Global adventure seeker
Cindy White
A Kelowna adventure racer hopes to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
Curtis Johnson Morrison is training for the competition Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa on October 19th. He is part of one four-person team This includes a couple from South Africa (Di and Neil Steenkamp) whom he has never met in person.
He says each team member has their strengths that will help them overcome the grueling course.
“For example, my partner from Victoria (Riley De Blonde) is a really good kayaker. The couple we met, the husband and wife combination, they are also truly world class paddlers.
“I grew up mountain biking on the trails behind Crawford, so I have a foundation in that,” says Johnson Morrison, who says he enjoys being part of a team sport.
“When a man is struggling and having a hard time, the others can cheer him on and help him through it.”
He is inspired by and wants to represent the Kelowna athletes he sees every day on the trails and at the lake. His motto has always been: “Do cool things and get outside.”
“I think it really contributes to people’s mental health, and that really resonates with me,” Johnson Morrison adds.
His team, dubbed the “Springbok Zambonis” in homage to their Canadian and South African roots, will complete the route with little or no sleep and without the aid of GPS. The event is a combination of orienteering, trekking, mountain biking, paddling and mountaineering.
He hopes they can complete the 700-kilometer race in 6 to 7 days. You can track their progress Here.
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