It’s been an amazing experience exploring the high country plains, peaks, waterways and small towns along the Legend Expedition course.
When designing a course in the area there are some absolute must-include experiences – epic single track MTB trails, hiking over Mt Kosciuszko and stopping in at back-country huts. But perhaps even more beautiful than these headline experiences is travelling over the high country plains through the snow gums and then above the treeline.
Although XPD has a long history in Australia, and certainly this race has been designed to continue the legacy of a uniquely Australian owned and designed Expedition Race. The Legend Expedition Race is a new event and as we grow, will develop its own unique legacy, especially as we introduce a new generation of racers to the sport.
For those who have raced recent GeoQuest, Hells Bells and Terra Nova events, the Legend will be familiar in the way it is delivered. As an expedition race there will be a few additions such as mandatory gear and competency checks as part of race registration and a more formal course reveal and presentation dinner. We will also use the more extensive mandatory gear list as part of Adventure Racing World Series Qualifier rounds with a few additions.
This email highlights a few important points in support of the information on the Legend website.
Event Information Kit and event documents
One to two weeks before the event we will send out the event information kit via email, it will also be posted to the website and on social media. This contains all the essential information teams need to know ahead of the event including the event logistics plan so teams can prepare their gear appropriately.
On the day before race start – Saturday 25 February – registration is open from 9am to 5pm, and will include registration, competency and gear checks and briefings. These will be conducted team by team on a schedule that will be included in the information kit. On the day of the race, teams will deliver their gear to race HQ and then enter team “Lock Down” for the course map handout. The race will start at 10:30.
Race HQ and Accomodation
Race HQ as well as the start and finish of the race will be at the Adventist Alpine Centre in the town of Jindabyne. There is dormitory accomodation available at the centre that can be booked directly by contacting the team at www.alpinevillage.com.au.
There are plenty of options for accomodation and things to do in town – as always check out the local tourism website snowymountains.com.au.
Comments on the Course
The Snowy Mountains course will feature ‘about’ 10 legs covering a total distance of ‘about’ 500kms including trekking 100km, mountain biking 280km and kayaking 90km as well as other adventure disciplines. Of course teams need to be prepared for anything on the day and there is often a bit of give and take with these distances as we build the course around the local landscape. In terms of navigation, the course is a linear course where teams will need to collect check points (CPs) in order to complete each leg. There will be a couple of rogaine style legs as well with multiple route choices available.
In terms of ‘other adventure disciplines’ we are hoping very much to include a ropes based activity and an off trail gorge and river trek which will include some challenging terrain to cover.
The course will feature a very wide range of terrain including alpine lakes, high country plains, some big climbs, on and off-trail travel, single track, fire trails, country back roads, rock-scrambling and of course a climb over some of the highest points in Australia.
Kayaking – all kayaking legs on the course will be conducted on flat water using the Wild & Co Mission Surge double kayaks. They are very stable and feature attachment points for the standard kayak seats available at Anaconda: www.anacondastores.com. At this stage there are no planned portages. It is highly likely that teams will be paddling at night at some stage during the event and should be prepared for cold conditions. Paddle and PFD hire is available with details to be included in the information kit.
Alpine Trek – depending on the weather conditions on the day, teams will travel into an alpine area. The gear on the mandatory gear list is sufficient to ensure your safety in this area, but should be considered a minimum requirement. It is worth planning ahead to ensure you have a few extra layers as it will be exposed can get quite cold and windy. There is often snow in the area in late February / March. There will be a couple of strict conditions regarding travel in the area in particular around human waste – this will included in the information pack. It is recommended teams familiarise themselves with ‘leave no trace’ principles and some the issues regarding human waste: themountainjournal.com/2016/06/05/lets-talk-about-poo/
Gorge and River Trek – for many this will be a unique experience. The river trek involves following a free-flowing river along the bank, through a gorge, past and over small waterfalls, rapids, boulders and whatever else arises from nature. In order to do this you'll be walking, scrambling, jumping, sliding, wading, swimming, floating and quite possibly swearing. One thing's for certain – you're going to get wet! If you feel the cold, it’s worth packing a wetsuit or wetsuit top and pants or extra thermal top, fleece and shell layer for this leg. Water levels will be assessed the day before the event and advice will be given whether a PFD and bike helmet will be mandatory for this leg.
Logistics
Legend Expedition Race is an un-supported event (no support crew) – as such teams will need 4 x 100 litre gear boxes clearly marked with a team name. The logistics plan included in the Information Kit will tell you where these will be placed around the course. Teams will also need a Bike Boxs and Paddle Bags clearly labeled with team name. Dimensions of the bike box and paddle bag are available on the website at https://www.legendexpd.com.au/mandatory-gear-and-logistics
Mandatory Gear
Legend Expedition Race competitors are required carry mandatory items to maximise their safety during the event and need to be familiar with the event logistics for AR races.
Legend Expedition Race is an ARWS Qualifier and has adopted the Mandatory Gear Lists promulgated by the Adventure Racing World Series. The ‘Qualifier’ list found at http://arworldseries.com/resources/
On top of the ARWS list it is highly recommended teams come prepared for both heat and cold – it is very likely to be up to warm during the day and then drop below zero overnight during the race. If conditions are also wet, it could become challenging.
