Olympic Peninsula News Group
PORT ANGELES — The Big Hurt, a four-course meal of daunting athletic challenges, is back to test the endurance of individuals and relay teams.
The multi-sport event combining mountain biking, kayaking, road biking and running is set for Saturday in Port Angeles.
Open to participants of ages 15 and older, the Big Hurt sees solo competitors (Iron Division), tandem (two-person) and four-person teams complete four legs from the foothills of the Olympic Mountains to the Port Angeles waterfront.
Leg one is a 16-mile mountain bike course set on a logging road, single-track trail and a paved roads to Port Angeles’ Waterfront Park. Leg two is a 3-mile, out-and-back kayak course in Port Angeles harbor. Leg three is a 30-mile road bike course that sees competitors ride toward Freshwater Bay and along Elwha River Road. The final leg is a 10-kilometer run on the paved Olympic Discovery Trail.
Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female Iron Division finishers, and to the top three overall teams.
The Big Hurt event central, or Hub, is located in downtown Port Angeles at the Waterfront Park at the intersection of Oak Street and Railroad Avenue.
Olympic Distributing, Station 51 Taphouse and Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club host the beer garden and food concession at the Hub, which is open to the public and race participants. Each participant gets one free beer, compliments of The Big Hurt and Olympic Distributing. A food table with snacks will be available for race participants.
Cost is $100 for single competitors, $130 for tandem or high school relay teams, and $260 for all other teams.
A portion of event proceeds are donated to the Peninsula Trails Coalition, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the construction, maintenance, and promotion of the Olympic Discovery Trail and Olympic Adventure Trail.
Packet pick up is from 5-9 p.m. today at Barhop Brewing, and 7-8:30 a.m. Saturday at Waterfront Park. Each team must bring a completed team roster and signed liability waivers to pick up the packets.
For course maps, event details or to register, go to bighurtpa.com.
Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News Kayakers pull into shore during the second leg of the Big Hurt in 2017. Upon reaching shore, kayakers transitioned to a 30-mile bike ride.
