Local athletes made Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race (MOMAR) history Sept. 24 when the event returned to Cumberland for its 17th season.
A full field of 600 racers from near and far participated in the MOMAR, gathering on the shores of Comox Lake early Saturday morning to take on either the 50km Enduro Course or 30km Sport Course.
Tyler McCallan and Clay Ward of Cumberland, Derek Vinge of Courtenay and Brad Crowe, formerly from Courtenay, made MOMAR history in becoming the first team of four to take an overall win for the Enduro Course, crossing the finish line 4:25:23.
Typically, solo racers or teams of two are in top overall spots in adventure races like the MOMAR.
“Teammates must complete the race together,” says race director Bryan Tasaka. “Each racer has strengths and weaknesses, making the team as strong as the weakest link - fewer teammates, fewer weaknesses.
“The upside of racing with teammates, however, is that they typically encourage each other to push limits, and have a lot of fun doing so,” he added.
The MOMAR winner's circle is a familiar spot for Crowe, who is currently in Portland studying sports chiropractic. He won overall three years ago as a double with Ward and last year as a single.
Courtenay’s Sarah Seads placed first in the solo female category, crossing the finish line at 5:15:02. Simon Lamond of Victoria was the first solo male to finish with a time of 4:44:10, also taking third place overall. Lamond was followed by Cumberland’s Carl Tessmann (4:53:36) and Nygil Goggins (4:55:48), also from Cumberland.
Tim Musselman Bell of Penticton and teammate Mat Hewitt of Vernon were the first team of two to cross the finish line, with a time of 4:39:12, putting them in second place overall.
North Vancouver’s Marshall House and Christina Piccone placed first in the team of two co-ed category, (4:53:50) while Veronica Bartlett and Kirsty Stormer, also of North Vancouver, placed first in the team of two female category (5:47:41).
Victoria’s Scott Sheldrake and Brett Carter took top spot in the Sport Course with a time of 3:31:28. Patricia Johnson and Ross Lamon of Comox were first in the team of two co-ed category (4:01:14), while Courtenay’s Kathy and Paige Campbell topped the team of two female category (4:15:33).
The MOMAR partners with the Cumberland Community Forest Society (CCFS), an organization dedicated to preserving 150 acres of mature forest bordering the Village of Cumberland, from Comox Lake to the Trent River. Over the MOMAR weekend, more than $3,800 was raised for the CCFS.
The MOMAR is an off-road multisport sprint adventure race that requires participants to navigate their way to a series of checkpoints within an eight-hour limit. The disciplines include mountain biking, paddling, orienteering and trail running over scenic and rugged West Coast terrain.
The MOMAR series has staged 37 races in British Columbia over 17 race seasons.
MOMAR’s sponsors include Atmosphere, Merrell, Frontrunners, Clif Bar, Lighthouse Brewing Co., Parkside Hotel & Spa, Riding Fool Hostel, Comox Valley Kayaks, Rider’s Pizza, Seeds Natural Food Market, Cumberland Lake Wilderness Society, Shady Spaces and Coal City Cycles.