On Saturday, September 25, City Chase returned to NYC, sending hundreds of competitors scrambling throughout the city in a race to complete challenges, throw inhibition out the window, and generally confuse passersby. Billing itself as an “urban adventure series,” City Chase takes place annually in cities across the nation, with the winners from each one moving on to the national finals. Teams of two are tasked with undertaking everything from knife throwing and magic tricks to karaoke and parkour, with a maximum of six hours to finish ten challenges from a list of 40. After taking part last year, we could resist the chance to do it all again. Check out our exclusive photo gallery from this year’s New York leg of the event after the jump.
Click through for a gallery of images from the 2010 NYC City Chase.
Costumes were encouraged for the event, with a bonus prize going to the team with the best outfits.
Photos: Gabriela Filasky
Over 700 teams of two gathered at PS 34 on NYC’s east side for the start of the chase.
Before the kick-off, a trainer from New York Sports Clubs led everyone through a warm-up session.
One team unwittingly volunteered to perform the National Anthem for the crowd. They got off much easier than the team that had to eat mealworms on stage.
After a quick scavenger hunt, each team received its official clue sheet.
This team ultimately won the City Chase costume contest, which earned them each a free BlackBerry.
Probably the most embarrassing chase point was based at fetish shop the Domain of the Baroness. Each team was dressed in fetish gear and sent out on the street to retrieve a business card from an unwitting stranger.
The cookie challenge was way more difficult than it looked. Competitors had to balance a cookie on their foreheads, then get it into their mouths without using their hands or letting it fall.
Knife throwing at Angels & Kings! Also harder than it looks.
Representatives from the Stiletto Spy School demonstrate how to take someone down with a pencil.
Then teammates were forced to use this tactic on their partners.
Strawberry Fields in Central Park was the spot for impromptu singalongs from the Beatles catalog, led by an enthusiastic cover band.
The Church Street Boxing Gym provided one of the most physically taxing challenges, running teams through an exhaustive workout.
The yoga challenge put a new twist on things by blindfolding one teammate while the other one had to talk them into a specific pose without touching them.
Parkour is a difficult skill to pick up on the spot. Fortunately the course didn’t involve jumping off of rooftops.
Celebrating at the finish line. Flavorpill finished in the top 25%, which was actually way better than we expected.
The winning team took home both the first-place award and the first female team award. The first all male team was in fourth place this year, so the ladies really put the boys to shame. Next up for these two: the national finals, which run for 36 hours straight!