While old Ernest probably didn’t say this, we’re pretty sure that he would have, if he’d given Adventure Racing a shot.
Ready to join the fastest growing sport in the world? Adventure Racing stirs together cycling, paddling and trekking – with a dash of orienteering – to become a breathless race against the clock to cover ground and get points.
Adventure racing takes mountain biking, kayaking, and trekking, shakes them up like a snowglobe, and throws in a dash of orienteering to become the most addictive race format you’ve ever experienced. You can race either as a solo or a team, and the flexible nature of the course means anyone can join in, from weekend warriors to experienced enduros. You won’t know the layout and order of the race til just before start, so everyone is on a level playing field when the event begins.
Every race becomes a choose-your-own adventure experience, as you decide which checkpoints to chase and how much ground you can cover during the event. No two races are ever the same – even for different teams in the same race! All five of our 2023 events are in different terrains and have different lengths, so you can mix up your own crazy recipe depending on where you’d like to race. But be warned – some of our events are one-time-only in a given location, so if you miss it, you’ve lost your chance to race there forever!
Most events have a 90-day registration window, but you can join the pre-race registration list with a $25 deposit and you’ll get advance notification and an early sign-up window. Just click the button and tell us which event you want to pre-register for!
Bike. Trek. Paddle. It’s you against the clock in the world of adventure racing.
Will you ring the finish line bell before time runs out?
The Savannah Scramble – 10 Hour Adventure Race
April 22nd, 2023 – Savannah, GA
Our flagship race returns! This 10-hour event opens the Possum Jump race season in our beloved second home, Savannah, GA. You’ll have 10 hours to trek, paddle and bike through this 300-year old city (yes, there’s an urban portion) as well as explore the primeval marshes and pass under centuries-old oaks in the surrounding nature areas.
The flat nature of the terrain means you’ll cover ground faster than you expect, and the welcoming atmosphere of both Savannah and the participants make this an amazing event for first-time racers. Last year we had almost 40% of the field who were new racers, and almost all of them went on to do another Possum Jump event later in the year!
Race registration opens on Christmas Day 2022 and ends on April 15th, 2023
Register by April 10th to guarantee a T-shirt!
Showdown on the Santa Fe – 18 Hour Adventure Race & 6 Hour Sport Race
June 24th & 25th – Owens-Illinois Park, Gainesville, FL
Our only long-form race! If you’ve always wanted to see what Florida was truly like before tourism, snowbirds, and a certain Mouse made it famous, this is your chance.
Owens Illinois is our starting point, as we send you out into a landscape dotted by moss-draped oaks, towering bald cypress, and palmetto thickets strong enough to hide bobcats, whitetail deer, and the occasional checkpoint. Your race starts at high noon and you’ll be deep in the wild by sunset – deep enough to hear owls stealthy flight overhead and catch the reflection off a pair of eyes as the night animals come out to play. Is that splash by the river an otter, hunting dinner, or an alligator eyeing your canoe? Only one way to find out!
Just a short drive from downtown Gainesville, this race is a perfect way to spend a summer weekend exploring.
Registration opens March 31st, 2023 and closes June 15th 2023
Registration opens May 1st, 2023 and closes August 10th, 2023!
Registration opens June 30th, and ends September 15th, 2023
The Palmetto Possum – 8 Hour Adventure Duathlon (Bike/Trek Only)
November 11th, 2023 – Croft State Park, South Carolina
Our most popular event so far! Short enough to not require a pre-dawn check-in, but brutal enough to make you question all your life choices, the Palmetto Possum winds through all 7,000 acres of Croft State Park, the second-largest state park in South Carolina. Last year’s event had participants dubbing part of the mountain bike segment “Murder Death Hill” so you can only imagine what we’ll come up with this year!
The duathlon format of this race means you don’t have a paddle segment, just trek and bike. So it is more accessible for beginners, who may have concerns about finding checkpoints on the paddle, and no need to supply your own paddles/boats/pfd’s. Since we don’t have to rent boats from an outfitter, we are able to keep the registration price down, making this our most affordable race as well!
Croft State Park is only 15 minutes outside Spartanburg, SC so there are plenty of camping and RV options, and our start and end point is right on the lake, so you can enjoy a sunset BBQ after you’ve thrashed yourself to bits on some of the most highly-rated bike and hike trails in the state. We pushed the date a bit later this year to catch the peak of leaf season and some cooler temps so you can enjoy the beauty of the park while you’re cussing about the spiderweb of bike trails that are concealing the checkpoints from you!
The Palmetto Possum will move to another park in 2024/25 before returning to Croft, so if you want to race in this gem of a park, you need to sign up for this year’s event! We absolutely love Croft but don’t want to let the race get stale, so we’re going to put in the effort to create a different Palmetto Possum next year (it will still be in South Carolina though !)
This was the first race that approached sell-out in our first year so it will have a slightly longer registration period so as many people can get signed up as possible. We’ve negotiated a higher participant limit – 75 racers – with the park, so everybody pack your bags and get on up here!
Registration opens July 4th, and ends November 1st, 2023
POSSUM JUMP ADVENTURES 