Securing the overall win, the duo of Matt Hayes and Glen Lewis of Strong Machine Adventure Racing were the only team to clear the entire course at the 2025 Maine Summer Adventure Race. The team of two went out fast from the start and never looked back.

After a very long night of either bikewhacking through thick forests or completing an epic 34 mile bike around section, teams finally made it back to Transition Area 2. Some teams, having skipped many of the previous optional points arrived in the darkness of night and set up camp to wait for 5am and the paddle stage to open officially

In adventure racing, it’s a common occurrence that during a “bike” stage, your team may not actually be biking. The terrain may simply be unrideable in spots, requiring racers to roll or even carry their bikes through thick vegetation, swamps and other obstacles

The heat, humidity and insects on the course have taken a toll on Maine Summer AR teams. Oppressive weather conditions made the already difficult Stage 1 bike even more challenging. As the teams headed Northwest into the Mahoosuc Mountains, they now face a trek through a huge swathe of old growth forest.

Journalists and photographers from the Portland Press Herald were once again on site for the start of the Maine Summer Adventure Race. Click through to see what they had to say about the 2025 edition!

Closeups of racers by Legendary Randy Ericksen

Starting from the Gould Academy’s idyllic property at Pine Hill in Bethel, Maine, 24 hour teams first had to find a series of checkpoints placed closely together in the surrounding woods.

For those looking to have their first trek/paddle/bike adventure race experience and for others who want to hone their skills in a sprint format race, the 8 hour Maine Summer Adventure Race is a perfect distance. Staying within daylight for the duration of the race, the 8 hour format allows racers to carry less and move faster.

While the Maine Summer Adventure Race’s 24 hour edition is certainly the premier event of the weekend, and the 8 hour race is geared towards moving forward in the sport, the 3 hour race is pure intro-level fun for all ages. Teams of friends and families young and old, nearly 100 racers in total, took to a portion of the same course that the elite teams will tackle.

Teams have started and they’re onto the first trek section at Pine Hill. This is a short 3-4 mile orienteering prologue and the fastest teams have already made quick work of the initial points.

This is everything the teams will have to navigate their way through the 2025 Maine Summer Adventure Race

AR Insider is hitting the road Northward for the 2025 Maine Summer Adventure Race. I’ll be posting all the media I can gather from the race, right here during the event. You can also check back once the race is finished for a full digital archive of the stories, photos and videos.