Paso Robles News|Friday, March 29, 2024
You are here: Home » Sports » Annual Dawn to Dusk athletes test limits May 10
  • Follow Us!

Annual Dawn to Dusk athletes test limits May 10 

Participants travel by bike, foot, kayak & rope

Dawn to Dusk, All Out Events

The classical format of the Dawn to Dusk adventure race draws top teams from around the globe and country.

The 10th Annual Dawn to Dusk All Out Adventure is set to begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 on Paradise Road in the Santa Ynez Mountains. This year, Dawn to Dusk, with its new location in Santa Barbara, has no marked trails or aid stations. Participants in teams of one to four will navigate themselves on course, paddle kayaks, ride road, fire road and single track on mountain bikes, hike through Santa Barbara’s best trails and scale sandstone cliffs in pursuit of the finish lines at the First Crossing area of the Los Padres National Forest.

This classical format adventure race draws top teams from around the globe and country due to its consistent quality of course, execution – and for its cash prizes, a rarity in the sport, according to organizers. The top three co-ed and female teams will receive checks for $1,000, $700 and $300. Although solos are welcome to race but, following classic rules, San Luis Obispo’s All Out Events seeks to reward co-ed and female teams for their work.

The event incorporates:
• 6-8 miles of Ocean kayaking
• 25-35 miles of mountain biking (road, fire road and single track)
• 10-15 miles of foot travel including technical trail running/scrambling/swimming
• Map and compass navigation (no marked course)
• Technical rope sections (rappelling, ascending, zip line or Tyrolean Traverse)

Dawn to Dusk athletes consist of a full range of skill levels and age.

“Our athletes have compared this event to Ironman triathlons – they take that kind of endurance,” said Kristin Horowitz, event producer, “but we’ve designed the course and rules so that an 11-year-old can do it – literally.”

Horowitz said that Conellan Coxwell had watched the events for two years before deciding to enter the event with her two younger sons – skipping optional checkpoints and having a support team – her dad – pick them up to cut the course shorter. This enabled Conellan and her kids to have an optimal race experience and finish, while top teams fought it out on a longer optional course for the win.

Whether this is a rookie athlete’s first 12-hour adventure race experience or a veteran athlete’s tenth 12-hour adventure race experience, the course is designed to be shortened or lengthened to individual ability.

“Adventure racing is so much more laid back, team oriented, and friendly,” said Horowitz. “So long as you can mountain bike and have decent endurance, you can do this, and have a great time doing it.”

The Dawn to Dusk event continues to grow each year thanks to the course accessibility and experience, according to Horowitz. All Out Events provides kayak rentals and connects racers with bike shops in town for bike rentals. Find out more at www.ccadventure.com – registration prices increase as the event draws closer.

Share To Social Media

Comments

About the author: Reporter Meagan Friberg

Meagan Friberg is a reporter for the Paso Robles Daily News and A-Town Daily News.