WT 2025 Summary
- wayneleek
- Aug 12
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 30
Newsletter for Aug 5, 2025
Read it with all the pictures: https://wildernesstraverse.com/so/d0PXYyAEs?languageTag=en&cid=9a9059d9-df4d-44d4-89ba-d3bee572cca6
REMEMBER US?
A little late with this wrap-up, but there's a lot to say and hopefully it was worth the wait.
HOPES FULFILLED
When we initially floated the idea of bringing Wilderness Traverse to the Sudbury region, we had high hopes. We hoped that our community of racers and volunteers would make the journey a little further north. We hoped that we'd find support from landowners, organizations, and partners in the region. We hoped that we could create a race experience to challenge every racer and worthy of the Adventure Racing World Series North America Championship. And we hoped we'd have a race. Check, check, check, and very much check.
2025 was the largest Wilderness Traverse yet and it was amazing to see a packed gym, 7 full busloads of racers at the start line. We had experienced teams chasing the podium, but from front to back, we had teams stepping up to push themselves forward on a tough course.
WT 2025 Race Schematic
STORIES? WE WANT TO HEAR THEM
Our Race Coverage Page now shifts to a 2025 Race Archive page. We'll be adding links, including your race stories. Tag us on Social Media and send links to wayne@wildernesstraverse.ca and we'll add them.
START TO FINISH, WE HAD A RACE!
Race Director Bob Miller takes pride in crafting race courses that not only make the most of the region, but also offers true route choice. That was evident immediately, with navigators creating art with the web of routes for the first 2 CPs.
As the race unfolded, a battle emerged at the front across trek, paddle and biking legs. We had 5 teams, 4 - Bend Racing/4 Hour Fuel, 3 - Attack from Above, 8 - Expedition Canada, 22 - Canada Adventure and 18 - Raid Pulse all pushing hard and capable of winning. They arrived predawn at TA3 to drop bikes and head for the final trek in Lake Laurentian Conservation Area. With 6 CPs, a technical orienteering map (thanks to Toronto Orienteering Club), and recent close WT finishes in mind, the podium was truly up for grabs.
This final leg offered up a technical navigation challenge for tired racers. To celebrate the orienteering skills of our racers, Orienteering Ontario sponsored this leg, offering a free entry to a Don't Get Lost event in Ontario to the top team. Congratulations to Team 3: Attack from Above, winners of the Orienteering Ontario Challenge!
After more than 21 hours of time on course, Team 4: Bend Racing/4 Hour Fuel crossed the finish line as Wilderness Traverse and ARWS North America Champions. Bob the Beaver would return once again to Quebec and our new North American Champions will compete in the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship, organized by Raid in France.
We had an unfortunate issue with CP24 that impacted the first 5 Expedition Course teams and two podium positions. After some discussions with teams, 3 - Attack from Above, 8 - Expedition Canada agreed to share second place, a fair and fitting result after a hard- fought battle between two strong teams.
Shoutout to our top all-Female team Team 80: Uterati for finishing 6th overall (ahead of our top all-male team...)
By Sunday afternoon, race staff was getting tired, too, and there were a couple things we messed up. Team 54: 2/3 Rookie didn’t get acknowledged as 1st place in the all-male category and Team 71: Raving Mad didn’t get acknowledged as our top Junior team.
Apologies for the mixups. Final results are available on our Race Coverage Page. and congratulations to all teams on your achievement.
IT TAKES A TEAM
It wasn't only the teams racing - let's talk about our amazing team(s) of volunteers. From checking you in, to cheering you on course, to picking up racers to get you back - this event doesn't happen without them. We love the pride that groups took in their tasks: each CP and TA that had a crew that worked hard to welcome racers, get them what they needed and send them on their way. Our safety team looked after you, including helping some racers off the course. Our logistics crews certainly knew it was the largest WT ever, with 11 big truckloads to get your bikes and gear delivered, a massive undertaking. Volunteers brought their "whatever we need" attitude from all over Ontario, Quebec, New Jersey, Michigan, Minnesota and more to help make this happen. Thank you.
A couple quick volunteer stories:
• Café CP6. Not only portaging into a remote lake, staying until the last team Sunday morning, they also surprised teams with a "paddle-thru" - waterside service of warm coffee or soup served with a smile.
• At TA1, Chris Bint from Team 2: Analog was gutted that a sprained ankle ended his race but happy his team could continue. As he got a ride back, we suggested if he wanted to, why not get cleaned up, have a rest and come back to race HQ to help out. His transition from racer to volunteer was seamless - he was back early Sunday to spend hours cheering and capturing images and video of race finishers.
• We have various media stories linked on our coverage page. That included Ontario-wide on CBC Radio Canada but the opportunity came with a wrinkle - the interview had to happen at 7:15 am Saturday morning (peak final race prep for everyone!), and it was in FRENCH. Jacques from our logistics crew, with a full load of gear in the back, pulled the truck over to become our official French language spokesperson!
Shoutout to John Harris who travelled from Minnesota to support the event as ARWS Referee. John is also a race director in Minnesota for POCKET GOPHER ADVENTURE RACING.
Our media team included talented photographers Luis Moreira, Chris Owen Halper, and Kyra Paterson along with various race staff that helped capture your race moments. Much of the imagery is on our race coverage page, but watch for more in the days ahead. Thanks to our remote analyst Pete Dobos for providing his insights on the race.
Special thanks to Brian Gatens from The Dark Zone Podcast who travelled from the US to bring energy and help share some of the stories. The Dark Zone hosted our course reveal podcast and all his podcasts are great for those interested in our sport. We appreciate his support of this event and the AR community.
HOSTS WITH THE MOST
Laurentian University, Lake Laurentian Conservation Area and the City of Sudbury were great hosts, with a "how can we help" attitude at every step. It was a great spot - room for 70+ teams, 260 racers and their gear, plus wilderness literally on the doorstep. All within the city, with restaurant and accommodation options moments away.
For transition areas, we hope for an open area for teams and gear but we got much more. TA1 was located at Widgawa Lodge, a perfect setting to begin the paddle leg. Friendly owners Darren and Krista and their staff were onsite to welcome race staff and teams and offer whatever support the event needed. It's a beautiful spot for anyone wanting to launch adventures in the region. For both the trek and the paddle, the race passed through some areas that wouldn't have been possible without the support and cooperation of Ontario Provincial Parks. TA2 was Panache Bay Marina, a perfect paddle leg destination. Marina management was also very supportive for the event overall, including having a spot for 260 bikes and gear.
Special thanks to Lure of the North, a local winter expedition organizer who provided valuable insights and advice for the trek. If you want to return and explore the region next winter, they're offering 15% off two of their trips for WT racers:
ALL RACERS GO TO HEAVEN ('S GATE)
As teams moved through the opening trek, they were travelling through the wild ridges and lakes of Kitchitwaa Shkwaandem (Heaven’s Gate). Thanks to the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, this 1,900-acre Nature Preserve forms a vital natural corridor to safeguard critical habitat for eagles, otters, and the endangered Blanding's Turtles. We encourage you to support their work, as we only get to race through these spaces with the support of organizations like this.
Read More
WHAT A RIDE
Getting to ride proper trail networks in adventure racing is a welcome bonus. Walden Mountain Bike Club and Kivi Park both opened their fun and challenging trails to our riders. After that, we figured you were missing a sloppy powerline ride, so we threw that in for fun. You're welcome.
WORKING TOGETHER
Wilderness Traverse was pleased to work with Outward Bound Canada as our charity partner as we both believe in the power of outdoor adventure to change lives.
Shoutout to The Breakfast Club, lead by captain Tracy Roth who helped raise over $11,000 to support these amazing programs. Please consider supporting and helping them reach their goal.
Support Race for a Cause
THAT OTHER RACE:
When planning, we reached out to Dennis Legault, past WT racer for Sudbury advice. Out of that discussion, we supported Dennis as he launched the Apex Adventure Challenge, the race that shared our finish line and also explored the area around Laurentian University. Well done, Dennis for building the Sudbury AR community and we understand plans are underway for 2026!
WHAT DID YOU THINK?
We switched some things around for 2025:
We traveled further north to a new region
We moved the event into July to avoid the ARWC in BC in late September
We held back some maps until partway through the race.
We added a "finisher's lounge" with cold Kawartha Dairy Chocolate Milk and Harmon's Non-Alcoholic Craft beer ready on ice.
In the coming weeks, we'll be sending a survey where we want to know what you thought of WT 2025 and any ideas/suggestions for the future. Watch for it in your inbox and please take a few moments to help us improve.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS
And so can younger racers. We had several teams with racers aged 18 and under and congratulations to 71: Raving Mad, 7: The Dream Team and 53: Trailfolks on their achievements. Team 10: Full Steam Ahead is a full junior team who traveled from Maryland, US to take on their first big overnight race. Wilderness Traverse is a big undertaking and they kept to their strategy and moved steadily through the first trek. A quick visit with their coach and families at TA1, and they pushed on to paddle into Saturday night and leg 2. A slight navigation bobble had them arriving at TA2 after the cutoff time and unable to continue. Hopefully they don't consider the experience a failure. For the first time experiencing Ontario trekking and paddling, they moved steadily and strong, leaving the course only because their time ran out. We can all be inspired by this team and all these great young racers. There are more finish lines ahead for all of you.
We leave you with a final challenge for racers and race organizations everywhere: let's help get the next generation of adventure racers to AR starting lines. Mentoring, clubs, discounts, training support. What young people are in your life that you can encourage to try the greatest sport in the world? We welcome your thoughts and support as we work to move our sport forward.
THANKS AGAIN
Thank you everyone who helped make Wilderness Traverse and the ARWS North American Championships happen. On the morning after at breakfast, Bob asked "so where should we go next year?"
Stay tuned. We can't wait.
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