About NYARA

NYARA is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to serve adventure racing athletes in the northeastern US and to promote and foster the sport in any way we can. NYARA is made up of athletes with a variety of backgrounds and race experience, from newcomers to veterans and from casual racers to the northeast's top teams.

History

Chris Ballou and fellow NYPD divers started adventure racing in 1996. After finishing 1997's Eco-Challenge, a grueling, 10-day race through Australia, Chris returned to a happy, stable life as an ASR Diver for the New York City Police Department and found himself bored out of his gourd.

While serving as a sniper for the Marine Corps, he had a great idea. Fortunately, he met someone with an equally active brain. Together, Chris and John Lovett, another Marine Corps sniper, formed the New York Adventure Racing Association.

They started building from the ground up and looked far and wide (well, so far as New York City, anyway) to find athletes who were interested in adventure racing and to form a way to bond them together.

NYARA's Mission

• To promote adventure racing
• To offer networking opportunities to people with similar interests
• To join individuals with similar or complementary skills into teams
• To act as an informed source to our members on such things as gear, technical advice, upcoming races in our area, etc.
• To offer formal and informal group and team training sessions and educational clinics

Non-Profit Status

In October 2001 NYARA achieved 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit corporation recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. All donations and membership dues are fully tax deductible on your federal income tax return.