Element Racing has a long history of developing and providing fun, unique, and world-class events for over 15 years and their partnership with XTERRA: Conquer the Crater is a testament to this experience. The athletic goal instilled by this partnership has always been to provide a world-class event that will challenge athletes of all levels, but be fun, scenic, and in today's new reality, SAFE!!

This year's XTERRA: Conquer the Crater Off-road Triathlon

We will be implementing a COVID-19 athlete safety protocol of completely closed 30 (max) age and gender-specific wave starts to ensure social distancing throughout the entirety of the race course. The 750 meter swim course will again be held in pristine Crowley Lake, located within the Kivi Park boundaries, approximately 4.5k south of the park’s main entrance. Without a single house or camp located anywhere along the lake's shore this hidden gem provides a quiet solitude for folks escaping the noise of the city and wanting a peaceful place for non-motorized water sports (except on XTERRA race-day).

The bike course will begin with a challenging return to the main park over a combination of intermediate single-track and wide double-track crusher dust trail, containing 2 long climbs. The mountain bike course will then take riders across iconic vistas of the Canadian Shield, showcasing the region’s famous rock, pine forests and lakes. The remainder of the bike course will be a mixture of intermediate to advanced single track and double-track ski trails. In order to re-introduce folks back to racing we are reducing the length of this year's bike course to 17-19K, full mapping details are still pending.

Athletes will then transition through T2 onto the cross-country run course, which again will include double-track crusher dust ski trails and challenging single-track hiking trails. This race course is designed so that cyclists and runners will not have to share the same trails. Just like the bike course, this year's run course will be reduced between 7.5k to a max distance of 9k.

Both the bike and run course will take you through some of the most challenging trails within the Canadian Shield, taxing your legs on short and long steep ascents and requiring bike handling and running skills during the descents. While nothing on the course is scary or dangerous, the technical sections will certainly reward the skilled riders.

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Friday, August 13, 2021

Saturday, August 14, 2021

For the last year our team has faced the reality of not being able to do what we care about the most – delivering world-quality race experiences for athletes of all levels in an effort to raise money and awareness that improves the survival rate and quality of life of children and their families impacted by paediatric cancer in Northeastern Ontario. With a diverse team of technical race experts, healthcare professionals, and event planners we have re-purposed our focus and efforts into things we could control. As the world reopens and a new normal emerges, building on the best practices and successes of the international racing community, we have designed an event that will reclaim the confidence, comfort, and credibility that our athletes, volunteers, and host site have come to expect. We appreciate the commitment, passion, and perseverance that our community continues to display, and take motivation from it in everything we do. We are proud to share with you the re-imagined path forward and can’t wait to see you at the races again.

The swim portion of the event for 2021 will be 750M and held within very protected waters of Kivi Park and is an un-populated inland lake that is approximately 43.5 hectares in size. The water quality of the lake is typically very good with low phosphorus and E-coli levels as there are no homes or camps located near the shoreline, and will be tested the month prior and the week of the event. The water temperature ranges expected for that time frame are between 22-24oC, depending on recent weather leading up to the event. The swim course lends itself to safety and ease of monitoring, as it is an elongated triangle shaped course which follows the contour of the shoreline. Due to the proximity to the shoreline athletes are typically never more than 50-100m from shore at any part of the swim.

Transition #1:
Given the unique layout of the event, T1 and T2 will be located in different sections of the park. All athletes will exit the water and follow the one-way direction to their pre-racked mountain bikes where they will transition, place all personal belongings into their provided gear-bag as they transition to the bike portion of the race. All athletes will walk to the designated 'mount zone' discard their 'gear bag' and proceed onto the mountain bike course.

The bike course will begin with a challenging return to the main park over a combination of intermediate single-track and wide double-track crusher dust trail, containing 2 long climbs. The mountain bike course will take riders across iconic vistas of the Canadian Shield, showcasing the region’s famous rock, pine forests and lakes. It will challenge athletes of all skill levels navigating the trail, rocks, roots, trees and wildlife. The bike course will contain a mixture of intermediate to advanced single track and double-track ski trails.

Transition #2:
T2 will set athletes off onto the cross-country run course (7.5-9K), which again will include double-track crusher dust ski trails and challenging single-track hiking trails. This race course is designed so that cyclists and runners will not have to share the same trails. Just like the bike course, this year's run course will be reduced between 7.5k to a max distance of 9k.

Both the bike and run course will take you through some of the most challenging trails within the Canadian Shield, taxing your legs on short and long steep ascents and requiring bike handling and running skills during the descents. While nothing on the course is scary or dangerous, the technical sections will certainly reward the skilled riders.

Course Maps

Swim Map: (click map below to enlarge)

Bike Maps: (click map below to enlarge)

Run Map: (click map below to enlarge)

Q: Waves?

There is a limited amount of 30 spots available per 10-year age-group/gender category.

Q: How do I Qualify?

XTERRA: Conquer the Crater Off-road Triathlon has been awarded 26 direct entry spots for age-groupers into the XTERRA World Championships held on December 5, 2021 in Kapalua, Maui Hawaii. Those spots will be divided evenly with 13 going to female racers and 13 going to male racers in the following groupings: 18-29 (3 spots), 30-39 (3 spots), 40-49 (3 spots), 50-59 (2 spots), 60+ (2 spots). Please note you will be racing in your corresponding 5 year age group at the XTERRA worlds.

It is our preference that you accept your spot in person before leaving; however given the global uncertainty we also understand if recipients require additional time to weigh their options and make travel arrangements. Please come to the race with some consideration regarding your intent to compete at the World Championships ahead of time. For entries that are differed, they will be rolled down in accordance with XTERRA's policies: There is a roll down but for 2021 XTERRA is restricting it to 3 deep only. If a finisher does not wish to accept the entry, it will then be rolled down to the next fastest finisher within that gender (only 3 deep for 2021).

If you accept a Championship Spots you will have no longer than 2 weeks post event to validate your entry online before that spot is voided. It does not roll down after the initial acceptance at the event awards ceremony.

For more information about the XTERRA World Championships, please visit their website by clicking here!

Q: What Safety Precautions have been implemented?

Five Guiding Principles:

Enhanced Hygiene

• Hand sanitizer, hand washing stations and disinfectant wipes will be readily available around our race venues. Cleaning of common venue areas will be enhanced.
• Staff and volunteers will be provided with face coverings, face shields (if necessary), and gloves to be used while working in all athlete-facing areas. Athletes will be provided with face coverings at packet pick-up and we expect that athletes wear a face covering around our event venues.

Screening & Education:

• Appropriate personal health, personal hygiene and safe support education and training will be provided for staff and volunteers in necessary functional areas.
• Our team consists of Public Health personnel and emergency medicine physicians and nurses that have developed guidelines and will train all staff and volunteers.
• Athletes and volunteers will be required to fill out a pre-race health questionnaire.
• Additionally, no-touch body temperature screening may be instituted based on local outbreak cautionary status/level. Per the World Health Organization guidelines, individuals with a body temperature of greater than 100.4º Fahrenheit or 38º Celsius will not be allowed to race, volunteer or work.

Density Reduction:

• Our teams are instituting measures to increase space for athletes and supporting personnel in areas such as swim start, transition, and finish line.
• In addition, we are making appropriate modifications to, or elimination of, non-essential race services like banquets, in-person race briefings, etc.

Touch-point Minimization:

• We will be reducing or removing touch-points and points of interaction between staff, participants, and volunteers in many aspects of the event. We have redesigned and re-imagined areas such as athlete check-in, expo, merchandise, transition area and finish line to minimize person-to-person contact.
• Aid stations will be reconfigured to minimize both athlete-to-volunteer and athlete-to-athlete contact.

Athlete Self-Reliance:

• Athletes will be empowered to determine their individual level of self-reliance to further minimize interaction and touch-points with race officials and volunteers.
• Athletes will be encouraged to race smart by carrying nutrition and hydration while utilizing items such as hydration vests and event offered special needs stations.
• Athletes should review and embrace Athlete Smart Tips
• Our best practices will continue to evolve in line with the current environment. Races may be subject to further changes as we align with regional and local government recommendations. Additional correspondence regarding athlete expectations for gear and personal items will be communicated well in advance of race day.

Q: What if the race gets canceled because of COVID-19?

If the event is postponed or cancelled due to health and safety concerns relating to COVID-19 public health regulations athletes will be provided three options:

• Withdrawal/Refund: 50% refund of the entry fee
• Deferral: secured spot for XTERRA: Conquer the Crater 2022
• Donation: you can choose to donate your entry fee to the Northern Cancer Foundation’s Miles Against Cancer Fund

All other self-withdrawals and deferrals will follow the standard event policies.

Q: What are the 'Withdrawal Policies'?

Withdrawal requests must be received via withdrawal form during the following time frames in order to be eligible for a partial refund:

• until 1 months prior to race day: 50% refund of the entry fee
• until 15 days prior to race day: 25% refund of the entry fee
• after 15 days to race day: no refund

Athletes wishing to withdraw may attempt to establish that the damage sustained by the organizer from his/her withdrawal is lower than the agreed-upon amount withheld by the organizer pursuant to these regulations. One-day Triathlon Ontario licenses can only be refunded in case of a withdrawal within the refund deadline. Athletes who had deferred their registration from the year before are not eligible for any refund of the registration fee. Refunds will be transferred to the credit card used during registration.

Q: What are the 'Deferral Policies'?

1. All deferral requests will be honored until 15 days out from the original event date.
2. The deferral program is only for XTERRA: Conquer the Crater Full Course Triathlon and XTERRA: Conquer the Crater 21K Trail Run races and not available for any other events events.
3. Deferrals are only available for individual entries and not for relay teams, complimentary entries or sponsor entries.
4. Athletes who elect to defer their entry forfeit any right for a partial refund, transfer or insurance refund.
5. The deferral may only be used once, unless the race is postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 regulations.

XTERRA: Conquer the Crater 2019 Results

XTERRA: Conquer the Crater 2020 Virtual Race Results were not formally recorded.

The following tips focus on the XTERRA athlete’s ability to be self-reliant on race days. These are skills every athlete should possess to assure their personal safety while training and their ultimate success on race day. Practice these skills today and repeatedly as you prepare for your event.

IN-TRAINING
BUILD SELF-RELIANCE AS YOU DEVELOP YOUR FITNESS
How do you carry nutrition? Your long training day prep should always include the tools you will use on race day. Practice using a hydration pack or race vest on long bike and/or run days. This will limit your need to utilize each aid station out on course and give you the ability to move through the course more efficiently. Make sure you have also practiced your nutrition plan during your long training rides/ runs so you have your it dialed-in for race day.

How well do you know your course?

Practice your planning skills so you can execute flawlessly. For training and racing, course knowledge is critical to success. The change in terrain and location of the aid stations and special needs will help you plan your day. Practice this by making similar plans for your training courses. Create time-based plans and have an “A”, “B” and “C” plan. This will help you prepare nutrition needs no matter what the day throws at you.

Can you change a flat? Fix a dropped chain?

Practice changing the tube or tubular of your bike before heading to your event. Do some dry runs while at home to make sure you are 100% comfortable if you need to change a tire or a tubular tire on race day. Also make sure to bring an additional tube(s) or tire with you to carry during the event in case you have to make a change. You can also drop an extra tube or tire into your bike special needs bag. If you are not totally comfortable with bike maintenance, have your bike tuned up by a mechanic prior to race weekend. This should include making sure your brakes are in good working condition, as well as checking your tires. If you plan to switch to a racing wheel on race day, make sure you have a mechanic check your bike with your racing wheels on.

PRE-RACE
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Nutrition-Plan well, shop early, pack right! Pack your bags a full week ahead of race day. This assures that you arrive at the event prepared with all your nutritional needs for race day. This includes any hydration, food, or any other nutritional items you plan to use on race day. You can use this Packing list as a guide and only check off the items when you place them into your race gear bags. Racing Gear Come to the event prepared with all your race day gear, including items such as your bike shoes, helmet, racing kit, wetsuit/ speed suit, etc. Only in an emergency should you purchase an essential race day item for use that weekend. We recommend laying out your swim, bike and run gear before you pack. Take a picture of each so you can refer and make sure you have not forgotten anything. Additionally, practice removing your wetsuit, simulating race conditions.

Athlete Guide

The Key to Your Schedule: The Athlete Guide is the key to your weekend – where you need to go and who you need to interact with. The XTERRA: Conquer the Crater Team are working to keep the contact points and crowds to a minimum and this is where you can find the details of these specifics for your race site. The more you know prior to arrival, the better you can plan your time. If you’ve raced before, don’t assume the information hasn’t changed from year to year or event to event. Athlete Guide: Read it again. Make sure to read the Athlete Guide a couple of times prior to arriving on site. Pay close attention to the number and location of aid stations, as well as your designated athlete check -in time and bike and gear bag drop-off time. Also make sure you have a parking plan for race day to limit the stress for race morning. Planning ahead of time will lead to a successful race day!

Family and Fans

Family is the ultimate energy giver on race day, but can also be the greatest stressor in the days leading up to the event. Don’t play host all weekend. Develop a specific schedule for meals and entertaining that allows you to achieve your pre-race goals and respects the needs of all members of your entourage. Plan ahead with your family/supporters so you know where to meet up with them postrace. It will be best to pick a location away from the immediate finish area to avoid larger crowds. You can also utilize the event Athlete Guide to determine a spectator friendly area along the course for family/supporters to cheer you on during race day!

RACE DAY
NAVIGATE YOUR DAY WITH CONFIDENCE
Race day will have some operations in place to help athletes navigate physical distancing. A Self-Reliant athlete looking to limit contact points can refer to the following key details on race day.

1. BIKE AND GEAR BAG CHECK-IN
   Take the extra time when packing your gear bags so that when you arrive on site for bike and gear bag check-in, you can drop off your bike and gear as efficiently as possible. Taking the extra time while packing your gear bags and checking your list twice will ensure you have everything you need for race day. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen in your swim to bike and bike to run gear bags as we will not have designated sunscreen volunteers. Hint – upon arrival on the race site, lay out your bags. Place all items that belong in each bag on top of the bag. Take a picture. Refer to the picture to make sure it is packed properly.
2. SPECIAL NEEDS
   Take advantage of the bike and run special needs bags. This is your opportunity to refuel during the bike and run course with the items you trained and practiced with during the weeks and months leading up to event day.
3. STUDY THE COURSE AND VENUE
   Prior to arriving on-site, make sure you review the available course and venue maps. This will help you better understand how the venue is laid out, where to access parking and how you will flow through transition on race morning. Where possible, drive the bike and run course to better understand any turns, turnaround points or out-and-back sections of the course.
4. PLAN YOUR MEALS AHEAD OF TIME
   Prior to arriving, make sure to check out local restaurants and eateries in the vicinity of the venue and your hotel. Make reservations far in advance. This way you can plan-out your meals ahead of time, including dinner the night before race day, and create a plan for breakfast on race morning.
5. RACE MORNING PREPARATION
   Make sure you arrive on-site race morning with a plan to get in and out of transition as quickly as possible, limiting yourself to only the essentials while in the transition area. This includes checking your tire pressure and putting any last-minute nutrition on your bike.
6. FINISH LINE AND FAMILY MEET UP POST RACE
   Set a designated meetup location for family and friends’ post-race. Make sure they know your A, B, and C plans and have a sense of where you may be at specific points of the race. To avoid crowds, set a location to meet up that is away from the finish line and allows at least 30 minutes post-race for you to recover and meet them.