The 20th Anniversary Edition! |
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Dear Storm'ers,
Ready to Storm the Haliburton Forest this Fall? Registration for Storm 20 - the 20th Anniversary edition, opens at noon on Tuesday March 23rd!
As you likely already know, this year's very special edition will take place the weekend of September 24-26, hosted from our all-new race site at the Haliburton Forest. This amazing 100,000+ acre wilderness area has been beckoning us since we first moved Storm to the Haliburton region 3 years ago, and with its 100+ lakes and over 400km of trail and backroad, the Forest is without question the perfect venue to celebrate 20 years of Storm!
Given the new interest in adventure racing following last season's airing of Eco-Challenge, we do expect that there will be demand for the limited number of spots available. Additionally, the 2020 race was roughly 60% full at the time it was cancelled, so capacity for new 2021 entries will admittedly be less than usual. Here's how things will roll out:
- As of March 9th, we launched a 2-week deferral confirmation period, where teams that deferred entries from 2020 may verify their intention to race (if yours is a team that deferred their entry, click here)
- Once this period ends at 12:00pm on March 23rd, our online registration form will go live, and the remaining available spots will be opened up.
- The number of team spaces for each of the Hike, Trek and Trek Elite courses is expected to be limited - particularly for the latter two. Canoe rental availability will also likely be less than usual.
- A wait list system will be put in place when capacity for each course is reached. Should conditions change such that we can allow more teams to race, we will contact waitlisted teams right away.
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- The entirety of our planning for 2021 revolves around a format with 100-person 'cohorts' of racers separated into waves, and that this format will be deemed permissible by local and/or Provincial health authorities by September.
- If restrictions on gathering capacities are to be less than 100 people, we will not viably be able to run the event, and will be forced to postpone until 2022.
- While we're optimistic that this won't be the case, it's important to us that we be fully transparent. Please understand that we will not be able to offer refunds in this situation, but that we will 100% commit to delivering on our promise to create a fun and safe race experience for you, as soon as realistically possible.
- In order to realistically host the race under this scenario, we will be breaking the weekend down into a series of waves, as follows:
Trek Elite Course - hosted on Friday September 24 (one wave only)
Trek Course - hosted on both Friday September 24 (one wave) AND Saturday September 25 (two waves)
Hike Course - hosted on Sunday September 26 (three waves)
- The registration form includes an option for your choice of wave. In selecting your wave, PLEASE BE HONEST about your team's pace. We will need slower teams to begin the day earlier and faster teams to start later, and reserve the right to make changes as required.
- Teams will be further staggered into 10-minute starting time assignments, which will be issued closer to Race Weekend.
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How It's All Going to Work: |
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As the many details are more than we can be realistically summarize here, all of the racer information packages have now been posted. You can access them:
HERE for the Trek Elite Course
A few noteworthy changes include:
- Teams will only be permitted a maximum of 1 hour at the race site prior to their assigned start time.
- To accommodate this, race maps will be posted in advance of race weekend, as will the race briefing video, team start time assignments, and essential race forms.
- The above will all be made available via a central Race HQ page that will replace the main home page of the Storm website, in the final weeks leading to Race Weekend.
- A full explanation of all the changes - complete with a 5-step infographic on the pre-race procedures - is provided in Sections 2 and 3 of the race packages linked above.
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Despite all the doom and gloom of the past year and the challenges still to come, we want you to know that we truly do have an amazing weekend for you to look forward to!
We've had A LOT of extra time to put the finishing touches on this series of racecourses; had the opportunity to test various options through a self-guided race format last July; and have had nothing but warm welcomes and tremendous support from the great folks at the Haliburton Forest. The 20th anniversary of Storm will feature:
- A phenomenally beautiful, rugged and remote racecourse, based just outside the southernmost boundaries of Algonquin Park.
- Drier conditions, the absence of bugs, the onset of Fall colours, and a little more time to get into a canoe before Race Day!
- A fantastic host venue, complete with on-site restaurant and accommodations.
- 20th anniversary souvenir t-shirts (we've never done tees in all our 20 years!)
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As always, please feel free to send along any questions you might have. Can't wait to see you all again in September!
Sean Roper
Race Director
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