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Le Coast Raid - Adventure Racing Canada!
What is it?
"Le Coast Raid" is one of the top Canadian Adventure Races on the calendar! All in all it is 4 days/300 km stage race including day and night racing run - competitors can enter in teams of two or four(Mixed, Men or Women).
Where is it?
The Race takes place on the "Lower North Shore" - a wild stretch of coastline dotted with islands, passages, and sandy beaches. The Gulf of St. Lawrence resembles the ocean here, with whales, seabirds and the occasional iceberg that drifts down from Greenland. Fast-flowing salmon rivers cross boulder fields and tundra. The natural resources of this seemingly barren land have attracted many people for thousands of years, from the ancient Maritime Archaic Indians to today’s French, English and Innu-speaking inhabitants. Today, some 5,000 residents of the Lower North Shore make this isolated and grandiose landscape our home. They call it the Coast, and refer to themselves as Coasters.
This year?
The 5th edition of the Coast Raid will be held over 4 days and nights of racing in one of wildest region of Canada! The Lower North Shore is probably the best adventure race destination, with wide open spaces, fresh air and breathtaking landscapes. Plunge in to this journey and follow the steps of the first explorers and let the authentic adventure draw you in.
Gear and Preparation?
The organisers have decided to operat on the ethos that: "if you are wild enough to get in the Coast Raid, you must know what to bring with you!"
Below I have listed last years Race report to answer any questions you might have!
4 days in the wild!
The perfect race finish has happened! The first 4 teams on the overall ranking came in together to the finish line after 4 days of intense racing. They crossed the finish line of the final stage with the exact same time. What a great demonstration of sportsmanship!
For the last four days, teams Arverne Outdoor (France), Lafuma-Vibram (France), Xtreme South Africa (South Africa) and Pedini-Iret (Italy) have pushed their limits to win the 2008 Coast Raid Title. At the end, it’s the French team Arverne Outdoor that won by a strong 40 minutes gap ahead of Sport 2000 Lafuma Vibram and 60 minutes on Xtreme South Africa.
The last stage won by local Team
The last day of racing brought a lot of surprises. The racers had a trek along the shore that led to an impressive Zipline 130 feet high over the Brador Falls. A big crowd was waiting to see them as most of the locals came down to watch the racers cross the falls in a way they never thought possible!
Right after the rope section, the teams had a last orienteering section in the tundra as the fog and strong win came in. The teams had to push hard to finish as the winds picked up and reached 80 Kph. The North Shore team Location Sauvageau was the last surprise of the day. They managed to lead the entire stage, taking more than 19 minutes from the leading team at the finish. That performance made them jump to 5th place for the overall ranking and 1st North American team.
Overview of the Coast Raid
The Coast Raid was truly an intense and extreme raid. The racers went to places no one has ever set foot in before. They went through extreme landscapes that made them feel they were at the end of the world. They had the chance to see some of the wildest places on earth. The leading teams set an intense pace and raced each stage as if it was the last one. You could see on most of the athletes the extreme fatigue on the last stage of the event.
They also had the chance to meet the locals who reserved a very warm welcome to all the teams. The organizers were very pleased by the racers attitude that showed great sportsmanship and true competition at its best. Added to this was the attitude of the Lower North Shore residents that took the race as the chance to show the world how welcoming they are and they surely achieved it. «The local residents were so good to us. They even organized a huge seafood banquet 2 days in a row for everyone including the staff and the racers!» said Daniel Poirier, the race Director.
The local Team from Harrington Harbour managed a good race and finished 14th at their first international Raid. It will surely be a great inspiration for the youth of the Lower North Shore.
Like Barb Campbell (Team Treehuggers) said: «The Coast Raid was much more than a race. It showed that our sport can make a difference to communities and regions».
For the complete results, photos and videos, check out the www.coastraid.com
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