Roadblocks, U-turns and pit stops are all too familiar to the winning team and top fundraising team of the Southern Ontario Amazing Race (SOAR).
Jake Drexler from Elora and Paul Harrington from Rockwood took first place in SOAR for the second year in a row, but they lost last year’s top fundraiser status to Tim Anderson and Kylie Van Horne from Elora, who raised more than $15,000 for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington and placed second overall in the race.
SOAR, a take on the popular television show The Amazing Race, saw 19 teams travel from Guelph to Kitchener, Stratford, St. Mary’s and back on the weekend of June 5 to 7.
Teams competed in challenges like sifting through 20,000 meal worms, walking from one apartment building’s rooftop to another using a tightrope, and beating other teams to be the last one standing in a game of bubble soccer, to mention a few.
Starting out as a fun day for family and friends, the race has morphed into a significant fundraiser for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington. Over the past 12 years almost $1 million has been raised – this year alone the teams brought in over $80,000.
Anderson and Van Horne’s $15,000 contribution put them at a distinct advantage throughout the race.
“You can purchase things with your fundraising dollars … so you get ones like you can skip events or get a halfway, sort of like a cheat on it,” Van Horne said.
“But we didn’t buy anything that would hurt another team,” Anderson added.
Drexler and Harrington, on the other hand, yielded the Elora team.
“Without that we would have been 10 minutes behind,” Van Horne said.
As it stood, Van Horne and Anderson were about 25 minutes behind the winners. When asked what they would change for next year’s race, Van Horne said they may need to rethink the positive-only strategy.
“We might buy some yields,” she said.
But it seems she’ll have a ways to go before convincing Anderson that’s the best strategy.
Drexler and Harrington said experience comes into play when using the fundraising aides.
“The first time we ever did it, we used them too early and didn’t save them,” Drexler said. “The more you race the more you know you save them for the Sunday and use them.”
However, experience didn’t ensure the winning team had an easy trip. After the first two challenges Drexler and Harrington were in last place.
“I actually thought we’d come into this year … well practiced,” Harrington said. “It was very frustrating to be a good hour in last place to start the first day.”
The team said it was difficult to get people to give them rides in the various cities where the race took them.
“It’s hard for two guys, sweating, out of breath, carrying a backpack, running down the street, saying ‘can you give me a ride somewhere?’” Drexler said.
“People look at you like you’re crazy.
“So you learn tricks and just … where to go to get a ride, who to go and ask for a ride, who to avoid.”
Both teams said all the challenges were well thought out and fun – and there was a consensus about the favourites.
Drexler and Anderson agreed the highlight of the race was the bubble soccer.
“We tried bubble soccer, kind of like a crash derby style bubble soccer,” Drexler said. “You put this great big bubble over top of the upper half of your body and play soccer, you can run into people because it doesn’t hurt and it’s phenomenal.”
But for Van Horne and Harrington, it was the tightrope walking that really stood out for them.
“Yeah, totally did it.” Van Horne said. “It took me a while to take the first step.”
Unfortunately, this year’s race was the last for Drexler and Harrington; once a team has won twice, it is not eligible to compete again, though Drexler is still holding onto the chance to race again.
“Hopefully they do an all-star year in 2020 or something and invite me back one more time,” he said.
The team has also set its sights on The Amazing Race Canada. Having applied for three years in a row, Drexler said he’s not stopping until he’s accepted.
“I watch it and I couldn’t even imagine,” he said. “It would be fantastic, I have to get in somehow.”
Van Horne and Anderson said they think they’ll take part in SOAR next year, as non-winning teams are eligible to be in the race three times, and they’re going to try to beat the $19,000 fundraising record.
They too have their sights set on competing on The Amazing Race Canada.
