Amber’s Ridge Mountain Run 2017

Results & Photos

Date: Sun, 09 April 2017

Contents

Features

This event offers 3 courses of different distances with degrees of difficulty based on the age of the entrant. The event can be enjoyed by runners of all ability levels and all are welcome to enter. Competitors can enjoy the exhilarating heights of Amber’s Ridge (officially known as Main Ridge Track), as well as the chance of encountering local wildlife, including Western Grey Kangaroos, Koalas, Wedge-tailed Eagles and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.

The courses and sub-events are determined by your age category. All courses start and finish in the same place, just inside the Gorge Road gate to Black Hill Conservation Park:

Juniors (Under 20): 6.5km
Open & Masters (20 to under 65): 13km
Super Vets (65+): 10km

There will be medals for the winners of the junior male and female categories (ages 16-19), as well as for the male and female adults in the Open section (ages 20-34), and for the masters male and female categories for 5-year age groups from 35+ to 75+.

The length and elevation of the courses, as well as the categories to which medals are awarded, are governed by Australian Mountain Running Association rules.

This event is open to everyone but also includes the Australian Mountain Running Championships (M.R.C). The latter dictates specific events for age and gender categories prescribed by the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA). The distances and degrees of elevation conform with WMRA rules. Elite runners can test their skill against Australia’s best, who may compete for selection to the Australian team in the World M.R.C.

Random Draw

Trail Running SA members will be eligible for the following random draw prizes. Joining Trail Running SA is easy and costs only $10. Click here for more info.

B3 Massage and Movement: 1 x 30 min massage voucher and 1 x class of choice voucher.
Form Physiotherapy: 2 x Running Fit vouchers.
ioMerino: 4 x $50 vouchers
The Running Company: 3 x $50 vouchers for use in store on any footwear, packs or GPS watches
Trail Running SA will be giving away 3x free entry codes to our following event, The Cleland Trails.

Cost

General entry
- Earlybird entry before Midnight Sunday 26th of March: $30
- Before entries close Midday (noon) Friday 7th of April: $38
Juniors (Under 20)
- Earlybird entry before Midnight Sunday 26th of March: $18
- Before entries close Midday (noon), Friday 7th of April: $22

Registration

Head over to the registration page to enter now. There will be no race-day registrations. You must register in advance using the link above.

If you’re interested in helping out on the day, or perhaps you have a family member or friend who might like to volunteer, flick us an email at [email protected].

Cancellations and changes

Please do not contact Trail Running SA requesting a cancellation or change until you have read the procedure for cancellations and changes here. Due to the additional workload placed on our volunteers to process each change or cancellation, there will be a $10 fee plus any price difference for changes or cancellations.

Entries close

Midday, Friday 7th of April

Printed bibs

If you want your name printed on your bib then your entry must be received by Midnight, Sunday 2nd of April

Age Categories

These are the age categories to which medals are awarded. There are separate categories for males and females:- Juniors 16-19; Open 20-34; Masters 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+. Super-vets: 65+, 70+, 75+. Juniors run the main loop once, making their run 6.5 kms. The Open and Masters 35-64 groups run the main loop twice, making 13 kms. The Super-Vets run a shortened loop twice, making 10 kms. Note the start times below.

Juniors: your age category is calculated according to your age as at 31/12/2017 (i.e. you must be aged 16 to 19 at 31 December 2017).

Open/Masters and Super Vets: your age category is calculated according to your age at 09/04/2017.

Course Map & Closures

Course Map

Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see the course maps.

The courses will be marked on Saturday morning from 7.30 to 9.30 a.m. with red arrows, red-and-white striped ribbons, and turnaround arrows. Those wanting to inspect the course earlier can do so with the help of the maps and photos on this website. You go up Main Ridge Track (signposted) to the upper junction with Ambers Gully Track (also signposted). With your back to this junction, go up a steep hill closed to vehicles. The hill is topped by an electricity tower, and is shown in a photo on this website. The track which you take goes past this tower, and the turnaround point is 100m further on. After coming back down the hill, go back to the start via Ambers Gully Track.

Start Location

The easy way: Click here for directions in google maps.

Toilets

To avoid long queues at the portaloos when you get there, please use a public toilet on the way.

Start times

All fit runners in the junior (under 20), open and Masters age groups are welcome to participate in these Australian Championship events. There is no qualification. The minimum age for juniors is age 16 on 31 December 2017. Please do not compete if ill during the last week before race day.

Note: All competitors must be at the start line 10 minutes before their scheduled start for a briefing.

7:45am: Australian Junior Men’s 6.5km Championship

Includes Australian Under 20 and Under 18 Championships

7:50am: Australian Junior Women’s 6.5km Championship

Includes Australian Under 20 and Under 18 Championships

9:00am: Australian Men’s Open & M35, M40, M45, M50, M55 and M60 Masters 13 km Championship

2 laps of the 6.5 km course

9:05am: Australian Women’s Open & W35, W40, W45, W50, W55 and W60 Masters Championship

2 laps of the 6.5 km course

10am: Australian Men’s and Women’s M65, M70, M75, W65, W70 and W75 Supervets 10km Championship

2 laps of the 5 km course

PRESENTATIONS

9:15am: Presentations (juniors)

11.30am: Presentations (open & masters)

At the race

Bib pickup procedure

Bibs will not be mailed out and will be available for pickup on the morning of the event. Please allow sufficient time to pick up your bib and chip. We recommend arriving 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to the event start time in order to allow plenty of time to pick up your bib. You may need to park a few minutes walk from the start so please allow sufficient time to walk there.

TRSA is using state of the art electronic timing at its events for safety as well as to provide speedy and accurate results. After you have entered online and checked that all information provided is correct, there are 3 steps that you need to follow on arrival:

On event day go straight to the “ENTRY DETAILS” display boards. All entrants will be listed and sorted by surname. Find your name. Check that your entry details are still correct, especially the race and category you have entered. Remember your race number and start time.
Go to the “RACE NUMBER BIBS” baskets (all numbers are filed numerically). Find your race number and take it out.
If any of your entry details are wrong eg your name, category or gender, or you are changing races, proceed to the “REGISTRATION MANAGER” area.

Chip timing procedure

Entrants must make sure the data that timers have is correct, so must follow these basic procedures:

A timing tag linked to you and your race number will be stuck to the back of your race number bib.
Attach the bib at waist height to the outside front of whatever top you will be wearing at all timing points. Do not bend or fold the tag or tamper with it.
Your time and number are recorded when you pass through a timing point provided your race number bib is visible. Covering it with clothing or your hands as you operate a watch will prevent it recording.
If there are several starts for different races, make sure you start at the correct time.
Run or walk over the start/finish timing mat at your start time. This lets officials know you are on the course.
When you cross the finish timing point, walk & stay in order in the finish chute until you are past the backup cameras.
Race number bibs are disposable & do not need to be returned.
If you cut the course short (for example by skipping a lap, or taking a shortcut), do not cross over the mat as we may inadvertently think you have won the race. If you do not complete your course you must return your bib to the timing van near the end of the finish chute.
If you lose your race number bib during the race you must go to the timing van near the end of the finish chute as soon as you cross the finish timing mat.
Officials will phone and search for anyone who has a start time but no finish time, so it is vital you do not use someone else’s number and you go over the timing mat so your start and finish are recorded.

Course Marking

The signs to look out for:

Red arrows at turnoffs.
Black-and-yellow ribbons to warn you that you are approaching a turnoff.
Red-and-white ribbons to confirm that you’re on the right track.
Wrong way signs where needed.
Course divergence signs.

There will be signs placed approximately every 200m. So if you stop seeing signs, go back until you find one.

Drink station and refreshments

As this race is governed by Australian Mountain Running Championships rules, cups will be provided.
There will be water and fruit as well as a commercial coffee van at the race start/finish. Please bring cash as there will be no EFTPOS facilities on the day.

Safety Information

Parts of the course may be slippery. It’s important to wear shoes with good grip. A running shop will advise on suitable brands.

Results

Will be available immediately. Live scoring will enable you to see your result on a smartphone within minutes of finishing.

Award presentations

Award presentations will be held at approximately 11:45AM. Random draw prizes will be presented at this time. You do not need to hand your bib back to be in the random draw but must be present and must be a Trail Running SA member to receive a random draw prize.

Information for visitors to Adelaide

Accommodation

The suburbs nearest to the race start (which is on Gorge Rd, 2 kms east of the Athelstone shopping centre) are Athelstone, Campbelltown, Dernancourt, Highbury, Newton, Paradise and Rostrevor. These are mainly dormitory suburbs, and therefore short of hotels or motels, but there are alternative accommodation options listed on Air BnB.

If you prefer a camp site or cabin, these are available at the Levi Park Caravan Park, about 35 minutes drive from the race start.

If you prefer a hotel, there is the Walkers Arms Hotel, about 30 minutes drive from the race start.

Alternatively, if you hire a car from the Airport, the Adelaide CBD is around 35-40 minutes away from the start of the race and offers plenty of accommodation options.

Restaurants

There are places mentioned in TripAdvisor and Urban Spoon in Newton and Campbelltown. Italian restaurants are likely to be good, because suburbs near the race start have strong Italian connections. Local pizzerias, including Da Mario’s and The Killer Tomato in Gorge Rd, have a good reputation. Bar Mercato on the north side of Lower North-East Rd (close to the junction with Gorge Rd) has a fantastic bakery, and is good for breakfast and lunch.

Parking near the event

The race start is at the junction of Main Ridge Track with Gorge Rd (see the map above).

There may be limited parking on the verge of Gorge Rd, opposite the race start (see the map). Be careful though not to obstruct any part of Gorge Rd. Bermuda Court is next to the race start but is too small for parking.

There is plenty of parking space to the west in The Dress Circle, on the north side of Gorge Rd, accessed via Coulls Rd, which is on the left, 1.2 kms east of the ugly tower in Athelstone Supermarket Shopping Centre. From The Dress Circle it is 10-20 minutes walk (depending on which end of the street you park in) through the Torrens Linear Park to the race start.

Other streets suitable for parking are on the south side of Gorge Rd: they are (in order of proximity to the race start) King George Ave., Kirkevue Rd and Lymn Ave. From these streets you will need to walk for 10-15 minutes along Gorge Rd to reach the start.

You will need a brisk walk or job before the race because the course starts immediately to ascend.

Photos of the location

The Fine Print

Conditions of entry

I am physically fit, in good health, and adequately prepared to participate in this event. I will withdraw if I succumb to any injury or illness from which I have not fully recovered by the time of the event. I realise that I am participating in this event entirely at my own risk, which means that no person or organisation involved in conducting, promoting or supporting the event is liable to me for my injury, illness or death, or any loss or misfortune which may occur as a result of my participation. None of these terms applies if it contravenes any statute. I consent to the free use of my name and images of me in any broadcast, telecast, print publication, email or web page by the organiser and/or event sponsors in relation to the event. I agree to obey the published rules and conditions of this event, as well as any other rules and conditions announced to participants on the day of the event. I agree to obey any directions given to me by any race marshal.

Warning

Remember over exertion & inadequate fluid intake can be dangerous. Exercise within your capabilities & drink before, during & after exercising. Wear protective clothing, sunglasses & use SPF 30+. Do not participate if undertrained, unwell or injured.

Routes

Amber's Ridge - Super Vets

Distance: approx 10 km

Altitude Range: approx 313 m

Total Climb: approx 621 m

Download GPX File | Full Screen | How to use these maps on your phone | Print map (PDF)