Kentucky State Parks Hosting Adventure Race Series
Kentucky State Parks will host the 2013 Unbridled Adventure Race Series, three adventure races that will test participants’ physical and mental skills for beginners and veteran racers.
The series is being conducted at Kentucky State Parks in partnership with the Kentucky Office of Adventure Tourism and Flying Squirrel Adventures.
Each race will include mountain biking on trail and road, trekking on and off trail, paddling on flat or slow-moving water, and navigation with topo map and compass. A given race may also include a short life-jacket-assisted swim or other discipline for which no special expertise is required.
Races are open to individuals or teams of two, three or four people. All races are United States Adventure Racing Association-sanctioned and qualify for points in the USARA national standings. Additionally, the Unbridled Adventure Race Series qualifies for additional points under the new USARA points guidelines.
The dates and locations of the races are:
- June 1 – Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park – 6 hour race
- Aug. 17 – Greenbo Lake State Resort Park – 8 hour race
- Nov. 2 – “The Fig” – Natural Bridge State Resort Park – 12 hour race. (This race is not recommended for inexperienced racers.)
These would be excellent races for any beginners who would like to get started in adventure racing. There will be a free navigation clinic on Friday night before the first two races in the series. Registration fees range from $75 to $135 per racer. Winners of individual races will receive prizes, and top finishers in the series will receive cash awards.
For more information and registration, visit www.flyingsquirreladventures.com. Registration closes two weeks prior to race day.
Those who register will receive a wicking-fabric race shirt, post-race meal, quality waterproof maps, event insurance with medical coverage, course vetting, race bibs, door prizes, and awards.
The Fig XI is a regional qualifier for the 2014 USARA Adventure Race National Championship. If you are not a current USARA member on race day, you will need to purchase either a one-day membership ($8) or annual membership ($35). For more information about USARA and what membership and sanctioning mean, visit the USARA website at: www.usara.com.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission, which is responsible for department policy, is a nine member bipartisan body appointed by the governor from a list of candidates voted upon by sportsmen's organizations in each of nine districts.
