Race Report
Krista Griesacker Memorial Hawk Mountain Adventure Race Defies Two Hurricanes!
 
On August 15, twenty two race teams gathered at the Civil Air Patrol Hawk Mountain Search and Rescue School, located just north of Reading, PA. Racers from Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Virginia and beyond came together for the inaugural Krista Griesacker Memorial Adventure Race.

Griesacker, was a leader and instructor at the Civil Air Patrol school for many years. She also was an avid adventure racer, competing in many races including the first two Eco-Challenges. Unfortunately, she and her fiancé/teammate were struck by lightening and killed in 1999 while training in Wyoming. She was 29 years old. The race honored her memory, while helping to raise funds for the search and rescue school.

With days of thunderstorms already through the area, and Tropical Storm Bonnie, and Hurricane Charley closing in, the race directors kept a constant ear to the national and local weather reports. “We never even considered the idea of canceling the race. If we got hit with the worst of the storms, we had at least three contingencies that would have been in place.” Everyone spent the night listening for the rain to begin, and questioning how waterproof their mandatory cell phones would stay. As morning approached there was no sign of significant rain, and no one mentioned it so as not to jinx our luck. Alas the storms had missed us.

Teams applauded, as the official start was made by Paul Griesacker, father of Krista. The event brought together the Griesacker family to celebrate their daughter/sister in a most fitting fashion. Other family members served as checkpoint staff.

Teams completed a 1.5 mile road run at the very start before transitioning into their gear for the overland orienteering section. The terrain in this section of Pennsylvania is extremely tough. Not because it’s overgrown with dense vegetation or because of high altitude. It’s very rocky. Footing is never certain. The lichen covered rocks can be very slippery and unforgiving when you try to catch yourself. The briars just seem to be at the end of every slippery rock.

Teams were neck and neck as they hit the first manned check point. Team “A List” (Caroline Brosius; Christine Couldrey) opted to take a more scenic route than the rest of the racers; smiling and laughing at their navigation as they entered the check point, 2 hours behind the others. All were impressed by their positive spirits and great fun throughout the course.

The rappel and ascend challenged many teams who had either never been on rope or had not used their ascenders since last season. Once this was completed, teams quick on their feet were able to pick up the pace to cover the next 8-10 mile overland section. Team Aruba (Mike Halovatch; Peter Hall) and Team NYARA II (Jim Mertz; Bernie Breton) remained only minutes apart, as early leaders in the race.

Before leaving for the biking section teams were required to complete the Civil Air Patrol’s Hawk Mountain Ranger School’s Obstacle Course. Water jumps, balance logs, rope climb, inverted ladder, 9ft wall climb, rope swing over water, horizontal ladder over water, and parallel wires over water added to the team experience.

Road biking was like a roller coaster ride. The 2 mile straight climb crested to a wicked winding downhill. A short transition road led to an incredible trail biking section. Cutback trails with steep grades going up were the prelude to the second half of the loop that held bumpy trails at over 30 mph. One team, Team NYARA I, smiled as they explained that they were able to catch big air off of some of the erosion prevention shelves.

With the paddling section cut because of abnormally high water from the previous days’ rains; teams were tasked to carry a weighted rescue stretcher for half a mile. The water rescue team had recommended changing the course when debris (an entire tree) was seen traveling at greater than 8 mph.

Rolling mountain roads served as a fast 16 mile finishing leg.

Great prizes and great food waited at the finish line where teams were also able to tend to their torn up ankles and shins. Smiles were all around from the teams that finished first in their categories to those that finished at all.

Winning teams chose from an array of prizes including: Deuter packs, Leki Trekking Poles, Optic Nerve Sunglasses, Kahtoola Running Crampons, Princeton Tech headlamps, Kelty Hydration Systems, Moonstone and Mountain Hardware Wicking Shirts, The Crank bike helmet & shorts, plus gift certificates from RoadID, Adventure Sport Magazine, and area campgrounds and bed & breakfast inns.

The top 3 person co-ed team also received gift cards from Eastern Mountain Sports in King of Prussia, PA in the amount of $50 each.

Special recognition goes out to Willie Wilson of Team Triple Aces. He won a complimentary night at the first-class Hawk Mountain Bed & Breakfast for his fundraising efforts for the Civil Air Patrol. This event raised $2,000 for CAP volunteer Search and Rescue.

Top Finishers
3person co-ed:
Team Shields (Ralph Shields, Jennifer Shields, Colleen Baker) 9:48;
Team Bound to Cover (just a little more ground) (Robert Davidson, Melissa Kern, Chris Tosto) 10:50.

3person male:
Team V-Factor (Steve Herzog, Patrick O’Meara, Ken Wolff) 10:15;
Team Booyah (Doug Cogit, Ryan Kohler, Randall McGinnis) 10:41.

2person co-ed:
Team NYARA I (Chris Rice, Judy Lepar) 8:18;
Team PRAC (Joan Hunter, Bob Freed) 8:47.

2person male:
Team Aruba (Mike Halovatch, Peter Hall) 7:55,
Team Alices High Mass-Low Velocity (Matthew Karpiak, William Tate) 9:14.

2person female:
Team A-List (Christine “Kiwi” Couldry, Caroline Brosius) 13:16.

Masters co-ed: Team Northern Lights (Marshal Breite, Wendy Sanders, Tom Curtis-injured) 11:25.

Masters male: Team NYARA II (Jim Mertz, Bernie Breton) 7:48 (overall winner).

Bill and Anne Gibbons
GOALS ARA