GPS use at the Shenandoah Epic
As some of you may be aware, the 2024 Shenandoah Epic, hosted by Adventure Enablers, is departing from traditional adventure racing norms and standards by allowing the use of GPS devices on the course. Feedback on this decision from the US adventure racing community, in public forums such as the Adventure Racing Discussion Group, and through informal conversation among teams and members of the community, has been wide and varied. Some teams have stated that they will not attend the race because of the inclusion of GPS navigation, and others have welcomed the opportunity to hone new skills and approach the sport from different vantage points.
After reading the extensive responses and following careful deliberation, USARA has decided that the 2024 Shenandoah Epic will be included in the USARA annual points series but will not serve as a regional qualifier for the national championship.
Our reasoning for this decision is as follows:
Adventure Enablers has been a steadfast presence in the US adventure racing community for over a decade. The organization has hosted one USARA national championship, several Adventure Racing World Series qualifying races, and one ARWS world championship. Their knowledge of the sport and its history is significant, and accordingly we recognize that they have not made the decision to allow GPS devices without careful deliberation of the landscape and potential consequences.
USARA aims to recognize innovation in adventure racing and support efforts geared toward bringing new people into the sport.
Adventure Enablers has been a leader in adventure racing technology, facilitating greater access to the sport, enhanced safety protocols, and a more interactive community through their Enabled Tracking services.
Amidst ongoing and evolving conversations about the role of technology in the sport, and a small but concerted movement for a GPS division within adventure racing, USARA sees the 2024 Shenandoah Epic as a potential test case for the impact of GPS on the sport more broadly.
This decision to include the Shenandoah Epic in the 2023/24 points series should not be taken as an endorsement of GPS technology in adventure racing, nor should it imply a broader philosophical or policy shift. As we’ve stated above, we see this singular event as an opportunity to understand the current landscape of adventure racing and the potential impact of GPS navigation on the sport. To that end, we will ask the Adventure Enablers team to conduct a post-race survey and provide USARA a post-event report and assessment, with potential public dissemination, about the event and, specifically, the use of GPS technology.
-USARA
