103 participants accept the challenge

by Scott DCamp Sports Editor A total of 103 participants challenged themselves mentally and physically with the Fourth Annual Uff Da Challenge held Saturday, Aug. 10 at Oakland Park in Thief River Falls. The first Uff Da Challenge was held in May 2019 with the intention of it being an annual event. The event was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before making a triumphant return in August 2022 and again in 2023. “It was just a fantastic day,” said Tate Sorvig, Uff Da Challenge founder and event organizer. “We had so much wonderful help from volunteers and our sponsors. Everywhere I looked, there were smiles coming from people doing hard things.” The 2024 course featured 22 obstacles per lap, including several climbing obstacles, obstacles that required participants to crawl through tubes or through sand under a net, and a few that involved water. The finish line featured one more obstacle, as participants had to climb a ladder and traverse a cargo net to get to the top of the platform. Once there, they could ring the bell before dropping to a crash pad. In the end, 2023 champion Tallon Vorderbruggen repeated as Men’s 5K champion in the Compete Division with a time of 54 minutes. Marshall Tanner, a veteran of Tough Mudder and Ironman triathlons finished second with a time of 58 minutes. Pavlo Brigadira was third with a time of 59 minutes and Jaxson Tanner was fourth with a time of 61 minutes. Vorderbruggen and Jaxson Tanner are both soon-to-be seniors at Lincoln High School. Other Compete winners were Sarah Vogel, who claimed Thor’s Hammer in the Women’s 5K with a time of 69 minutes; Jack Langer won the men’s 10K with a final time of 118 minutes; and Chandra Fuhrman, women’s 10K winner with a time of 129 minutes.