West Virginia University students are gaining hands-on event planning experience while promoting wellness through a unique series of outdoor sport competitions. The Morgantown Adventure Sports Series offers sports enthusiasts a chance to run, bike, get lost or hike in various sites around the area.
WVU’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences athletic coaching and adventure sports minor students are working on details of the six adventure sport competitions.
“The students have added new features to the 2011 events,” Nathan Kile, series director, said. “Last year’s series was exciting to produce and this year promises to be challenging for participants. It’s a worthwhile experience for the students to learn how to plan and organize the special events. They get immediate feedback related to their hard work.”
The series, coordinated by the Adventure Sports program within CPASS, will begin with the Get Lost! Orienteering Competition on Sunday, April 3 at 1 p.m.
Get Lost! will challenge solo racers and teams of two as they attempt to locate checkpoints within the forest using a map and compass.
The second event, Mountain Duathlon, is scheduled for Saturday, April 9 at Coopers Rock State Forest.
In the duathlon, competitors will complete back-to-back in a two-mile trail run, eight-mile mountain bike and second two-mile trail run, beginning at 11 a.m.
The Friendship Hill 5-Mile Trail Run, will take place on April 30 at the Friendship Hill National Historic Site located just north of Morgantown.
Five miles of trails will challenge participants as they race across vast meadows, along the Mon River and around a twisty, single track trail under a canopy of trees.
The Morgantown Adventure Sports Series will continue into the summer and fall with three more events, including the Coopers Rock Stump Jump! 10K Trail Run, Sept. 3; the XTERRA Big Bear Duathlon/Triathlon, Sept. 11; and the Fifth Annual Deckers Creek Adventure Race, Oct. 9.
Race coordinators will announce more event details soon.
Competitors in each series event will be eligible for awards, prizes and giveaways.
Race organizers are currently seeking partners to help support the series. Contact the series director to learn more about sponsorships.
For more information on these events or to register, visit the race webpage at http://cpass.wvu.edu/mass or www.iplayoutside.com.
Or contact Kile at Nathan.Kile@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-0851. Volunteers are needed to help with the production of each event. Interested individuals should contact Kile.
-WVU-
2/23/11
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CONTACT:
Kimberly Cameon, CPASS
304-293-0827, Kimberly.Cameon@mail.wvu.edu