Seriously Cold Play: Winter Adventure Races

Good news for triathletes whose urge for goin has been stifled by a few too many weeks of nasty winter weather. Now the truly driven can drive their bodies to the limit, and place them at considerable risk, in organized competitions that are scheduled in the most bitter weather. In fact, the more bitter the better. The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the latest trend on the extreme sport front: winter adventure racing. The story describes the  events as a combination of wilderness navigation with the disciplines of downhill and cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, snow- biking or any other self-propelled
snow transport necessary to cover a 4- to 40-mile race course. Like a
triathlon,the paper reports, the competitors finish one section, ditch their equipment and strap
into another set for the next stage. So far, the Chronicle tells us, the winter adventure race “circuit’ consists of only a few scattered races around North America and Europe, but the popularity is increasing as adventurers seek new challenges in the off-season. For a look at upcoming events, click here.