Instructions to competitors for 2012
GENERAL (All Events)
Friday 20 April 2012
Registration will be at the Kerikeri Bowling Club, Cobham Road Kerikeri, from 3.00pm - 7.00pm and from 5.00pm - 9.00pm at Opononi Area School, State Highway 12 Omapere, on 20th April.
Saturday 21 April 2012
ALL COMPETITORS must attend their Briefing at Opononi Area School, State Highway 12 Omapere, on 21st April:
- All events 6.30am
Plenty of parking is available. Food and drinks are available from 6.00am at the school.
- The Kayak course (advertised or contingency) will be confirmed at the briefing.
- Race Numbers must be worn conspicuously during the event.
- If teams fail to transfer their transponders between members, their overall time and place will not be calculated.
- If a team member fails to complete a leg, then that team must withdraw from the whole event.
- All individual competitors and teams will receive a transponder at registration which must be handed back to officials on completion of the course or withdrawal. A fee of $40 will be charged for any transponder not returned.
LEG ONE (Run 9km)
- Immediately after the briefing, free buses will leave the school for the start line (multisport first).
- Start times:
- Multisport Challenge 7.15am
- Duathlon/four fun 7.45am
- This leg starts as a cross-country course over a farm on the west coast. It then follows a farm road back to SH12, over a steep climb, down to and along the Omapere foreshore with a short run along the beach to the transitions at Opononi.
- The course will be marshaled and marked with arrows.
- When running on SH12 keep as far left as possible.
- The timing pad will be located on the Opononi beach at the kayak transition. Duathletes/four fun competitors will use the same timing pad, then cross SH12 to the cycle transition in the i-Site car park.
- Cyclists must not mount their cycle until they reach the roadway.
- Team entries must transfer their transponder to the next team member at the Kayak or Cycle. No Exceptions.
General
- The Opononi transition will be ready to receive kayaks from 6.00am and cycles from 6.45am on the day.
- Parking will be available at the Opononi Area School, State Highway 12 Omapere, from 6.00am. Only limited parking for equipment drop-off is available at the Opononi transition.
LEG TWO (Kayak 18km)
We will include a kayak leg this year if conditions are safe for experienced kayakers. In challenging conditions we will revert to a contingency course or cancel the leg on advice from independent local experts.
The Hokianga is a remote harbour and the first third of our 18 km Hokianga course is ‘open harbour’ and can be affected by a chop caused by wind against tide.
Correct kayak selection for your skill level and some open water practice
are important.
Make sure you have practiced and are confident at self-rescue, despite our
Marine Safety plan.
Our Opononi kayak marshal will assess your equipment.
Requirements
- All kayakers must wear an approved life jacket.
- All Kayaks must be four metres or more in length and this year surf skis and single waka ama are permitted.
- All kayaks must have proper floatation bags (minimum of two) or watertight compartments
- All kayaks must have their race numbers positioned on the starboard (right) side of the foredeck so they can be seen from the shore.
We strongly recommend:
- Using spray skirts and a paddle float
- Carrying a bailer, pea-less whistle and day flare
- Tethering paddles to craft.
Other important Information
- There will be a lead boat and safety boats stationed along the course.
- Shore-based observers will watch for any competitor who requires help.
- For help, hold your paddle up vertically if in the boat; hold an arm up vertically if in the water.
- Competitors should keep to seaward of fixed installations when approaching Rawene.
- Competitors have a responsibility to avoid the cross harbour ferry at Rawene - the ferry has the same responsibility to avoid you and escorting boats will be in VHF contact with the ferry on your behalf.
- Take careful note of the planned layout of the Rawene transition zone .
- After beaching your kayak, marshals will assist you to remove your kayak to the carpeted hard stand area for later collection by your team.
- Use the concrete steps and run 700m down Clendon Esplanade to the old Rugby grounds (Rawene Domain) where the timing pad will be the end of the leg.
- Team entries must transfer their transponder to the next team member at the cycle. No Exceptions.
- Only one support person, or the cyclist if in the team event, is allowed to stand by your cycle to assist you with the transition . Another support person can help individual competitors to change their gear on the 700m run if they wish.
- Support crews will not be allowed on the beach. They should wait by the cycles to assist their competitor.
- Support crews should bring their vehicle to collect kayaks when possible after their cyclist has left.
- Note that traffic flow along the waterfront is one way. Support vehicles must come from the transition and parking area via a clockwise traffic route through the Rawene Township. Take careful note of the plan provided. Marshals will manage the flow of vehicles through the transition zone. Support crews are asked to quickly load kayaks in the transition zone. If necessary complete the securing of the kayak to the vehicle once you are back at the parking area.
General
Marked car parking areas will be provided at the Rawene Domain on Clendon Esplanade.
LEG THREE NORTHERN CROSSING (Cycle 74km)
LEG TWO DUATHLON (Cycle 81.5km)
LEGS TWO & THREE 'FOUR FUN' (Cycle 45km and 36km)
- All roads are open and road rules must be obeyed at all times.
- Participants must wear an approved Safety New Zealand cycling helmet while riding the event.
- Cycles should be placed on the racks provided at Opononi and Rawene transitions.
- Cyclists must not mount their cycles within the Transition areas.
- The length of the Kaikohe business area is declared a Neutral Zone (NO PASSING OTHER CYCLISTS) and a maximum speed limit of 30 kph will be enforced. A speed trap will be in place and competitors exceeding 30kph, will incur a 5 minute time penalty.
- The 'four fun' transition will be located in the Rotary Park Kaikohe.
The Rotary Park is situated after the CBD, on the left, immediately over
the bridge. Only competitors and support crew may wait in the transition
area. No vehicles are permitted.
- Obey all traffic controllers and course marshals.
- A Hunter Cycles support van will patrol the route.
- Please don't litter Northland roads with used food packaging.
- Approaching Waipapa on SH10, turn left into the transition area located
at Downer EDI.
Team entries must transfer their transponder in the marked area immediately after the timing pad. No Exceptions. - This is a non-drafting cycle leg. Cyclists who draft off another competitor or motor vehicle may incur a time penalty. The recognized draft zone behind a cycle is 7 metres from the front of the leading cycle (about 5 metres behind) and 35 metres from the front of a vehicle. The zone is also 3 metres wide for cycles and 5 metres for vehicles.
- All support and marshal vehicles heading to the Waipapa transition or Kerikeri, should use Highway 12 from Kaikohe through Ohaeawai, Old Bay Road or Pakaraka to Highway 10 avoiding congestion on some of the narrow roads used for the cycle leg.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLY WITH ROAD RULES AT ALL TIMES
FINAL LEG (Cross Country Run 8km)
General
Transition Waipapa
- Keep to the left of the markers approaching the transition on SH10.
- Parking is limited, please follow marshals' directions.
- Support crews please take cycle from competitor and remove it from the transition area as soon as possible.
- Leave the Downer EDI site by the left-hand lane of the driveway.
- Cross SH10 directly, watching for traffic.
- The course will be marshaled and marked with signs and tape.
- A water booth will be available at Rainbow Falls.
Stone Store Basin Finish Area
- At the finish return your transponder to marshals within the restricted area.
- Car parking is available on both sides of the Kerikeri River but is limited.
- Food and drinks will be available.
- Massages will also be available.
MARSHALS MUST BE OBEYED AT ALL TIMES
The penalty for disobeying the Area Marshal in a transition area may result in a time penalty or disqualification.
Other information
- Each team or individual competitor may have two supporters. Supporters must wear the stick-on badges from race-packs. Only these people may assist in transition areas.
- Team entrants: make sure you transfer your transponder to the next team member.
- A water booth will be available at all transitions to supplement competitor's own supply.
- Competitors who withdraw from the event must phone or text the Race Controller - Ian Faulkner - 0274 769200 ASAP and certainly before 4.00pm.
- Approximate travel times for support crew:
- Opononi to Rawene 20 minutes
- Opononi to Waipapa 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rawene to Waipapa 1 hour
- Waipapa to Kerikeri Basin 15 minutes
- Prize-giving will be held at The Turner Centre, Cobham Road Kerikeri, from 5.00pm. The Turner Centre will be open at 4.00pm where a bar will be open for those wanting to wind down and talk about the event. Prize giving should be concluded in about an hour.
- Competitors must be in attendance to receive spot prizes and produce their race number as verification.
