Paleo Eats Presents EO Scholarship to Team Bend Racing Canada
We are especially excited to announce the third $1000 team scholarship for the upcoming Expedition Oregon: Team Bend Racing Canada/Paleo Eats!
Sponsored by the race organization itself and local nutrition bar company Paleo Eats, the all Canadian Bend Racing team is comprised of two race veterans and two relative newcomers racing their first expedition race.
The team is led by powerhouse Alexandre Provost: a strong navigator and super competitive athlete from Quebec. Alex raced with Team BendRacing/YogaSlackers at the 2016 Patagonia Expedition Race and impressed everyone with his ability to carry three packs, as well as his invention of “Space Blanket Underwear.” (See video). He usually races on Team Canada AR, and has been on podiums around the world. As far as we can tell, he has no weaknesses.
Except that when he gets sleep deprived, he can only talk in French.
He is joined by his partner Karine Corbeil, who is a wildcard for sure. Alex and Karine have been training together for the past few years and have raced together on a number of shorter events. It is always interesting to see how romantic partners fare during the longer events when fatigue, sleep deprivation, and getting lost can fray the nerves to the extreme. Some couples get torn apart, some come closer together. We also know that Karine is an accomplished photographer, so we hope she has time to capture a few vista if they take a camera.
Canadian endurance powerhouse James Gallipeau brings more depth to the team as one of the strongest racers out there period. He is a Quebec native who recently transplanted to the west coast. James has also raced with Team Canada AR, and he clinched a top spot in the 2016 World Series race in Wyoming as guest member of team Adventure Medical Kits. Like Alex, he is also known to carry 3 packs (something in the French Canadian water?!?). He is a PhD in sports psychology and regarded by his former teammates as one of the most positive people in the sport. A Bonus? He, too, reverts to French when he is tired.
Mark Sky (aka “SuperMark”) rounds out the squad as the only teammate that does not speak French. Living in Squamish, Mark caught the attention of Team Bend Racing after his first few races and was asked to join them on some shorter races in 2017. This will be his first expedition race, and his first real test with sleep deprivation, but he has more than enough stoke for the entire team. Mark discovered the sport in 2016 and dove into it headfirst. The metaphor that comes to mind is a puppy with boundless energy that finally gets to play with the big dogs. He really is that excited. The Expedition Oregon media team also likes taking his picture because “he just always looks good.”
The team has the bonus of being able to train together in some respect with Alex and Karine on the East Coast and James and Mark on the West Coast. Additionally, both Alex and James are able to use their experience to help mentor the newer teammates in the coming months.
EO Speculation Stats
Competitiveness: 85%
They are wearing the Bend Racing colors, so that alone should help them go fast! And both Alex and James are accustomed to racing at the top of the field in expeditions. Will they be able to keep that edge when Mark and Karine enter into new territory on day 3?!?
Experience: 95%
James and Alex could each lead a team of total newbies and find a way to finish this race. Together, they more than make up for any inexperience of the rest of their team.
Navigation: 95%
Alex is one of the best in the business. Sure he makes mistakes like everyone, but he recognizes them quickly. James is a good back-up navigator, too.
Local Edge: 50%
Mark has raced several races in Central Oregon, and Alex trained out here before the Patagonia race with the team. That will give them a good start.
Winning Likelihood: 60%
They are going for the podium, and as long as they don’t fall into making excuses (“We’ve got two newer racers so it is ok to be in 5th” kind of thing), they will get there.
But why no Dan, Stephen, or Chelsey?
As the organizer of the event, race director Jason Magness decided to not allow any members of Bend Racing’s elite squad to race in the event on the chance that the team ended up on top of the podium. He wanted to be able to celebrate the winning without question. “And let’s be honest,” he said in a recent media post, “if a team comprised of my wife Chelsey, next door neighbor and 10-year teammate Daniel, and lifetime Bend local Stephen won the race, it would just be a bit of a question mark in many people’s minds. Even mine.”
Meet the Sponsors
Step into an era of great taste and rock-solid nutrition fueled by the foods of our ancestors. Made from 100% palate and Paleo-friendly ingredients, Paleo Eats bars help us thrive. Paleo Eats Bars are ideal for anyone who wants to feel better, lose weight, boost energy, prevent autoimmune disease, and avoid foods that aggravate dietary intolerances. Unlike other foods on the market, Paleo Eats products use only high-quality ingredients designed to improve your life rather than increase shelf-life. Eat how you were designed to eat. Give in to your primal appetites and evolve to a better, tastier way of fueling your body and your life.
Bend Racing
Bend Racing is the gateway to the most rewarding adventure races in the pacific Northwest. Created for racers by racers, we pride ourselves in a long tradition of excellence in course design, logistics, and safety while maintaining high adventure, real competition, and accessibility for new athletes in the sport.
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