JUNE 8, 2017
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
3
‘Toughest mile on the planet’ coming to Hugo this summer BY SHANNON GRANHOLM EDITOR
HUGO — About 11,000 people are expected to come through Hugo in July — both spectators and world-class athletes — for the Tough Mudder. This will mark the second year the event has stopped in Hugo. Through a partnership with CBS Sports and Tough Mudder, a new event “The Tough Mudder X” will be fi lmed in Hugo and aired on TV. “One of the reasons we are so excited to come to Hugo is because it’s going to be the fi rst event ever with the new format created specifically for TV,” said Tough Mudder Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Jerome Hiquet. “It will be an experience for both the participants and the spectators because it is very visual and the obstacles are huge. It is similar to American Ninja Warrior.” Tough Mudder Inc. was founded in 2010 with the launch of the Tough Mudder full event series, which includes 10-12 miles of obstacle courses. Since then, it has grown to be a new sport and lifestyle for people who call themselves “mudders” and consider themselves a part of a “tribe.” “It originally started with 4,000 people and now more than 3 million people have done Tough Mudder around the world. We have mudders in the U.S., Canada, Germany, England and Australia. It’s very much like a global tribe,” Hiquet explained. Tough Mudder Inc. will host more than 130 events worldwide in 2017 in nearly a dozen countries. One stop is Hugo. The Tough Mudder X will kick off Friday, July 14. Within the next couple of weeks 200 athletes, who apply online, will be selected by Tough Mudder to compete. “We are looking for the best athletes in the world in different categories. We think that people who do obstacle course racing, Crossfit or track and field will all be good candidates to win,” Hiquet said. “They have to incorporate skill and channel strength and agility.” The Tough Mudder X is a 1-mile course that will combine the physical challenges and mental grit of a traditional Tough Mudder course with the intensity of a timed, functional fitness workout and speedy mile. Elite athletes will be pushed to their limits as they attempt to conquer 10 obstacles including Kong, Everest 2.0, Funky Monkey and The Revolution. The event also includes 10 functional fitness stations (Workout Zones) in a battle to be the fastest to the fi nish line. “The obstacles are built and revolve around teamwork; it’s very unlikely that someone will fi nish an obstacle by themselves,” Hiquet said. “We think we have a strong mix between a unique sports event in a very entertaining format that will be exciting for Hugo and the Twin Cities.” There will be 12 finalists for the males and 12 finalists for the females. Both the male and female winner will not only gain confidence and bragging rights, but also go home a bit
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Rookies are required to pass through an obstacle with dangling zappers called “Electroshock Therapy” right before the finish line.
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Above: Mudders jump off a platform called “Frequent Flyer,” at last year’s Tough Mudder event. Right: This patriotic participant from Rochester wore a GoPro strapped to his chest. Far right: Teamwork is a big part of the philosophy behind Tough Mudder, as demonstrated at the “Pyramid Scheme” obstacle.
richer: the prize is $25,000 each. Twin Cities Gateway Sports Marketing Director Al Stauffacher’s job is to promote events — like the Tough Mudder — to bring in visitors to area hotels. Twin Cities Gateway is the north suburban visitors and tourism bureau that represents nine cities. “As we try to attract sports events to the area, we are looking at outside-the-box sports. We are trying to expand our horizons in the sport industry to have some events outside of core value sports such as baseball or hockey,” Stauffacher said. “This is a huge event. We are trying to drive more national events into our area.” The Tough Mudder X Finals will air on CBS Sunday, Sept. 3 from 3 to 4 p.m. To see a video of what the Tough Mudder X looks like, view this story online at presspubs.com and follow the link. “The debut of Tough Mudder X, in partnership with CBS Sports, solidifies our commitment to innovation and continued leadership in the sports event world by debuting the ultimate race in sports that will capture all the hottest elements of occupying elite athletes and sports fitness enthusiasts alike,” said co-founder and CEO Will Dean. “... we can think of no better partner than CBS Sports to bring this new sporting event and all of its drama, action and excitement that makes for compelling sports television to millions of viewers and fans across the U.S.” In addition to the Tough Mudder X, there will also be the Tough Mudder Half, Tough Mudder and Mini Mudder July 15-16 at Wild Wings of Oneka, 8349 147th St. N, Hugo. For more information, or to sign up to compete, visit toughmudder.com/events/whatis-tmx. Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizen@presspubs.com.
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