Race Recap: 1st Annual Osprey Biijigigwane Adventure Race – Manitoba High School Championships
Friday, May 23, 2025 | Grand Beach Provincial Park

The 1st Annual Osprey Biijigigwane Adventure Race – Manitoba High School Championships was an incredible day filled with adventure, teamwork, and community spirit. Held at beautiful Grand Beach Provincial Park, 17 teams from 6 different schools, with 52 racers total, came together to compete, challenge themselves, and enjoy the great outdoors.

Just one day before the race, the provincial park unexpectedly closed all trails, threatening to disrupt our plans. Thanks to the quick thinking and hard work of our dedicated team, we were able to adapt the course and logistics on short notice, ensuring the event remained a success. We are grateful to Manitoba Parks for their support and collaboration throughout this process, helping us navigate the challenges with flexibility and understanding.

The race itself was a thrilling test of navigation and endurance. Teams explored the area by canoe, bike, and foot, relying solely on a compass and map to find 11 checkpoints scattered across the park’s diverse terrain. The competition was fierce from the start, racers had to decide as a team what route they wanted to take whether it was starting with the paddling portion, or hop on their bikes and head the opposite direction.

Congratulations to the winning team ‘Trailer Park Boys’ from Morden Collegiate who finished the course in an impressive 54 minutes, much quicker than anyone anticipated! In second place, ‘Bush Explorers’ also from Morden Collegiate finished in 1 hour. And in third place, ‘Bog Dawgz’ from Westgate Mennonite Collegiate. ‘Sturgeon Heights Collegiate 1’ with Sadie, Leah and Bree was the first all female team to finish in 1 hour and 32 minutes. The last team finished in just over 2 hours, showing remarkable determination.

Every racer gave their absolute best, embracing the physical and mental challenges while appreciating the stunning natural surroundings. The energy and sportsmanship on the course made the day truly special.

The weather was perfect: a beautiful sunny day with light winds set the stage for fun and competition. Our incredible volunteers were vital to the event’s success—from early morning setup of tents to manning checkpoints, handing out food, and cheering on racers. Their generosity with time and energy made everything run smoothly and safely.

1st Place Team

Trailer Park Boys - Morden Collegiate

Although we had to cancel the public portion of the event scheduled for Saturday, the experience has been invaluable. We’ve learned so much from this inaugural race and are excited to grow the event in the coming years—hopefully adding a public race day to welcome the broader community.

The 1st Annual Osprey Biijigigwane Adventure Race was more than just a competition; it was a celebration of youth, nature, and community coming together. We are deeply thankful to everyone involved—racers, volunteers, sponsors, and our partners—for making it possible.

We look forward to continuing this adventure and hope to see you all back next year!

FULL RACE PHOTO GALLERY

CLICK HERE

Full Race Results

Thank You to Our Amazing Sponsors and Partners

Our event was made possible by the generous support of numerous sponsors:

Main Event Sponsor: South Beach Casino and Resort — a fantastic destination along Highway 59 offering hotel accommodations, dining, and entertainment amenities such as an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna.

• Registration Sponsors: RM of Alexander, RM of St. Clements, and Brokenhead Ojibway Nation

• Checkpoint Sponsors:

  • Saffies General Store / the Grand Beach Campground Store & Laundromat for treats and essentials.

  • Gray’s on the Beach, with two beachside locations serving classic beach food favourites.

  • Grand Marais Village Store/XTR — your local stop for snacks and fuel.

  • Birchwood Hotel — known for great ribs, live music, and outdoor volleyball.

  • Base Camp 59 — a serene new RV/trailer park with private treed sites and a sauna.

  • Wilderness Supply — Winnipeg’s outdoor gear hub, offering everything from Patagonia apparel to canoes.

  • Wilderland Adventure Company — local guides offering year-round paddling and hiking tours in Manitoba.

  • Back Country Heating and Cooling — trusted HVAC service in the North Eastman region.

  • Sysco - food supplier who provided delicious snacks for our racers

  • Coca-cola - providing Powerade drinks to our racers

  • Trainor Water - kept our racers hydrated with waters

• Prize Sponsors:

  • Grand River Tea

  • RM of Alexander

  • Saffies General Store/ Grand Beach Campground Store & Laundromat

  • Gray’s on the Beach

  • Cabin 46

• Additional Support:

  • Kemp Appraisal for supplies, event planning and volunteering.

  • GB Electric for loaning sound equipment equipment, helping with set-up and take-down.

  • Nathan from the Manitoba Athletic Therapy Association (MATA) for athlete care.

  • The East Beaches Fire & Rescue for water safety and emergency response.