2005 RESULTS (For 2004 results click here: 2004 Results, 2005 Results)

It couldn't have been a more exciting finish to a fun series.  From the Dam crossing at Horseshoe, the storm of Camp Verde and the dark start at Saguaro, the Desert Rage series wrapped up like this:

Desert Rage 2005 Results:  CONGRATULATIONS!!!  

The Phoenix Desert Rage AR series goes to team Monster Energy after a close finish at DRIII. 

Check out for more pics!!

For the long course racers, the day started at 5am, in pitch darkness.  Each team had to reach three orienteering points based on a 1:24,000 topo map with no moon.  There were already some compasses coming out despite the fact that all of the points were within a half mile of the TA.  A vast majority of the teams initially went for a CP out on a dock, which was the easiest of the three, creating a bouncing line of white lites as teams jogged down the narrow trail.  A bit of follow the leader syndrome had most of those same teams hiking up and over a 40 foot spur to get to another point.  After bagging those three initial cp's, it was on to a long and arduous bike ride through the Rolls Off Highway Vehicle area.  A substantial verticle climb took most teams the better part of an hour, before descending down a long sandy wash for a 2 mile hike a bike section. More than a couple teams bit the dust attempting to ride down the primitive road littered with round boulders.  Two more bike CP's made for a total of 27 miles of pedaling before returining to the TA.  The entire day turned out to be a battle between teams Monster Energy and Adventure Racing Concepts as they jockeyed for first position. 

The first mystery event had teams putting on their thinking caps to figure out how to cut an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper in such a way as to create a hoop that all team members had to pass through.  This proved to be a tough one for many, and accounts nearly all of the 25 minute penalty's in the results.  The paddle was next and teams put almost 4 miles on their overall distance before returning for mystery event number two.  There, teams had to shuttle water back and forth from the lake to fill large plastic trash cans using a two gallon bucket.  As was the case with the recent women's race, the water was fortunately quite warm for a December day, and nearly every team had one member jump in the bucket to displace the water.  It was then on to the trekking section where only 4 miles of dirt lay between these two teams and victory.  From the TA, we watched and counted a two minute difference in time between the two teams as they traversed a distant mountainside.  With ARC wanting to make up this time, they decided to take a risk and dove into the lake to avoid going around a cove.  The swim turned out to be about the same time as running around, though proved an exciting finish as Monster added another 30 seconds to their time in the final half mile run to the finish line.  

Women's Adventure Race (Phoenix) - 11-12-05 Saguaro Lake

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Perfect weather, gorgeous venue, 60 athletes, 3 hours of fun.  Here's the play by play.  The day began with a run up a wash where teams had to find a tennis ball that corresponded with their bib number and retrieve the first piece of a secret treasure map.  They then proceeded to untie a piece of rope from a distant dock on the lake before heading up another wash where every team had to fill a sandbag to 40lbs and carry it all the way back to the start.  It was on to a bike ride that had every team climbing uphill for 2 miles on pavement, then following dirt paths for another couple miles and a long walk out on a sand wash for the first mystery event.  

The first mystery event had teams pulling either a team member or 3 sandbags on a wooden sled for about 100 meters before continuing on to the hike.  The hiking section took teams out into "The Rolls" Off Highway Vehicle area and through a swampy lakeside area before returning for mystery event 2

Each team was given a 2 gallon bucket with which to shuttle water from the lake to a waiting 40 gallon trash can on the beach until it overflowed.  The math says that would take 20 trips, though not for these ladies.  A member of nearly every team ended up taking a dip in the bucket to displace the water and save themselves a number of trips back and forth.  Where else can you dive into lake water in mid November without getting hypothermia?!  Check out the pictures at MyRacePics.com, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.  

They were less than a mile from the finish, though it had to be completed on inner tubes while floating on the lake.  A number of teams opted to use paddles or fins and still others just reclined in their tube and back paddled.  But wait, that's not all....Along the way, each team had collected a series of 4 pieces of a treasure map.  Upon assembling the map, they headed north through the picnic area to find two treasure chests, each with two padlocks.  Upon choosing a chest, the team had to figure out which of 6 combinations opened  the locks....and then it was a dash for the finish.  

Congratulations to all of our participants.  That was no walk in the park!  Windy Marks and Vickie Nelson of team Monster Energy knocked out their third win in the women's races we've put on, though not without Brigid and Georgie of team Red Energy keeping the pressure on all morning.  Three person team "Team Oh" consisting of Deanna Luna, Lisa Barnard & Donna Tomlinson were first in in their division, and soloist Melissa Branta of team MeBeFit was the first soloist in at just two hours nineteen minutes!  

Christy Church & Chandra Collister of Team Godiva take home a $100 race gift certificate for best decorated Transition Area with honorable mentions going to the Beastie Girls & Double Agents.  

Thanks so much for making this day a fun one for us as well.  As Adventure Racing is most frequently a coed sport, we firmly believe that building it lies in attracting more and more women.  If you had a good time, please tell a friend about Adventure Racing, and if you have a bike shop or gym where you could place some flyers, let us know and we'll mail some out: info@sierraadventuresports.com.  Oh, and by the way, on 12-3 we're holding the finale to the Desert Rage series, and simultaneously running a recreational course all from the same area. We hope to see you there.  

Volunteers, You Rocked!  It wouldn't be possible without you.  

Desert Rage Las Vegas - 11-5-05 Lake Mead Recreation Area

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Desert Rage Las Vegas proved to be our most challenging race to date as 60+ racers headed out to conquer the course.  The race began with all participants having to fill a sandbag with 40 pounds of sand and rock to be weighed and carried some 200 meters.  They then had to rummage through