Camp Mountain Trails Challenge – Sunday 20 Aug 2017 – Incorporating the Queensland Mountain Running Championships and ‘Xtreme Country Challenge’
Bellbird Grove, via Mt Nebo Road (10min drive from The Gap)
Welcome to the Camp Mountain Trails Challenge on the TRAQ calendar. It’s an established race, but new on the TRAQ calendar. Furthermore, it’s a collaboration between TRAQ and Queensland Athletics to incorporate the Queensland Mountain Running Championships (8.3km).
There are children’s races as well, so bring along the family! Bellbird Grove is a very popular picnic area and morning tea is provided by the local Girl Guides. If not all of your family participate in the event, then for a few dollars you can buy morning tea / fruit.
Prizes are provided by Queensland athletics (medals for the championship distances (1 – 8.3km), The Trail Co. and TRAQ of course.
We have made some changes to the original program and combined the start of the 8.3 and 13.3km races together.
It is a great outing over the top of Camp Mountain and down again. Enjoy the national park with the bird song, bush and great city views along the way.
Camp Mountain has been used for many years to host the Queensland Mountain Running Championships and the Australian Mountain Running Championships on 4 occasions, as recently as 2011 and 2015.
Course Description
The start and finish lines for all races are at Bellbird Grove about 200m up the main fire break. Bellbird Grove is part of d’Aguilar Nation Park and is a very popular picnic and recreation area. It is about 10 minutes drive from The Gap.
The 8.3km course (minimum age 16 years old) leads up the mountain for 1.5km after which it turns right at the fork in the road. At 3km there is a steep ascent to the top of Camp Mountain on the Samford side. Once at the top (4km) you take the forestry track that runs parallel to the picnic ground and the road. You will continue to run about 150m alongside the road before descending back down to the finish line. The total elevation is about 350 – 400m.
The 13.3km (minimum age 18 years old) does another 5km loop (from the turnoff at the fork in the road). Please note that the 13.3km distance is a non championship event, but for runners only. You need to be able to run all of the flat and downhill sections. If you would like to walk you have to opt for the 8.3km event.
The 4km course (14 and 15 years old) will go straight ahead at the fork in the road for another 500m and then turns around back to the finish line. The total elevation is about 130m.
The 1km loop at Bellbird Grove hosts the 1, 2 and 3km races (8 – 13 year olds).
The different distances are for different age groups that aligns with Queensland Athletics medals.
Course Map
The course map below incorporates the four courses: the 13.3km course (minimum age 18 years old); the 8.3km course (minimum age 16 years old), the 4km course (recommended for 14 and 15 year olds), and the 1km loop, which is run once, twice or three times, for the 8 – 13 year olds.
Registration
In the registration process your eligible categories will automatically pop up for you. Please note that you need to be a TRAQ or Qld Athletics member to take advantage of the discount.
Please enter here.
If you are not a TRAQ member, please join TRAQ.
No registrations are taken on the day, but registrations only close at 2pm the previous day.
Program
Pick up your bibs at least 30 minutes ahead of your start time at the registration desk.
8:00 am: start of 8.3km (min age 16) and 13.3km races (min age 18).
8:05 am: start of 4km race for 14 and 15 year olds.
9:00 am: start of 1km race for 8 and 9 years old.
9:05 am: start of 2km race for 10 and 11 years old.
9:15 am: start of the 3km race for 12 and 13 years old.
Presentations will be made at 9:30am
Rules, Medals and Prizes
- TRAQ awards prizes to the overall place getters of the 8.3km and the winners of the 1km, 2km, 3km, 4km and 13.3km races.
- Queensland Athletics championship medals will be awarded to the 8.3km categories, but not to teams. Please remember that the 13.3km race is not a championship event, which means no QA medals.
- The junior Xtreme Country Challenge medals will be awarded to the other junior categories age groups.
- Age groups for juniors are as indicated in the program. Age groups for the 8.3km race are for men and women: 16 – 19 y/o; open; 35 – 44 y/o; 45 – 54 y/o; 55 – 64 y/o and 65+
- Age groups are determined by the competitor’s age as at 31 December 2017 (i.e. year born), except for Masters.
- Masters’ ages are taken to be as on the day of the competition
- As U20, Masters and Opens are competing together in the same race, all 8.3km competitors are eligible for state medals in the Open age group in addition to their own age group (U20/Masters).
Notes
- Don’t leave any litter behind, take all litter with you.
- As it is a national park you are not allowed to bring in domestic animals.
Water
Make sure that you are sufficiently hydrated and have enough energy to run this Mountain Challenge. However, water is at the top of the mountain and there is water and sports drink at the finish line.
First Aid
There is a First Aid Officer in attendance, and there are self help first aid kits available at various points on the courses and at the start / finish line – see the course map.
Refreshments and Catering
- TRAQ always includes fruit and morning tea or other refreshments in their entry fees. This year the catering is provided by The Gap Girl Guides. If you have not entered and would like some fruit and morning tea, you can purchase this for a few dollars. Furthermore, you can support the Guides by buying their biscuits.
- Of course there is a mobile coffee facility to purchase your hot beverage from.
- And usually there is a fundraiser going on as well, so please bring along some spare change.
Transport and Direction
- It’s about a 10 minute drive from The Gap. After about 7 minutes take the right hand turnoff to Bellbird Grove. From there it is about 2 – 3 minutes to the Bellbird Grove picnic area.
- Please try to carpool, to save the environment, make room for other people who visit the area and to minimise the traffic on the busy (Sunday morning) Mount Nebo Road.
- If you want to carpool, please indicate this when you register for the event – there is an option to do so. TRAQ will share your details with like-minded others in your area.
- If you take the 385 bus to the last stop (The Gap Park N Ride) and you would like to get a lift, please indicate at your registration that you would like to car pool.
Volunteering
If you cannot run, but would like to be involved and be part of this great event, please contact Hubertien – details below. Jobs include, registration, parking, marshalling (particularly for the 8 – 13 year olds on the 1 km loop), checkpoints, water station, catering, timing, stand by 4WD.
Contact
- For more information please visit: traq.org.au or you can connect with TRAQ via Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrailRunnningAssociationQLD
- Hubertien Wichers – Camp Mountain Trails Challenge Race Organiser – Trail Running Association of Queensland (TRAQ).
- 0404 922 577 – hubertien.wichers@gmail.com
General enquiries for TRAQ: info@traq.org.au
