Cane Creek 5hr Adventure Race

Will Race for T-Shirt L.L.C  is excited to present the Inaugural Cane Creek 5hr Adventure Race. Just minutes south of Charlotte NC,  Cane Creek Park is the Jewel of Union County with water-based recreation space that encompasses 1,050 acres of land surrounding a 350-acre lake. This race is designed for beginners and pros alike with up to 6 miles of trekking, 4 miles of paddling and 12 miles of Mountain Biking.   

Teams of up to 4 people will Trek, Bike and Paddle to all corners of the park in search of control flags. Compass skills, team work, strategy and sometimes blind luck will be required to locate controls located on/off trails within the confines of the park. Those who find the mostest the fastest within the 5 hours allotted time win the race.  The race will be three legs; Trek, Paddle and Bike. There will be a minimum of two mandatory controls  in each leg to “complete” the race. 

Not thrilled with paddling in November? That’s okay! We’ll have a Duathlon class with a 4hr time limit. All the fun, not near as much glory (or awesome adventuring).

Experienced Adventure Racers will appreciate the challenge of navigation and varied terrain to get all check points in the least amount of time. For experienced AR aficionados, don't let the "short distances" dissuade you.  This will truly be a Sprint Race with up 20 control flags throughout. Being exact on your pace and navigation will get you the top time.

For families or entry level Adventure Racers the setting is perfect to hone skills or introduce friends or family to the sport. Trails are easy to moderate mostly double track and well marked with less than 100ft elevation change throughout. Cane Creek Lake is paddler friendly with minimal power boat traffic. 
Sign up now!! Prices Increase July 1st 2024
Registration is Per- person
5hr Adventure Race - $55   ($65  after 7/1/24)
4hr Duathlon  AR - $50  ($60 after 7/1/24)

Classes 
5hr Adventure;

• Solo male/female     
• Team 

4hr Duathlon:

• Solo male/female

The park provides a natural and scenic environment for a variety of outdoor activities and peaceful relaxation year-round. 
Excellent camping available with Wilderness, Group, Cabins, Water/electric and Full Service RV sites available. Park books up quickly, so book now for the best sites!! Make a weekend of it!!! Feel free to contact race regarding camp site recommendations. See Camping at bottom of page for info.

Weather should be perfect. 1st week of November is generally mild with day time temps in the upper 60’s to low 70’s. Race will go on rain or shine barring severe weather, so be prepared for anything. 

Sounds great Mr. Race Director, but what do participants get for spending 5 hours trekking, biking and paddling the “Jewel of Union County”?
You need something more than Paddling, Trekking and Biking awesome trails, getting lost in beautiful woodlands? 
More than the camaraderie that comes with working as a team to overcome challenges in the wild? 
Well let me tell ya!
Each participant will get a very righteous T-shirt emblazoned with the event name and soon to be found sponsors (hint) in the size that you personally indicate when signing up. So, almost custom!  Top finishers will receive accolades and applause.   
We will have water. Probably some snacks. And “Major Awards” provided by our soon to be found sponsors (hint).

Register BEFORE September 15th to Guarantee T-shirt. T-Shirt order goes in Sept 16th. I will do my best to order a few extra, but can’t guarantee size selection for late entries. 

Required Gear:

Boats:  Teams must provide a boat seat for each member.  As an example a 3 person team can have a 3 person canoe, tandem kayak and solo kayak, or 3 solo kayaks. (Limited tandem/solo kayaks and 3 person canoes available for rent)

Participant can either

1) Provide own Canoe /kayak/pack-raft per person (paddle boards are allowed, but not recommended do to possible cold temps) Or
2) Rent kayaks/ canoes through race (see add-on options during registration)
*There will be a limited number of boats for rent — first come, first served.

Bikes
Recommend MTN bikes, however, gravel bikes have been witnessed to have “successfully” navigated the trails (often on the rider’s shoulder). Spare tire tube and/or tire repair kit highly recommended. (NO ELECTRIC BIKES!)

Required Individual gear:

• Clothing, shoes and outerwear appropriate for weather conditions
• Bike Helmet while biking
• Type I, II, or III PFD while paddling. PFDs available with boat rental
• Paddle/s (rental boats come with paddle, canoes come w/standard paddle. if you want a double blade paddle bring your own)
• You must carry Food and drink to last the duration of the race
• A pen/ pencil/ sharpie
• Knife
• Whistle
• 6ft of duct tape
• Individual headlight with extra batteries: we do not expect you to be out past dark however it is required for your safety

Required Team gear:

• Compass
• Watch
• Cell phone with charged battery
• Basic first aid kit

Recommended gear:
Waterproof map case
Water purification method

Schedule

8:00 - 9:00        Check in and boat drop off
9:00 - 9:30        Pre-race mtg
10:00- 3:00       Unbridled Fun and Exhilaration (aka The 5hr Race)
11:00 -              4hr Duathlon Start
3:15 - 3:30        Rescue team deployed to locate missing teams
3:30 - 4:00        Awards (Quality items Clark)
5pm - ????       After party at local eatery TBD*

*how much eating happens on the race director’s tab depends on the generosity of yet to be found race sponsors…hint, hint

Additional Info, and FAQs
Boat Drop off is easy access from Boat Ramp, or Short walkway from parking