Epic adventure awaits the brave

About 1500 competitors are expected to converge on the Dunsborough region this weekend for the Eagle Bay Epic Adventure Race.

The event over multi-stage courses across Eagle Bay, Dunsborough, Meelup Regional Park and Geographe Bay will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

“Some would say this is the birthplace of adventure racing for West Australia, and we can’t wait to showcase the region and see some exciting racing take place,” Rapid Descent event director John Jacoby said.

The Leeuwin Long Course includes a 23km mountain bike ride, 2km ocean swim, 13.5km paddle and 12.5km trail run.

The Vibe Naturaliste Short Course has a 13km mountain bike ride, 1.2km ocean swim, 5km paddle, and 7.9km trail run.

Both will be completed by individuals and as a relay by teams of two to four people.

Event directors Mr Jacoby and Sam Maffett designed the courses as an evolution of the Anaconda/Augusta Adventure Fest, which had a 14-year history.

The weekend will also include a Kids’ Adventure for children up to 13-years old.

They will participate in a 4km run and an obstacle course.

Saturday will also see the introduction of WA’s first ever Wife Carrying Championships, in which one person carries or piggy-backs another around an obstacle course.

Organisers specified the term “wife” only referred to the heritage of the event, but rules had changed to accommodate all partnerships including, but not limited to, a woman carrying a man, a man carrying a woman, a woman carrying a woman and a man carrying a man.

Entrants for the weekend include 400 primary school students.

On Saturday, the short course will begin at 10.30am, the Kids; Adventure at 3.45pm and the Wife Carrying Championships at 5pm. The long course will be held from 8am on Sunday.

See eaglebayepic.com.au for details.