This story was originally produced by the Conway Daily Sun. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.
Tamworth selectmen last week denied Ragnar Reach the Beach's request for runners to pass through the town on their way to the seacoast this fall. The relay race is scheduled to take place from Sept. 15 to 16, starting in Bretton Woods and ending at Hampton Beach.
Senior Race Director Amber Sadlier attended the May 25 selectmen's meeting to seek permission for the annual race to run through Tamworth. In the past, Tamworth has hosted a race checkpoint at the entrance to White Lake State Park, located at 1632 White Mountain Highway. Another checkpoint was slated to be at KA Brett School.
"I am just here to see what concerns you have that I can maybe help answer and then to let you know what I intend to do to help it be a smoother event in Tamworth," she said.
Selectmen and Police Chief Dana Littlefield didn't mince words. They said the race used to be a good event when it began around 18 years ago, but recently it's changed for the worse.
"Honestly, I try to leave town that weekend, because it's terrifying to try to drive down the road and worry that you're going to hit somebody," said Selectman Lianne Prentice. She added, "And if I lived on the course, I can imagine being, you know, upset by kind of the behaviors of the racers."
Prentice said she used to work for an organization that sold food at a race rest stop, but after a while she said the attitudes of racers and organizers soured and it wasn't worth the hassle. She added that, last year, organizers neglected to set up lights, signs or porta-potties until race day.
Littlefield said the race is getting "too big to manage." The chief had a litany of complaints, including vans being decorated with sexual innuendo, van drivers having "complete disregard for traffic laws," vehicles parking illegally, public urination and runners in the middle of the road who disobey officers who are directing traffic.
"I refer to it as the Cannonball Run, just driving through town to town like madmen," said Littlefield of the drivers who follow the runners.
There are about 350 teams of runners that participate in Reach the Beach, Sadlier told Selectmen. A team, apparently, consists of 12 runners. Tamworth hosts legs 11, 12 and 13. There are 36 legs in total. Littlefield told the Sun that there is one team member running on each leg of the relay. Support vans carry the other runners.
Officials also said that the race ties up local police and emergency medical responders who would otherwise be available to serve the public.
Meanwhile, according to Littlefield, the Outing Club and the PTA don't see much benefit from their work in past years manning the checkpoints.
"I know I sound like the anti-fun police, but my role is to keep people safe," said Littlefield who said the PTA was treated rudely.
Sadlier said she wasn't the director last year but was involved with organizing it. She had a family emergency right before the race and was unable to be on the ground during the race.
"I've already arranged to have the light towers and whatnot ... they'll be brought out the day before," said Sadlier.
She offered to make Tamworth a "no van support" town, meaning that if a team's van pulls over in Tamworth that team would be disqualified. She also offered to provide more signage, barricades and cones.
"They're (race teams) excited, they get in this bubble and that's a really terrible excuse," said Sadlier. "I issue violations like crazy when I'm out there."
Sadlier asked the selectmen to make a decision that day because if Tamworth refuses, a "major reroute" would be necessary.
Chairman Emery Roberts made a motion that they refuse Ragnar access to Tamworth. The motion carried 3-0, with Prentice and selectman Karl Behr agreeing with Roberts.
"I've been a driver on the road when this race is coming through, and it's just overwhelming," said Roberts. "I don't know how there are not more accidents or people getting hit by cars. It just seems completely unsafe to me."
Meanwhile, Conway Town Manager John Eastman said he expects Ragnar to submit a 2023 special event permit application soon. Last year, Reach Beach asked Conway Selectmen to allow them to change the van route route approved by selectmen and the selectmen declined to change their minds.
On Tuesday, Sadlier said Ragnar was still looking at its options (for race routes without Tamworth) and someone would get back to the Sun soon with an update.
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