Where: Bozeman Montana, USA
When: June 21- July 2, 2008
Imagine 10 days of pure hell. During the day you trek, non-stop, thru rugged desert terrain. It’s 110 degrees and the shredded blisters on your blood soaked feet make every step feel like walking on hot coals.
At night temperatures plummet near freezing and you’re lucky to get 2 hours sleep; you still have to navigate your way up and over a mountain pass to reach the kayak that will whisk you thru 20 miles of treacherous class-five rapids. The next day is pretty much the same thing – only worse!
If this sounds like fun to you:
- A) Go see a shrink.
- B) Consider entering the 2008 Primal Quest Adventure Race.
In only six years, Primal Quest has become North America’s premier expedition-length adventure race. After skipping the 2007 season, Primal Quest is back in full force for 2008. The 2008 race will be held in the Gallatin National Forest, near Bozeman Montana.
Similar to past races, the 2008 event will involve teams of four racers (at least one female), last up to 10 days and cover approximately 450 miles of non-stop, day-and-night trekking, rope climbing, kayaking, rafting, mountaineering, mountain biking and white water swimming to cross the finish line.
Often called The Super Bowl of Adventure Racing this grueling event attracts the most physically fit athletes on Earth. Top competitors are sponsored by corporations like Nike or Seagate and train year round in preparation for the race so unless you’re an ex Navy Seal or champion marathon runner, your chances of winning Primal Quest are pretty slim.
But don’t let the stiff competition dissuade your from jumping in – merely finishing a race like PQ is a major accomplishment – a once in a lifetime adventure you’d never forget.
So, If you’re looking for an opportunity to push your body to the limits of human endurance; to test your outdoor skills and personal character then Primal Quest is the race for you.
How to Enter Primal Quest 2008
Registration is limited to 90 teams, and openings fill up fast. The non-refundable entrance fee is US $12,500 per team, which must be payed in full upon submission of application. The fee covers four team members and two support crew members.
The $25,000 cash prize for first place also comes with a free entrance into the 2009 Primal Quest. For more information, please visit Primal Quest’s website.
This year participants in Primal Quest will wear GPS satellite messengers. These high-tech devices will transmit the racers positions to your home computer via the internet. So, if you can’t make it to Montana to watch in person you can still follow your favorite team from the comfort of your living room with the real-time leader board tracking available on Ecoprimalquest.com.
Primal Quest Sprint Series
Don’t have the time, money or stamina for the Primal Quest? Try a race designed with mere mortals in mind.
New to Primal Quest this year is a spinoff: the Primal Quest Sprint Series. The Sprint Series is a 4-to-6 hour jaunt for two-member teams. The courses cover around 40-50 miles and the transition points will all be in one central spot to make the races more spectator friendly – something not very common in adventure racing.
In the series, participants will rack up individual points, so they don’t have to worry about racing with the same partner in every race. And as a bonus, the series winner will get a free entry into the Primal Quest main event, saving the hefty $12,500 entry fee.
Resources
External links
- Primal Quest Home Page
- A variety of Primal Quest Videos
- Photo essay on the race
- Video of the 2006 race
- Information on 2006 Primal Quest Video
Primal Quest Team Websites
Past Race Locations/Results
2002 – Telluride
- 1st SoBe/SmartWool – became Nike ACG/Balance Bar in 2003
- 2nd Team Montrail
- 3rd Team GoLite
2003 – Lake Tahoe
- 1st Nike ACG/Balance Bar
- 2nd AROC
- 3rd Team Seagate
2004 – San Juan Island
- 1st Seagate
- 1st (tie) Nike ACG/Balance Bar
- 3rd Holofiber
2005 – Race Not Held
2006 – Moab Utah
- 1st Nike PowerBlast
- 2nd GoLite/Timberland
- 3rd Merrell/Wigwam Adventure
2007 – Race Not Held
