SUPPORT CREW HANDBOOK

AUSTRALIA’S TOUGHEST TEAM ENDURANCE EVENT

YOUR ROLE

SUPPORT CREW ARE VITAL TO A TEAM’S SUCCESS AND ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF ANY SUCCESSFUL TEAM.

As support crew you are needed and required for multiple checkpoints throughout the course. Ideally you give food, changes of clothes, medical attention, much needed encouragement and possibly some hugs. The checkpoints that you will be visiting to assist your team through the challenge will be their bright points through their event experience. However, it is a big commitment so it is important to make sure you not only have the time to be available on the weekend, but also the enthusiasm to keep

your team motivated and will encourage them though the tough times.

OVERVIEW:• There is no limit to how many support crew you have but there is only one car

space per support crew at the checkpoints. Please know your team name to ensure entry in to these checkpoints.

• You are able to rotate/roster your support crew but must limit them to be able to fit into one car at a checkpoint.

• The following handbook gives information about requirements of the Support Crew and to assist you in moving around to the Checkpoints when required.

• Hot food and drinks are provided at multiple the start line, finish line and multiple checkpoints, so bring along some cash.

CRITICAL INFORMATION

• Please refer to the Rules, Terms and Conditions document of The Kokoda Challenge, particularly to accessing your team along the course. You can only have access to your team at designated support crew checkpoints. It is imperative for the safety of the competitors and officials that Support Crew vehicle access is restricted to these checkpoints only.

• There is a compulsory Support Crew briefing at the start line on event day after your team has departed the start line. You will be addressed by the Kokoda Challenge officials. Important information will be provided on health and safety. Remember, if you service your team outside the checkpoints, your team will be disqualified unless permission has been given by event organisers for emergency reasons or extractions.

• Support Crews are discouraged to arrive at Major Checkpoints more than 2 hours before their team is due to arrive due to the limited parking available, work out a plan with your team to communicate their ETA based on their pace and location.

• Support Crews must provide all toilet paper at support crew checkpoints as none will be provided by the event organisers.

• The Kokoda Challenge is an environmentally friendly event and we ask that all support crews and teams tread lightly. Support Crews MUST remove and dispose of all theirs and their rubbish. There will be no rubbish bins provided along the event route.

• Please take care at all times. Remember there are some very tired and exhausted people wandering about.

• Strap your team’s feet and sensitive areas BEFORE signs of blisters occur. In past years events the initial problems were nearly all blister or chafing related.

• Learn the route yourself and when mobile phone access is available keep in contact with your team and learn to predict their pace and estimated time of arrival.

• Like our Facebook page to stay up to date with any details of any fire, accident or emergencies that will affect teams.

• Only one Support Crew Vehicle of standard size is permitted per team (NO Trailers or camp-ervans allowed). Support Crew vehicles are to park in the designated parking area as directed by the Kokoda Volunteers. Please keep your driving speed down to the bare minimum in parking areas. A register will be taken on entry to support crew checkpoints to ensure that only one vehicle is serving each team.

• Look after yourselves, ensure you are taking breaks when possible and getting enough sleep throughout the weekend yourselves to stay alert on the roads and be in the best position to support your team.

• A cash donation will be required at each support crew checkpoint, as these checkpoints are run by local organisations volunteering their time. All donations taken are provided to the local organisation or community group as a donation.

• Support Crews are encouraged to visit and support local visitor attractions between checkpoints. There is limited parking and we need to minimise the time spent at each support crew checkpoint to no more than 2-3 hours per vehicle.

GOLD COAST EVENT

SUPPORT CREW CHECKPOINTS AT THE GOLD COAST EVENT - 96KM AND 48KM TEAMS

CHECKPOINT 4 | 96KM TEAMS POLLY’S CAFE 1024 SPRINGBROOK ROADCOORDINATES: -28.12196S 153.29624E• There is limited parking here and we need to minimise the time spent at Checkpoint 4 to

NO MORE THAN 2 HOURS. This will be policed and cars will be asked to leave that exceed this time limit. Please DO NOT go straight from the start of the event to set up at Polly’s (CP4). Team members should call their support crews from the top of Mt Fairview (Top of hill climb after Checkpoint 3) through to Mount Nimmel Road (Mt Fairview end). When they reach this point a sign will be in place as a reminder for them to call you. This is approximately 1 hours walk from CP4 so support crews should await this call before making their way to CP4.

• Check them for signs of dehydration, blisters and low morale, doing what you can to perk them up for the steep incline around the corner. Within 1km of leaving this CP competitors will be walking up one of the biggest hills on the course so beware of over eating here. Send them off with snack packs for them to eat later on.

CHECKPOINT 6 | 96KM TEAMS NUMINBAH HALL NUMINBAH VALLEY HALL OF ARTS, NERANG MURWILLUMBAH ROADCOORDINATES: -28.13821S 153.22393E• This location is also the start line for our 48km teams, so it is a busy spot with lots happening. Please follow the

instructions of our event volunteers and officials.

CHECKPOINT 8 | 48KM SCHOOLS & 96KM TEAMS ARMY LAND 1224 BEECHMONT ROADCOORDINATES: -28.03385S 153.21697E• You are now on private defence property. No support crew are to progress along the course past the check-

point. Consider giving your team support here by providing a warm and sheltered position and some hot soup. Night time temperatures here can fall to close to freezing and the wind chill can be brutal.

• Please dress accordingly and have warm clothes ready for when your team arrives.

CHECKPOINT 11 | ALL TEAMS (48KM & 96KM) SUPPORT CREWLITTLE CLAGIRABA RESERVE 201 CLAGIRABA ROADCOORDINATES: -27.99575S 153.25706E• The FINAL Check Point has AMPLE parking and Support Crews are welcome to spend as much time as they

wish relaxing and waiting for their teams at this Checkpoint. The leading teams will be here during the night whilst other teams will be spread out and therefore checking in all the way through Sunday.

• Clagiraba Rural Fire Brigade will be serving hot food and drinks available for purchase. Please ensure you bring along cash as EFTPOS may not be available.

• There are local residents in this area and we rely on their support for the ongoing success of our event. Please keep noise to a minimum and respect their privacy - this means no generators or music.

BRISBANE EVENT

SUPPORT CREW CHECKPOINT AT THE BRISBANE EVENT - 48KM TEAMS ONLY

CHECKPOINT 2&3 | 48KM TEAMS BELLBIRD GROVE MOUNT NEBO ROAD, D’AGUILAR NATIONAL PARK COORDINATES: 27.25’35.8”S 152.54’2.7”E• Please do not arrive more than 1 hour before your team is due to arrive.• Please note there is no limit to how many support crew you can have but you are only allowed one car

per support crew at the checkpoint. • This location is approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour walk from checkpoint 1. The drive from the start

line takes approximately 25 minutes to Bellbird Grove. Upon arrival at Bellbird Grove please follow instructions given by the Kokoda volunteers for parking.

• Our event must respect the day users visiting this beautiful location.• As support crew you are needed for just this one checkpoint. It is imperative for the safety of

the competitors and officials that Support Crew vehicle access is restricted to the Bellbird Grove Checkpoints only.

• Check them for signs of dehydration, blisters and low morale, doing what you can to perk them up for the rest of their Kokoda journey.

SPECIFIC INFORMATION

STAY UP TO DATE, INFORMED AND PREPARED!

Ensure you regularly check your emails in the lead up to the event as maps, details, information and critical updates will be shared. If you haven’t yet, subscribe to our

mailing list on our news page - https://www.kokodachallenge.com/news. You can always get in touch with our team on info@kokodachallenge.com or

07 5539 4141 with any questions.

We’ll share specific information on parking, food vendors, any changes and more.

Check your

emails!

START & FINISH LINES

WHAT TO EXPECT

The start line is full of anticipation and suspense, the day everyone has been waiting and training for is finally here!

It’s important for atleast one member of your support crew to be at the Start Line, as a support crew safety briefing is held by event officials directly after the teams have departed on their journey.

Please follow the parking directions from event volunteers and officials. Be aware and mindful of local residents in the early hours of the morning.

Hot food and drinks will be available.

START LINECome along and witness all the raw emotions as teams complete the final steps of their epic journey. Please cheer on these amazing teams rolling through after a tough and momentous Kokoda journey, they have just conquered Australia’s toughest team endurance event! Not only ticking off their own personal and team goals, but also contributing to changing the lives Aussie local teenagers. Competitors will be handed Dog Tags as a symbolic token of their Spirit of Kokoda along with a couple of professional photos. Hot food and drinks will be available.

FINISH LINE

EXTREME WET WEATHER PLAN

SPECIFIC TO THE GOLD COAST KOKODA CHALLENGEIn the event of extreme wet weather in the lead up to and during The Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge, the parking area at CP4 becomes water logged and therefore we are unable to use this as a Support Crew parking area. There are no other suitable grounds in this area that can park the amount of cars required and as it is a requirement placed on us by authorities that all cars must be off public roads we have no choice but to remove Support Crew from CP4. This Extreme Wet Weather Plan will be decided upon as early as possible but Competitors and Support Crew will be advised via email and Facebook if this Extreme Wet Weather Plan needs to be actioned. The actioning of a wet weather plan will involve the following changes:Support Crew for Competitors will be replaced with a box system commonly used in Adventure Racing. If you are travelling from interstate, then plastic boxes can be purchased on arrival at the Gold Coast.

Suppliers such as Bunnings Warehouse are open until 9pm most week nights.

Gold Coast Event Only

TEAMS TO PROVIDE:• 2 x 50 litre plastic boxes with sealable

lids to make them weather proof• Mark each box clearly with your team

name on an A4 size piece of paper – place this paper inside the box facing outwards so that the numbers can be read from the end of the box when the boxes are stacked

• Pack everything inside the boxes into Plastic/Dry bags as an extra measure to keep things dry

• The maximum weight per box is not to exceed 20kg when fully packed

PACK INSIDE YOUR BOX:• All gear required for your team to walk

into the night for a lot of teams it will be dark before they reach Numinbah Hall CP6 – Head Torches will be required Food and powdered electrolytes

• Water will be provided by the event officials at Check Point 4 so don’t pack water in your boxes

ON EVENT DAY:Your two boxes need to be dropped off to the trucks in the car park at the event start line at Firth Park between 5.30am and 7am and after CP4 closes Saturday evening all the boxes will be transported to the finish line for collection by a team member or support crew.

CHECKPOINT 4Event officials and event volunteers will provide the following for Competitors: • Your 2 x 50 litre, 20kg max weight boxes

will be made available for each team at Checkpoint 4

• Once each team collects their boxes there will be marquees/undercover areas with seating close by

• Hot and Cold Water, Tea and Coffee, Fruit and Hot Noodles or Soup will be provided for each team

No support crew are to try and access their team at CP4 in this situation unless express permission has been given by event officials and only for emergency reasons or to collect withdrawing team members. Any team breaching these rules or support crews trying to access teams along roadways at other locations will

be disqualified.