From the inspiring to the tragic, ‘Adventure News of the Week’ presents a wrap-up of top news in the world of exploration and adventure.
RUN: Brutal Barkley Marathons Sees No Finishers in 2021. The Barkley Marathons, a brutal elimination race through Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, consists of five 20-mile loops, with time cutoffs after each loop.
The last two runners standing this year, Jared Campbell and Luke Nelson, completed three laps in 40 hours, just past the cutoff time of 36 hours to continue. The Barkleys have seen only 15 finishers in its 35-year history.
DEATH: El Salvador’s Olympic Hopeful Surfer Killed in Lightning Strike. Katherine Diaz, 22, of El Salvador was training for the ISA World Surf Games near her home when she was tragically struck by lightning. Diaz would have competed at the Tokyo Olympics this year.
“It is with a heavy heart that the ISA has learned about the passing of El Salvador’s Katherine Diaz,” wrote ISA Surfing on Instagram. “We send our heartfelt condolences to Katherine’s family, the surfers of El Salvador, and to all those in the international surfing community.”
ICE: Canadian Runner Breaks Barefoot Half-Marathon on Ice. On March 6, Karim El Hayani, a resident of Bromont, Quebec, bested the “fastest barefoot half-marathon on snow or ice” record when he ran a half marathon in 1:36:45.
He’s originally from Spain, making his choice to run barefoot in the cold especially impressive. El Hayani ran his half on a course across Lake Beauport, where temps ranged from 5 degrees Fahrenheit down to -30.
BRAND: Woolrich Brand Joins 1% for the Planet. Woolrich Clothing Company has been using wool for nearly 200 years. Tomorrow, it will announce the establishment of the Woolrich Outdoor Foundation, a separate entity through which Woolrich hopes to reduce its environmental impact.
Woolrich has also joined the 1% for the Planet initiative. The brand will start donating 1% of all sales to aid environmental projects through its foundation.
