Race rules

The format

The Your Choice Adventure Race is a summer-long, choose-your-own-adventure race across New Brunswick, running June 13 to September 30, 2026. There's no single start gun — you race on your own schedule, in the cities you choose, across three disciplines:

Control points & the chain

This is what makes the race different: the course is built by the racers. Each discipline has a growing chain of control points (CPs). We seed the very first CP in each discipline — from there, the racers take over.

• The first racer to reach a live CP and submit verified proof claims that point.
• Claiming a CP earns you the right to place the next CP in that discipline's chain.
• So every point you claim adds a new challenge for the racers behind you.

Claiming a control point

• Travel to a live control point under your own power, in the matching discipline.
• Take a photo at the location with your phone's location/GPS enabled — the photo's embedded location is what verifies you were there.
• Submit it through the app. Once it's verified, the point is yours and counts toward your standings.
• First verified submission wins the point. Be quick — others are chasing the same CP.

Placing the next control point

When you claim a CP, you earn the right to set the next one in that chain — but it's a reward, not an obligation. Please play fair so the course stays great for everyone:

• Placing is your choice. Set the next point if you'd like, or tap Pass to next racer to hand the placement on. Either way, the CP you just claimed still counts toward your score.
• When you pass, that slot simply reopens — the next racer to reach the previous point earns the chance to place it instead, with no penalty to you.
• Choose a spot on legal, publicly accessible land or water — never private property or anywhere unsafe.
• Make it genuinely reachable in that discipline (a paddling CP on the water, a biking CP on rideable terrain).
• Add a clear location description and rate the difficulty from 1 to 5.
• Consider marking easier points family-friendly — families can filter the map for these.

Scoring & standings

• Every verified control point earns you one point.
• The leaderboard updates as points are verified, and can be viewed per city or overall.
• Race in as many cities as you like across the season — your results carry through the series.

Registration & fees

• $20 per adult, which includes your first city.
• $5 per additional city you'd like to race.
• Youth under 16 race for just $5 — we love seeing families out there.
• We ask every racer to make a donation directly to the SPCA — any amount, on the honor system. This is separate from your registration fee, which does not include the donation.

Eligibility & youth

• Open to all ages and skill levels.
• Racers under 16 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian, who signs the waiver on their behalf and accompanies them on course.

Safety & conduct

• The race is self-supported — know your limits, check the weather, and turn back when conditions call for it.
• Wear the right safety gear: a helmet for biking and a PFD for paddling.
• Stay on legal trails and waterways, respect private property, and follow Leave No Trace.
• Be courteous — yield to others and share the trail.
• We don't track racers by GPS. Your location is only ever captured in the proof photos you choose to submit.
• Race honestly. Falsifying proof, faking a CP, or misrepresenting age results in disqualification.

Photos & community

• Share your best shots in the gallery — photos are reviewed before going live.
• Vote for Photo of the Week with the crown; a fresh vote opens every Monday.
• Kids' photos can earn a Junior Explorer badge.

Sponsored control points

Some control points are placed by our sponsors and marked with a gold star. They're claimed the same way as any other CP and may carry a little something extra.

Risk & waiver

Adventure racing involves inherent risks. Every racer (or their guardian) agrees to the waiver at registration and takes part at their own risk. Natural Selection Adventure Racing reserves the right to adjust these rules, remove a control point, or disqualify any entry to keep the race safe and fair. Questions? Reach us at info@naturalselectionar.com.