Equipment and Safety

The weather in the Margaret River region can be magnificent in May, but it can also be miserable – wet, cold and windy. You can assume that the race will go ahead no matter what the weather, so we encourage you to be sensible about the gear you take and match it to the conditions expected on the day.

The equipment list below should be seen as a bare minimum but we leave it to your common sense to take additional items if you think they are needed.

Mandatory Gear List

The gear listed below is MANDATORY FOR ALL RUNNERS – doing either the 80km as a solo or in a relay team AND the 42km solo runners. Note, team members may pass this gear from one runner to another whilst at a transition.

  • Race number plate. To be worn on your front, attached to the outermost garment at all times. (Our suggested way of wearing this is on a thin, elastic piece of cord or a triathlon band. This will allow you to easily have it on the outside no matter what you are wearing without having to fiddle with safety pins.)
  • First Aid Kit (minimum contents: 2 x crepe bandages, 6 x wound closure strips, 1 x triangular bandage, 2 x non stick wound dressing pads and a pair of surgical gloves. Available for sale online (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration.
  • Space blanket. Available for sale (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration.
  • A whistle. Available for sale (Merchandise page) or at Race Registration.
  • Mobile phone
  • 1 x windproof jacket – goretex or similar waterproof fabric strongly recommended.
  • Water container, minimum 750ml capacity (may be a water bottle or bladder in a backpack)
  • A head torch when on the trail after sunset (as described below).
  • Long sleeve thermal top – Polypropylene, wool or similar thermal fabric – not cotton, lycra or any ‘compressions’ garments. Weather permitting**

** This item will be confirmed as mandatory if the weather is going to be cold, wet and/or windy. Competitors will be advised if this is mandatory at the race briefing on Friday night and on the event website (although we strongly encourage you to carry it either way).

Mandatory Gear List – for runners on course ‘AFTER SUNSET’

  • White light torch or headlamp sufficiently bright to light the track at least 50m ahead of you and sufficient battery power to get you to the finish line.


Recommended Gear List

For ALL runners, solo and relay team members – ADDITIONAL to those listed above.

  • Strongly recommended: 1 long sleeve thermal top (polypropylene, wool or similar). Note: cotton, lycra or any ‘compressions’ garments do not qualify.
  • Additional clothing to match the conditions expected on the day – this may vary from water proof pants to a sun hat and sunscreen. BE SENSIBLE.
  • Beanie or balaclava
  • Thermal gloves
  • Water proof bag or snaplock for your mobile phone
  • Food and additional water / hydration
  • Hat and sunglasses
  • Vaseline, Body Glide or other body lubricant
  • Sports injury tape (like Elastoplast)

We discourage the use of MP3/iPhone music. There will be plenty of birds and wildlife to listen to and they distract your awareness of your surroundings.

Tarkine shoes – official footwear of the event

Tarkine take responsibility for the life-cycle of running footwear by being 100% Eco Friendly and 50% more durable. Tested on elite runners, suitable for anyone who cares about the planet, comfort and style.

Tarkine’s values reflect those of minimalistic runners, who believe in the power of running and the need to protect what wilderness we have left. Tarkine pledge to take responsibility for the products they manufacture, and in doing so, hopes that other brands will follow. Vital to this process, are the following:

  • Working towards a carbon neutral business model.
  • Using ethical and sustainable manufacturing processes.
  • Using ethical, sustainable and eco-friendly materials.
  • Donating 2% of every sale to help save threatened ecosystems. 1% is not enough. 0% is the standard. 
  • Working towards a worldwide recycled program.

We can always improve the way we do things by minimalizing our creation of microplastics by using better and better recycling practices. The running shoe industry has an awful environmental record. It’s Tarkine’s goal to ignore the way things are usually done, to set our own path.

#runthefuture www.Tarkine.com


Emergency Plans and Procedures

The race directors can be called at any point if you are involved with or hear of any incident on the course that needs our attention via: Sam Maffett: 0400 001 786. These numbers are printed on the back of your race number plate.


Course changes

Rapid Ascent reserves the right to change or alter the course from the description above (due to fire, rain, private landowners or other reasons) and that any changes will be clearly communicated to runners through any of the following means:

  • SMS sent to competitors phone before the race
  • during registration on Friday evening and notices posted on the race notice board
  • at the competitor briefing on Friday night
  • when runners are assembled at the start line
  • when runners pass a checkpoint.


Event Withdrawal

Event withdrawal for emergency purposes – severe injury

Suggested procedure:

  • If you are able and without incurring further injury, move off the actual line of travel so you are out of the way of other runners and cannot cause further injury to yourself or others.
  • Stay where you are – do not try and find your own way to a road by cutting ‘cross country’.
  • Call the race directors using the mobile phone that is part of your mandatory equipment (numbers are printed on the back of your number plate – Sam Maffett: 0400 001 786 or John Jacoby: 0408 035 261) to request assistance, also seek assistance from other runners as they come past – tell them to relay a message forward to the next marshal and checkpoint confirming your location and suspected injuries.
  • Stay calm; use your First Aid Kit. Help will be on its way as soon as possible.

Event withdrawal for non-emergency reasons

  • Before Race Start: If you wish to withdraw from the event because of fatigue or injury or any other reason AFTER YOU HAVE REGISTERED please tell a race official. We need to keep track of where all runners are out on the course, so if you wake up on Saturday morning (having registered on Friday) with the flu and will not be competing please tell us so we know you will not be on the course.
  • During Race: If you started the race and are out on the course and want to withdraw please tell the next marshal. MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE NEAREST TRANSITION AREA as indicated in the directions above. For non emergency withdrawals we can only arrange for a ‘grim sweeper’ to come and pick you up from a checkpoint rather than anywhere on the course.

If you get lost or lose the trail

If you think you are lost or have gone the wrong way we suggest you follow these procedures.

  • STOP! Sit down, have a drink of water and assess the situation with a clear mind. Consider where you are.
  • Think about where you last saw a course marker – how far back do you think it was (200m, 700m or 2km?) Are there other foot prints along the track where you are?
  • When you are certain you have gone wrong backtrack along the exact route you came. Be aware of how far back you have gone and try to limit yourself to what you decided. Look at your watch for time and to estimate distance.
  • STAY ON TRACKS AT ALL TIMES – do not try and cut cross country back to a track or take a short cut.


Mobile phone coverage

Mobile coverage across the course is very good (best with Telstra) so if you have any issues then call for assistance.


Fire Safety and Extreme Weather

We are in constant communication with DFES and National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPAW) about the prospect of a fire and / or extreme weather in the region of the event. We have made a commitment not to compromise the safety of any competitors, any NPAW or DFES personnel dispatched to attend a fire or weather incident, any private land owners or the wilderness and surrounding areas as a result of the Margaret River Ultra Marathon.

As a result, there is a chance that the course could change on the day or the event could be cancelled. The event will only be cancelled if there are extreme weather conditions in the area over the entire weekend and it is determined that the danger is too great to permit runners to go through the course.

Any change of course, evacuation or event cancellation will be communicated to competitors as soon and as safely as possible, through any of the following means:

  • SMS sent to competitors mobile phones
  • At the event registration area on Friday evening at the Cheeky Monkey Brewery.
  • When runners are assembled at the start line
  • When runners pass a transition area
  • Directional arrows stating “Emergency – proceed direct to Finish”
  • All messages will be copied and placed on the official event notice board in front of the registration area at the Cheeky Monkey Brewery and on the event website.