Blackwood Marathon

• Date: October 26, 2013
• Address: , Bridegtown, Western Australia Get directions
• Country: Australia
• Race type: Adventure
• Distances:
• Organization: Bridgetown Rotary Club
• Website: http://www.mccays.com.au/theevent/default.htm
• Contact email: [email protected]
• Description: The relay begins with the running leg. A 12km course, along bitumen and gravel roads that take the competitors from Boyup Brook to the Blackwood River. At the end of the running leg, the team number, which is on a bib worn by the competitor, is handed to the canoeist who begins their journey of 8.5km. The course is mostly open water, with some narrow sections of running water over rocks or downed trees. The canoe leg finishes at Jayes Bridge. The race is then suspended while all the competitors and their supporters come together for a picnic lunch and a swapping of stories. At the end of the lunch break the swimmers begin their leg in the order that the canoeists arrived at Jayes Bridge. The swimmers have a distance of approximately 1km before running up the riverbank, where they are handed their team number. This is then passed to the equestrian who begins their leg of the race. The 16km horse course takes part on gravel roads, through lush green paddocks and along the side of the Blackwood River. The course is quite undulating with several challenging hills that does require a fit, well trained horse if the team does not wish to be vetted out. Teams are vetted out if, 30 minutes after finishing their leg, the horse’s heartbeat does not return to below 60 beats/min. Horse riders pass their team numbers onto the last team competitor. Then the final leg 22km course with some challenging hills takes the race into the town of Bridgetown. The course is along bitumen except for the first 50m and the final 200m which is a gravel track that takes competitors onto the trotting track for a lap to the finish line.
• Members who are scheduled to race: