Equipment and Safety

EVENT PROGRAM: Here is the official Event Program for the 2023 Great Southern Stage Run. This fully explains the event with confirmed schedule, course details, checkpoint details and much more. This is essential reading for all event attendees before the event. READ IT HERE.

The weather in the Great Southern region can be magnificent in November, but it can also be miserable – wet, cold and windy. You can assume that the race will go ahead no matter what the weather (except for Code red fire danger rating), so we encourage you to be sensible about the gear you take and match it to the conditions expected on the day.

The equipment list below should be seen as a bare minimum but we leave it to your common sense to take additional items if you think they are needed.

Mandatory Gear List

for all runners – solo and team runners

Note, team members may pass this gear from one runner to another whilst at a checkpoint.

  • GPS tracker. To be positioned towards the top of your backpack. The relay baton between team mates. Presented to you at day 1 start.
  • Mobile phone with the course map loaded into a mapping app. PUT THE MAPS ON YOUR PHONE: Scan the QR Code on the “Course Description” page of website OR CLICK HERE to download the terrific CAPRA mapping app and receive the maps on your phone. (Follow the prompts to create an account and you’ll find the map in the app’s ‘Library’). This is our NEW and RECOMMENDED way to have the maps on your phone.
  • Race number plate. To be worn on your front, attached to the outermost garment at all times.
  • Waterproof jacket with hood and taped seams – Goretex or similar waterproof and breathable fabric is strongly recommended.
  • Long sleeve thermal top – Polypropylene, wool or similar thermal fabric – not cotton, lycra or any ‘compressions’ garments.
  • A beanie to keep your head warm – a Headsock or ‘Buff’ is sufficient
  • First Aid Kit (minimum contents: 1 x crepe bandages, 1 x snake bite bandage, 6 x wound closure strips, 1 x triangular bandage, 2 x non stick wound dressing pads and a pair of surgical gloves. Available for sale online (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration, $TBC.
  • Space blanket. Available for sale (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration, $7ea.
  • A whistle. Available for sale (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration, $5.
  • Water container, minimum 1lt capacity (may be a water bottle or bladder in a backpack). Ensure you have capacity to increase volume as Rapid Ascent may increase minimum requirement subject to weather conditions
  • A head torch sufficiently bright to light the track at least 50m ahead of you and sufficient battery power to get you to the finish line

Recommended Gear List

for ALL runners, solo and relay team members – ADDITIONAL to those listed above.

  • External power source (especially for solo runners) for your phone, if you are using the maps a lot or take a lot of photos. Note for solo runners. In an effort to conserve battery life, we strongly recommend switching phone to “low power” mode AND/OR “airplane” mode while navigating the course.
  • Additional clothing to match the conditions expected on the day – this may vary from water proof pants to a sun hat and sunscreen. BE SENSIBLE.
  • Thermal gloves
  • A means of carrying additional water (bigger bladder, soft flasks or bottles)
  • Water proof bag or snaplock for your mobile phone
  • Food and additional water / hydration
  • Hat and sunglasses
  • Vaseline, Body Glide or other body lubricant
  • Sports injury tape (like Elastoplast)
  • Recommend travel insurance in case you need helicopter rescue on the course – or enquire with your ambulance membership or with your personal accident insurance.

We discourage the use of MP3/iPhone music. There will be plenty of birds and wildlife to listen to and they distract your awareness of your surroundings.

Tarkine shoes – official footwear of the event

Tarkine take responsibility for the life-cycle of running footwear by being 100% Eco Friendly and 50% more durable. Tested on elite runners, suitable for anyone who cares about the planet, comfort and style.

Tarkine’s values reflect those of minimalistic runners, who believe in the power of running and the need to protect what wilderness we have left. Tarkine pledge to take responsibility for the products they manufacture, and in doing so, hopes that other brands will follow. Vital to this process, are the following:

  • Working towards a carbon neutral business model.
  • Using ethical and sustainable manufacturing processes.
  • Using ethical, sustainable and eco-friendly materials.
  • Donating 2% of every sale to help save threatened ecosystems. 1% is not enough. 0% is the standard. 
  • Working towards a worldwide recycled program.

We can always improve the way we do things by minimalizing our creation of microplastics by using better and better recycling practices. The running shoe industry has an awful environmental record. It’s Tarkine’s goal to ignore the way things are usually done, to set our own path.

#runthefuture www.Tarkine.com

Safety

Rapid Ascent provides a certain amount of ‘duty of care’ over all competitors, volunteers and stakeholders in the Great Southern Stage Run. We will ensure that the race is run as it is described, with water where it is described, support where it is described and assistance where it is described on the website and in the event program.

Where conditions are beyond ‘normal’ (e.g. hotter than 30 deg, extremely wet/cold) we will extend our duty of care over participants to help you handle the conditions. We have our own risk management plans, emergency plans and procedures to follow if an incident happens and are in correspondence with the National Parks and Wildlife and other land managers and stakeholders to ensure that the course environment is as described.

BUT it is also up to the participants – including runners, spectators, volunteers, stakeholders… to use common sense and take care of yourselves and each other whilst at the event. Event participants have a duty of care over themselves to ensure, for example, they have enough nutrition with them to get to the next checkpoint, to dress appropriately for the conditions, to handle yourselves correctly if you are lost, to care for your feet and ankles so they can handle the terrain…. etc.

Whilst Rapid Ascent will provide support and assistance (and evacuation) where needed, it is also up to the participants to ensure you prepare yourself and can handle the conditions of the event.

If you wish to discuss the safety of the event and our plans and procedures please contact us at any time via: [email protected] or 03 5261 5511.