On 4/10/2010 3:11 PM, Taylor, Michael wrote

Hi Mart,

 

    We have entered in a team in the years race (To little to late)and was wondering about the conditions for the paddle leg , we here the water level is low and would a surf ski be the best option.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

Hi Mike

I definitely wouldn't use an under-slung rudder, and the blunt nose of a kayak will probably pick up a lot of weed. There's a section of about 100 metres that is cut through a muddy bullrush section which may have to be portaged, if we can get some water released from the Harris Dam it might solve that problem. The first two km will be very shallow. Pass it on to anyone else you know.

Regards

Marty



Hi Marty, 

I take it you can handle enquiries like this.  I just want to know if wetsuits are allowed in the swim leg.

Yes, they are allowed. Water temp will probably be cool as we still haven't had any sun yet. It usually warms up in the week or two before the event.

I was wondering if you could please clarify a couple of points for me and my team for the Collie Marathon.

Firstly: I understand that it starts at 9am – what time is registration and does every team member need to be on course for registration and start of the race? EG: those that are doing the later legs, can they arrive later in the day or do they need to be there from the beginning??

Secondly: If we do not have a horse rider does the canoe leg follow directly from when our road rider completes their section or does the canoe person wait until the horse section is finished?? Do you have approx times that the canoe leg would start?

The race starts at 9am sharp, so you need to be there earlier, about 8am. The canoeist starts as soon as the cyclist finishes if you don't have a horse. The bike ride would take just under an hour for a fast rider. You don't really need to have the full team present to register.

 

Your rules state that horses must be shod on all 4 feet. I would like to request an exemption from this requirement, subject if necessary to sighting of his endurance logbook and a veterinary examination of his feet to confirm his barefoot status. 

This year the horse has successfully completed, barefoot, 3x80km enduarnce rides, a 3-day 120km marathon and 4x40-50km rides, in addition to his training for these events. 

We've recently changed the rule to a recommendation to reflect changes in endurance riding. Obviously our main concern is that the horse is looked after.

I am chasing info in regards to the conditions of the paddle for the Collie Relay.  I am trying to decide whether to use a plastic or fibreglass ski.  I noticed the website said no ti-trees, are there many rocks throughout the course?  Also, is it recommended to wear boots for the paddle?

The river has two wooden weirs that normally keep the river at a reasonable level but at the moment the shire Council has taken the boards out, so the water level is very low. There are no rocks or tea trees but possibly a few shallow muddy spots. We are urgently trying to get the Council to fix up the weirs but I'm sceptical of it happening on time. I wouldn't recommend an under-slung rudder. You should always wear some kind of foot wear in the river in case of glass or sharp objects.

I registered our team ages ago and we’re yet to receive any info/race pack.  This is the first year we’ve done the Collie so we’re keen to get the info.  Can you please advise?  J

All the information you need is on my web site.
Have a look here.
http://sites.google.com/site/colliemultisports/mainpeak-collie-adventure-race
and here. It's what we used to send out as the info pack.
http://sites.google.com/site/colliemultisports/mainpeak-collie-adventure-race/mcar-info
If you have any queries feel free to contact me.
Regards
Marty

I have a few questions about the adventure race:

What time does the adventure race start and where/what time do we muster?  Are there any pre race checks (eg: legal Australian helmet, registration) that we should be aware of?   Is there a central location where we can keep all our gear (Kayaks, Bikes, support equipment) for easy access from each of the stages or will each stage require transport to get to?  If this info is available on the site or from Mainpeak can you tell me where to find it?

We gather at the Trotting Track hall, which is at the trotting track, also referred to as the Wallsend Grounds, and showgrounds. We walk about 100 metres to the bike start. The paddle is about 400 metres from the bike start. Everyone normally drops their canoe off there first, you'll see about 60 other canoes there. Water level will be very low, underslung fixed rudders not recommended.
the canoe finish is at Minninup Pool, about 5 km away. You need to get your, swim, mountain bike and run equipment there. It's where we have the lunch break. The run finishes back at the trotting track. Check out the various google maps on the website. First bike takes off at exactly 9am, so you need to be there at least an hour early to get set up.

 I’ve a few more questions:

The site states that free camping is available for horse riders.  Is this not the case for other entrants or are we also able to camp there if necessary?

 

Are there breaks between all the events? EG: there is no stated break between swim, mountain Bike and Run.  Are these meant to be attempted one immediately after the other or is there time for a transition? If this is the case, do we wait for all competitors to finish the previous leg before starting the next one? Finally, are all starters grouped together, or are the starts staggered (eg teams leave before ironmen/women)?

What time frame in the morning do we have to meet at the trotting club for registration and when does first race start? 
.   

The first bike takes off at exactly 9:00 am so you need to be there at about 8 am to get organised.