Cabot Trail Relay Race Explained

Bgcolour:aqua
Date:May
Location:Cabot Trail, starting and ending in Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Type:Road Relay
Distance:276.33 km (171.70 mi)
Est:1988
Record:15:43:23 - Team: Maine-iacs - Men (2023)
Homepage:http://cabottrailrelay.com

The Cabot Trail Relay Race is an annual 276.33 km (171.70 mi) relay race around Cape Breton's Cabot Trail.[1] The race takes place over 24 hours in 17 stages and features up to 70 teams and 1,200 runners.[2] [3] The race begins and ends in Baddeck, Nova Scotia.[4] The annual event began in 1988, when just 6 teams participated.[5] Since its founding, over 27,000 runners have participated in the event.[6]

Format

The race takes place over approximately 24 hours, beginning on a Saturday morning and continuing to Sunday morning. The race is divided into 17 stages which are unequal both in distance and difficulty. Typically each leg is run by a different runner, but runners can run multiple legs. In 2010 ultramarathoner Mark Campbell attempted to run the entire relay solo, but fell ill and could not complete it.[7] The race begins at the Gaelic College monument outside of Baddeck and completes the Cabot Trail in a counter-clockwise direction, ending in front of the Baddeck Court House. Although some sections of the race are relatively flat, others ascend mountains including Cape Smokey, North Mountain, and MacKenzie Mountain—climbing as high as 460 meters.[8] Leg 9 of the race, which runs over North Mountain, is generally considered the most difficult leg of the race.[9] [10]

Race Map

Full Race Map

Entry lottery

The race is limited to just 70 teams. 45 teams are drawn from a hat of registered entrants. Another 25 teams are selected by members of the tech crew and organizing committee. The remaining teams are placed on a wait list. A list of accepted teams is posted in January of the year of the race.[11]

Requirements

Runners must be 18 years of age to participate in the race. Additionally, runners must be able to run a minimum pace of 9:30 per mile.[12] Runners are expected to finish each leg within the time allotted by this pace. Runners who fail to finish a leg within the allotted time are assigned the time of the slowest runner to complete the leg, plus 5 minutes.[13]

Course records

Male

[14]

Female

[15]

Mixed

[16]

Leg records

Male

The top male record holder is Dan Vassallo who holds six leg records.

Leg Difficulty Runner Time Distance (Km)Year Pace (Min/Km)
13.5Luke Marsanskis53:1717.0020243:09
23.5Dan Vassallo56:3717.9220223:10
32Lee Wesselius 41:3113.4620243:05
45Dan Vassallo1:06:3620.012014[17] 3:20
53.5Dan Vassallo55:5417.502015[18] 3:12
64.5Dan Vassallo57:1717.502023[19] 3:17
73Jesse Orach44:0213.102018[20] 3:22
82.5Judson Cake40:0012.362012[21] 3:17
95Alec Troxell1:00:4717.842023[22] 3:24
105Ken Akiha54:0214.702016[23] 3:41
113.5Erik McCarthy 43:4814.002017[24] 3:08
123Robert Gomez50:5315.7820233:14
133Robert Gomez53:2215.882016[25] 3:22
144Dan Vassallo1:02:1719.812018[26] 3:09
152Erik McCarthy50:0515.422018[27] 3:15
162Aaron Willingham48:0515.3520233:08
174.5Dan Vassallo1:00:4418.720153:15
Total276.27

Female

Sheri Piers is the top female recor holder, holding four leg records (she also has the fastest time run on the longer course used for leg 17 in 2012 and 2013).[28]

Leg Difficulty Runner Time Distance (Km)Year Pace (Min/Km)
13.5Meagan Strum1:03:061720243:43
23.5Colleen Wilson1:05:2117.9220223:42
32Sheri Piers47:4713.4620123:33
45Allie Sandluck1:16:5020.0120243:51
53.5Sheri Piers1:04:2917.520133:42[29]
64.5Sheri Piers1:03:5917.520093:39
73Kristin Barry51:0913.520143:48
82.5Dana Ferguson48:1912.3620143:54
95Sheri Piers1:13:2917.8420104:07
105Caroline Schlosser1:03:5414.720104:21
113.5Denise Robson 54:1414.020183:53
123Erin MacLean57:4115.7820163:39
133Allie Sandluck1:01:1915.8820233:52
144Denise Robson1:16:5919.8120073:53
152Kristin Barry58:4615.4220103:49
162Kristin Barry55:2515.3520083:37
174.5Colleen Wilson1:13:1818.720233:55

References

Notes
  • Citations

    • External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Cabot Trail Relay Race - Things to Do - Cape Breton Island - Trip Planner . Cape Breton Island . 2014-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140519074019/http://capebretonisland.com/tripplanner/offer/cabottrailrelay . 2014-05-19 . dead .
    2. Web site: Listing Details . 2012-04-21 . https://archive.today/20120905033405/http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/thingstoseeanddo/listingdetails.aspx/cabot-trail-relay-race/-21700 . 2012-09-05 . dead .
    3. Web site: Cabot Trail Relay Race underway - Local . Cape Breton Post . 2011-05-28 . 2014-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140519093110/http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2011-05-28/article-2542275/Cabot-Trail-Relay-Race-underway/1 . 2014-05-19 . dead .
    4. Web site: Cabot Trail Relay Race . Cabottrailrelay.com . 2014-07-09.
    5. Web site: About | Cabot Trail Relay Race . Cabottrailrelay.com . 2014-07-09.
    6. http://www.capebretonpost.com/sports/2017/5/19/cabot-trail-relay-race-to-celebrate-30th-anniversary-next-weeken.html{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
    7. News: Ultramarathoner sidelined on Cabot Trail. 13 November 2012. CBC. 31 May 2010.
    8. Web site: Leg Descriptions. Cabot Trail Relay Website. Cabot Trail Relay. 11 November 2012.
    9. News: Trail Blazers. 22 May 2013. Cape Breton Post. 22 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165239/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/2013-05-21/article-3253548/Trail-blazers/1. 14 July 2014. dead.
    10. News: 1,200 runners headed for Cabot Trail Relay. 22 May 2013. The Chronicle Herald. 22 May 2013.
    11. Web site: Registration. Cabot Trail Relay Website. Cabot Trail Relay. 11 November 2012.
    12. Web site: About. Cabot Trail Relay Website. Cabot Trail Relay. 11 November 2012.
    13. Web site: CTRR Rules. Cabot Trail Relay Website. Cabot Trail Relay. 11 November 2012.
    14. Web site: Results .
    15. Book: Cabot Trail Relay Race Program. 2013. Cabot Trail Relay Association. Baddeck.
    16. Web site: 2013 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Team Results) . 2013-05-27 . https://archive.today/20130628045444/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1803 . 2013-06-28 . dead .
    17. Web site: 2014 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 4) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2014-05-24 . 2015-01-11 . https://archive.today/20150117120323/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=2093 . 2015-01-17 . dead .
    18. Web site: 2015 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 5) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2015-05-23 . 2015-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150530083102/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=2362 . 2015-05-30 . dead .
    19. Web site: 2023 . 2023 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 3) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726115609/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1480 . 2014-07-26 . 2023-05-29 . Atlanticchip.ca.
    20. Web site: 2018 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 7) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2018-05-26 . 2018-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140724231412/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1484 . 2014-07-24 . dead .
    21. Web site: 2012 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 8) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2012-05-27 . 2015-01-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726055656/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1485 . 2014-07-26 . dead .
    22. Web site: Results - Cabot Trail Relay 2023 . raceroster.com . 2024-01-03.
    23. Web site: 2016 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 10) . raceroster.com . 2016-05-28 . 2016-12-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220093921/https://raceroster.com/results/unstructured/7v3dwendw27gexkr?id=299 . 2016-12-20 . dead .
    24. Web site: 2017 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 11) . Atlanticchip.ca . May 2017 . 2019-06-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808135354/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1488 . 2014-08-08 . dead .
    25. Web site: 2016 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 13) . raceroster.com . 2016-05-29 . 2016-12-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220094728/https://raceroster.com/results/unstructured/7v3dwendw27gexkr?id=302 . 2016-12-20 . dead .
    26. Web site: 2018 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 14) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2018-05-27 . 2018-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090956/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=404 . 2016-03-04 . dead .
    27. Web site: 2018 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 15) . Atlanticchip.ca . May 2018 . 2018-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140728121552/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1492 . 2014-07-28 . dead .
    28. Web site: Top American Sheri Piers Defies Age - Competitor.com . Running.competitor.com . 2012-04-18 . 2014-07-09.
    29. Web site: 2013 results for Cabot Trail Relay (Leg 5) . Atlanticchip.ca . 2013-05-26 . 2014-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140717114414/http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=1795 . 2014-07-17 . dead .

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cabot Trail Relay Race".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.