You may have heard of the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race, a prominent North American adventure race held in a different landscape each year. But you may not have heard of the Primal Quest Sprint Series, debuting this year. It is a series of shorter, faster, adrenaline-fueled races.

The Primal Quest Sprint Series races, ranging from four to six hours in length, will be suitable for experienced teams as well as beginner and amateur teams looking to gain more experience in adventure racing. All participants will be on two-person teams—either male, female or co-ed. Each pair will perform traditional adventure racing disciplines: trekking/trail running, mountain biking and paddling. The Sprint Series will also include special disciplines borrowed from military training, such as a cargo net climb and descent, a low crawl and a rope bridge, among others.

In February, Primal Quest management announced the dates and locations for the first three Sprint Series events. They are:
May 10 – Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield, Va.
Sept. 6 – Moraine State Park, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Oct. 4 – U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C.

There are 100 team slots available per race with a $250 registration fee per team.

In 2009, the Sprint Series will expand from three to as many as eight races. While exact dates and locations have not been finalized for 2009, organizers report that hosting offers have poured in from more than 20 states and three countries. With details still pending, the 2009 races will occur as follows: February in Florida, April in Louisiana, May in Virginia, August in Connecticut, September in Pennsylvania, October in North Carolina and November in Georgia.

The individual who earns the most points from the 2008 and 2009 seasons will win free entry into the 2010 Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race. That race will take place in June in Montana this year, challenging 70 to 90 teams of four people with a 450-mile course. Full details can be found at www.ecoprimalquest.com.

For more information about the Primal Quest Sprint Series, please visit www.primalquestsprintseries.com.