Sep 28, 2008

National qualifier. Done!

I just came back from the Shag. The strongest teams of the east coast started this amazing and challenging race: EMS, GOALSARA, Berlin Bikes, NYARA, ATP... total 33 teams. 26 hours of rain, fog, and clouds so low you can touch it. Tens of miles of single trail mountain bike. Rocks and very long technical trails. Third place in prime division and National Qualifier for Calleva!

This is the 4th race in succession and 4th podium for Calleva. It's hard to believe that just 6 month ago the team was unable to finish any 3 consecutive races, often receiving DNF or unofficial. New team page and race results of the new Calleva team are going to appear next week. Follow the updates...

Sep 25, 2008

The SHAG

This race is going to be 26 hours training and test of new gear.

We are going as Calleva: Dmitri Kaganovich, Mark Lattanzi, Courtney Cowan, and Karen Stump - coed-4, prime division. For Courtney and Karen it is the first long race.

For this race I got new backpack and new headlamp, I have never used those before. Both items are very promising and require good testing.

Coincidentally this race is also USARA national qualifier, but our chances to win are not the best. Sara Percy is racing with EMS and it means somebody is going to move very fast. The race is in rogain format and organizers promised that nobody will clear the course. We'll see... Just hope it will be colder than 2 weeks ago.

Sep 22, 2008

Official results

Untamed Virginia 30 hours adventure race official results and race reports:

And one more thank: To Phil Dawson for great hospitality. We had a very good night sleep in his house in Richmond the night before the race.

The coming weekend is another race. Details are coming...

Sep 15, 2008

Untamed Virginia. First!


There are no official results yet, but I know we did it: first in prime division. Out of 34 teams only 10 made it all the way through and it was hard. 90+ temperature, 90+ humidity, 10 different disciplines, including plotting maps in a full school bus, when riding on rough country roads and O-course with canoes in a thick forest. Navigation was on the "mission impossible" level as it is usually on Untamed Adventure races.

Thanks to Grant and his crew of volunteers for this great weekend. Thanks to Calleva for support and the best support vehicle. Thanks to all our friends and families for the trail mails. And the biggest THANK to my teammates Sara and Michelle for pushing and pulling and helping me through this challenge. Ladies, you are the best!

Sep 12, 2008

Ready to go...


Untamed Virginia starts tomorrow 7 am. Val couldn't make it and was replaced by Michelle. We got the best Calleva van to get to the race start that is somewhere around Richmond area in a secret location. Today is check-in and prologue that includes white water river swim in downtown Richmond. Wish us luck and follow us online. Our team is Calleva, our number is 4.
Dima, Sara, Michelle.

Sep 6, 2008

Stay inside if you can...


...and if you don't, stay away from any water. That what my car radio told me few times on the way to Calleva office. According to the empty roads all normal people believed in tropical storm, gusty wind and heavy rain... We didn't. The worth conditions were predicted for 1 pm and 1 hour before that time we took off for the team Calleva paddling training. 

The plan was simple: 7 miles upstream to and around Van Deventer Island and 7 miles back. On the way visiting islands and removing orienteering bags, remaining there after the Calleva race. I don't know what normal people call heavy rain, but we had to pump the water out from the canoe every 20 minutes. 

The training was the last test of the Calleva racing canoe before Untamed Virginia race next weekend. I made new configuration for the leg supports and new attachment of the portage wheels as a middle seat. Everything worked out great. 3 hours under the rain with frequently stops to pump the water and remove the flags brought us back to Seneca Creek.

It was high and fast. Real white water river. Or better to say brown. We had no chance to paddle upstream to the boat ramp and hardly did it under the Seneca Aqueduct to the fist take out spot. I took few picture trying to protect the camera from the rain, while Val was pumping the water out. Click each photo to see the perfect training conditions. And Karen, welcome to the team!