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.
Race Rules
The race rules as as follows:
- (all participants) must read and sign the Participant Indemnity
- Juniors only – (under 18 on race day) must have their parent or guardian advise the organisers, Rapid Ascent, of their intention to enter, must comply with the Under 18 entry requirements as published on the event website and the parent or guardian must read and sign an authorisation and indemnity.
- Competitors must meet the minimum entry requirements, as detailed HERE
- Competitors must follow the complete course as marked and directed. Taking shortcuts or using any unfair means of obtaining an advantage over other competitors will result in disqualification. It is the competitor’s responsibility to ensure that the correct course is followed.
- Your race number must be visible at all times on the outside of your clothing (at the front and rear).
- Competitors may only receive external assistance on the course from their support crews and/or team mates at designated Checkpoints as described in the Course Description. External support may not be provided anywhere else on the course and this includes the supply of water bottles or food by non competitors.
- One competitor cannot provide assistance in forward progression through physical pushing / pulling / towing, or the provision of food or drinks, or the carrying of their equipment from another competitor (other than their own team mate) except in emergency circumstances
- Teammates ARE permitted to run with fellow team members. Subject to the following conditions:
- Team members MUST stay together at all times
- ‘Supporting’ team members cannot run part of a leg with their ‘competing’ team member. If running with a team mate you must run the whole leg with them
- All team members who start a leg, must finish that leg. If a ‘supporting’ team member does not finish a leg, that team will receive a DNF result.
- The runner with the slowest leg time will be used to calculate the team result for that leg. A team member waiting to depart at the next transition cannot start until all team members have finished the preceding leg.
- All team members on the course must carry all required mandatory gear on their person.
- The nominated runner for the leg must be self sufficient with hydration/nutrition and cannot receive support from their team mate.
- If you intend on running together, you must advise the checkpoint official at the start of the leg you are running together and also confirm with the checkpoint official at the end of your leg all relevant team members have compeleted the leg.
- Australian Road Rules apply at all times on all roads, tracks and trails
- Support crews (and competitors) must NOT bring dogs or pets with them to the event.
- You must carry the Mandatory Gear as specified in the equipment list. A 30 minute penalty will apply for any (and every) item found missing during any random gear checks and you will not be allowed to continue until the item is replaced. You can expect random gear checks to be made during the race.
- Relay teams can only change over at the designated checkpoint locations – after their team mate has arrived
- Competitors are responsible for the actions of their support crew and may be penalised for actions or breaches of the rules by their support crew
- Support crews are not permitted to run with or pace runners
- Any competitor who withdraws from the race MUST notify an official. This is an essential requirement to avoid unnecessary searches being conducted and emergency services being engaged
- All competitors must report in at the manned water / checkpoints as described in the notes for each stage
- All runners are permitted to lodge protests against results or decisions enforced during the event. A judging panel of three Rapid Ascent staff members will adjudicate on all protests and other contentious matters, and their decision will be final. Protests must be lodged within 30 minutes of the subject competitor crossing the finish line.
- Rapid Ascent has sole discretion to alter or amend the race schedule, cut off times and race rules in order to increase the safety of participants or for any other reason deemed appropriate. All changes to the details as published in the event program will also be posted to the event notice board and homepage of the event website. It is up to the competitors to check this notice board for any changes.
- If the race is cancelled or called off after it has started, it is each competitor’s responsibility to get themselves to the start / finish area as soon as you have been notified of the cancellation.
- Littering is prohibited.
Team and solo runner requirements
The following requirements apply to relay teams and solo runners. These form part of the race rules:
Relay Teams of 3 or 4 requirements:
- each team member must run one leg on each day of the race.
- if the team loses a member (eg. becomes injured and cannot run) they may continue in the race with 3 runners and one team member must run 2 legs each day. Provided the team complete all legs they will be listed in the results but will be ranked after all complete teams of 4.
Relay teams of 2 requirements:
- each team member must run at least one leg on each day of the race. At least one team member must run 2 legs each day.
- the team member(s) who runs multiple legs each day can alternate between team members across the 3 days (eg. It doesn’t have to be the same person/people every day)
- if the team loses a member (eg. becomes injured and cannot run) they may continue in the race. Provided the team complete all legs they will be listed in the results but will be ranked after all complete teams of 2.
Solo runners:
- Solo runners must complete all legs themselves.
General notes for teams and solos:
- if a team or solo does not complete all legs (eg. they miss a leg due to cut off, injury or other issues) they will be listed in the results in the category they entered as an unranked finisher.
- teams do not need to tell race management who is running what leg. Teams will be visible in the results and on the GPS trackers according to your team name
Cut off times
The following cut off times are provisional and may change (slightly) nearer the event. Cut off times will be strictly enforced.
Day 1:
- Runners must have departed CP1 (17km) by: start time + 3h10min
- Runners must have departed CP2 (34km) by: start time + 6h 30min
- Runners must have departed CP3 (57km) by: start time + 10h 20min
Day 2:
- Runners must have departed CP1 (14km) by: start time + 2h 50min
- Runners must have departed CP2 (28km) by: start time + 5h 50min
- Runners must have departed CP3 (52km) by: start time + 10h
Day 3:
- Runners must have departed CP1 (20km) by: 12:55pm
- Runners must have departed CP2 (30km) by: 1:45pm
- Runners must have departed CP3 (46km) by: 2:55pm
Cut off procedures
- For teams who do not make the published cut off time, the next team member will be allowed to commence at the published cut off time
- A runner MUST depart the CP by the prescribed cut off time to remain ranked
- Teams and solos who miss a cut off will be unranked but may continue running with the rest of the course (provided they are within the cut off times)
- Solos who miss a cut off must miss the next leg but they may re-continue from the following checkpoint. Eg if you miss the cut off at the end of leg 2, you must miss leg 3 but may recommence at the start of leg 4 provided you restart well before the cut off time for starting leg 4.
- Solos may also restart the following day if they miss a cut off the day before
- If the last cut off of the day is missed, then competitors must make their way via alternative means to the finish line – with your support crew or team mates
- If any competitor or team miss a cut off they will become unranked in the results but they can continue to take part in subsequent legs/days