Western Canada’s first 200-mile race has begun (and you won’t want to miss a thing)
The Divide 200 will test the limits of 100 runners over the coming week
Photo by:
Raven Eye Photography
Western Canada’s first-ever 200-mile race kicked off at 10:00 am ET on Tuesday, and runners from across Canada and beyond embarked on a 201-mile (324 km) challenge along parts of the Great Divide trail. Climbing 12,335 metres in elevation, with a time limit of 100 hours, runners will test their limits in the Rocky Mountains and must wrap up their journey by Saturday morning. It’s the adventure of a lifetime, and 100 eager runners earned their spots through a lottery to brave the trail for the coming week.
Spanning the Continental Divide between Alberta and B.C., the GDT traverses the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains for more than 1,100 kilometres. It is known for being one of the planet’s most stunning and challenging long-distance trails. Race director Brian Gallant explains that the GDT was a jumping-off point for the event. “The Continental Divide inspired the concept behind the race,” he says.
This inaugural 200-mile event is hosted by the non-profit Western Ultra Racing Association (WURA). Sinister Sports (best known for a trio of challenging races it hosts annually–Sinister 7, the Canadian Death Race and the Black Spur ultra–was contracted to organize the event and provide logistics for WURA, something Gallant felt his team was a great fit for. “I’m really proud of the crew I have and I know we are the right people to make this happen,” he says.
Not for the faint of heart, The Divide 200 is described as an event for people with alpine experience, and while the course is set and marked, there are still sections that require route-finding, as “it’s just really gnarly out there.”
The race website describes the course as a combination of singletrack and double track, with a small amount of road, cross country, and even a bit of bushwhacking and scrambling. “River crossings? Yes, that’s par for the course in the Rockies,” Sinister Sports shares.”The race is about alpine travel, ridge walks and getting you into the remote backcountry.”
Some notable names in ultrarunning lined up to take on the challenge. “We really want to highlight the incredible women,” Sinister Sports crew member Kirsti Dolson says. Trail fans may recognize Mika Thewes, a veteran of the 200-mile distance and the winner of this year’s Bigfoot 200. Thewes will be sharing the trail with Joanna Ford, an Alberta local who was the sixth woman in the 2022 Hardrock 100. “We’re wondering if Jen Segger will be able to knock their socks off with her backcountry and adventure racing experience,” says Dolson.
Dave Proctor of Okotoks, Alta., is a runner many Canadians will recognize, known for his cross-Canada record-setting trek in the summer of 2022. Mental health advocate and fellow Albertan Evan Birch will hope to give Proctor a challenge, as will Stuart Chutter of Killaly, Sask. A self-described soil farmer and diversity advocate, Chutter is known for being the only person ever to have signed up for all of Sinister Sports’ events in one year.
Dolson is quick to add that there will certainly be some dark horses vying for the lead positions in the race. “This course really needs people to be a Jack-of-all-trades,” she says.
Fans interested in checking out the full racer list can head here. Live tracking will be available throughout the 100-hour event, and fans can “dot watch” here.
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