Buff Betty Women's Adventure Racing

 are you ready for adventure?

Buff Betty Louisville

April 9, 2006

Otter Creek Park
Brandenburg, KY
park website

 race description, disciplines & distances
A six hour, women's only adventure race including paddling, mountain biking, trekking, rappelling, navigation and special challenges.

Remember...Buff is a state of mind and our unique race format enables any reasonably fit and determined competitor to meet the challenge, finish the race, connect with her inner strength, but most of all - have fun!

The Buff Betty adventure race is suitable for ALL athletic women, regardless of experience - skills clinic the day before will give you the confidence to blaze through the course to glory (or to at least not embarrass yourself too bad...) It is competitive, but in a very different way from races that are mostly guys. We think you'll like it no matter how well you do.

 pre-race briefing

 team composition
Teams may be composed of females only and can be from 2-4 women. Solos are welcome as well. Masters teams have an average age of 40 or greater. (For example, a 30 year old and a 51 yr old are a masters team, as are a 39 year old and a 41 yr old.) Mother/daughter teams are composed of at least one mother and up to three of her daughters. Two mother/daughter pairs may form a four woman team.

There is no minimum age for the race, but the Buff Betty will probably be a bit much for children under 16. All children under 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian, and all girls under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (racing) woman.

If you would like to race as a team, but are having a hard time finding other women to race with, please contact the Race Director - we can usually do a pretty good job of matching you up with someone with a similar goals, fitness and experience level.

Several experienced female racers have volunteered to captain teams of newcomers, so if you want to race but are concerned about your lack of experience, we will be glad to find a spot for you on one of these teams, or assign a captain to an inexperienced team you have already formed.
(If you are veteran racer and would like to volunteer to lead a team, please contact the Race Director.)

 prizes & awards
Of course there will be awards and prizes for the top finishers, but we also spread the love around with raffles and random prize-giving, so even if you don't finish as well as you had hoped, you can still have a chance to go home with a little something for your trouble.

 required gear
Mandatory gear:
  • Mountain bike & approved helmet
  • PFD (life vest) must be worn while on the water
    (Rental boats come supplied with PFDs)
  • Climbing harness, descender, locking carabiner, and rappelling gloves (bike gloves are acceptable)

Although we strive to keep the list of required gear to a minimum, that doesn't mean that those items are all you should bring. You should carry whatever you need to feel safe and comfortable given the race description and potential weather conditions. This may include:

  • Hydration pack (ie. Camelbak) & plenty of water (or water purification kit)
  • bike repair kit, pump and spare tubes
  • Extra clothing, windbreaker, fleece
  • First aid kit, small knife, emergency space blanket, whistle
  • Energy bars, gel or snacks

All types of non-motorized boats are allowed - either canoes or kayaks. We have plenty of boats for rent. Each comes supplied with paddles and PFD. For safety's sake - maximum of 3 racers/boat. There are a limited number of single kayaks for solos. Boat rental cost is $20/boat and you will be prompted for boat rental when you register online.

 skills certifications
No skills certifications are required for this race.

The race includes rappelling and it is expected that you have had previous instruction and know how to do so. Trained staff will check you at the top of the descent, but are not there to teach you how to do it on the spot. If you need rappelling instruction, be sure and attend the skills clinics the day before the race.

 SKILLS CLINICS
Skills clinics are from 12:00 noon - 4:00pm Saturday April 8, at Otter Creek Park.

Each clinic will last approx. 2 hours and you will have your choice of two out of three possible offerings.

  • Rappelling
  • Land Navigation
  • Adventure Racing 101

Clinics are free but RSVP is required and we ask for a $10 donation to cover the cost of instructional materials and the picnic afterwards.

You do NOT have to be racing to attend the skills clinics, however attendance is limited to females only. If you have a friend who is on the fence about adventure racing, this is a good opportunity to help give her the confidence she needs to try it next time.

All are welcome at the picnic immediately following the skills clinics and the suggested donation is only $5/person. Meal tickets are also required for non racers at the post race celebration.($5/person)

 maps
Maps will be of a variety of types and scales suitable for the adventure race. They are premarked with checkpoint locations and it will not be necessary to plot CP locations from UTMs.

The race will include 'real' navigation, and while not particularly 'tricky', you will need to be able to read a map and use a compass. If you are unsure of your navigation skills, be sure and join us for the navigation clinic the day before the race. It is, by far, our most popular clinic offering and you'll have lots of company.

 registration
Entries are discounted based on team size, so get some friends to join you - the more the merrier!
Solo or individual registration $65
2 person team $120
3 person team $165
4 person team $200
skills clinic donation
(includes post-clinic picnic)
$10
extra meal ticket $5
boat rental
(max 3 people/boat - includes paddles, PFDs)
$20

There is no race day registration. To properly prepare for your adventure, all participants must pre-register on or before April 04.

If you register on or before March 9, you will receive a high-quality wicking event T-shirt. (otherwise $15)

ONLINE REGISTRATION
To be eligible for discounted team prices, ALL team members must register at one time, so please choose a team captain and have all info available when you register.

MAIL-IN REGISTRATION

downloads a .pdf form that you will need to print and send by mail.
Save the online service fee and register by mail.
To allow time for processing, please have mail-in entries postmarked by March 29.

Please read the refunds policy before registering.

Further information, directions to the START/FINISH and any last minute details will be provided once you have registered.

 contact
For answers to specific adventure racing questions you can contact the race director

 
Is this race for you?

This race is for you if...

  • You're an active female looking for a new challenge
  • If you've always wanted to try an adventure race but have felt intimidated by the competitive aspect
  • You want to experience the supportive vibe found at an all women's race
  • You're raced for years with guys, and for just once, you'd like to be able to hold the map
  • You're an experienced female adventure racer who wants to compete against some of the top woman athletes in the country
How can one race do all this?

Our unique format makes this race suitable regardless of your fitness or experience level.

You'll never know what you can do until you try.

Otter Creek Park is only minutes away from your location:
(map)
Cincinnati 103 miles
Lexington 74
Indianapolis 114
Nashville 84
Columbus 214
St Louis 261

This page last updated 04/01/2006 - copyright©2006 Ambush Adventure Sports Ltd - webmaster