SOO 200 UPDATE
Hi |*FIRST_NAME*|,
Thank you again for registering for the SOO 200. We know that it takes a lot of commitment to dive into a 200-miler, especially one that is so new, and we hope your preparation is going well. My apologies for waiting this long to give an update. I have been a bit sidelined due to family emergencies, but we are planning away and I wanted to let you know everything that is happening.
If you have not raced with us before, thanks for trusting what we do. If you have, you already know that we strive to put together the best experiences and... well... somewhat unforgiving challenges.
DEPOSITS TO FULL EVENT TRANSFERS
If you signed up for the deposing but not the full event, you will need to transfer into the race. I haven't giving enough instructions about how to do this but it's really easy!
- Log into your Race Roster account
- Go to https://raceroster.com/events/2025/97844/soo-200/new-transfer-request
- Follow the instructions on how to transfer from the Deposit event to the full race
That's it! Please email us if you have any problems.
COURSE UPDATE
I have to admit, there have been more challenges to planning this course than I would have first anticipated, but we always rise to the occasion! I have been designing races for 24 years, and we didn't get this far by being shrinking violets. ;) We have run into one issue in that a major corporate landowner decision makers are simply not replying to us, no matter how my we try. By the end of this week, if we do not have confirmation that we can cross their land, we will have to undertake some course changes to the second half of the course. If that happens, we will implement one of the other routes we investigated, which will likely keep us farther inland in the second half of the race. This has, unfortunately, kept us from finalizing the checkpoints later in the race.
We have been asked by the superintendent of Superior Provincial Park to make one change. The trail to the northwest of Agawa Canyon is now closed to all use, and they are allowing nature to take over. So instead of starting the race in Agawa Canyon, we will need to start the race in Frater, just to the southwest. This will allow us to access the spectacular coastal trail, which is something we really want to include in the race. It does mean a bit of an out and back along the trail, but all things on balance, we feel that it is worth it. We did review a dozen different options, and we have no doubt that this will be a highlight of the race.
Right now we are planning to allow support crews to meet at Frater, Batchewana (if the road is ok this summer!), and Stokely. We plan to allow pacers to join after Batchewana (again, we want to double-check the road conditions). After that, as I mentioned above, the course is still a bit up in the air. Having said that, we do have many options in mind, but we want to exhaust all contacts for the existing course. So please stand by, and we will get back to you in the next week or so.
The race will still finish at The Bush Plane Heritage Centre, which we announced during the course reveal.
The event rules will be similar to our other events, such as The Divide 200.
MEET THE RACE DIRECTOR
We are so pleased to introduce John Rasmussen, our new Race Director for both of our Ontario Races.
"At the age of nine years old, I became infatuated with the sport of triathlon and it led me towards a lifelong pursuit of excellence in endurance sport.
In the early 2000s, I was fortunate to be inspired by John Salt who created a pathway for me, and countless others, across Canada to not only race in triathlons, but be part of an incredible community collectively celebrating and coming together to be their best.
I experienced the same atmosphere and camaraderie at my first ultra-distance trail race in 2023 at the Canadian Death Race and have been hooked ever since. It is with that same vision and passion that I hope to emulate in all the races that I direct at Sinister Sports.
I aspire to foster a culture where everyone who steps on a Sinister Sports start line, volunteers, cheers, or maybe even has a little fear, feels welcomed and celebrated. I hope that together we can create unforgettable memories that shape us to our core and we can grow together in the years to come.
Off the trails, I am a father, husband, and lifelong athlete. I am always happy to connect especially over chocolate and coffee, so please never hesitate to reach out!"
See you in four months!
Kind regards,
Brian Gallant
Event Director
