Discounted Registration Available until April 19; New Categories & Changes Announced for 44th Annual Event
Online registration with early bird pricing is now open for the country’s top multi-multisport event — the 44th annual SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle. The event, which has been contested each May in Bend since 1976, is scheduled for May 14. Participants can register as individuals, pairs, or teams at PPPBend.com.
The SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle is a Central Oregon tradition that annually attracts thousands of competitors from throughout the Northwest and beyond. The multi-sport race includes alpine and cross-country skiing, cycling, running, and kayaking, and stretches from the slopes of Mt. Bachelor to the finish line in Bend’s Hayden Homes Amphitheater. Athletes of all ages compete in divisions ranging in skill level from novice to elite, and either individually or as part of a team.
New for 2022, the event has been moved up one week to May 14, offering participants the opportunity to not only indulge in Central Oregon’s outdoor recreation but also indulge in the popular Bend Brewfest, which runs from May 13-14. Also new this year, team participants will have the option of including a mountain biking leg in lieu of the Nordic and road cycling.
“The SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle has thrived for generations because it is enjoyed every year by such a wide range of competitors, from less-competitive racers who are out to share a fun experience with family and friends to former Olympians and elite multi-sport athletes who perform incredible individual feats,” said Molly Cogswell-Kelley, events director at the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, which organizes the event. “One thing that has always remained consistent is the original spirit of the PPP. We are proud that the camaraderie and fun the event fosters — in addition to the celebration of all that makes Central Oregon an outdoors haven — lives on year after year.”
The individual Pole Pedal Paddle legs include:
Alpine leg: Beginning at the top of Mt. Bachelor’s Red Chair, participants sprint 200 feet uphill to their waiting skis or snowboards, then proceed down the LeeWay run to the base of the mountain near the West Village Lodge.
Mountain Bike option: New for 2022, participants have the option to complete a mountain bike leg in lieu of the Nordic and road cycling legs. The mountain bike course takes riders down Century Drive to Wanoga Sno Park, where they will continue along the Funner and Storm King singletrack trails before exiting onto Conklin Road, then to Century Drive to the Athletic Club of Bend.
Nordic leg: The 8km cross-country leg winds around the West Village parking lot before taking skiers through Mt. Bachelor’s vast Nordic trial system, finishing near the Nordic Center.
Bike leg: The 22-mile, mostly downhill bike leg takes riders from the West Village parking lot down Century Drive to the edge of Bend, finishing at the Athletic Club of Bend.
Run leg: The run leg departs the Athletic Club of Bend for a 5-mile singletrack trail run along the Deschutes River, finishing at Riverbend Park. Kids teams (under 12 years) will take on a shortened course.
Canoe/Kayak leg: The canoe/kayak 1.5-mile leg begins at Riverbend Park and heads upstream for 1/2 mile, before heading downstream for 3/4 mile. A final 1/4 mile upstream segment brings paddlers to the finish back at Riverbend Park.
Sprint leg: Starting at the paddle finish in Riverbed Park, the one-mile sprint leg features a new course for 2022 that follows the paved path along the Deschutes River, taking participants to the finish line in the Old Mill District.
The SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle is produced by and for the benefit of the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, which creates opportunities through competitive snow sports programs to support athletes in achieving their individual athletic, academic, and personal goals.
The event is presented by SELCO Community Credit Union and sponsored by Mt. Bachelor Property Management, East Cascade Women’s Group, Bend Anesthesiology Group, Bigfoot Beverages, Hydro Flask, HWA, Mt. Bachelor, 10 Barrel Brewing, The Source, 92.9, Old Mill District, News Channel 21 and Fox Central Oregon.
Discounted earlybird registration is available until April 19, and ranges from $55 per team member to $85 for adults who race individually. For more information or to register for the SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle, visit pppbend.com.
About the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation:
The Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that creates opportunities through competitive snow sports programs to support Central Oregon athletes in achieving their individual athletic, academic, and personal goals. Its vision is to positively impact the life of every athlete it serves.