FOCUS - APRIL 2018 27 The 12th Annual Oak Ridges Moraine Adventure Relay has something new this year… two races to choose from: the Full Relay and the Half Relay! An enthusiastic team of vol- unteers has already started to plan one of the largest events of its kind in Ontario that annually engages 500 canoeists, runners and trail cyclists in relay stages cov- ering 160km of beautiful Oak Ridges Moraine trail. The big event is on Saturday June 9th. Durham Region and Scugog are central to this chal- lenging and fun event. We are looking for residents of the Scugog area and other Ontario com- munities to create and register rec- reational, corporate or elite teams to compete in the event. Many teams are formed by neighbours and friends all across the Moraine, as well as further afield. Please consider starting your own team to compete in one of the two races of this exciting event. For both races, refreshments will be pro- vided at the check points that link stages. The Adventure Relay allows the celebration of a healthy lifestyle while enjoying the natural beauty of the hiking and biking trails available along the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Full Relay course runs point- to-point from Gore’s Landing on Rice Lake south of Peterborough, stretch- ing 160km westward to King City. The course is divided into 14 Relay stages of varying distances consist- ing of water, road and trail portions. With the exception of the 2-person canoe stage, one team member will complete each stage; however, an individual may do multiple stages. Thus, Full Relay teams may include up to 15 members. The race starts at 8 a.m. with the canoe stage. All teams are expected to complete the route by 11:30 p.m. The average race finish time is 11 hours and the fastest team to date has completed the route in 8 hours and 51 minutes. New this year is the Half Relay, which covers half the distance (80 km) with seven stages of biking and running for a team of up to 7 people. The Half Relay course covers the last half of the full relay race from the Purple Woods Conservation Area to the Finish Line at Seneca College in King City. The race starts at 1 p.m. The Half Relay race occurs simulta- neously with the Full Relay race, and is open to recreational and corporate teams. Elite teams will only do the Full Relay. The Adventure Relay route runs through Scugog. It leaves the Long Sault Conservation Area and travels along Boundary, Buyers, and Coates roads to the Purple Woods Con- servation Area checkpoint. It then proceeds along Scogog Line 2, High Point, Ashburn, and Pine Gate roads, and enters the Durham Forest on the west side of Lake Ridge Road. Participating in the Adventure Relay is a great team- building exercise, and emphasizes the impor- tance of physical activ- ity to overall health. The Relay is the major annual fundraiser for the Oak Ridges Trail Association, with proceeds from team entries and sponsorships going towards improved signage, parking lots, boardwalks and mainte- nance equipment used to keep the trail clear and safe for all users. The price to participate in the Full Relay for recreational and elite teams is $550 per team registered by April 30th, and $600 for a team registered after April 30th. For Corporate teams, the price to participate in the Full Relay is $2,000. For the Half Relay, the price to par- ticipate for a recreational team is $425 registered by April 30th and $450 af- ter April 30th. A corporate-sponsored team costs $1,750 to participate in the Half Relay. If you’re not up to competing, you could become a Relay volunteer at one of the 15 checkpoints along the trail to record in and out times, sup- ply refreshments and advice, take photos, and cheer on the competitors! To find out more, check out the Adventure Relay website, http:// www.oakridgestrail.org/adventure- relay/ and follow us on Facebook: ‘Moraine Adventure Relay June 9, 2018’, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/21365674512/ For more information on register- ing for the Relay or volunteering for the event, call Michele at 905-833- 6600 or 1-877-319-0285 or email us at: info@oakridgestrail.org. By Lynne Thorkelsson, Special to Focus on Scugog The 12th Annual Oak Ridges Moraine Adventure Racers for the team ‘DMBA Trail Blazers’ tag for the 2017 Adventure Relay at the Purple Woods checkpoint. The biker in the back has just completed the leg from the Long Sault Conservation Area, and hands off the race to his team-mate who will proceed to the Houston Rd. and Concession 7 checkpoint in the Uxbridge area. Two Exciting Races for the Moraine Adventure Relay on June 9th