CHALLENGE THE SHIELD

MULTI-SPORT ADVENTURE RACE

Parry Sound, ON

SEPTEMBER 8, 2024

UPDATES!
Sept. 07: Weather forecast is windy and cool/cold to kick off race day. Warming up throughout the race. Here is a photo of the island checkpoint on the trek CP challenge. Water is relatively warm.
Sept. 04: Final event updates. Important information for teams to review. 
Sept. 02:  Updated Team List
Sept. 01: Registration/Race packet pick-up will no longer be available on Sat. Sept 7th.  See modified race day schedule below. Absolutely no parking is allowed on Nine Mile Lake Rd. Park only at Georgian Nordic. Temporary parking at Nine Mile Lake beach is permitted for gear drop and pick-up.
August 30: Segment Challenge maps (will not be in race kits). See also below for strava and gpx files.
Run     MTB      Paddle     Swim Run
August 28: Checkpoint sneak peek! CP32
August 18: Race is SOLD OUT! Registration is closed. Teams that are registered should download our Event Guide and read it over before race day.

OVERVIEW
The Challenge the Shield Multi-Sport Adventure Race is an awe-inspiring wilderness endurance challenge on the rugged Canadian Shield. Teams of two have up to 6 hours to tackle as many of the ~30 checkpoint or segment challenges amongst the iconic windswept pines, pristine lakes and granite rock barrens as they choose. The "choose-your-own-adventure" points-based course design is both beginner-friendly and an epic challenge of strategy and adventure for even the most experienced teams.  Shred some wicked granite slab MTB trails. Navigate to as many of the beginner, intermediate, or advanced checkpoints as possible. Paddle and portage to a backcountry lake. Try a swim run at the end of the race. You decide the adventure!
Challenge your friends.  Challenge yourself. Challenge the Shield!

HOST SITE
Nine Mile Lake Beach (near the Georgian Nordic Outdoor Activity Centre ~10km NE of Parry Sound, ON)

RACE FORMAT
6-hour time limit.  A total of 2,500 points are up for grabs.  The race begins with a three-part mandatory segment challenge (500 points); a marked-route ~ 3.5 km run/trek, followed by an ~ 2 km paddle, and then an ~ 7 km bike. After completing the segment challenge, there are trek, paddle and bike checkpoint challenge sections (up to 625 points each) which can be taken in any order. Each checkpoint challenge section has 9 checkpoints of varying difficulty and points value (you can choose as many as you like in each discipline). The more checkpoints you get the more points you score. Total checkpoint challenge section distances are 10-12 km for the trek, 10-12 km for the paddle, and 20-25 km for the bike. The race ends with an optional 125 point marked-route swim-run segment challenge.  A penalty of 100 points for every minute (or part) over the 6-hour time limit will be deducted.

CHALLENGE STICKERS & AWARDS
Challenge yourself at Challenge the Shield!
We will have prizes for the first-place team in all categories and lots of draw prizes.
 
The Challenge the Shield is also about challenging yourself. Whatever your age or experience we would like to reward your achievements in this race.  How many checkpoints can you find?  How many points can your team get? Challenge the Shield Points Challenge Gold, Silver, and Bronze CTS stickers will be given to teams that get 2000, 1500, and 1000 points, respectively! All other teams will get a Challenge the Shield participation sticker!  

CATEGORIES
Teams of 2.
Coed, Male, Female, Masters (total age >100), and Juniors (ages between 13 and 18)
*age as of December 31, 2024.

REGISTRATION & ENTRY FEE
RACE IS SOLD OUT. REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.
Entry fee is for a team of two. Registration limited to a total of 70 teams.
Entry fee includes professional customized race maps for each team member, timing chip rental, host site day-use fees, customized CTS race swag (i.e., t-shirt, towel, socks) for all early and regular deadline team entries, CTS participation sticker, race insurance, and a yummy post-race pizza for each team. Entry fee does not include Zone-4 online transaction fee or canoes. Teams will need to arrange their own canoe or kayaks.  See below for suggested canoe rental locations.
Entry deadlines:
Early until May 31, 2024; Regular until July 26, 2024; Late until August 30, 2023.
Registration closes August 30, 2024. Refund policy
Race fees:
Early $190; Regular  $220; Late $250 (Junior teams half price)
Discounts: GNOAC OR GOPS members can email us for a discount code.
Confirmed teams

EVENT GUIDE, RULES & REQUIRED GEAR
Download our 2024 Event Guide for details on the race, required gear, waiver, race day schedule, and more. A final version of the Event Guide will be published a week before the race.

The 2024 segment challenge (SC) marked routes are summarized here:
2024 Run SC:   Strava    GPX    Map
2024 MTB SC:  Strava    GPX    Map
2024 Paddle SC:  Map
2024 Swim Run SC:  Map
 
CANOE RENTALS
There are several canoe rental options in the Parry Sound and Muskoka region. The closest options are White Squall Paddling Centre or Oastler Provincial Park. Contact info for these locations (and several others) are at this link (see Muskoka/Algonquin/Haliburton//French River Area).

SCHEDULE
** Race packet pick-up is no longer available on Saturday. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Sunday September 8th (Race Day)
0745-0900:    Gear drop and paddling gear check at Nine Mile Lake Beach. Drop off your gear and boat first THEN drive to Georgian Nordic to park and pick up your race packet. We suggest teams then ride their bikes down to the beach after rack packet pick-up.
0800-0915:    Race packet pick-up (please bring signed waivers) at Georgian Nordic.
0940               Pre-race briefing at Nine Mile Lake Beach.
1000               Mass start at Nine Mile Lake Beach.
1600               Finish at Nine Mile Lake Beach.
1615-1730       Post-race pizza and awards at Nine Mile Lake Beach.

RACE RESULTS
2023 RESULTS

CONTACT
Wil Smith and Mike Waddington
[email protected]

ADVENTURE RACING ONTARIO SERIES
​Challenge the Shield Multi-Sport Adventure Race has applied to be an official race in the Adventure Racing Ontario Series. For more information on other races in the Adventure Racing Ontario Series click the logo.