Dozens of hardy athletes came through Niverville on Saturday, February 17 as part of the Actif Epica race. Participants in the race run and bike over one hundred kilometers from near the U.S. border up to Winnipeg through winter conditions, with several checkpoints along the way.
The race is billed as “a self-supported ultra-endurance event in extreme trail and weather conditions” that celebrates health, resilience, and the environment. The race has multiple start points: cyclists can start a 200-kilometre race in Emerson, while the longest distance runners can start a 162-kilometre race in Ridgeville. Bikers and runners alike can start a 120-kilometre race in St. Malo. From there, all racers follow the Crow Wing Trail, checking in at St Pierre-Jolys, the Crystal Springs Hutterite colony, Niverville Arena, St. Adolphe, the University of Manitoba campus, and finally The Forks.
Outdoor runners and winter bikers came through the Niverville checkpoint between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, just as locals were gathering at the arena for the town’s annual Family Snow Day. The lead runner in the 162-kilometre race checked in at 3:59 p.m. when the temperature was -13 degrees Celsius plus windchill.
