LAUGHLIN, NV FEBRUARY 2017

The Happy Mutant Adventure Race Series kicks of the 2017 season with a full-on expedition length race in the high desert outside of Las Vegas, NV. The first stop of the HMARS 2017 lands in the tri-state area of Nevada, California and Arizona for a perfect way to shake off the winter blahs for those in the Northern hemisphere and, for those south of the equator, a time to show off their form.
Make sure to allocate a few days after the race to take in the sights and sounds of Las Vegas’s nightlife, catch sunset and hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and marvel at the massive Hoover Dam. Natural hot springs dot the area and adventure racing recovery is much more relaxing poolside! The area is family friendly should an entire holiday be planned.

Keeping with the Happy Mutant goal of providing Affordable, Accessible Adventure this region fit the bill perfectly. It is relatively inexpensive to fly into Las Vegas’s McCarron International Airport from any place in the world. Just outside the city limits lie an abundance of land begging for the outdoor adventurer to come play on. Wide-open land for cross country travel, massive lakes and the Colorado River that formed the western landscape into the spectacle draws millions of visitors annually will all play vital roles during this adventure.

As racers compete for 4-5 days in, and around, the Mojave Desert they will earn points and qualifying status in four different adventure racing series making this event one of the most prestigious races on the 2017 calendar.

The European Series in Adventure Racing (www.areuroseries.com) and the HMARS are excited to offer the first non-European location for the Series. AR Euro Series Director Marek Navratil is excited to offer this “unique external transatlantic cooperation” to their six-race European schedule.
“Our goal is to grow adventure racing on a global scale and partnering with the AR Euro Series opens the international door,” explained HMARS Director Toby Evans. “Combining efforts with Marek in Europe, Troy at USARA, Doug at NAARS makes sense for our long-term goals for the sport.”

Our Mojave Expedition Race will be a “prestige race” in The North American Adventure Race Series (www.northamericanar.com), and qualifier for the United States Adventure Racing Association’s (www.usara.com) National Championships. The geographic location, disciplines, format and timing make this event a perfect way for teams looking for a place to test gear, teammates and strategy for the upcoming Adventure Racing World Championships in Wyoming will find this venue fits the bill perfectly over this 500km course.

“This race will be perfect to knock off the winter rust and prepare for the World Championships hosted by our friends at Rev-3 next summer,” Evans said. “Teams will cover the course in packrafts, kayaks, mountain bikes. The trekking sections will offer challenging, but fair, navigation and some incredible vistas. Our ropes, caving and canyoneering sections are a blast.”

The Tropicana Laughlin will serve as the event host and is offering a special rate of $39.99/night for all teams and spectators. There will be a vendor expo during check-in registration for those last minute race needs. We will have CO2 inflation cartridges, bear spray and other items not permitted to fly for sale as well.

Race Format
The competitive field will be capped at 200 participants. Teams can be comprised of 2-4 people. Solo racers will be accepted on an individual basis. The cash prize eligible category will be FOUR-PERSON Co-ed only.

Prizing: $25,000 in cash and prizes
If a minimum 20 teams in the CO-ED 4-person division register the cash purse of $20,000.00 USD will paid in the following levels:
1st =$10,000.00
2nd=$4,000.00
3rd=$3,000.00
4th=$2,000.00
5th=$1,000.00

Disciplines: Mountain biking, trekking/trail running, pack rafting, kayaking, ropes, caving, orienteering
Duration: 4-5 days
Total Distance: Approximately 500k
Gear List: Standard ARWS mandatory gear list
Certifications Required: First Aid
Skills Testing: Kayak self-rescue, rappelling
Provided Gear: Inflatable kayaks, topographic maps (1:50,000), passport, ropes.
Gear Delivery: Any products purchased through the Happy Mutant store can be picked up during the check-in process. This includes Moxie Gear, Leki, Kokopelli, Klymit, Light My Fire, Intova, Bike TOGS, Sabre Safety, Bug Protector and all of our retail partners. This includes all items not permitted during air travel.
On-Course Services: Hot food and water at transition areas, provided shelter at TA for sleeping, water and Heka Energy Drink at manned checkpoints, live feed broad band coverage, real-time GPS tracking.

Participating Teams (will be updated as teams check in):