LBL Adventure race draws 200

Adventure race draws
200 for first year’s event


By Rick Burres
Tribune-Courier Reporter
rburres@tribunecourier.com

LAND BETWEEN the LAKES– Land Between the Lakes hosted its first extreme adventure race last weekend.

Bonk Hard Racing, an organizer and promoter of adventure races out of Kansas City, Kan., reported over 200 racers for the event.

Adventure racing is a relatively new sport combining canoeing, bicycling and running.

The event is similar to the triatholon but one-ups it because racers must be able to read a map and use a compass to find checkpoints in the wilderness.

There are no course markings and finding one’s way is only half the battle.

Racers had the option of choosing a 12-hour or 24-hour event to compete in.

The 12-hour race was comprised of 20-35 miles of mountain biking, 10-15 miles of foot travel and 5-10 miles of paddling.

The 24-Hour course consisted of 40-60 miles of mountain biking on gravel roads, jeep roads and single track trails, 15-30 miles of running, and 15-25 miles of canoeing.

LBL is known for some of the best mountian biking trails in America.

Jason Elsanratt, founder of Bonk Hard Racing said some friends told him about LBL and after a little research he new it would be a premier racing spot.

“A bunch of my racer buddies told me I had to do a race at LBL,” Elsanratt said. “They said it was a top-notch wilderness area and they were right.”

Bonk Hard hopes to hold the event at LBL annually.

“The Forest Service people were so great to work with,” Elsanratt said. “They were very welcoming and since the wilderness is exactly what we like to have a race for, we’re coming back next year.”