Natchez Trace 444 Will Be Livestreamed

Ah, the Natchez Trace 444. It’s a race we all know and love. Or it is now that I’ve just learned it exists.

It’s a qualifier for the Race Across America, and the 444 in its name refers to the distance of 444 miles that it takes in as it travels the length of the Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS.

The parkway travels through three states and roughly follows the “Old Natchez Trace,” a historic travel corridor, which, according to the National Parks Service, takes you on a journey through 10,000 years of history, from American Indian mounds and Kaintucks to historic stands and the Civil War. Sounds delightful.

It’s a 50 team event, held from October 2 to 4, 2020. And somehow, it’s actually happening. Surprising news in a year that’s seen every race you’ve ever heard of get canceled.

Teams, composed of solo riders and two-person, and four-person relays, have 44 hours to complete the ride. Social distancing is required throughout the event, but through the use of 8×8 video, support crews and spectators will be able to view the action remotely.

Yes, 8×8. They’re “a leading integrated cloud communications platform,” and they’re providing the open communication platform that’ll allow organizers and participants to collaborate. Especially useful when social distancing is required.

“As video became prevalent in the course of our daily lives due to the global health crisis, we realized how powerful the medium can be for organizing and running the event, especially during these challenging times.” The 444 will use the 8×8 Open Communications Platform for video and audio briefings with riders and crews, coordination with park officials, and screen sharing of maps and the course.

And hey, that thing in our headline. It’ll also live stream the start and finish of the race for spectators. The livestream of the event will be available on the Natchez Trace 444 YouTube channel, with GPS team tracking available for drop-in livestream viewing.

Well, can’t say it promises to be riveting viewing, but it’s a good use of technology and we’re always happy to see more events streaming.

Natchez Trace 444 Livestream

The 444 will livestream on YouTube the starting line, beginning at 7:30am EST on Friday, Oct 2, 2020, and the finish line, beginning at 12:00pm EST on Saturday, Oct 3, 2020.