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6/4 ECTAthlon

Join us for ECTA’s first ECTAthlon, what is sure to be  the North Shore Outdoor Event of the Year!   There is nothing else like this one.   Teams of 4 will start in Bradley Palmer with a 3.5 mile run (start and finish at BP Headquarters), handing a baton  off  to a mountain biker on a  3.8 mile ride (ending at Winthrop Street), handing the baton off to a horseback rider for a 4 mile ride (an “ideal time course” ending at the Winthrop St Bridge), and ending with a 4.4 mile  kayak down the Ipswich River from the Winthrop Street Bridge to Peatfield Street and the finish line at the EBSCO Publishing building in downtown Ipswich.   Thank you EBSCO for letting us use your campus and for being our  Platinum Sponsor!

Saturday June 4.   1030 AM  Start for the runners  at Bradley Palmer State Park HQ at 24 Asbury St, Topsfield.

REGISTRATION CLOSES MAY 31 at Midnight!

And thank you to the Institution for Savings , REI and Ipswich Ale for being Gold Sponsors!

Click for the ECTAthlon COURSE FINAL  MAP

For full race Instructions click ECTAthlon instruct0001

There will be a pool of equestrians for those teams that have the running, biking, and kayaking elements.   Register and then email me if you need a rider.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS NEED TO KNOW.  

Runners:   You are the first to go:   Start is at 1030 sharp at Bradley Palmer State Park HQ (Please plan to be there at 945 for registration).   (24 Asbury St, Topsfield).   Your course is about a 3.5 mile long loop  and ends where you started.   Course will be marked with arrows.   When you finish, you can go watch the rest of the race and then head off to EBSCO for the Grand Finish.

Bikers:   You also start at Bradley Palmer HQ as your runner comes in. (I suggest also being at the start for registration at 945).   Your course is about 3.8 miles, winds through Bradley Palmer and ends near the southern end of Winthrop St.   When you finish, you will hand the pinnie to someone who will get it to the equestrian.   Course will be marked with arrows.   You will be required to wear a helmet during hte race.   You will need to get yourself/bike back to BP HQ.

Equestrians:   Your course starts at the jump field on the southern end of Winthrop St. (Hamilton)  (there will be signs and volunteers to guide you for parking) and winds through Groton House and Arbella Farms. Please be at the start by 10:00.   It is an “ideal time” course and is about 4 miles long, ending at the northern end of Winthrop St, where you will hand the pinnie off to your kayaker.   Parking for your trailer will be along Winthrop Street.   Please enter from Highland Street and park only along the right hand side.   You will be required to wear a helmet during the event.

Kayakers:   Your course starts at the Winthrop Street Bridge near the interesection of Topsfield Rd.   Please come in from Topsfield Road  and park in the open field on the right. Arrive with plenty of time to drop your kayak off and park your car.   Recommend arriving at 1030 so you drop your kayak off and park your car.    The Kayaks will be stored on the Hamilton side of Winthrop Bridge.  (There will be a volunteer to guide you for drop off and parking.  You will be required to wear a pfd during the race.   There are two hazards on the paddling course.   The first is a two foot drop one mile into the race.   The other is a railroad bridge you will pass under at the three mile point.   The end of the kayak segment is at the Peatfield St takeout near Riverview Pizza.   You will then run the concluding quarter mile segment to EBSCO along Estes St, so  I suggest you wear some type of shoes.

GOOD LUCK!!

Great Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams from:

New England Running Co. (No. Beverly)
Pinnacle Bikes (No. Beverly)
The Equestrain Shop (Ipswich)
New England SmallCraft (Rowley)

Food by The Farm

Beverages by Ipswich Ale/Mercury Brewing

Music by Orville Giddings Band

Raffle by REI in Reading, MA. (Tent and 2 Sleeping Bags.)

Public is welcome to watch the race, cheer on their teams and come to the celebration afterwards.

Get your team together and get ready to register.   Don’t have a rider?   There will be a pool of horseback riders available if your team has all the other pieces.   You can also get on our facebook event page to help put a team together.

Horse back riders – email me if you can participate in the equestrian pool to fill out a team.

Volunteers.   Email me if you can help out during the race, set up, and clean up.

Registration is $200 per team.   Each member gets a T-Shirt, Lunch, Drink Ticket  and a raffle ticket.

Register Here!   You will be sent final details closer to the event.

Horseback riders must wear an ASTM approved helmet.   Mtn bikers must wear a helmet and kayakers must wear a PFD.

RAFFLE!   REI will be raffling off an REI tent and 2 Sleeping bags.   All participants will receive a raffle ticket and others will be available for purchase at the event!

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