Event Info

Registration

4pm - 9pm Friday 15th April at Lake Hawea Motor Inn

There is no registration on the morning of the event, unfortunately if you have not picked up your race number at registration you will not be able to compete on race day.

A carbo-loading pasta meal is available for any competitor or supporter at the registration venue between 4 and 9pm. The cost of this meal is $16.00 per head. A vegetarian and meat option will be available.

At the registration you will receive:

Race briefing, safety and the latest course changes information sheet.
Carbo-loading meal tickets if purchased.
Any pre paid mechandise.
Your race number plate and 3 zip ties to attach your number to your bike. The number must be attached securely to the front of your bike for the entire event. Do not alter or cut the number plate in any way.
Sponsors products.

NOTE:

This number plate also doubles as your event certificate. Riders will be able to differentiate the different categories by the different coloured number plates.
Epic riders will have a red number plate.
Classic riders will have a blue number plate.
Corporate Team riders will have a grey number plate.

Start Date / Time

Saturday 16th April

Reserve day Sunday 17 April (all race timings will remain the same). Both courses will start at the same time. All riders must be parked by 6:30 am to ensure you are at the start line on time. All Riders must be on the start line at 6:45 am for a pre race briefing.

Epic Start

There are no reserved positions, so its first up best dressed for the start line.

7:00 am On the Control Dam below the Lake Hawea Motor Inn. Position yourself for the start based on your ability please.

Classic Start

7:00 am at Kidds Bush on Mead Road, 6km off SH 6. Position yourself for the start based on your ability please. Travelling time is 50 mins from Wanaka.

Race Briefing

A full written race briefing will be given to you when you register at the Lake Hawea Motor Inn. Please read the Race Briefing carefully as it contains important safety and or course change information that you need to know.

125 km Epic	95 km Classic
Open Male 18yrs+ Open Female 18yrs+ Veteran Male 40-49yrs Veteran Female 40-49yrs Masters Male 50yrs+ Masters Female 50yrs+ Corporate Team 18yrs+	Open Male 18yrs+ Open Female 18yrs+ Veteran Male 40-49yrs Veteran Female 40-49yrs Masters Male 50yrs+ Masters Female 50yrs+ College Student 15yrs+

Bike Checks

There will be no compulsory bike check

It’s important to have a very reliable and well maintained bike for this Epic event. You will have a bad day if you neglect your bike or think she’ll be right.

Part of this challenge is to get your mind, your body and your bike in top condition so you can give yourself the best chance of finishing this iconic journey. To that end, it is your responsibility to prepare accordingly and accept responsibility for yourself during this event.

It is highly recommended that you visit your local bike store to get your bike in its best condition possible. It’s a long way to walk with a broken chain!!!

Personal Checks

To enjoy this event you need to be able to keep moving for about 5-10 hours. The fastest time in the 08 Epic was about 5 hours, the average 7-8 and the ones trying to get the most value from their entry fee, took just under 15 hours.

You don’t want to carry too much gear so consider carefully the clothing you need and your food requirements.

The weather can change quickly from extremely hot to snowing in a matter of hours, so study the weather forecasts and plan for the worst case scenario from that.

The water in the river crossings and side creeks will also be very cold but drinkable.

Aid Stations

There will be two Aid Stations along the course.

Aid Station 1

Green Bush Hut, about 1 km after the Hunter River crossing on the Dingle Burn side, 69km mark.

Aid Station 2

At the Woolshed on the Dingle Burn Station, 90km mark.

At Aid Stations 1and 2 there will be:

Self service water
Enervit Electrolyte sports drink to top up your bottles
Bananas
Enervit Energy bars
Shelter
Toilets
First aid
Mechanical assistance

Food & Drink

Additional tickets for Pre Race Carbo Loading Meal are available for family and friends by ordering from the entry page. Meals and refresments are also available at the Hawea Hotel during and after the race.

Recommended for All Riders

Drink: There are numerous stream crossings that contain safe water. Enervit energy drink will be available from the aid stations to boost your performance.

Food: Please carry and consume enough to get you through the event . Again there will be Enervit energy bars and bananas at aid stations to help you with this.

See hints page for some guidelines and read the Nutrition Strategy below.

The Official Energy Food for the Contact Epic.

Enervit is a quality product made in Italy to the highest standards and incorporates some of the most sophisticated nutritional science in the world.

Nutrition Advice

Plan your nutrition strategy well in advance of the event, work out what food you need to carry in your pockets or pack and have an idea of what you will take in at what point around the course.

There will be some Enervit G sport drink and Enervit bars on course – but the best practice is to have your food requirements with you when you start.

Enervit will be available for purchase at registration.

Enjoy a good breakfast at least an hour before start time and roll to the start line with your stomach comfortably full – not overstuffed.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate…….drink every 15minutes or so right from the start. Use Enervit G sport in - or Enervit GT tablets with, your water to replace the minerals you loose through sweat and to get the vitamins etc your body needs to keep operating properly.

Don’t wait until you feel hungry before you start eating; eat regularly – every 40-50minutes.Have a look at the nutrition strategy below for a great guide – add in some additional product to stretch the plan out depending on how long you expect to take getting around the course.

Also …. think about this –

As you make your way through the event your body becomes fatigued. Your legs get tired, your arms get tired, your back gets tired - Your stomach and digestive system gets fatigued as well and it becomes more difficult for it to process food as it gets tired.

So it makes great sense to use products that are specifically designed to deliver the carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and amino acids you need with maximum efficiency and ease of assimilation.

Enervit provides the ultimate nutrition system to see you through.

Cut Off Times

For safety reasons we are unfortunately obliged to enforce a cut off time. This will be at the exposed Dingle Burn Bluffs, approximately 92km mark for the Epic riders.

If you do not reach this point by last light then you will be officially withdrawn from the event.

If you past this hazard point before last light there is no cut of time. We will wait for you to finish, so long as you are making every effort to keep moving. If this might be you, you will need to carry a front and rear bike light for riding at night.

Prize giving will start on time and any competitor not finished will unfortunately miss out on this part of the event.

Route Markings / Hazards

There are numerous unmarked hazards on this course, as there should be with a wilderness adventure of this nature. Potholes, rocks, stock, rutted tracks, steep descents, exposed bluffs and banks etc are all part of what is required to be negotiated by the competitor.

Any hazards outside of those expected will be identified and marked accordingly to ensure your safety. The Course Coordinator does not anticipate any such hazards requiring identification to be on course baring some unexpected natural event pre race start. If this is the case the hazard will be marked and will be included in the pre race briefing paper.

The course will not be marked with directional arrows except at critical junctions. The tracks do not lend themselves to taking the wrong path but where there is major deviation from the track you are on, it will be marked accordingly. It will not be a navigational test.

Event Safety Information

When you are in the back country YOU are the person primarily responsible for your own safety. We will try to limit the event infrastructure so that it will not be too noticeable during this event so you can enjoy the course with minimal interference.

You will be a long way from home so you need to ensure that you:

Carry the recommended gear as per the race rules.
Ensure you have a well maintained bike.
Have trained sufficiently to ride the distance and stay focused on the hazards and your own needs for food and water.
Ensure you complete, on the entry form, any specific medical condition you have that may affect your well being and or treatment.
If you come across an accident, you must stop and give all reasonable care that you can, while sending someone forward (not back) to the nearest Marshal for help. The Marshal will call in the situation to the Event Safety Manager so that we can get expert help on the scene as soon as possible.
We will have first aid trained Marshals situated throughout the course, in the tail-end-Charlie vehicle and at the finish line.

Event Safety will be managed by: Gary Dickson, professional Mountain Guide and Director of Alpinism & Ski Ltd.

www.alpinismski.co.nz

Bike / Mechanical Support

Mobile Cycle Support

Mechanical support will be provided on-course by mobile cycle mechanics, mechanics will be at the 2 Aid Stations and at Kidds Bush. They are professional mechanics from Thunder Bikes, Racers Edge and Outside Sports bike shops in Wanaka. One mechanic will ride tail end charlie over the course, so you will find them at the back of the pack should you need them.

A spare bike will be carried in the Epic and Classic Tail End Charlie vehicles in case you have a major malfunction.

Support crews

Support crews are discouraged from following the EPIC riders along SH6 or any of the riders coming back along Timaru Creek Road. The less traffic on the public roads surrounding the course the safer the riders will be.

Note:

No assistance can be given to any riders outside of the event officials otherwise disqualification of the rider will occur.

Traffic & Parking

Important Information

All EPIC riders need to be parked behind the Lake Hawea Motor Inn in the parking areas as sign posted before 6:30am. The road across the Control Dam will be restricted to vehicle traffic from this time until 7:00am. It is the only direct road to Hawea.

You also need to be at the pre race briefing on the start line at 6:45am.

All CLASSIC riders need to be parked at Kidds Bush by 6:30am to ensure they are at the start line by 6:45 for the pre race briefing and start at 7:00am.

Vehicle access along Mead Road from Kidds Bush will be restricted from the time the first Epic riders starts on Mead Road until the last Epic rider passes Kidds Bush.

Accommodation

The Official Race Accommodation provider is:

Edgewater Resort in Wanaka

Website: http://www.edgewater.co.nz

Edgewater Resort is located on Lake Wanaka, in Wanaka township itself and offers the ideal location to energise before the event, and importantly relax and celebrate after you have completed the challenge.

Our one-bedroom suites and two-bedroom apartments are perfect for you and your support crew. There is plenty of room, with a central dining and lounge area. Each apartment or suite is fitted with a kitchenette, separate bedrooms and washing machines/driers.

Alternatively rest your weary heads in our hotel style rooms, featuring all the amenities you would expect from a four-star plus Qualmark ™ graded hotel. All rooms, suites and apartments open out onto either a balcony or a patio area and most have car parking very near by, if not directly outside the room!

Contact them for EPIC specials

There is also accommodation at the Lake Hawea Motor Inn, camping at the Lake Hawea Holiday Camp or check out www.waitoa.com if you are after a lake front house to rent at Lake Hawea. There is limited camping spaces at the DOC Kidds Bush reserve for those starting the Classic. An honesty box operates at the Kidds Bush reserve and must be used if staying there overnight.

Bookings are essential at these accommodation providers.

Finish & Prize Giving

Finish line is at the Lake Hawea Motor Inn

Prize giving will be held in the Garden Bar after the last competitor crosses the finish line, or at 5.30pm whichever occurs first.

Those not finished by 5.30pm will unfortunately miss out on this part of the event.

Finishers' Certificates and Medals

A finishers' medal will be given to all competitors who complete their respective courses. You must finish the event under your own steam to be eligible for a finishers' medal.

Finishers' certificates will be YOUR race Number Plate. Please bring it to the timing desk and you can get your official race time inscribed on it or write it on yourself from the published results available online during the event.

Those who place 1st, 2nd, 3rd in their respective categories will receive a cash merit prize as well.

	1ST	2ND	3RD
EPIC - Open MEN	$500	$250	$125
EPIC - Open WOMAN	$500	$250	$125
CLASSIC - Open MEN	$250	$125	$95
CLASSIC - Open WOMAN	$250	$125	$95

Additional tickets for Pre Race Carbo Loading Meals and Prize Giving BBQ are available for family and friends.

Cancellation / Refunds

Cancellation and course alteration

In case of event cancellation please listen to Radio Wanaka 92.2fm or Click here to visit our web site on the "latest News " page for updates.

The alternate event day is the Sunday following the official race day.

An alternate course may be put in place by the Course Director in case of extreme weather and this will involve a to and from course along the Dingle Burn Valley and back.

Refunds

There will be no refunds in the case of course alterations or a complete cancellation.

Any competitor withdrawals and refund requests are to be made in writing to: info@contactepic.co.nz prior to 19 March, 2011 to receive a 75% refund.

After 19 March 2011 no refunds will be available.

Photography

Photographs of NZ's Ultimate Mountain Biking Challenge, the Contact EPIC will be available for purchase from studio5.

Our photographers will be in several locations including the highest point on the course, the remarkable Dingle Burn bluffs and the Hunter River crossing.

You can purchase individual prints, a CD-ROM of your race images as well as some truly spectacular scenic shots of the course or a 6 x 8" photo book featuring your race images and scenic shots, a wonderful record of your accomplishment.

Images will be displayed on the big screen back at the Lake Hawea Hotel finish line. You can order there and pay by cash or cheque or wait and view images at www.studio5.co.nz then order by email.

Have a great ride and remember to pack your best smile.

Garrick Cameron - Photographer