AR in the world and also the biggest adventure race.

Update

The ladies woke up this morning to ideal racing conditions with a clear blue sky and fresh snow down to the tree line at 1200 meters.  The good news is that due to the perfect weather teams will get to trek up above the snow line to 1800 meters in parts of the race.

Race maps

12 Hour
http://www.sportzhub.com/PDF/SpringChallenge2009_12hour.pdf

6 Hour

http://www.sportzhub.com/PDF/SpringChallenge2009_6hour.pdf 

Full race notes below

SPRING CHALLENGE 2009

LAKE ROTOITI - NELSON LAKES 

12-HOUR

ADVENTURE RACE COURSE 

RACE TIMETABLE

Start  0600 Saturday

Stage 1 Raft  Lake Rotoiti / Buller River  11km

Stage 2 Bike  Homestead Creek   4km

Stage 3 Hike  Sub 1     5km

Stage 4 Bike  Toitoi Gully / Teetotal  25km  

Stage 5 Orienteering West Bay    1km

Stage 6 Bike  Mount Robert   4km

Stage 7 Hike  Speargrass, Robert Ridge  18km

Stage 8 Canoe  Lake Rotoiti    1.5km

Stage 9 Run  Lakeside    2.5km

                                                      72KM 

THESE NOTES ARE INTENDED TO BE CARRIED DURING RACE 

Important note: TA2 is only for 6-hour teams. 

Stage 1 Raft  Lake Rotoiti / Buller River

At least 30-minutes before the race start you must arrange what raft, guide and other team you will be rafting with. The rafts will be lined up along the lakeshore. At the western end the competitive teams will meet. At the eastern end of the line is the social teams, place your self along the line accordingly. You don't want to share a raft with a team who has opposite aims, that is not good for either team. At the end of the raft section, follow the track to TA1. Your support crew can meet you at the river.

Compulsory Gear - cycle helmets, wetsuits, footwear.

You MUST wear your bib over your life jacket.  

Stage 2 Bike  Homestead Creek

Leaving TA1 you MUST pass over the timing mats at the TA exit. You then cross SH63 and onto the farm driveway and ride 400-metres and turn left towards Homestead Creek. The trails are indistinct until you reach the forest, which leads to CP1. You MUST leave your bike at CP1 and start hiking.

CAUTION crossing SH63 - it is an open road with traffic travelling at 100km/ph. 

Stage 3 Hike  Sub 1

From CP1 climb on dirt roads and through forest to reach CP2. Follow high ridge around to CP3. Take care to navigate accurately. You should do very little descending going between CP2 & CP3. From CP3 you MUST return to CP1 to collect your bike. 

Stage 4 Bike  Toitoi Gully / Teetotal

From CP1 make your way to CP4 then to the CLUE and CP7.

YOU DO NOT GO TO CP5 and CP6

There is an Aid Station where your support crew can meet you for assistance.

There is a bridge over Speargrass Creek. Use this bridge at your own risk and walk your bike over it. Speargrass Homestead is also out of bounds.

You MUST not ride on SH63 between TA1 and the Aid Station - it is marked on the map as out of bounds. From the Aid Station you can cross SH63 and ride over the Buller Bridge. This is an open road and all normal road rules apply. Take care leaving the Aid Station.

You MUST approach CP7 from the bike track which approaches from the east - descending onto CP7. You must report to CP7 the CLUE code - it will be a word or a phrase. From CP7 descend to Teetotal Road and go to CP8. Take care crossing SH63 as it is an open road. 

Stage 5 Orienteering  West Bay

Collect an orienteering map and locate CP9. This could prove a big challenge for some teams and getting lost in the area is very possible. The area is enclosed by major roads and a river so you can't get completely lost, even though it may feel like it. From CP9 return to your bikes at CP8. 

Stage 6 Bike  Mount Robert 

From CP8 bike to TA3. Beware of vehicles on the road. 

Stage 7 Hike  Speargrass / Robert Ridge

Follow Speargrass Track to Hut and CP10.

From CP10 you will have a choice.

CP11 and CP12 are optional.

You MUST go to CP13 - Bushline Hut but if you wish to return to TA3 at Mount Robert Car Park that is an option.

You MUST decide before you leave CP10 what route you are taking and report this to the CP10 staff. It is a major safety requirement that the CP11 and CP12 staff know what teams are taking the route along Robert Ridge.

You cannot change your route once you leave CP10. The options are;

A/ To CP13 via CP11 and CP12

B/ To CP13 via TA3 (Mount Robert Car Park)

An instant disqualification will be the penalty for a change on route.

From CP13 descend to CP14 at on the lakeshore. 
 
 
 

Stage 8 Canoe  Lake Rotoiti

Life jackets must be worn with your race bibs over top. Each team will have 1-canoe and 2-paddles. Paddle to CP15.  If you do not wish to canoe, you can use the lakeside trail to CP15.

During the hours of darkness your headlights must be worn and display a white light.  

Stage 9 Run  Lakeside

You MUST enter the finish line in the reverse way you left it earlier in the day - from the lakeshore. When you arrive in the car park, head directly to the lakeshore and go along the lakeshore to finish chute. You cannot use the road or bridge in Kerr Bay. 

CUT OFF

12-hour teams must leave TA3 by 7.00pm to stay on the full course.

Any teams that leave after 7.00pm will go direct to CP13 at Bushline Hut.

Any teams that leave after 9.00pm will go direct to CP14 at Lakeside. 

MISSING A CP 

6-hour penalty 

Rules

• Teams must stay in sight of each other for entire event (max 50-metre separation)
• Teams cannot not receive assistance from their support crew outside of Transition Areas (TA)
• Teams must follow instructions detailed in course notes - especially where road safety is a concern
• Parts of the event course are on open and public roads - normal road rules apply in these places. NO roads are closed for the event.
• You must carry all the gear on the compulsory gear list for all biking and hiking sections.
• You must wear a wetsuit and cycle (or kayak) helmet in the raft.
• Bibs must be worn on the outside of what ever else you have on.
• Bibs must returned after the race and not be cut or modified in anyway. Any damaged bibs will incur a cost of $50 replacement fee.
• If your team withdraws from the event, you must notify race staff immediately.
• If one of your team withdraws, teams can continue with 2 people with Race Directors permission.
• You MUST be certain that CP staff have recorded your passing and you MUST pass over the timing mats leaving TA's.
• No littering.
• Leave any gates as you find them - if in doubt - close it.
• Teams must follow course notes provided and follow safety instructions from event staff.
• If toileting on the course it must be at least 50-metres away from any waterway and buried in a shallow hole.
• If a team acts in a manner that is considered by the Event Organisers not to be in the spirit of the event, they have the right to penalise or disqualify a team.

________________________________________________________

SPRING CHALLENGE 2009

LAKE ROTOITI - NELSON LAKES 

6-HOUR

ADVENTURE RACE COURSE 

RACE TIMETABLE 

Start 0600  & 10:00 Saturday 

Stage 1 Raft Lake Rotoiti / Buller River  11km

Stage 2 Bike Homestead Creek   4km

Stage 3 Hike Sub 1     5km

Stage 4 Bike Toitoi Gully    10km

Stage 5 Hike Brunner Peninsula   6km

                                                36km    

THESE NOTES ARE INTENDED TO BE CARRIED DURING RACE 

Stage 1 Raft

At least 30-minutes before the race start you must arrange what raft, guide and other team you will be rafting with. The rafts will be lined up along the lakeshore. At the western end the competitive teams will meet. At the eastern end of the line is the social teams, place your self along the line accordingly. You don't want to share a raft with a team who has opposite aims, that is not good for either team. At the end of the raft section, follow the track to TA1. Your support crew can meet you at the river.

Compulsory Gear - cycle helmets, wetsuits, footwear.

You MUST wear your bib over your life jacket.

NOTE: no gear used while rafting can be used again in event unless treated for Didymo. 

Stage 2 Bike

Leaving TA1 you MUST pass over the timing mats at the TA exit. You then cross SH63 and onto the farm driveway and ride 400-metres and turn left towards Homestead Creek. The trails are indistinct until you reach the forest, which leads to CP1. You MUST leave your bike at CP1 and start hiking.

CAUTION crossing SH63 - it is an open road with traffic travelling at 100km/ph. Other than crossing SH63 leaving TA1 - you MUST not travel on SH63 at any other point. 

Stage 3 Hike

From CP1 climb on dirt roads and through forest to reach CP2. Follow high ridge around to CP3. Take care to navigate accurately. You should do very little descending going between CP2 & CP3. From CP3 you MUST return to CP1 to collect your bike. 

Stage 4 Bike

From CP1 make your way to CP4 then to TA2. Remember, SH63 is out of bounds. There is a bridge over Speargrass Creek. Use this bridge at your own risk and walk your bike over it. Speargrass Homestead is also out of bounds. 

Stage 5 Hike

You MUST collect an orienteering map before leaving TA2 from the exit point.

From TA2 follow the ribbons east to a small track that descends to the river. Under guidance from staff, cross the Buller Bridge and immediately move off SH63 to the river trail. Make your way to CP5. This could prove a big challenge for some teams and getting lost in the area is very possible. The area is enclosed by major roads and a river so you can't get completely lost, even though it may feel like it. From CP5 go to CP6 then the finish line.

You MUST enter the finish line in the reverse way you left it earlier in the day - from the lakeshore. 

MISSING A CP = 3-hour penalty 

Rules

• Teams must stay in sight of each other for entire event (max 50-metre separation)
• Teams cannot not receive assistance from their support crew outside of Transition Areas (TA)
• Teams must follow instructions detailed in course notes - especially where road safety is a concern
• Parts of the event course are on open and public roads - normal road rules apply in these places. NO roads are closed for the event.
• You must carry all the gear on the compulsory gear list for all biking and hiking sections.
• You must wear a wetsuit and cycle (or kayak) helmet in the raft.
• Bibs must be worn on the outside of what ever else you have on.
• Bibs must returned after the race and not be cut or modified in anyway. Any damaged bibs will incur a cost of $50 replacement fee.
• If your team withdraws from the event, you must notify race staff immediately.
• If one of your team withdraws, teams can continue with 2 people with Race Directors permission.
• You MUST be certain that CP staff have recorded your passing and you MUST pass over the timing mats leaving TA's.
• No littering.
• Leave any gates as you find them - if in doubt - close it.
• Teams must follow course notes provided and follow safety instructions from event staff.
• If toileting on the course it must be at least 50-metres away from any waterway and buried in a shallow hole.
• If a team acts in a manner that is considered by the Event Organisers not to be in the spirit of the event, they have the right to penalise or disqualify a team.