Hamilton-based Team Hammer won the inaugural Subaru Urban Adventure Outback Race which took place in the heart of Toronto on May 11, 2002.

“We wanted to give people an opportunity to try an adventure race,” said Steve Menzie,
Race Director, Adventure Racing Canada. “The short race, The Urban, is
designed for teams who haven’t raced before, or simply enjoy a shorter,
faster challenge. The long race, the Outback, is a real test of stamina and
skill with a rare twist: an urban setting.”

Teams must paddle, bike, run and navigate their way through unmarked
terrain, and unlike other events, the course is a well-guarded secret until
1 hour before the race! Though the Outback event was billed as a 30-hour
race, Team Hammer members completed the course, which circumnavigated the
Greater Toronto Area, in a time of 24 hours and four minutes, 19 minutes
ahead of a Toronto-based team dubbed Running Free.

“It was a tough but exciting course that led us to places we didn’t
know existed,” said Team Hammer member Natalie Ceccato. “Although I’m not
from Toronto, I studied the maps pretty carefully and began training in and
around Toronto a couple of months ago. Still, I had no idea we would see so
much parkland.”

Meanwhile, some former Olympians who called themselves Team Dynamic
(Bill Trayling, Larry Cain, Louise Barcley) won the Urban Sprint race with
a time of three hours and 24 minutes.

“Toronto is designed for spectators”, said Menzie. “Most of our races are
deep in woods of central Ontario, interior British Columbia or Quebec. The
Toronto races are a chance to showcase what we do in an urban setting.”
This year, the Subaru Toronto Urban Adventure Race Weekend is being
hosted in support of Big Brothers of Toronto and Big Sisters of Toronto.

All teams will be raising funds for the organization and its programs.