Obstacle courses invite friendly competition Saturday

Area residents looking for an adrenaline rush and a friendly competitive environment may find the excitement they seek during the inaugural Yuma Toro Loco Challenge on Saturday.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Yuma West Wetlands Park, 282 N. 12th Ave.

“This is great for Yuma,” said Linda Jordan, Yuma Visitors Bureau executive director.

“It will bring many people into town for the race and we will get to showcase Yuma to people who might not otherwise come to Yuma. Many Yumans travel to other locations to participate in events like this, and it is wonderful that we get to host this event.”

The Toro Loco Challenge will include two obstacle courses: the 10K Raging Bull and the 5K Leisurely Longhorn.

The Raging Bull is a “down-and-dirty, thrill-packed, mind-blowing, muscle-bulging, heart-pumping adventure course,” event organizers said.

The course features cargo climbs, knuckle-busters, a 200-foot zipline and The Gauntlet. These obstacles will be marked in orange.

The Leisurely Longhorn is designed for families and dogs, and includes mud pits and inflatable obstacles. These obstacles will be marked in green.

Set up in juxtaposition to the obstacle courses will be Toro Town, which will feature music, a mechanical bull, a dunk tank and face painting. Attendees will be able to purchase drinks and food from vendors on site. A beer garden will also be set up for those 21 and older.

The festivities will be followed by an after-party Saturday night at Derailed Saloon, 179 E. 1st St.

Spectators can watch the events for free. Children can participate for $20. Tickets for adults are $75 each, $140 for a two-person team, $260 for a four-person team, $600 for a 10-person megateam or $1,250 for a 25-person super megateam.

Registration is available at http://torolocochallenge.com and on the day of the event, although a $10 fee will be added in each category.

Registered runners can sign in and pick up their swag bags from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Lutes Casino, 221 S. Main St.

The registration fee includes a T-shirt, a cowbell, a medal, a beverage and a custom bib. Water and recovery snacks will be provided at the finish line for participants.

The charitable arm of the organization, the Toro Loco Foundation, is partnering with the Petfinder Foundation and the Yuma Diabetes Coalition to raise community awareness of the programs and to help raise funding.

The Yuma Diabetes Coalition will receive a portion of the proceeds from the race entry fees and all of the profits from game booths in Toro Town and the beer garden.

Special Olympics will set up a snowcone booth to raise money for the organization. The Petfinder Foundation will provide dogs available for adoption during the challenge.

For more information, visit http://torolocochallenge.com.