The rain and hail didn’t stop enthusiastic relay participants
from competing in the annual Raging Elk Powder, Pedal, Paddle (PPP) relay this Saturday.
Dressed in their best costume attire, 23 teams skied, biked and paddled their way through Fernie.
Sporting rock star and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle outfits, the relay racers were divided up into 17 teams of between one and five participants and six brave soloists.
“[We have] some great costumes this year,” Fernie Alpine Resort (FAR) marketing coordinator Karen Pepper said, adding that despite lower than usual numbers, participants had a lot of energy.
The 18.5 km trek began at the top of the Great Bear Express Quad chairlift, where participants skied 4.5 km into Cedar Bowl, ending at the bottom of Kangaroo run.
Mike Wenzlawe with FAR noted that participants typically ski another route, but due to unfavorable skiing conditions the route was switched this year.
Following the ski portion of the race, bikers pedaled 6 km through the Timberline Subdivision and down Highway 3 to the Fernie bike-paddle exchange.
Braving the chilly Elk River, paddlers in canoes and kayaks raced 6 km to the bottom of Ski Hill Road where runners finished off the last leg of the run, dashing 2 km up the hill to the ski base finish line.
Competition results will be announced at 5:30 p.m. following the Fernival Festival’s free concert.