Classic Course is sold out!
Novice Course is still open, click here to enter now.
The course is secret until you pick up your maps at registration. The total distances for this event are:
Novice Course - 2.3km kayak, 10km mountain bike, 3.5km run
Classic Course - 6.4km kayak, 13km mountain bike, 8.5km run
Advanced Course - At least the first 20 teams and up to 50 teams to finish the Classic Course will be given the option to complete a bonus section moving them into the Advanced Course. The bonus section should take the fastest teams about 35 minutes to complete. You do not have to do the bonus section but any team that doesn't will be ranked behind any team that does complete the bonus section. There is no bonus section for the Novice Course.
Disciplines include kayaking (kayaks, paddles and PFDs provided), mountain biking and running/walking and some surprises. You will be given maps and instructions at registration and it is up to you to navigate from checkpoint to checkpoint. Remember the whole team travels together.
You can compete in the Corporate Challenge by emailing Alina and asking to be entered in this additional category. Your team will then contend with other corporate teams for the Corporate Challenge and the well-deserved bragging rights on Monday morning (leaving you Sunday to take care of these muscle aches!). To enter this category you must satisfy the following 3 criteria: your team must enter the Novice Course, at least 2 out of 3 of the team members must be from the same company and your team name must integrate your company's name.
Entry confirmation and any further event information not contained on the website will be emailed to the Team Captain. It is the Team Captains' responsibility to pass this information on to their team members.
Event Hub
Cattai National Park.
The Start/Finish/Registration/Bike Drop are all located at or near Shed 6, Cattai National Park, Cattai.
The turn off into the National Park is 11.3km from the junction of Windsor Road and Pitt Town Road near Windsor. From Windsor Road turn North into Pitt Town Road and travel 4.8km to Pitt Town. Turn right at Pitt Town towards Cattai and Wisemans Ferry onto a road that becomes Cattai Road. 6km from Pitt Town you will cross a bridge over Cattai Creek. From this bridge travel a further 0.5km on Cattai Road and turn left into an unnamed road which is signposted to Cattai National Park. The left hand turn is slightly hidden but is directly in front of a "Fire Danger Today" sign. This road is initially dirt and becomes bitumen after crossing a cattle grid. Follow this unnamed road about 1.3km and turn left to go through the main entrance gate and booth into Cattai National Park. Then continue 1.8km down the road to a the huge picnic area beside the Hawkesbury River. Parking is on the left side of the dirt road in the picnic area. Shed 6 is in the middle of this large picnic area.
For an overall map of the area click here and for a more detailed map click here
Parking: There is plenty of parking within the Park. Unless you have an annual National Parks Pass sticker on your car or you are camping on the Friday night (see below), there is a entrance fee of $7 per car. You will need to pay the Ranger at the main entrance gate. Gates open at 7:30am. Please bring correct change for $7 to speed things up.
Food: There will be a coffee van at the event hub and will be open prior to the start for that early morning caffeine fix. The 1st Hawkesbury Scouts will be running the BBQ as a fundraiser. They will be operating from 12 midday onwards and will have vegetarian options. Please support them. There is no other food available at Cattai NP or anywhere nearby.
Bike Drop
The bike drop is right at the Event Hub at Cattai National Park. There is a separate compound for the Classic and Novice Teams.
You need to take all 3 bikes to the bike drop together. Only one person needs to take your bikes.
All 3 bikes from each team must be leaned up against one stake. The stakes will be set up in a grid. Make a note of where abouts your bikes are on the grid so you can find them when you arrive there during the race.
Event Schedule (updated 15 October 2008)
Tuesday 30 September |
|
6:00-9:00pm |
Gear & Info Night at Paddy Pallin Kent Street, Sydney CBD including NOVICE BRIEFING (see Novice Corner) |
Saturday 25 October |
|
8:15– 9:15AM |
Classic Course Registration* |
9:00– 9:45AM |
Novice Course Registration* |
9:00AM |
Bike Drop Open (both Classic and Novice compounds) |
9:35AM |
Classic Course Briefing |
9:45AM |
Classic Course Race Start |
9:50AM |
Novice Course Briefing |
10:45AM |
Novice Course Race Start |
3:00PM |
Presentation |
*At registration all team members will be required to sign an indemnity form. Maps will be given out at registration.
Novice Briefing
This briefing is open to any novice or any person who wants a recap on how the event works, how to prepare your maps and what to expect. We will also run a basic navigation and map reading lesson. If you haven't done an AROC event before or your navigation skills need a bit of wake up we really recommend you attend this briefing - it will make the event much more rewarding and enjoyable.
Registration
We recommend that you get to the registration early to make sure you have time to look over the course and prepare your maps. You will need to come to the pre-race briefing ready to start.
Only one team member needs to come to register for the team. That person must however have with them an indemnity form signed by the whole team and all the team and personal mandatory equipment. Print out the indemnity form and have it signed before you come to registration. Note that your whole team can sign one form. If you are under 18 years of age you will need to print off your own form and have this form signed by your parent or guardian.
At registration you will need to:
• Hand in your signed indemnity form
• Check your team details and make changes if necessary
You will receive:
• Maps
• List of control descriptions
• Control card
• Course instructions
• 1 Sport Ident timing stick (must be returned after the event)
• 3 race bibs (these must be returned after the event)
Note that failure to return the timing stick will incur a $50 fee. Unreturned bibs will be charged at $25 each.
Mandatory Equipment
Adventure Racing is not on a fixed course and you will travel through bush and urban areas. For your safety there are certain items that each individual or team must carry during the event. The mandatory equipment applies to both the Novice Course and the Classic Course teams.
All competitors will need to supply their own mountain bike and helmet, food and water.
Each person must carry on themselves at all times during the event:
Each team must carry at all times during the event the following team mandatory equipment:
Although not compulsory we STRONGLY RECOMMEND a 'Sea to Summit' brand A4 size waterproof map case or ALOKSAK to protect your maps. Nothing else will keep your maps dry. If you need to purchase any of these or any other adventure racing products go to www.arocshop.com.au.
AROC Sport will provide kayaks, paddles, PFDs ("life jackets"), maps and instructions.
Race Rules
Please read the race rules. Race Rules can be found under the heading "INFO" >"Rules" – or you can click here.
Camping / Accommodation
There is a huge camping area at Cattai with hot showers. The camping area is located along the road beyond the main picnic area and the event HQ. If you want to camp you need to pre-book by calling 4572 3100 between 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday and paying $10 per adult per night and $5 per child (5-15 years old) per night. You can pay over the phone using your credit card. The main entrance gate to the park will be locked at 6:30pm on the Friday night and it is not reopened until 7:30am Saturday morning. So if you are camping and are going to arrive after 6:30pm on the Friday night please get the combination to the lock on the gate when making your booking so that you can drive into the campground.
Other important Info
Kayak Paddles: Kayak paddles are provided however Classic Course teams may bring their own kayaks if they prefer. The kayak leg is longer than normal and with the layout of the course it will be easy to keep track of your own paddles. Novice teams must use the paddles provided.
For some tips for beginners and a sample Classic Course <click here>
For general pre-race information and instructions <click here>
