Located in the hills above Morgan Hill is Henry Coe State Park
which served as the start/finish line for the 2010 Silicon Valley AR Challenge. The course featured healthy doses of mountain biking, trekking, navigation and "creekteering". Nearly 20 teams competed in the event. Some doing the "shorter" 4-hour course (which, was really 6+ hours) and others opting for
the longer 9-hour course (which, in reality was 10++ hours).

> Event Pictures
Courtesy of the California Adventure Racing Association

The event began with a short orienteering loop on foot for all teams. While some teams opted for the "safer" trail/road route, others went cross-country by shooting compass bearings to reach the checkpoints very quickly. After a quick transition, teams set out on the first mountain biking leg.

On the mountain biking section, teams travelled down the technical Middle Ridge trail to reach Poverty Flats. The 4-hour course teams began a trekking loop while the 9-hour course teams needed to climb and descend several
more hills to reach the canyon floor and bike through several miles of streams. Only a select few teams attempted to reach optional “bonus” checkpoints on the biking course – which led teams to the far reaches of the park and Mississippi Lake and back down some spectacular single-track to Los Cruzeros and onto Poverty Flats.

The second trekking section featured pinpoint navigation in the hills and creekbeds around Poverty Flats. Chest-high stream crossings kept
competitors on their toes. Teams were allowed to use GPS devices
(if needed) to find the small CP markers located on logs and tree trunks.

Upon completing the trekking, teams had to mount their bikes again and
begin a very long climb to the finish line where finishers T-shirts, a congratulatory pat on the back and fine Taco Bell food awaited.

Congrats to all who competed and finished this tough, first event of the NORCAL Adventure Racing Series. See you May 1st for the next event: Quicksilver AR Challenge!

2010 NORCAL AR Event Schedule

> March 13, 2010: Silicon Valley AR Challenge (4hr & 9hr Events)
> May 1, 2010: Quicksilver AR Challenge (4hr & 9hr Events)
> May 29, 2010: Pacheco Pass AR Challenge (4hr & 9hr Events)
> October 9-10, 2010: Whiskeytown AR Challenge(24+ hr Event)
> October 10, 2010: Whiskeytown AR Challenge (4-6 hr Sprint)

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Date: MARCH 13th, 2010

Location:   Henry Coe Park, Gilroy, CA
Duration:  4hr Sprint or 9hr Event
Athletic Disciplines:
Running/Trekking, Mountain Biking, and Navigation (NO PADDLING)

FINAL RESULTS (9-hour Event)

1. Perdido en el Turbal (3-person Coed)
2. Fresh Meat (Duo - Male)
3. BM Rocks (Duo - Male)
4. baarbd Babe (Solo - Female)
5. The Monosynaptics (3-person Coed)
6. WSFPTFH (Solo - Male)
7. Racing with Giants (3-person Coed)
   
   See Full 9hr Results

FINAL RESULTS (4-hour Event)

1. Dirty Avocados / RWG (3-person Coed)
2. Dads-in-it-to-win-it (Duo - Male)
3. Oxygen Debt (3-person - Coed)
4. Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness (3-person Coed)
5. One Big Dude (Solo - Male)
6. Allen/Benson (Duo - Male)
7. Brave Tarts (Duo - Female)
8. Morning Wood (Solo - Male)
   
   DNF - Rides Their 10-speed Everywhere (3-person Coed)
   DNF - CJ (Solo - Male)
   
   See Full 4hr Results
   

Event Multimedia

>> See the trekking course pre-race preview!
>> See the mountain biking course pre-race preview!

>> See the photos from the event

Photos are courtesy of Julien Lallemand and the California Adventure Racing Association.