XPD Australia
A Long and Wild Course
Geoff Hunt (AR World Series Director) / 18.05.2010
At 0800 this morning the course was finally revealed to all the competitors. Craig Bycroft the Race Director put the course overview up on the wall and proceeded to describe and his way through it.Tomorrow morning, using the tried and trusted early morning start, (0600) competitors will board buses to journey for 2 plus hours south to Mission Beach where they will board a boat. (Which boat is a little unknown at this time because the main boat the organization was going to use has just broken down)
<b>Stage 1 – Dunk Island – 25km Trek/Snorkel/Raft </b>
The boat will take everyone out to Dunk Island - the start location. The first job of the tams is to carry their single kayak along the beach to the start line. Once a group photo is taken then the 5th version of the XPD will be ready to start.
Craig has described the first day and half as 'easing into the race' and certainly these stages look like the fun stages before the serious stuff starts. The first stage 'Dunk Island' involves a run around the island (and to the top) paddling around a section to two different snorkelling points.
At these the whole team has to swim a short distance to record the check points before returning to the boat and paddling across the approx 7 kms of open water to Mission Beach (should be interesting with 4 people in a two person boat).
<b>Stage 2 - Cassowary Coast – 100km MTB</b>
A short evening ride through the Cassowary Coast and sugar farming country up into the Tully Gorge. Every time this area is mentioned it always caries a reference to 'the most rainfall in Oz' - so finally I asked 'Exactly how much is that?' 7. 4 metres of rain is the normal - yes 7.4 metres (although they have recorded 12.5 metres in one year) A wet part of the world.
Teams will be checked in on arrival and leave on the Tully River the next morning at 5 minute intervals (two rafts with a team on each with guide). So 12 teams will depart and then a half hour break to allow some of the 'carnage' on the river to clear before the next wave starts.
<b>Stage 3 - Rafting the Tully - Trek 9km/Raft 10km </b>
This is world renowned white water up to Grade 4 with a full flow of 88mgs expected. Teams will enjoy this leg.
<b>Stage 4 - The Misty Mountains – 47km trek.</b>
A whole series of tracks has recently been put through these mountains. This 47 km trek goes from virtual sea level to the highest town in Australia, Ravenshoe at 1100 meters. The last of the crocodile warnings is at the beginning of this trek.
Teams are urged to cross the Tully by bridge and not swim - a large salt water croc has been seen recently in these waters just below the Tully rafting take out.
Except for the altitude gain this trek is navigationally easy and so don't expect to many mistakes or surprises along it. Perhaps though we would expect some of the fitter teams to start to show towards the front of the field.See All Event Posts
