Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge tests racers strength

BROKAW, Wis. (WSAW) - Five hundred racers set out to the woods for the 7th annual Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge. The event is the largest adventure race in the country.

“It’s kind of like a triathlon but offroad and with no marked course,” said Tim Buchholz, the race director for the Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge.

Racers started on their marks at a site in Brokaw to test their physical and mental strength.

“It’s an adventure race where teams of two to four and soloists compete in a navigation-based event where they have a map and compass to find checkpoints we’ve placed throughout the woods, throughout northern Marathon County here,” said Buchholz.

Racers got to choose whether they wanted to participate in a 3-hour, 8-hour, or 18-hour race.

“So they’re on mountain bikes, they’re in canoes, they’re in kayaks, they’re running through the woods. And they’re not just running on roads and trails, they’re running literally through the woods in what we call bushwhacking,” said Buchholz.

Stephen Regenold and his team took first place in a competition. He said it took his team 13 hours to complete the race.

“You know it’s funny, but for me, it’s really to push my personal limits in kind of physical, psychological, emotional,” said Regenold.

Racers ranged from ages 7 to almost 70.

“We’ve got something special here. To get 500 people racing through the woods all day long, you don’t see that everywhere,” said Regenold.

The proceeds from the event will go to the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point and the Wausau and Marathon County Parks Foundation.

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