the Silly Rabbits and one of the strongest racers in the country, has bemoaned his Oh-for-Three record at the Brawl and is out for revenge.


So if any of you four people out there reading this desire a serious feather in your cap, or just a serious ass-whupping, join BAAR's Yahoo group and poke around in there - you just might find the portal to entry to the Brawl.


posted by Gordon @ 2:47 PM   0 comments

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