Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) is an adaptive sports organization in the Pacific Northwest providing a range of year-round programs. Oregon Adaptive Sports envisions a day when everyone has the benefits of outdoor recreation, regardless of ability. The Numotion Foundation supported the OAS 2019 Bend’s Pole Pedal Paddle. There were over 2,500 competitors and of those competitors that raced this year, a record-setting 50 adaptive athletes participated across 10 teams. The funds specifically help to cover the costs of registration as well as the logistics of the event.
The Bend’ Pole Pedal Paddle is a six-leg race. The alpine leg started at the top of Mt. Bachelor’s Red Chair where skiers had to sprint 200 feet uphill without their skis, find where they put their skis, put them on and finally ski down the LeeWay run. Next, they had the cross country leg which was an 8 km skate ski. Then the bike leg a 22-mile ride into Bend along Century Drive. Next, the run leg was a 5 mile, single track trail run along the Deschutes River and finishing at the Riverbend Park in Bend. The Canoe/Kayak/SUP leg began at Riverbend Park. Boaters paddled upstream from the put-in point for 1/2 mile on the Deschutes River to Healy Bridge then back downstream for 3/4 mile, then back upstream for 1/4 mile to the sprint exchange. Finally, the sprint leg started at the Canoe/Kayak/SUP finish and went under the Columbia Street Bridge on a paved footpath to the grass Finish Arena in Les Schwab Amphitheater, approximately 1/2 mile.
