Registration questions

What date do you use as the cut-off to determine what age category I can enter?
We take your age as at the start date of the race. For example for the 2011 race we will use your age on

March 20th 2011.

I am very keen to enter but I do not have a partner?

It is mandatory for every entrant to have a partner. There are reasons for this and the primary one is safety and we do not want to risk the safety of any competitors. Consider this question…would you head out on an epic 100KM ride in an area you had never ridden on your own, without a friend or even a few? We would hope the answer is no. Besides, we believe that the sharing of this epic journey with a partner only adds to the experience. To find a partner there are a few things you can do. Talk to the people in you’re cycling network (we all have them) and see if there is any one also interested in doing the event. Join a cycling club and see if you can hook up with a partner from the club. You can check the team finder page on the website and check the forum for other people also looking for a partner and post a thread of your own looking for a partner. Good luck !!!!

Can I register for the event even though I don’t have a teammate yet?

No.
Entries close on 28th February 2010 so there is no need to enter without a partner to hold a spot. Having said that, I would not leave every thing to the last minute to organise. The sooner you do find a partner and get entered the sooner your mindset is around preparing for the race. You will be committed and motivated to get on with it.

What currency is the entry fee in?

All fees, charges and prices displayed on the website are in Australian Dollars and include the 10% GST.

Can I upgrade to include catering and transport after I have entered?

Yes you can. If you go to the registration page on the website you will find a link to follow which will allow you to purchase all the add on packages.

What race categories due you have?
There will be 7 age/gender categories offered for the 2011 event. The categories offered are open men – open women – open mixed – masters (80+) men – masters (80+) mixed - Super Masters (100+) open gender and Grand Masters (120+) open gender.

Is there a minimum age to enter?
Yes. You must be at least 18 on the start date of the event to enter.

ABOUT THE RACE

What is a multi day – multi stage Mountain Bike race?
Most cyclists and indeed many non-cyclists are aware of the Tour De France. This is the most famous of the stage races in cycling. The idea behind Terra Australis is not too dissimilar. There are some obvious differences in that this is a Mountain Bike race not a Road race and it is available to all and sundry to come and ride not just the top Pro’s in the world. How it works is pretty simple, each day the race begins as a massed start with all riders being given the same start time. When you cross the finish line we work out how long it took you to complete the course for the day. We then do it again the next day and add your time for day 1 (stage 1) to day 2. The team with the quickest time over the 2 days is the leader. Day 3…4…5 and so on until after day 7 we have an accumulated time for all teams and a race winner.

Is Terra Australis a race or more of a participation event?
Terra Australis is about a lot more than just trying to win. Many participants will be in the race just for the fun, adventure and the experience that they will take away with them. Sure, we will record and publish their times and placing’s but more for personal reference than any sense of competitiveness.

How long is each stage of the race?
Each stage distance will vary. Some days will get close to if not just over the 100Km mark and others will be shorter at about 50 – 60Km. Once the course for each day is finalised we will post the info (distance – elevation profiles – course description) on the relevant page of the website.

What sort of terrain will the course cover?
The terrain will vary from day to day and stage to stage. The trail types will range from graded dirt roads to rough rocky fire trails to sweet single track. The type of scenery and vegetation will also change as the course progresses from the high alpine trails well above the snow line to the lush valleys of North East Victoria below. We are designing the course to encompass as much as we can of the Mountain Bike experience on offer in the region. There won’t be too much of any one thing in a given day except for Mountains and Hills. There are plenty of those to climb over. The up side (pardon the pun) to climbing is descending and there will be plenty of that also.

What’s the overall course elevation and profile?
Course stats including elevation profiles, distances and trail descriptions can be found on the website. As each stage is finalised we will post the info on the relevant page. Check back regularly for updates and sign up to receive our newsletter for news on course developments and all things TERRA AUSTRALIS.

Will there be any bitumen road sections?
There will not be a lot of bitumen road riding in the course but unfortunately there will be some. Rest assured we will be trying to keep the bitumen road sections to an absolute minimum.

Will there be any sections of the course that will require walking your bike?
We are not planning to have any compulsory walking sections in the course unless the relevant land managers force us to. There may be some short sections of the course that are too steep for some riders and walking will be an option. This of course will depend on each rider’s fitness and strength. For those of us who can’t make it over some of the climbs without a dismount and a little stroll (I have included myself in this category) don’t worry, there will be plenty of others in the same situation and you should only have to walk for a short distance.

How technical will the single track be and how much of the total course distance will be single track?
The single track will not be overly technical but more flowing and fun. Riders with a bit of experience in 3/6/12/24 hour enduros will be able to handle the single track trails. If you are inexperienced on single track then you will probably want to introduce some single track riding into your preparation. You can enter a local enduro with your team mate to get some race experience or take a skills clinic. Either way get into it; it is definitely the most enjoyable aspect of Mountain Biking. As far as distance goes it will be as much as we can get that is available here in the region. That said, to cover the distances we are covering each day the greater proportion of trails will be fire roads and double track trails. They will still be challenging and fun even though it’s not single track.

What will happen if my team doesn’t make a cut off time on a particular stage?
Missing a cut off is not a complete disaster. You won’t have to withdraw from the event. Unfortunately you wont get to call yourself a Terra Australis finisher but you will get to complete the remainder of the stages. If you miss a cut off time we would strongly recommend you go on to ride the remaining stages of the race.

What if my team mate is unable to continue the race?
If your team mate cannot continue we will try and match you up with someone else in the same situation forming another team. Your team will not be classified as an official finisher because you both need to finish with your registered team but will get to ride out the rest of the event. If you do carry on and complete all 7 stages you will receive an official finishers t-shirt and medal.

Where and how far apart are the feed stations?
There will be 2 feed stations on every stage and if the temperatures get high enough there will be a third water point added. The exact locations will be marked on the stage info pages once the stage info has been finalised. As a general rule the feed stations will be about 1/3rd and 2/3rd into each stage.

Are we able to have our own food and drink bottles at the feed stations?
No. The Feed Stations will have a variety of snacks and water but if you want something specific as your own brand of energy drink then you will have to carry that with you throughout the day’s stage. One suggestion we can offer is to carry a serving of your energy drink powder in a press seal bag. When you get to a feed station you can top up your bottles or drink bladder with water, add your serve of powder and presto, fresh energy drink to go with no need to carry excess water all day.

I am just a “weekend warrior” is Terra Australis for Pro’s only?
No it’s not just for the Pro’s. In fact Terra Australis is more about the “weekend warrior” than it is about the Pro’s. With a little bit of extra preparation and training over the summer every “weekend warrior” should be able to complete the event. I don’t want to give you the impression it will be easy because it won’t. For some it will be the challenge of a lifetime with highs and lows, good days and bad, but for me that is the appeal of this type of endurance event.

Is it possible to ride the course before the event?
Some parts of the course are on private property and cannot be ridden without the permission of the landowner. We ask all competitors and potential competitors to respect the rights of the private landowners who are allowing us to use their property for the event. Most of the course is on public land and can be ridden at any time by any one. Some of the public land is closed in winter but between November and May is generally accessible to Mountain Bikes.

GENERAL FAQ’S

Where do we have to register at the event?
Registration day (day zero) is in Falls Creek on Saturday March 20th. You will be required to register in person and preferably with your team mate. There is a mandatory rider briefing on day zero for all competitors. You will be emailed more detailed info on registration closer to the event.

How will you protect our bikes at night?
Each night you will be able to put your bike in the secured bike park and pick it up the next day.

Will all my gear fit into the bag provided in the transport package?
That depends on how much gear you intend on bringing. The bag supplied in transport package is 90 Litres so it’s a fairly large bag. If you want more luggage capacity then you can purchase an additional bag when you register or you can come back later and purchase one when you know how much capacity you will need. A tip here is to consider purchasing an extra to share with your team mate. You will have to arm wrestle to see who gets to keep it after the race though.

If I choose to camp, will you transport my tent and gear as well?
Yes, provided it is in a duffle bag provided in the transport package. You may need to buy an extra one for the camping gear.

Do I need a support team?
The choice is yours. If have a support team then bring them along. The old saying the more the merrier applies. If it’s just you and your team mate we will take care of all your requirements. All you need to do is decide if you want the catering package as well as the transport package.

Are the meals served or buffet style?
The meals will be buffet style and plentiful

If I have food allergies can I get a specialised meal?
Sorry, we will be unable to cater for food allergies and special dietary requirements. In this case you will have to make your own meal arrangements. The good news is that all the overnight towns have an excellent range of eating options available.

Will I be able to purchase additional menu items to the ones provided in the catering package?
Not directly from Terra Australis. There may be an opportunity to by additional menu items from the venue that is hosting the evening meal but we cannot guarantee this.

Will I need to do some altitude training to adapt to the mountains for the event?
No not really. Both Falls Creek and Dinner Plain are about 1500 mts above sea level and you shouldn’t need to acclimatise at this height. If you are unsure, arrive a day or two earlier at Falls Creek and do some leisurely riding before the event.

Do we need to be able to navigate the course ourselves or is the course marked.
The course will be fully marked. Terra Australis is not an orienteering event. Of course if you have good navigation and map reading skills they may come in handy but are not necessary. GPS devices are also optional at your own discretion. If you like to use one use it. We do not provide GPS data of the courses however.