Adventure racers hope for first place showing at Primal Quest

Yukoners Greg and Denise McHale are going to busy for the next couple of weeks.

Yukoners Greg and Denise McHale are going to busy for the next couple of weeks.
The two are currently training for the 2008 Primal Quest, which is the most prestigious expedition-level adventure race that is currently held in the sport.
The McHale’s are on a team, comprised of four members. The team’s name is Peak Fitness and this is the third year they have been together.
“We are going there to win the race,” Greg said. “Without a doubt that is what we have been working towards for the last three years.”
The Primal Quest is held every two years and will include 90 international teams of four members each. The Primal Quest will begin on June 21 and it will feature a 10-day, non-stop format.
Teams at the Primal Quest must be co-ed and they travel through a series of checkpoints alternating between the following disciplines; mountain biking, trail running, orienteering, paddling, riverboarding, negotiating fixed-ropes, and free climbing.
The race will be approximately 800-km in length and participants will have to deal with more than 30,000 m in elevation.
In 2006, Team Peak Fitness came in fourth place and were just 1 1/2 minutes off from finishing third overall.
Earlier in the year, Greg and Denise travelled to Ontario to train with their fellow teammates. During the few weeks they were together, the group focussed on mountain biking, paddling and running.
The two are presently training in Whitehorse and are averaging around 20-25 hours a week in their preparation for the Primal Quest.
Greg said the two have changed their training techniques gearing up to the competition in June.
“I think what we have been focussing on more so this race than in the past is just longer training sessions,” he said. “In the past we have focussed on speed and I think that is the major change.”
In addition to the Primal Quest the two are preparing to hold the Yukon Adventure Challenge.
This will be the third year the adventure challenge has been held and it is scheduled for July 12.
The major format change for this year’s Yukon Adventure Challenge will be the shorter distance used for the course, which will be a 12-18 hour race.

Disciplines include paddling, mountain biking, and trekking. Another requirement is having a basic navigation and wilderness skills.
The course won’t be marked and participants will need a map, compass, and their own navigation skills to complete it.
The premier category will be made up of teams of four. Teams in this category must be co-ed and have at least one member of the opposite sex.
There is also a two person male, female, or co-ed, and expanded categories of solo and a three person relay teams. The relay teams will feature each member competing in one discipline.
The deadline to register is by June 13. Registration can be done at Coast Mountain Sports, Icylce Sport or Up North Adventures. Forms for registration can be found on line at http://www.yukonadventurechallenge.com.
Greg and Denise, who both founded the Yukon Adventure Challenge and are currently race directors for the event, said there is a lot potential for the sport in the Yukon.
“I think we just wanted to hold it because it’s a great sport and there is a lot of really outdoors-minded people here that would really enjoy doing one of these races,” Greg said.
“We have a couple spectacular locations,” Denise said. “There are so many different options that you can put together some really nice courses.”
The Yukon Adventure Challenge is the only adventure race held in the territory.