You could rappel from the top of an office tower, masquerade as a firefighter, sketch a naked model, slalom kayak at Ontario Place and slow dance at Yonge and Bloor all in one day and still only be half done. That is the challenge of the Mitsubishi CityChase, as the popular urban adventure series makes its first of two summer stops in Toronto this Saturday (June 25) and fourth of eight stops on its 2011 cross-Canada tour.
Inspired by TV reality shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race and 2011′s Expedition Impossible, City Chase gives those who think “I could do that,” a chance to actually do it. Teams of two race around the city gathering ChasePoints, which are awarded for completing physical and mental challenges in the name of adventurous spirit. The first team to complete 10 challenges and return to the start/finish line wins the race and the opportunity to compete at the Canadian Championships. In 2010, events were held in 8 US cities and 14 international destinations but organizers appear to have tempered growth and focused on the Canadian tour as only one international date of the homegrown product has been scheduled in 2011.
Established in 2004, the series is well produced and gives good value for the two-person team price tag of $150. Like Doors Open Toronto on a caffeine kick, you get pushed into places and activities you may never have another opportunity to explore. There is no fixed course and depending on your level of competitiveness you can scoff at the clock and seek out ChasePoints that give you the most outrageous experiences or play strategically to win the race.
In 2007, my brother and I entered and with competitive juices bubbling we decided to push for the podium. On our final ChasePoint I found myself glancing at my watch and scarfing without hesitation 4 dew worms straight from a bucket of soil like they were of the rainbow gummi variety. I had bought in. In fact, we found all the activities to be suitably challenging and the atmosphere good-natured as we engaged with other teams and even strangers to complete ChasePoints and navigate the city. In the end, we fell well short of our goal (although 34th out of 446 teams isn’t bad), but had a lot of fun and walked away with stories to tell.