Dear Storm'ers,
Just three weeks to go before we hit the trails and waterways surrounding the Hamlet of Warsaw - we've got a great weekend lined up for you! Course checks from this past Monday showed the racecourse to be in really good condition. The ice is out, the snow is gone, and while it will no doubt still be mucky and wet in some sections, we should be in fine form come May 13-14. All the pieces are in place - just need some sunny skies!
This is the final update we'll be sending to registered participants prior to Race Day, so please make certain to forward this along to your teammates if their email information wasn't included in your team registration. Should you have any questions, please feel free to ask at info@stormevents.ca
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RACER INFO PACKAGES - MANDATORY READING!
The racer information packages provide all of the key details you'll want to know going into Race Day, including the itineraries, host site info, gear lists, course notes, FAQ's and accommodations listings.
Virtually any question you may have will likely be answered by reading these docs
- so please make certain to review the package for your chosen event prior to leaving for the race site! You can do so if you:
Click here for the 'Hike' racer package (blue)
Click here for the 'Trek' racer package (red)
Click here
for the 'Trek Elite' racer package (gray)
HELPFUL HINT
- the race waivers and emergency contact forms are available at the end of these packages - printing them off in advance will save you some valuable time on Race Morning!
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As explained in the above-linked racer packages, there are few notable logistics specific to each day:
TREK AND TREK ELITE RACES (SATURDAY)
All racers will need to bring their bikes to the pre-race bike drop prior to checking in at the race site. Details on the location are provided in your racer package.
Note that 'Trek' racers must have their bikes dropped off by 8:00am!
Once your bikes are dropped, those who are bringing their own canoes and kayaks may unload them at Lions Park prior to checking in at the Warsaw Arena. Those teams who have booked a canoe rental should proceed directly to the Arena, as you will need to transport your canoe from there over to Lions Park (a 300m portage).
Parking will be available at either location. A Google Maps link is provide in your racer package.
HIKE RACE (SUNDAY)
Hike racers should proceed directly to Check-In at the Warsaw Arena, where details will be provided on where your gear is to go. Those bringing their own canoes or kayaks may drop them off at Lions Park first if they prefer. Parking will be available at both locations, and a Google Maps link to each is provided in your racer package. Check-In opens at 7:30am and
closes at 9:00am
- do not wait until the last minute to check in, as you will definitely regret it!
And a quick FYI for coffee drinkers -
those of you who follow our Facebook page may have seen a recent post referencing Warsaw's new Kawartha Buttertart Factory. The cafe will be open on Saturday at 7:00am, but they unfortunately will not be open on Sunday morning. 'Hike' racers will want to stock up in Peterborough on their way in!
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Also included in the racer information packages is the mandatory gear list, which outlines the gear requirements for each team or solo racer. Pretty self-explanatory, but a couple of items that we want to highlight for this year's race:
- 'Trek' and 'Trek Elite' racers may leave their bike shoes and helmets at the bike drop if they wish, but they may not leave anything that they will not be taking with them on the racecourse.
- Each racer's PFD will be checked at Check-In - please make certain to bring these with you when you go to check in at the Warsaw Arena. A few of the "Entire Race" mandatory gear
items will be checked as well, so best to bring your race packs inside.
- New for this year is the requirement of a dry bag with a minimum 20L capacity to be carried on the paddle section(s). A garbage bag will suffice if need be. This is to protect your race packs during the paddle (ie. in the event of a capsize).
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As outlined in the racer info packages, water stations are not provided on-course at Storm the Trent. Each racer is responsible for having the capacity for a minimum of 2L of water, and we highly encourage everyone to have at least that much at race start. Water can also be left with your bikes and boats.
For those of you in the longer 'Trek' or 'Trek Elite' events - rest assured that this year's course does bring you past numerous sources should you be thinking about purifying water mid-race. The decision of whether to carry enough to get you through several hours of racing vs. packing lighter and treating along the way is yours to make, but we wanted to let you know in advance that the opportunity will be there.
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It has come to our attention in recent years that the rules regarding teams of 4 and canoes may not be fully understood by all racers. Please note that teams of 4 may only paddle with a maximum of 2 people per canoe in order to participate as an officially ranked team.
If you had intended on paddling with more than 2 people in a canoe, please let us know in advance. You will not be able to do so as ranked team, but at least if we do know we can inform our checkpoint marshals so that they are aware. We want to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable experience on Event Day, but in fairness to others we do need to uphold the official race rules so that no teams are seen to have an unfair advantage.
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Our charitable partner Outward Bound Canada provides specialized wilderness expeditions and programs for youth at risk, Aboriginal youth, women survivors of violence, and military veterans transitioning to civilian life. We hope that you will consider supporting them, by raising funds through your race or making a direct donation.
Click here to find out more about how to do so.
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We are still in need of a few more volunteers on both days - primarily during Check-In hours on the Saturday, and at the finish line on the Sunday. If you have friends or family over the age of 13 who can lend a hand for a short time, we would greatly appreciate being connected with them!
All volunteers are provided with a bagged lunch or ticket to the post-race BBQ and an official STT race tee. We also offer a $25 credit (or rebate) for all volunteer referrals. If you know of someone who can help out, please do contact us at
info@stormevents.ca
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As mentioned in the previous update, the refund policy
which each racer agrees to upon registering is very clearly stated, but team rosters may be switched up to accommodate teammates who are no longer able to race. If you need to make a substitution on your team, simply contact us at info@stormevents.ca and we will make the necessary changes. We kindly ask however that you do so before Tuesday May 9th, as we will be heading up to the race site at that point.
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Please know that we're always here to help, but the number of last-minute calls on the Thursday, Friday and even Saturday of Race Weekend in recent years has become a bit of a challenge for us. A race like Storm the Trent is a massive undertaking, and we're pretty much going full-on/non-stop for 16 to 20 hours a day during this time.
If you do need to contact us at this point please feel free, but we ask that you make every effort to have your team ready to race in the coming weeks, to avoid any preventable issues in the days before the race. Please note that during those final days we may not be able to respond until the evening hours, and that we will not be responding to any inquiries regarding refunds or transfers.
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Looking forward to seeing you in Warsaw!
Your Storm Racing Team
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