Dirty Kanza organizers plan to debrief this week after yet another successful — and record-breaking — event in Emporia earlier this month.
All told, around 3,200 riders took part in Dirty Kanza, up about 500 from the prior record last year. All 50 states and nearly 30 foreign countries were represented.
One of the big changes this year was a route north of Emporia for participants in all races except the 350-mile DK XL. On KVOE’s Morning Show recently, longtime organizer Jim Cummins called the course into Wabaunsee and Morris counties his favorite, and he says a lot of planning — and good fortune — went into the course’s success.
Another change was the use of two checkpoints instead of three. Operations manager LeLan Dains says things turned out well with that adjustment.
Finish rates for the XL were above 60 percent.
Cummins said the weekend “exceeded my every expectation.” He also squashed ongoing rumors the event would be taken out of Emporia.
Cummins said the support of Life Time Fitness, which bought the DK last year after years of local ownership, was a big key in this year’s success. Life Time brought a dozen staffers to Emporia to help with labor, signage, planning and other support.
About 40 area residents spent part of this past Saturday cleaning up the 200-, 100- and 50-mile courses as part of Clean Kanza. Cummins says it’s a point of pride for him and Dirty Kanza Productions to have the Flint Hills in their natural state after the big event.