I have just posted two new photos galleries onto the Photo page of the website.  Caroline Falconer’s gallery was taken from the Trek at CP 6 and has many great shots of racers in fast action.  The other gallery was taken by Dave Prothero who was at the start of the race for the kayak, then moved to the No 6 Mine Site for the bike transition. He also got some good shots in town.  Thanks to you both, as well as, Tony Austin, Aimee Asselin, and Laura Comuzzi for coming out and taking some many great photos!!!

The annual Get Out There Magazine Readers’ Choice survey is now open and it needs your input.  Last year, the MOMAR won for Best Adventure Race and Best Post Race Party. It was a nice honour to have that claim to ‘fame’ and we hope to repeat once again.

If you took part in the MOMAR and had a great time, PLEASE take a few minutes to complete the survey and vote for us in those categories!

Click here to vote! You can win prizes too!!!

It’s been a week since MOMAR Cumberland and in that time people have been sharing their race experiences all over the blogosphere.  I’ve also had numerous emails from both racers and volunteers telling me what a great time they had.  It’s so great hearing everyone’s stories especially those from the mid pack who are out there more for the experience rather than a podium finish. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to write these up; I love reading each one and hearing first hand how things went out on course.

I have posted all the blog reports that I have found so far on the Race Results page of site, but here they as well.  Grab a coffee or a beer and enjoy the reads. Be sure to add your comments to the posts if you like them!

• Sleepmonster report by Jackie Windh
• Article in the Comox Valley Record Newspaper
• Article in the Revelstoke Times Newspaper
• Blog Report by Gary Robbins
• Blog Report by Sarah Seads
• Blog Report from Team HHVI
• Blog Report by Shane Ruljancich
• Blog Report from Colin Wilson
• Blog Report from MC Dave Norona
• Blog Report from Barb of Coast Mountain Sports
• Blog Report from Erik MacKinnon

I just arrived home from the final MOMAR of the season. I’m too exhausted to write up the wrap report or get the results formatted and posted.  However, the great Tony Austin, did send me a few great photos so I’ll leave it at that until tomorrow morning. Thanks to everyone from coming out and celebrating the end of our 10th season!!!

The race started with a kayak stage on Comox Lake. Team Helly Hansen VI I & II battle it out.

The fastest racer on the water was John Markez with a split time of 49:50.

Jeremy Grasby heading out of the CP 7 transition gives John Markez a high-five.

Kevin Hodder from Whistler rides Bucket of Blood.

Victorious Secrets Cute C's Dayna Egyed and Penny Rundle from Surrey work the Urban Nav Stage. Nice job on the custom made jerseys!

Curtis Sanders and Tanya Berg of team T-Dot on the techinical trail Off-Broadway

The winner, Jeremy Grasby from Cumberland, crosses the finish line in 4:28:30!

Results to be posted by Monday noon.

On September 15^th, 2009 Coast Mountain Sports will launch its first ever online contest for a chance to win a Canadian Rockies Adventure Tour provided by Yamnuska Mountain Adventures.

Entries can be made online at www.coastmountain.com/contest from September 15 to October 27 by successfully completing the contest entry form. Customers also have a chance to gain additional entries using a unique numerical CODE found on their transaction receipt when making a purchase at Coast Mountain Sports during the contest period. This code is then entered into the corresponding field on the contest site.

The prize consists of a trip for two to Canmore, AB which includes return airfare to Calgary, ground transportation to and from Canmore, a six night stay at the Westridge Country Inn, a choice of outdoor pursuits including; hiking, scrambling or rock climbing all led by a professionally trained Yamnuska guide and a $500 Coast Mountain Sports Gift Card.

]]> http://www.mindovermountain.com/momar/blog/index.php/2009/09/21/coast-mountain-sports-%e2%80%98canadian-rockies-adventure-tour-contest%e2%80%99/feed/ http://www.mindovermountain.com/momar/blog/index.php/2009/09/21/coast-mountain-sports-%e2%80%98canadian-rockies-adventure-tour-contest%e2%80%99/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/momar/~3/I_eFjL-YMRU/ http://www.mindovermountain.com/momar/blog/index.php/2009/09/12/movie-screening-dave-norona-presents-the-iditasport-impossible/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:39:38 +0000 Bryan Tasaka http://www.mindovermountain.com/momar/blog/?p=771 Bryan Tasaka. Visit the original article at http://www.mindovermountain.com/momar/blog/index.php/2009/09/12/movie-screening-dave-norona-presents-the-iditasport-impossible/.

We are very excited to announce that Dave Norona will present his feature documentary “The Iditasport Impossible” as part of the MOMAR weekend in Cumberland.

In the year 2000, Kevin Vallely, Andy Sterns and Dave Norona attempted to Cross Country Ski from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska following the 1800km Iditarod Dog Sled Trail. For 33 day they fought their way through minus 65 degree temperatures, insane storms and pushed themselves further than they had ever before. The Iditasport Impossible film was mastered by Chris Wilberg of Barney and Oscar Films and captures the beauty of Alaska as well as it’s harsh winter environment.

I have seen this film and it is nothing short of inspiring. You will be amazed by their perseverance and dedication to the end goal.  Seeing this film will be all the motivation you need to get you to the finish line at the MOMAR!

DATE: Thursday, September 24th & Friday, September 25th
TIME: 7:00pm & 9:00pm (doors 30 minutes prior to each show and no late admittance)
LOCATION: Reel Films @ Frelone’s, 2781 Dunsmuir Ave, Cumberland, BC
DURATION: 78 minutes film followed by a Question and Answer session with Dave Norona
TICKET PRICE: $15 + online ticket processing charge

All proceeds go to the Cumberland Community Forest Society. Tickets are very limited (35 per screening) and are sure to sell out quick.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE NOW:
7:00pm - Thursday, September 24th
9:00pm - Thursday, September 24th
7:00pm - Friday, September 25th
9:00pm - Friday, September 25th
* Please note that tickets will NOT be mailed out. Your name will be on a list at the door.

Maybe a better question, is “who isn’t?”

Here is the List of Registered Racers for Cumberland. I managed to squeeze a few more in to bring the number up to 350, but due to limits on the banquet room capacity, that’s it! Anyone who still wants to race, will remain on the waiting list pending another team dropping out. Racers, please check this list carefully to make sure we have the correct information.

We have racers coming from all over Canada and the USA, as well, as from England, Ireland, and Australia!

It’s great to see 40 teams signed up for the Sport Course too!

Four weeks to go!

Long time MOMAR volunteers and supporters, John Crosby, Thomas Howard, Clifford Cunningham and Tom Skinner have teamed up and are now the team producing the Mud Run Ride event.  Formerly known as the Muddy Buddy and then the Mud ‘n Run, this is a super fun race in North Vancouver where you and a partner team up and run and ride over a 10km course. You only have one bike though so it’s a leapfrog concept.

I’ve done this race four times over the past five years and its always a great time especially at the end when you have to crawl under a cargo net and through a mud pit just before the finish line.

The race runs this Saturday, August 29th, at 10am from North Vancouver.

For more information and to register, go to www.mudrunride.com.

With just under six weeks before we are in Cumberland, BC, we are proud to announce the MOMAR is officially SOLD OUT!  Oversold to be precise.  More than 325 weekend warriors will do battle on the 30km or 50km course as they navigate from checkpoint to checkpoint on bike, kayak, and foot.

If you were planning on racing, but didn’t register, then you can email info@mindovermountain.com to be put on a waiting list.

We are also looking for volunteers and you can sign up via the volunteer page on the website. Space is limited here though too!

Thanks to everyone who signed up to be part of the biggest MOMAR in its 10 year history! It’s going to be one amazing weekend!

After working long hours over the past few months on the City of Surrey’s Canada Day and Fusion Festival, I scheduled a nice five day long weekend to the Comox Valley to work on the course design for the final MOMAR of the season.

Joining me once again, were my friends from Victoria: Kris, Michelle, and Kari. These guys are always keen on packing as much adventure activities into a weekend as possible and that’s exactly what we did.

The team… Kris Clarke, me (Bryan Tasaka), Kari Frazer, and Michelle Relf

We stayed at the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland which is owned by MOMAR regular Jeremy Grasby.

We arrived in Cumberland on Friday night and went for dinner at The Great Escape. The service is excellent and the food is amazing.

Saturday morning. Liz Tribe joined us for our first ride of the trip. Liz has been awesome at helping me with the course design and time trialing the various route options. She has a killer trek planned!

Michelle and Kari flowing through the trails in the Comox Valley.  We rode for 2.5 hours in the 30 degree heat. It was so hot but fun the whole way.

Immediately following the ride, we did a quick change of clothes, grabbed lunch to go and drove to the Nymph Falls Orienteering Meet. Sarah Seads was helping the Victoria Orienteers organize the race and gave out some race tips.

Here’s MOMAR’s Orienteering Stage Director, Carl Coger.  Carl spent Monday working on the course design for the “O” stage in the Cumberland MOMAR. Be ready!

There were three course options and we decided to do the 4km route. I went solo and Kris, Kari, and Michelle did it as a team.  We had to collect 16 checkpoints and we were given the maps about 30 minutes prior to the start of the race. I had a route all planned out but just before the start, I was told that you had to get the CPs in order. Off I went looking for CP #1. I thought I would find it easy but NOOOOOOOO… I spent the next 15 minutes trying to find it. I finally figured it out and then I couldn’t find #2! NOOOOO…. I slowed it down and by then I was used to the scale and the rest of the CPs were easy.  Still, it made for a LONG day of running/walking/bushwhacking. No results to comment on (and no desire to either ;0) ).  Kris, Michelle, and Kari didn’t have any issues with any of the CPs and put in a good time.

Here is MOMAR regular and orienteering superstar, Hayden Earle, at the final CP.  Photo by Sarah Seads.

Following the “O” meet we went for a dip in the Puntledge River and a nap on the rocks.

A view of rapids on the Puntledge River.

After 5+hours of adventures, we had a well deserved dinner at the Old House Restaurant in Courtenay. We followed up dinner with a trip to the Waverly Hotel where Gary Comeau was playing live. It was a high energy show but we were exhausted and only lasted one set and one beer.

It’s the Japanese in me taking photos of the food with my BB.

Sunday morning and a nice ride scouting some different areas for potential inclusion into the MOMAR. I wonder if any of the locals can figure out where I took this photo?

Sunday evening we booked boats from Comox Valley Kayaks and headed out in the estuary for a paddle out to an beautiful sandy beach on the Comox spit (not sure what the actual name is).

The paddle was incredibly scenic with many wildlife sightings.

Relaxing on the beach on the ‘comox spit.’

Monday morning… Lox and Bagels for breakfast at Tarbell’s. Great food and service right beside Dodge City Cycles and below the Riding Fool Hostel.

Our third and final ride of the weekend was supposed to be a fun and short ride on trails that I wasn’t planning on using for the MOMAR.  Two hours later, I’m now considerng a complete revision to the bike stage…

What a weekend! Four days of fun in the Comox Valley and I’m really looking forward to the MOMAR on Sept 26th. That race will mark the end of our 10th season and we are planning on celebrating in a big way! I look forward to seeing you all there!