The second discipline to be introduced is packrafting - this is only included in the Full course. The Half course teams will miss out on this one.
Packrafting is a relatively fresh discipline to Australian adventure racing, however, it has been around for a while. The major advantage of packrafts is their ability to give access to the most remote and pristine bodies of water, otherwise inaccessible by kayak.
This advantage will be truly utilised in X-Marathon 2019.
The course will take you through true wilderness and you will visit some of the most unique and scenic parts of Far East Gippsland.
Another major feature of this course is, whether you prefer the mountains or ocean, this race caters for lovers of both. We aimed to have a balance of hills and coastline, and we hope you will find it challenging, but achievable.
Back to the packrafting leg - it will not be as technical as it was last year, during the Snowy river edition. There will be no white water this time. While that may be disappointing for some, it will be a relief for others.
However, the real challenge will be in the off-road trek to reach the water, which you will need to do with your packrafts, so make sure you practise packing and unpacking your packraft, and get a feel for trekking with all the gear.
Bigger backpacks could be a good idea for this leg, it is a true expedition leg and the places you will get to visit will be totally worth the effort!
Additionally, you will need to carry relatively large amount of food, for up to 24 hours.
Packraft.Com.Au is the sponsor of this leg and one lucky team will win a brand new PackRaft Duo ADV 2 worth $1400 at the race presentation.
The paddling sections will be mainly large, still-water pools, with potential flow if there is a large amount of rain. In winter, it becomes a fun, white-water course, but going by our course recce, done at the same time of the year that the race will occur, we don’t expect too much rain. It will be just flat stretches of water 0.5 - 2km in length, which will be much more pleasant and easier to paddle, rather than a swim or scramble along the shore.
The requirements for the packrafts will not be as stringent as last year, so choose the lightest options you can find.
We would strongly encourage you to have several dry bags inside your backpacks. This will make your transition from land to water and back again, much faster. Also, check your food and make sure that it is packed and stored in a way where you can reach it easily, but it’s safe from getting wet.
