XPD - Adventure Race 08
| November 17, 2008 | to | November 28, 2008 |
XPD is Australia’s own expedition length adventure race. Up to 80 teams of four competitors from Australia and overseas will trek, mountain bike, kayak and complete roping sections in this world renowned expedition. These world class athletes will push themselves day and night over 10 days to the ultimate limits of human endurance.
Edition 4 of XPD will span 800km of the Australian High Country and see teams taking in some of Australia’s highest mountains; white water paddling on turbulent rivers fed by melting winter snow; navigating through alpine forests of snowgum and tall sub-alpine mountain gums; visiting historic gold rush towns; and dangling from ropes on exposed cliff faces.
XPD is open to 80 mixed, all male or all female teams of four with entries selling out within hours. The exact course is kept secret until 24hrs before the start. Then with much excitement and anticipation, teams are provided a course booklet and their maps. The course booklet contains the location of each of the race checkpoints teams must visit. Once teams start, racing is 24 hours per day; teams choose when and where they will sleep. The winning team is expected to complete the course in 4-5 days. All other teams will be permitted up to 10 days to complete the expedition without mid-race cut offs. XPD will be challenging for first time racers and experienced teams alike.
In the spirit of a true expedition, teams will be unsupported with their equipment, pre-packed in plastic trunks, being moved to various points on the course by the race organisers. Teams will need to meticulously plan all their equipment and sustenance to last them through the event. No outside assistance is permitted.
Held approximately every 18 months, Edition 4 is scheduled for 17-28 November 2008. It will be “as much an expedition as a race”. HQ will be located at the alpine village of Thredbo, New South Wales. As a member of the AR World Series, XPD is a qualifying event for the Adventure Race World Championship. The AR World Series is an international circuit of premiere adventure races in 10 countries culminating every 12 months in the Adventure Racing World Championships. XPD is expected to generate significant media coverage. For more information www.xpd.com.au
XPD Expedition Race – The Amazing Facts
XPD 4th Edition will involve 80 teams of four competitors. Honours in the Premier Mixed category is the most coveted prize. Teams in this category must include both male and female members.
Teams will travel from all points of the globe to event HQ at Thredbo in the Australian High Country. The last race had competitors from: Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, France, South Africa and the UK.
XPD is a qualifying event for the Adventure Racing World Championships. 1st and 2nd place teams at XPD qualify for this race. As a prize they also receive expenses paid travel to the World Championships.
New Zealand Team Orionhealth.com won the last edition of XPD in 5 days 7 hours and 16 minutes. They had a total of 8 hours sleep in that time.
The average age of competitors is 35 and most hail from professional backgrounds.
A staff of over 50 officials and volunteers is required to run and support the event. They work on a rotating roster basis for over 10 days, often working just as hard as the competitors!
Competitors burn a whopping 10,000+ calories per day. Physically they only replace half that and many lose weight over the event. Popular foods include: tuna pasta, creamed rice, Nutella sandwiches, energy bars, Pringles and soft drinks.
Extensive mandatory safety equipment must be carried by each competitor and is an average weight of 3.5kg per competitor. Personal race gear is extra.
Most competitors have a training program for XPD that is 12-18 months long and can include entire weekends of leech-infested bush-bashing, paddling and cycling!
Competitor’s feet can swell during the race, often by 1 -2 sizes.
The half way point in the race is marked by a “mid camp” where competitors are provided with a hot meal and have a compulsory stop of 6 hours. This is the only time they are enforced to stop in the 5-10 days.
XPD is run every 18 months in an exotic new location. The 1st Edition was outback NSW, the 2nd Edition Tasmania and the 3rd Edition in the Whitsundays.
4th Edition in the Australian High Country.
The sport of Adventure Racing started in 1989 with the first race being run by a Frenchman in New Zealand. It is now one of the biggest adventure sports in the world.