Outdoor adventurers love Huntsville, voting four local events and businesses tops in Eastern Canada

Huntsville is home to some top notch events and businesses. Just ask the readers of Get Out There magazine. The national outdoor adventure magazine has been holding its Readers’ Choice Awards for 11 years; for 2015, its readers voted two local events and two local businesses to top spot in seven categories:

• Band on the Run won Eastern Canada honours for Best Post-Race Party, Best Road Running Race (non-marathon) and Best Outdoor Festival
• Muskoka River X won for Best Race Kit in Eastern Canada and Best SUP Race in Eastern Canada
• Algonquin Outfitters won for Best Outdoors Store in Eastern Canada
• Fitt Gym won for Best Health/Fitness Club in Eastern Canada

The publication’s website describes the awards as “the best races, businesses, places, and events as decided by you, our readers. Where applicable, Readers’ Choice Awards are presented in three geographic regions: Eastern Canada (Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada), Western Canada (Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories) and National.”

Mike Varieur, co-race director of Muskoka River X (MRX) with Rob Horton, explains the awards like this: “It’s an open nomination for specific categories. So participants can nominate any event in Canada – there is no predetermined list. And then (the magazine) just tallies the results.”

The Best SUP Race category is the only paddling category in the awards.

“We are really happy being considered the best stand up paddleboard race in Eastern Canada. Stand up paddleboard racing is really growing in popularity so to be given that honour by the paddling community is important for us.”

It’s the third year that the event has received an award from the magazine. They received Best SUP Event/Race in 2013, Best Race Kit and Best Post-Race Party in 2014, and Best Race Kit and Best SUP Race in 2015.

This year’s MRX will be held September 15-18, 2016 with three paddling distances: 80km, 130km and 220km. It attracts paddlers from across the world including Africa, Europe and the US. One of the world’s top ultra-distance SUP racers, Bart de Zwart, has competed in the event twice. (Read Doppler’s coverage of the 2015 Muskoka River X here.)

Justine Brown, co-organizer of Band on the Run with Melissa Key and Rob Horton, is equally pleased with her event’s awards, the first ones they’ve received from the magazine.

“It’s fabulous that it’s people that have participated in the event who are taking the time to vote,” she said. “We were thrilled that we won the best road running race because there are a ton of them out there. We were really delighted with that. Our intention is, because it was voted by the people who participated, to make sure we keep the same standards going and continue to be the best road running race for people.”

The event, which includes bands performing for racers along the race routes, and a post-event music festival in River Mill Park which Jim Cuddy will headline this year, continues to grow year after year. “We have a really great community in Huntsville of really supportive athletic people and locals are wonderful at participating but this year we are definitely seeing people coming from all over Ontario,” said Brown. “Word is getting out there.”

For this year, the organizers have added a 5km walking category and are offering an age discount for participants over 55.

Brown attributes much of the event’s success to the people involved. “I’m positive that the incredible spirit and enthusiasm of our volunteers is a huge factor in Band on the Run getting voted best road running race.”

Band on the Run’s co-organizer Melissa Key was also surprised to learn that her company, Fitt Gym, won for Best Fitness/Health Club in Eastern Ontario for the first time. “That’s really exciting,” she said. “We’ve been in the community long enough that we have a great reputation for helping people reach their health and fitness goals.”

It’s also the first time that Algonquin Outfitters has received an award from Get Out There. “I was quite surprised to learn that we had won best outdoor store for all of eastern Canada,” said Randy Mitson, Algonquin Outfitter’s Marketing Manager. “I was tickled pink.”

They now have another accolade to hang next to the many others that they’ve received in the store’s 55-year history.

“We like to celebrate the great things we do,” said Mitson. “And this is an honour because it’s our customers voting to say ‘Algonquin Outfitters is really great.’”

See the full list of the 2015 Get Out There Readers’ Choice Awards here.