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2007 SPRING FURY - ELITE
Infiterra Sports was proud to host the 4th annual Spring Fury that was held Saturday April 21, 2007 at Seven Lakes State Park between Holly and Fenton, Michigan.
Results are now Official. Please email Zac if you have a question about the scoring.
» Overall Results Spreadsheet - Overall Results
» CP Time Results Spreadsheet - Results w/ CP Times
» Divisional Results Spreadsheet - Broken down by division
» Split Results Spreadsheet - Results w/ Split Times
» Map #1 - Left Map, 11x17, 3.5mb
» Map #2 - Right Map, 11x17, 3.3mb
» Single Track Map - 8.5x1, 210kb
» O-Course Map Map - 8.5x11, 700kb
» Race Instructions - 8.5x11, 50kb
» Race Pictures
Please visit our message board to provide us with feedback on the Spring Fury.
Event Recap: Traditionally, the Infiterra Sports Spring Fury Spring Adventure Race had always been a fun course, great for all experience levels, but never overly challenging for elite teams. In 2007, it was a little bit different. This year’s race was split into two days of racing with the Elite Race on Saturday being longer and harder. A challenge welcomed by some of the best teams from Michigan and the Midwest. The weather ordered by the race staff delivered, as winter temps and snow of less than two weeks prior gave way to summer like conditions of a balmy 70° plus and sunshine! The course was no disappoint either as these elite teams were tested by lots of tough navigation, a lengthy, portage filled paddle, great single track biking, multiple orienteering sections and the most challenging, briar and thorn filled section ever to appear in an Infiterra Sports event. Welcome to the Spring Fury Elite Adventure Race!
The 10-hour race kicked off two minutes before 8:00am, as teams would need every last second on this brutal course. Teams began with a short trail run to where their bikes had been staged. Then it was either through the park or out to the road en route to hitting CP1 and CP2 before a short bike whack into the Holdridge Mountain Bike Trails of Holly Recreation Area. NMET reached CP2 first with just a few second lead over a whole slew of teams that came charging behind. After three miles of great single track where CP3 and CP4 were picked up, the trail led teams out to CP5. Then the route choice opened up as teams were left to their own devices to pick up CP6-10. These five check points where placed on or around the single track of Gruber’s Grind, a technical, challenging section of trail. Three of these check points were a required minimum. Teams were only stipulated to have their bikes with them at all times and ride the single track in the proper direction. NMET was able to open up a 15-minute lead at CP11 after the Bike-O single track. Teams Fishing for Fitness, Chrysler, Joel Billau (solo), Homebodies, Must be Nuts and the rest of the field weren’t going away as they gave heated chase to the leaders.
At CP12 teams found the first on foot section of the race. They dropped bikes and headed out for 5 CPs located in what has to be some of the gnarliest, briar and thorn filled areas of Michigan. The moving was extremely slow going and painful as the briars and thorns were everywhere and just seemed to grab hold of you. Often times teams were forced to crawl through brambles and other times just letting loose with a “run and worry about the pain later” was the best approach. These points were navigationally challenging as well. Teams were told they needed to be off of this section by noon. They were also again required to come back with at least three punches. NMET’s 15 minute lead disappeared into the briars as teams Fishing for Fitness and Chrysler took over the lead followed by That’s Hot! and Frog Stompers. Many teams were unable or chose not to leave the o-course by the noon cutoff. As their penalty, they got to enjoy more slow-moving torturous time in the briars and thorns!
Once out of the briars, teams made their way on country roads to CP21 and then into the village of Holly for the Canoe Put In on the Shiawassee River. The small, yet scenic river is not that well known, although it is paddled quite a bit by local paddlers and even has a canoe race on it from Holly to Fenton. This section was exciting as teams had to maneuver around three large beaver dams and lots of tight turns in the windy, but well maintained river. Once they reached Fenton, they had a short little portage around the dam and back into the river for the “challenging” section. This final three-mile stretch is not maintained and had several downed trees and snags blocking the entire river. Teams were faced with anywhere from 6-8 portages on this section. NMET enjoyed the paddling leg and opened back up their 15 minute lead on the field. Fishing for Fitness and Chrysler, basically racing as a team four at this point, still gave chase with coed team That’s Hot! and solo Joel Billau following by another 15 minutes or so. It had pretty much turned into a five-team race at this point, but was still up in the air with a tough o-course to follow.
With less than three hours of time on a tough 16 point, 10 mile O-course, there would be no team sweeping the course this year. With just under 40 minutes to go NMET pulled into the finish, still leaving three points on the course, but confident they had put enough distance on their competition and they turned in their passport. It was then just a waiting game. Should they have pushed it for another point or two or was their 13 of 16 enough to secure the lead? With just 7 minutes to spare, teams Fishing for Fitness and Chrysler came barreling in, also missing three CPs. NMET’s decision was a good one and their lead was locked in both for the 2 Person Male and the Overall titles. Fishing for Fitness and Chrysler pushed hard and came in tied for 2nd overall and in the 2 Person Male division. Joel Billau hit all but 5 CPs, making his way into the finish with just 5 minutes to spare and locking up the Solo Division. Team That’s Hot! reached all but 6 points capturing the title in the 2 person coed division, just one CP ahead of Frog Stompers. The veteran racers, yet newly husband/wife duo, of Team 4 Seasons rounded out the top 3 of the 2 Person Coeds with a strong race and 9 CPs on the Final O-course. The race for 4-person coed also was a tight one. It came down to a matter of minutes. The up and comers of Team Metric Time edged the veterans of Hafke Legal Services by just 3 minutes for 1-2 in this division. Each team had obtained 15 of the 26 total optional CPs. Verbal Attack edged out Great Lake Endurance Racing-Mad Bear by just one CP to wrap up 3rd in the 4 Coed division. Bill Scanlan and Mike Lafontaine joined up somewhere in the middle of the course and finished tied for 2nd in the Solo division with 11 final O-points. Marcia Harrington edged out Diane Deangelis who was just over the cutoff time for the Solo Female win. The two person female division was represented by just one team, Best We Got. They lived up to their billing as they gave a tough effort, but came up a little short on the course not quite getting enough required CPs and finished unranked. Other notables were the always tough Ambush Adventure Sports (7th overall, 4th 2 Male), Orange Crush (9th overall, 4th 2 Coed) and Child’s Voice (10th overall and 5th 2 Coed) who rounded out the top 10. The Canadians of Sports Performance Centres also had a good day just missing the top 10 to place 11th overall. Norway Cycle Adventure Team, representing Chicago came in at 22nd overall. And H2W persevered a broken derailleur before CP1 to complete course – what an effort!
These 38 teams definitely got their money’s worth out of this demanding course. It was always challenging, even brutal at times, yet almost everyone came in with a smile on their face, at least after they caught their breath. As so many teams finished in the last 15-20 minutes, the post race food and recovery was that much more enjoyable for this veteran crew to share stories about the course. Out of the 38 teams, 27 finished the course ranked, obtaining enough points and finishing before the cutoff. The remaining 12 teams either came up just short on points or just over the cutoff, but not one team dropped out! A testament to the will of these teams. Great job on a tough course!
As with all races, there are plenty of Thank You’s. First and foremost to our wonderful volunteers! They came out in droves to help make this race a great success. Next to our great sponsors, for putting up the $1500 cash that went to the top finishers and a whole slew of prizing to three teams deep in every division. Jeep was onsite showing off the sweet looking new 4 door Wrangler. REI was on hand giving out free bike tune-ups and Salomon was there in spirit as always and again showing their support with Wind Blades set up throughout the park, signifying another great adventure race. We also had lots of support from Smartwool, Seal Skinz, Hammer Nutrition, Lendal, Suunto, Keen, Jetboil, Vasque, Superfeet, and Zanfel. Heavner Canoe Livery was in support supplying boats for those who needed one and moving boats for race staff too. As always, great support from them. Thanks to the Village of Holly and to the City of Fenton for the use of their parks along the Shiawassee River and also the Peacock Antique Store in Fenton for the use of their parking lot. A big thank you to Seven Lakes State Park and Holly Recreation Area who were more than accommodating to let us come in a “take over”. They have a great set of rangers and a great park there that we hope everyone appreciates and gets out to visit again soon!
Race Staff
Infiterra Sports LLC
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