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Ukatak Raid International
Ukatak Raid International
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A Mid-Winter Race
Toughest or Just Coldest?
28 JAN - 04 FEB 2001

Will this be the world's toughest adventure race? Certainly it will be the coldest.

While other adventure races have had snow sections, the premiere Raid International Ukatak takes place entirely in the mid-winter snows of Canada. Four-person, coed teams from Europe, Japan, Brazil and North America will cover over 400km through the Charlevoix region, two hours east of Quebec City.

...there will be a quintessentially Quebecois activity, ice boating...this has historically been a way of winter travel.

The Charlevoix region has been declared a World Biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It runs inland from the St. Lawrence River, in which whales play in summer. In mid-winter, of course, the river is frozen over and the region, as a whole, averages nine meters of snowfall annually. Peaks rise to over 1000 meters and the terrain is broken by steep, ice-bound gorges. The competitors will have to navigate their way through this spectacular terrain on mountain bikes (with derailleurs and brakes icing up), on cross-country skis and snowshoes.

There will also be a section of ascending and rappelling on fixed ropes. A planned ice climbing section had to be cancelled when ice was late in forming. And there will be a quintessentially Quebecois activity, ice boating. With the waterways frozen over, this has historically been a way of winter travel. Teams will have the assistance of a boat captain, however, to ensure fairness and safety.

At some stage during the race, all teams will be required to undergo a mandatory rest period. The purpose of this is to determine that the teams are carrying all the required gear and are capable of using it in the conditions — real winter with freezing winds raging down from the Arctic. Any teams that fail and require assistance will incur a severe time penalty.

Most of the checkpoints (CP) have been designed to be eight to 10 hours apart. To make it easier, on both officials and competitors, most of the CPs will be heated huts or aboriginal-style teepees and even one igloo.

The Ukatak is the brainchild of a pair of young Quebeckers, Martin Nieto and Natalie Pelland. Martin and Natalie have competed around the world in the Eco-Challenge, the Southern Traverse, the Elf Authentic Adventure, the Fila Chrono Vert Mauritius and the Sierra Designs Raid the North.

A great deal of time, thought and planning has gone into this event to ensure a challenging course, but recognizing accidents do happen, a world-class search and rescue team will be on hand at all times.

– Derek Paterson, MountainZone.com Correspondent
Derek Paterson is the author and publisher of Adventure Racing Guide to Survival, the world's first training manual for adventure racers.



 SEE ALSO:
Eco-Challenge 2000
Mild Seven
Discovery Channel AR

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