Raid the North represents the true spirit
of adventure racing.
These unique races are famous the world over for
offering an awe-inspiring wilderness challenge amongst the
rugged and
diverse backcountry of Canada.
Since 1998, Raid the North events have been designed
to showcase the natural highlights of the host region
environment. From the wild mountain terrain of Alberta
and British Columbia, the vast matrix of lakes and rivers
in Ontario's shield country, to the rolling hills and
rushing water of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick,
Raid the North has featured it all. What keeps the Series'
cult following coming back each season, is the thrill
and challenge of the journey in these amazing locations.
WHO RACES?
A Raid the North team is a coed group of four.
Some participants have endurance sport backgrounds but
MOST who take on Raid the North are outgoing, adventure
enthusiasts JUST LIKE YOU who have a passion for taking
on a new challenge.
WHAT DOES A RAID THE NORTH RACE ENTAIL?
 Traditional
adventure racing involves teamwork, strategy, route
selection, nutritional planning, and sleep deprivation.
To capture these elements in a weekend event, Raid the
North is designed as a 24-36 hour race.
While on course, your team will paddle, mountain bike,
and trek, often negotiate fixed ropes, and sometimes swim or raft, through a series of checkpoints until your complete
teams reaches the finish line. A typical distance covered
by a finishing team is around 130-150 km. Each race also
offers an additional, advanced section to cater to
the highly competitive teams.
Not all teams reach the finish line, however; first-timers
and experienced teams alike. The finish line is a VERY
small part of the Raid the North experience. It is the
journey, going further, digging deeper, and inspiring
your teammates to push a little longer that create the
indelible memories that last a lifetime. This is the
nature of the sport and is what keeps people coming
back to race again and again.
WHY IS RAID THE NORTH UNIQUE?
Our vision for every Raid the North is to create discovery
through adventure. Each racecourse is designed as a
journey, where the natural challenges provided by the
landscape are all that stand between your team and the
finish line. Contrived challenges or out-and-back, mandatory
routes for the sake of adding difficulty are NOT in
the spirit of Raid the North.
CAN I REALLY DO THIS?
ABSOLUTELY!!! Raid the North is as much a starting
place in adventure racing as is the Frontier Adventure
Challenge Series. Remember, from the early 1980's to
the start of the new millennium, people from all walks
of life got their start in adventure racing within the
expedition-style framework. Raid the North offers a
vastly different experience than does the Frontier AC
sprint-style of race. If the more traditional form of
adventure racing is what you're after, then Raid the
North is for you!
DID YOU KNOW? The winning team in any 36 hour Raid the North event
travels slower than the last team to cross the 8 hour Frontier Adventure Challenge
finish line. RTN is done at a SLOW PACE!
NEXT STEPS
Please read through the many pages within the Raid
the North and AR Resources sections of our site. We
pride ourselves on providing as much information from
experience as possible so that your team gets the most
out of your Raid the North race. Pages such as ‘Getting
Started in AR’, ‘Preparing for a Race’, and ‘Training
Tips’ help in the early stages while the newly updated
and inspiring ‘Photo Gallery’ will keep your thirst
for adventure at a high.
So pick a race, grab three friends, and we’ll see you
at the start line!
Real Wilderness. Real Navigation. Real Adventure.
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