New Adventure Race Set Amidst Spokane’s Natural Beauty
Spokane’s newest multi-sport race—Plante’s Ferry Adventure Race (PFAR), put on by Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association (SpVJSA)—will start teams and individuals at Plante’s Ferry Park in the Spokane Valley and take participants on a breathtaking tour of the Centennial Trail, the Spokane River, and Beacon Hill, Sunday, September 18, 2011, starting at 8 a.m. Twenty percent of proceeds will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Open to kids 14 years and older and adults, PFAR accepts teams of three, for either the Team Extreme or Team Sprint. Individuals may also compete in the Solo group. Team Extreme requires each team member to compete in all legs of the race, in relay style; Team Sprint allows each team member choose the leg in which they want to compete, also in relay style. Categories include Youth (14-18), Friends, Family, Ladies, and Corporate, all of which are $99 to register, and Individual which is $49. Teams can register online at www.PlantesFerry.com; registrations are due by September 2, 2011.
“It’s such an amazing area and we really wanted to showcase it,” said Chris Sande, SpVJSA President and PFAR organizer. “Spokane has so much natural beauty that I think a lot of people are missing out on; we want to show them, even if you live on the South Hill, or North Side, yes there’s beauty just about everywhere in Spokane but there is also a multitude of unique opportunities to enjoy in the Spokane Valley.”
Teams or individuals will begin with the kayak/canoe leg, which measures approximately 4 miles. Competitors will paddle downstream to the Argonne Bridge to collect a token before heading back upstream to the starting line.
The second leg of PFAR will be mountain biking, at an approximate distance of 16 miles. Competitors will start at Plante’s Ferry Park and peddle west on the Centennial Trail to Camp Sekani on West Upriver Drive. Competitors will then traverse up Camp Sekani’s Mountain Bike Park to the top of Beacon Hill to collect a second token. From there they will continue back down the mountain and to the starting line in Plante’s Ferry.
The third and final leg of PFAR will be running, for an approximate distance of 7 miles. Competitors will start at Plante’s Ferry Park and run across the Centennial Trail Bridge, then head east to the Sullivan Bridge where they will receive their final token before heading back to the finish line in Plante’s Ferry Park.
Overlooking the Spokane River, Plante’s Ferry Regional Park is located on east Upriver Drive in the Spokane Valley along the north bank of the Spokane River, just below Arbor Crest Winery. The park is one of the area’s richest historical sites. Once a principle river crossing for the Spokane Indian Tribe, fur trader Antoine Plante built the first permanent residence in the Spokane Valley here in 1849.
The Park covers 91 acres, and includes play equipment, hiking trails, 5 softball fields, 13 soccer fields, shelters, a BBQ area, and ample parking space.
