Courtesy of Tahoe Big Blue

More than 330 adventure competitors ran, kayaked and mountain biked through the Tahoe area in the second annual Tahoe Big Blue Adventure Race.

The event, sponsored by the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, welcomed teams from across California and the U.S., as well as Spain, New Zealand, Poland and Australia. Though the teams where challenged with choppy waters and brisk winds in the morning in the six-mile kayak from Tahoe Vista to Tahoe City, it was the orienteering that slowed racers up.

"The orienteering was more of true orienteering course, as opposed to general map and compass skills required last year," Todd Jackson, race director said. "The course was a bit more challenging overall, mentally as well as physically. The mountain bike had an additional 500-foot climb if you took the right course. A lot of people didn't since there were numerous route choices, and that cost them significant time and energy."

Cash prizes went to the top three finishers in both three and four-person co-ed categories. Finishing first in the four-person was Team Torque (seven hours, four minutes, 24 seconds) with competitors from the Bay Area and Southern California followed by Mike and the Cliff Chicks from the Tahoe area (eight hours, five minutes, 16 seconds) with Team Sunsweet Plum Adventure, from Northern California, (eight hours, 57 minutes, 31 seconds) placing third.

Team Tahoe Dave's finished first in the three-person co-ed division with a time of eight hours, 43 minutes, 50 seconds. Team Santa Cruz placed second (nine hours, 21 minutes, 40 seconds) and Team Motion Potion from Reno rounded out the top three (nine hours, 50 minutes, 45 seconds).

Team Motion Potion also claimed the three-person co-ed championship of the Big Blue Adventure Series. The series was comprised of four races throughout the summer in Reno, San Francisco's East Bay and Half Moon Bay, with the Tahoe Big Blue serving as the finale. Teams competing in a minimum of three races were eligible to become the series champs. Taking the series title in the four person co-ed was Esprit de Corp, with racers from throughout Central California.

For complete results, log on to www.bigblueadventure.com.

—-- Courtesy of Big Blue Adventure

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