Register Now For The 2nd Annual North Of 7 Challenge

Jeff Green | Aug 02, 2023

Frontenac County and Lennox and Addington residents had their first opportunity to participate in a backwoods Obstacle Course Race (OCR) last September at the North of 7 Challenge on Jacques Bay Road near Skootamatta Lake, north of Cloyne.

New(ish) local residents Sylvie Minaigre and Mitch Broser are Obstacle Course Racers who have been developing and refining a 3km obstacle course on their rugged 100-acre property for a couple of years now, and preparations are well underway for the September 9th event.

“We have added six new obstacles to the course,” said Sylvie, “and in some ways have made it a little easier. Last year, we left some of the trees that came down from the Derecho as obstacles, but we have cleaned some of that up, and moved some things around for this year’s race.”

A map of the course is being made this week and will be up on Northof7challenge.com within a week or two. Sylvie hopes to be putting up some videos during the month of August about how to tackle some of the obstacles to help participants prepare for race day. The course also incorporates parts of the property that are used as on the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Cloyne loop each winter.

One thing that they are not planning to do is turn their obstacle course run into anything but a wilderness run.

“When I first started with OCR about 7 years ago, the courses resembled what we have here. Someone used the features of the land and added some materials here or there to make the obstacles, but now that the sport has grown many of the races have a more corporate, less natural feel. That won’t happen here.”

In addition to the race being part of a network of OCR’s in Ontario that attract dedicated racers, the North of 7 Challenge is very interesting in attracting local residents to participate in the sport. While the competitive racers can opt for the 2-hour challenge, where they complete as many loops as possible over a two-hour time period. There are also single heat speed races, and fun run options (where participants can opt in or out of individual challenges) as part of the race day, and there is a 1km children/youth challenge.

This year there is also a single loop first responders challenge, with a 20-pound weight to be “dragged, carried, or pushed or pulled” all the way to the finish line.

“We are interested in promoting the sport to local residents, and introducing the local terrain and local activities to the OCR races who travel around the province to events, including chopping wood which was a popular novelty for outside racers last year, but a common activity for locals.”

Milligan’s Meats a BBQ during race day, and Kick and Push Brewery will be on site as well. And this year, one free child registration goes with every adult registration Camping is also available on site for $35.

For much more information race and options and to register, go to Northof7Challenge.com. Enter the code FRONTENAC NEWS for a discount. There are also discounts available for groups.