Riverhead Forest
Riverhead Forest provides an endless and ever-changing network of trails in this pine plantation forest, along with a sufficient amount of glorious mud and clay! We recommend wearing shoes with sufficient tread or pairing up with a buddy at the start or out on course when you take on this challenge.
Riverhead Forest
Riverhead Forest
Riverhead Forest
Riverhead Forest
Riverhead Forest
VERY IMPORTANT!! PLEASE DO NOT USE GOOGLE MAPS FOR THIS EVENT!
Our event base inside Riverhead Forest is just inside Barlow Road. Barlow Road runs off Ararimu Valley Road (at approx. number 465). Depending on where you live there are multiple ways to get to the forest. The directions below are for the bulk of you who will be passing by the end of the North Western Motorway (Westgate) joining from Auckland or Upper Harbour Motorway. So here's how to play it from there.
Directions from North Western motorway:
1. Continue straight through the roundabout at the end of the North Western motorway.
2. After approx. 2km (after another roundabout) take a right onto Old North Road (Old North Road is one road past the Coatesville Riverhead Highway).
3. At the next roundabout continue straight (staying on Old North Road).
4. Continue on Old North Road for a further 4km then turn right onto Ararimu Valley Road.
5. After approx. 5km (about 465 Ararimu Valley Road) turn right onto Barlow Road. Barlow Road is not road signposted but look out for Total Sport signage and cones on the corner. If you hit Zanders Road on your left you've gone a touch too far!
We recommend running with a Hydration backpack loaded with 500ml - 1 litre of liquid, and other nutritional nibbles. You can expect to be away from base for a decent period of time at these events, and we can't always get aid stations to the points where you may expect them to be.
While event medics will be at each event (they will be stationed at the event base, start / finish point) and participants may encounter on-course marshals with first aid on them, it also pays to be safety conscious and carry items like:
a basic first-aid kit
a cell phone
a whistle
additional warm clothing
We have removed disposable cups from our aid stations in an effort to minimise our waste production. Please remember your reusable cup, hydration pack or water bottle to fill up! (You can purchase a collapsible silicone water cup at event base for $5).
Should you come across an injured participant, stop and apply first aid if you are trained. Send the next participant through to the next marshal or course crew location (or back if you had recently past one) and notify them of the participants; race number, name, location, and description of the incident.
If you happen to become lost or disoriented on the course, stop and remain calm before retracing your steps to the last known course marking. If you still cannot find the course marking, stop and put on your additional warm clothing and blow your whistle.
It's all about personal responsibility!
Online registrations will close at 10am the Friday before event day or when sold out - whatever happens first!
FULL SERIES ENTRY - PRE-REGISTERED
If you've entered the whole 6-event Auckland XTERRA Series, on the morning of the event, simply head to your own Series Entrant Registration Tent. Your name and race number are on the Series Board in front of the black tent and you help yourself to your race number with the attached timing transponder.
If you're changing distance this weekend grab your race number/timing transponder and give it to the Total Sport staff member in your tent who will give you a new race number/transponder for your new distance. We recommend checking into this area at least 45 minutes prior to your scheduled start time.
INDIVIDUAL EVENT - PRE REGISTERED
If you've only entered one/a few of the XTERRA events, please head to the Pre-Registered area to collect your event bib and timing transponder. Our team will split the registrations alphabetically by surname e.g. A to G, H to O & P to Z. We recommend checking into this area at least 45 minutes prior to your scheduled start time.
REGISTER ON THE DAY - ONLY IF AVAILABLE!
Entry numbers are capped at 1000pax per event location - This does mean many locations will sell out before event day. Check the website or Facebook for announcements.
Whilst we are stoked to see more of you than ever out there enjoying the trails with us, we are aware that our XTERRA Series venues are not designed for quite so many people descending on them in the space of a few hours. The huge numbers put pressure on all sorts of areas at each event – parking, toilet queue, beer line, plus the congestion on the trails.
With this in mind, and following discussions with the landowners and stakeholders involved with the series, entry numbers are now capped at 1000pax for each of the Auckland XTERRA events.
1.1 Participant acknowledges that Total Sport reserves the right to:
(a) change the format of this event (and/or route of the Event) where it may become necessary or desirable to do so due to circumstances beyond the control of Total Sport, and if that occurs, Participant consents to the changes and agrees that each and every one of the Event rules, terms and conditions will apply to that changed Event; and
(b) postpone or cancel the Event whether due to poor weather, natural disaster, pandemic outbreak, any Force Majeure Event, or for any other reason beyond Total Sport's control. If the Event is cancelled (or postponed and Participant cannot make the postponement date), Participant acknowledges and accepts that Participant's entry fee is non-refundable, however, Credit will be given in accordance with clause 1.4.
1.2 Total Sport will make reasonable endeavours to postpone the Event rather than cancel.
1.3 If Total Sport cannot postpone the Event (or if the Event has been postponed once before already and the postponed Event cannot go ahead) the Event will be cancelled and a Credit will be issued.
1.4 Where the Event is cancelled in accordance with clause 1.1(b) Participant acknowledges that the amount of Credit given will depend on the amount of lead time between the circumstances rendering the Event cancelled (i.e. government lockdown announcement or weather event) and the Event date and:
(a) where there is more than 2 weeks’ notice, 100% Credit will be given; and
(b) where there is 2 weeks’ notice or less, 50% Credit will be given.
1.5 WITHDRAWALS & CREDITS - If Participant is sick or injured and cannot participate in the Event, they may transfer the value of the Entry Fee to any Total Sport event within the following 12 months, minus a $20 administration fee which Participant acknowledges there is a reasonable amount for the administrative dealings involved with changing Participant's Event entry. Participant must inform Total Sport no later than 48 hours before the Event in order to be eligible for this Credit.
Your entry is not transferable to another person. If you are unable to participate on the day, under no circumstances are you to give your race bib to anyone else.
You can change distances prior to online registration closing. This is possible through your online registration, click to amend through your confirmation email. If you can’t locate your registration confirmation email registrations@totalsport.co.nz. Note: There are no partial refunds if downgrading.
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