1st Annual M-22 Challenge- Update 4

Registration Update:
The first registration will take place at the M22 store in downtown Traverse City from 5-7pm on Thursday June 18^th.  If you are under 18 please bring a parent or guardian.  During the registration time everyone will receive a 22% discount on all products at the M22 Store!  New registrations are welcome at no additional charge!

Second registration will be from 5-9pm on Friday June 19^th at the event site.  At this time you will be able to setup your bike and kayak placement.  There will be a $25 additional fee if you are not pre-registered.

Late registration will take place from 7-8AM on Saturday June 20^th.  No registrations will be accepted after 8AM on June 20^th.  No refunds will be issued for any reason. There will be a $25 additional fee if you are not pre-registered.

Course Order Change: bike – run – paddle
After months of approval in our course order, a certain Leelanau County Official has insisted that we alter the arrangement of the three disciplines. The event will now commence with the bike portion, then follow into the running segment, and still finish with the paddle. For the 17-mile bike, riders will be escorted by the Leelanau County Sheriffs Department in what is called a “rolling enclosure,” meaning all riders within the leading and trailing police escorts have right-of-way to all vehicles. This is very similar to the attention to safety the Sheriffs Department gives to the Tour De Leelanau, however no drafting will be allowed.

This change will allow the roadways to clear earlier in the morning, and ensure a very safe event with the support of the Sheriffs Department. It will also create a more exciting spectator area where people will be able to witness all three portions of the event happening from the event site at one time. So be sure to encourage your friends and family to make it out to support the participants.

Timing: How the event is scored
Please remember staging is open between 7 and 8:30am on Saturday morning. The event will begin at 9am in the northbound lane of M-109 by a “shotgun start.” Participants are allowed to line up behind the start line at 8:45am with their bikes, we ask that the more advanced athletes line up first. At 9am we will signal the start of the race and all athletes will ride through the start line following the police escort.

King and Queen of the Dune will be scored separate from race order, but individually for the time it takes to make it from the bottom of the dune to the top marker. This means the quickest one to the top wins regardless of overall placement.

Each athlete will finish the event by passing through the finish line in the water into a holding area. From there we will have assistants help file athletes into a corral to ensure proper finish order and file watercraft back into the staging area. Race results will be posted at the awards ceremony at approximately 12pm at the event site.

Watercraft Decontamination: Glen Lake Association
The Glen Lake Association has recently passed a local ordinance asking that all watercraft placed in Glen Lake is decontaminated by pressure washing. Those renting kayaks from Crystal River Outfitters will have their boats already prepared and do not need to be concerned with this matter. Those bringing their own watercraft need to have their boat rinsed off at the boat launch on Day Forest Road. The Glen Lake Association will have staff present from 5-9pm on June 19, and 6-8am on June 20. A sticker will be placed on your boat to confirm it has been properly cleaned. Please see below document for map to location.