GOALS AR

Team Name: GOALS ARA
Country: USA
Captain: Brent Freedland
Team Website: https://goalsara.wordpress.com/
Team Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/GOALS-Adventure-Racing-Association/187309084620079
Twitter: https://twitter.com/goalsara
Home town newspaper: Philadelphia Inquirer
Contact: https://www.philly.com/philly/about/feedback/
Sponsors: GOALS Adventure Racing Association, Dinotte, Railriders, Thorlos, Werner Paddles, Sawyer, SOURCE Hydration Systems
Sponsor contact: GOALS ARA: https://goalsara.org/ – (P) 610-466-7015 – bgibbons@goalsara.org

Biographies

Name: Brent Freedland
Age: 33
Where were you born: Miami, FL (but really, lived in Amherst, MA my whole life before moving to Philly)
Hometown now: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: High School History Teacher
Other hobbies: Race Design; anything outdoors; travel; books; film

Years racing: 10

Racing achievements: Competing in and finishing several ARWS events including Untamed New Englands (2009, 2010, 2012), Itera-Wales, Sting in Stirling; 5th place Untamed New England, 2010; nine USARA National Championships

Personal motto: “Don’t talk to me. I’m pace-counting.”

Strengths as a racer: Navigation; steady pace; sinking packrafts and steering canoes backwards

Married/Single: Married to my teammate, fellow race director and best friend, Abby

Children: The one and only Zoe who will be waiting at the finish line if we make it!

Thoughts about, and goals for racing ExpAk: To simply do as much of the course as we are able to. To truly experience Alaska, highs and lows.

Name: Abby Perkiss
Age: 34
Where were you born: Philadelphia, PA
Hometown now: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: university professor – history
Other hobbies: brace design, traveling, writing, movies

Years racing: Eight

Racing achievements: Untamed New England (2010, 2012); Adidas Terrex Sting in Stirling (2012); 5th place finish at the USARA National Championship in 2011; 9th place finish at the USARA National Championship in 2014, five months postpartum and pumping on the trail; and learning to rappel off our garage roof

Personal motto: No mottos, but in any given race, I can often be heard asking, “Brent, how far to the next CP?”

Strengths as a racer: Trekking, organization, middle-of-the-night sing-alongs

Married/Single: Married to teammate and navigator-extraordinaire Brent Freedland

Children: One – 14-month-old (as of race time) Zoe, who’s traveling all the way to Alaska to greet us at the finish.

Thoughts about, and goals for racing ExpAk: It’s been a few years since I’ve undertaken an expedition race, so I’m just excited to be out there. Specifically, I’m looking forward to a genuine wilderness experience with three longtime teammates, and I can’t wait to get to the finish line after seven days of racing to see Zoe’s smiling face. Oh, and to see an otter on one of the paddle legs. I’d really like that.

Name: Bruce Wong
Age: 50
Where were you born: Red Bank, New Jersey
Hometown now: Greencastle, IN
Occupation: Ascena Retail Group, Director of Engineering and Facilities
Other hobbies: House Restoration

Years racing: 15+

Racing achievements: over 100 adventure races and 15 expedition races (Primal Quest 4x, XPD, Beast of East 2x, Untamed 2x)

Personal motto: Never give up

Strengths as a racer: Strategy; endurance; experience; magically summoning bacon for the team in the middle of the night

Married/Single Married: (Margaret)

Thoughts about, and goals for racing ExpAk: Enjoy the course and not be cold, wet, or tired.

Name: Jonathan Neely
Age: 45
Where were you born: Western-Pennsyltucky
Hometown now: Philadelphia
Occupation: Investor Relations
Other hobbies: Cooking

Years racing: 16 years

Racing achievements: Finished some very-long, very-hard races. Didn’t finish some other very-long, very-hard races. Sometimes there was a prize for a podium finish. Managed to win an Endorphin Fix, that was sweet. Met a ton of interesting, determined people that love the outdoors in a very strange way and I’m better for it.

Personal motto: Never have a personal motto

Strengths as a racer: Plowing through bush. Checking the sturdiness of frozen lake surfaces, snow bridges, log-crossings, etc. Pretty much anything that calls for a big, heavy object. Team clown.

Married/Single: Married

Children: Yes, 1

Thoughts about, and goals for racing ExpAk: Looking forward to what promises to be a true wilderness adventure.