Salomon Adventure Challenge
Stoneham Mountain Resort

July 5, 2003

The rolling hills and rocky outcroppings of the Laurentian Mountains made for an incredibly scenic Salomon AC event this past July 5th. With the nearby Jacques Cartier River and a collection of small lakes, km and km of crown land, a tangled network of 4X4 trails, and ups and downs through it all, the 43 km racecourse allowed all 26 teams to experience the area in a very special way.

The race began at the base of Stoneham Mountain Resort when teams took off on foot toward the village of Tewkesbury via the ski trails, hiking trails and raw, Quebec bush. The route choices were incredibly varied as the teams negotiated the 'up and over' (climbed from 1,000' to 1,900' back down to 1,000') to their bikes at CP1/TA1. Some elected to ignore any trails and bushwhacked to the parallel road while others attempted to work their way to the CP using only trails. Emerging in first place was Team RBC of Jonquière, QC and close to follow were Teams Roadkill of Lac Ste. Marie, QC, Yeteam of Courcelette, QC, and le Courreur-Cactus of St-Christophe D'Athabaska, QC.

The next section was a 25 km mountain bike that included some screaming downhills on paved road, technical riding on 'moist' terrain, and a final push to the start of the canoe at the south end of Lac Saint-Charles. CP2 was a particularly interesting location in that it was adjacent to a field full of free range turkeys - each of which gobbled with delight when teams passed by. Team RBC held their lead on the bikes but Team Yeteam made up some ground and Team C.D.J.C.Aventure of Victoriaville, QC moved from 7th at CP1 to 3rd at CP3/TA2.

After a quick gear check at the TA, teams paddled 6 km across Lac Saint-Charles and Lac Delage with the ski runs of Stoneham Mountain Resort in the approaching distance. The lead teams welcomed the respite from the heat of the day on the water while later teams were treated to 'cats and dogs' type rain - no one ever said you'd stay dry in a Salomon AC! Rushing into the village of Lac Delage, the location of CP4/TA3, teams hoisted up the canoes and portaged through town. Team RBC held the lead by only a minute over Team Yeteam before the final trek toward the finish line while a pack of 3 teams followed behind by 10 minutes.

The trek/run to Stoneham Mountain Resort and the finish line climbed and descended for 7.5 km. While entirely on trail and road, this was no straight-forward 'hammerfest' as map and compass still had to be closely monitored to ensure an efficient route. Crack navigation and the outright speed of Team Yeteam sealed their second Salomon AC victory of the 2003 season, winning them a set of Salomon packs and free entry to September's Frontenac event. Congratulations!

Thanks to all teams who participated in the Stoneham event. Your spirit, camaraderie, and sense of adventure (not to mention the loud cheering at the final awards!) helped to create an incredible day.

See you in Minden!

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