12/10/09

2006 Race

Results

Pictures

Course Map

On Saturday, May 13th, 2006, the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy held its fourth annual Nort Chick Greenway Challenge Adventure Race at the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway Farm in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This event brought in 50 three-person teams, from seven different states, to bike, paddle and run along the Greenway trails and the North Chickamauga Creek. As always, it wouldn't be an adventure race if it were that simple, so teams encountered a multitude of special tests and mystery events along the way, all tied to the Seinfeld race theme. All proceeds from the race went to benefit the work of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy. The race name relates to the challenge of completing the Greenway corridor along North Chickamauga Creek, one of the main goals of the organization. The objective is to link the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway Farm, situated along the last three miles of the creek as it flows into the Tennessee River, to the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge, including the 3,700 acre North Chickamauga Gorge State Natural Area, along a contiguous green corridor. To date, more than 10,000 acres have been conserved. The Greenway, when completed, will link up with the Tennessee RiverPark, providing an unobstructed pedestrian pathway from downtown Chattanooga to the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge. The Greenway will also be connected to the Cumberland Trail, Tennessee’s first linear state park, providing virtually unlimited opportunities for recreational activities.

The race started with the "Soup Nazi" mystery event, sending teams scattering like flies across the open field in order to retrieve soup ingredients that included a bucket full of water. On successful completion they started the four mile run leg that included the steep single-track of the Boy Scout Trail, then on to the first bike leg that included the technical ropes course trails above the quarry. Teams were then confronted with "The Sidler" mystery event where two team members were blindfolded and tied together at the ankles. The third team member had to coach them through a maze and then through a bike tire at the end. They were then off to the canoes for a short trip down the creek before heading to the historic and beautiful quarry for the third mystery event, the "Marine Biologist". Given two inner tubes, two bungee cords and two thin pieces of PVC, teams had to retrieve golf balls from two whales positioned at far ends of the quarry. The kicker was that teams were given the option of sending a runner back to the boat take-out to retrieved a paddle or paddles if they wished. Once completed, they headed uphill to the ropes course area of the Greenway Farm where they tackled three balance tests individually and then joined back up to head over the vertical wall. Running downhill back to the transition area, teams were hit once again with a brain teaser, the "Bring Steinbrenner His Calzone" mystery event. Teams had to carry a soccer ball across the field without touching it or the PVC coupler they were given. They could only touch the ends or the middle of the three 6-foot ropes given. A variety of contraptions were constructed in order to complete this test. Hopping on their bikes for the last leg of the race, the teams zoomed along the roads and trails before returning to the field and running to the slippery wall that separated them from the finish line. The top 4 teams (Enduraventure, Mighty Dog, Litespeed/Inov-8 and Snickers Marathon) jostled back and forth during the day as the mystery events shuffled their positions at every turn. The slippery wall proved to be the clincher though as Mighty Dog approached first with Enduraventure hot on their heels. Enduraventure's human ladder proved to be more effective though and they pipped Mighty Dog at the line for the victory. An exciting finish to another incredible Greenway Challenge Adventure Race.