A pair of races slated for this month have been called off, but event organizers still hope to host two annual athletic challenges in September.
The Port Angeles-based Peninsula Adventure Sports announced last week the cancellation of both the Olympic Adventure Trail (OAT) Run set for June 20 and the Quilcene Gravel Unravel on June 27.
But Lorrie Mittman, owner and race director, said she still has hope that the Great Olympic Adventure Trail (GOAT) Run set for Sept. 11 and Big Hurt, the multi-sport race scheduled for Sept. 26, will still take place.
The OAT Run, a 12-kilometer and half marathon point-to-point trail race/run on the Adventure Trail west of Port Angeles, was originally scheduled for April 18 and was postponed to June 20. Because Clallam County will not reach Phase 3 by June 20 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Safe” directive, organizers cannot get the permit needed in time for that date.
In partnership with the supportive community of Quilcene, Gravel Unravel is a new endurance bicycle event on the gravel road system of Olympic National Forest. Co-hosted by Worthington Park in Quilcene, the event has courses of 32, 55, or 80 miles in distance and all climb Bon Jon pass. While the permits had been previously issued, Jefferson County has indicated that the race cannot happen this year on its planned date.
“We want to thank our sponsors for sticking with us, and we appreciate so much how understanding our racers have been,” Mittman said. “These are unprecedented times, and our community of athletes is stepping up and being so supportive.”
Organizers have opted not to reschedule the June events but rather to focus efforts on their two upcoming September events as well as spending time developing brand new events for 2021.
“We are proceeding as if those races can happen,” Mittman said. “We are also making modifications to events, in particular Big Hurt, that will allow for increased distance and safety. We have updated our normal refund policy to one specific to covid-19 cancellation, just so racers know what will happen if things change after they sign up.”
Race director Tim Tucker said event organizers are hoping the GOAT Run and Big Hurt give racers something to look forward to.
“It’s stressful to plan for something that you still don’t know will happen but our loyal participants and community are worth the effort and we will just keep plugging away until we are told something different,” he said.
Registration for the GOAT Run and Big Hurt is now open. For more information, go to Peninsula AdventureSports.com.
For information on sponsorship or volunteering, email to contact@peninsulaadventure sports.com.
