PICTURES

RESULTS (by ranking)

Team Koira (Jamie Anderson, Eeva Latorno): 10hours, 37minutes

Team Angry Americans (Luke Osborne, Jay Nordeen, David McCormick): 10 hours 42 minutes

Team Noflatlines (Jeff Kidwell, Brian Richardson): DNF- 12 hours 36 minutes

Team Gotta Go (Randy Englebright, Lisa Tirado): DNF- 7 hours 29 minutes

Team NCP (Paul Bronkhorst, Clark Harshbarger, Ned Harshbarger): DNF- 7 hours 29 minutes

ACTUAL TALLIES

-8,900 feet of elevation gain over 46 miles. You racers are MONSTERS!!

-15 miles Class II river then 18 miles trek of 7,800 elevation gain then 17 miles of mountain biking

Directors Note: Thanks to NCP and Gotta Go for traversing together. I got good reports you two were watching out for each other in the danger zone.

RACE REPORT: (press release, Aug 25, 2005)

After a DNF at July's Midnight Mallet, Team Koria returned with a passion to win. Overcoming their second to last water leg time, they challenged the 18 miles and 7,000ft of elevation gain on foot. Catching Team Angry Americans just above the Alpenglow transition area, they suddenly had a footrace to the bikes.

This weekends adventure race, Best of the Bowl, had racers floating Eagle River, trekking mountains to the Alpenglow Ski Area, then biking to Campbell Airstrip. Five teams challenged the second of three races put on by EGADsAlaska.com Adventure Racing. EGADsAlaska.com promotes adventure racing for the everyday athlete.

Team Angry Americans ignored a hobbling knee injury and chased Koira into TA2. Mounting their bikes for the gravel road descent, quickly dropped down over 2,000ft on the twisting road. Then it was the fairly flat Tank Trail to cross. 'Mind over matter' is how one Angry American put it. "We got in a paceline and were hitting 20-22mph."

Their heartbreak came within two miles of the secret Finish line. Reaching a critical flag first, Angry Americans missed a note on the time log at Rovers Run Trailhead. The note directed racers to use Rovers Run, an enjoyable downhill singletrack, to the secret Campbell Airstrip Finish. Instead, they wressled the uphill climb to Prospect Heights. Jamie Anderson and Eeva Latorna of Team Koira noted the surprise change and finished downhill just twelve minutes ahead.

The course was close to the length of the 24h Trioba AR in September. Yet Koira and Angry Americans finished in 10.5 hours! Even the events founder, Brian Richardson, was surprised how long and difficult the course was. "I set it up but still couldn't finish it. I can't believe those teams got it done so quickly, much less at the same time" His team, Noflatlines, picked the easier but longer valley route around Harp Mountain. They reached Alpenglow at 9:30pm, two hours after the course cut-off time.

Other teams had the juice to take on Harp Mountain. Team NCP and Gotta Go left simultaneously from the 2,800ft checkpoint overlooking Eagle River. Braving knife edge ridgelines, they pushed for the up & over route. But the climb and rocky conditions took its toll. After eight hours, both teams withdrew. "DNF'ing on Harp Mountain isn't easy. You still have to climb down'" one person said.

Almost every racer commented on the volunteers and professionalism of the Anchorage Radio Club. Teamed with race volunteers, HAM operators manned a sweep boat (with 1 minute updating GPS tracking), a 2,800ft mountainside checkpoint, a remote checkpoint, the two transition areas and a shadow for the Race Director. Their perfect communications skills kept everyone apprised. TJ Sheffield coordinated a crew to ensure racers wouldn't be lost in the rugged Harp Mountain zone. Who knew such technical people had the muscle power to hike, bike and float with the racers?

Tired from the race, Brian Richardson indicated next years Best of the Bowl was going to be significantly less demanding. "Save the long punishing courses for the HAMMER." he said. The upcoming September 24th Escape To Whittier is being advertised as a bonfire orienteering party.