It鈥檚 gnarly. It鈥檚 climby. It鈥檚 PACE Multisport Dodge City X, and it鈥檚 happening in Cumberland, Sept. 9.
The event is the first cross (off-road) triathlon ever held in the Comox Valley, and it鈥檚 gearing up to be a true showcase of the technical terrain that鈥檚 made the Vancouver Island village of Cumberland 鈥渓egendary.鈥�
What will it take to cross the Dodge City X finish line? First, competitors will have to swim 1.5 km through the glacier-fed waters of Comox Lake. Then they鈥檒l mountain bike over 23 kilometres of some of Vancouver Island鈥檚 most technical singletrack before capping it all off with a glute-busting, 9.5-km trail run that promises to 鈥渟eparate the truly committed from the woefully unprepared.鈥� The entire standard course features approximately 950 metres of elevation gain.
A roughly half-distance 鈥渟print鈥� option is also available 鈥� don鈥檛 worry, race organizers assure us that it still features plenty of grunty climbs and technical terrain 鈥� as is a relay category for teams of two or three.
Though Cumberland has hosted plenty of bike races and the annual MOMAR adventure race, it鈥檚 never held an off-road triathlon. Nonetheless, Cumberland鈥檚 hilly, technical terrain has proven an ideal training ground for world-class cross triathletes. The Comox Valley is home to no fewer than five athletes who have represented Canada at world championship cross triathlon events, including Cumberland鈥檚 own 2016 national champion Clay Ward. At the 2016 National Cross Triathlon Championships, the Valley 鈥渙wned the podium,鈥� finishing first, second and third in the M30-34 category, first in the F30-34 category and second in the M40-44 division.
鈥淐umberland is a fantastic place to ride and run,鈥� said Linda Nagle, Triathlon BC鈥檚 cross triathlon specialist. 鈥淚t has a fantastic atmosphere and amazing trails, and I highly recommend that people come and check it out. If this is going to be your first off-road race, you鈥檙e in for a great experience.鈥�
PACE Multisport Dodge City X is a community initiative organized by local non-profit Steam Donkey Racing and spearheaded by local cross triathlete Ryan Parton. Net proceeds will benefit the United Riders of Cumberland, a grassroots organization that maintains and manages access to Cumberland鈥檚 trail network.
Black Press is proud to support PACE Multisport Dodge City X as official media sponsor, helping to get the word out about this much-anticipated community event.
For more information, or to register, visitwww.dod
Early bird pricing is in place until May 31.
If you鈥檙e looking for a swimmer or other teammate to join your relay team, or if you鈥檇 like to join a team, search for 鈥淒odge City X 鈥� Need a Relay Partner?鈥� on Facebook.
