To celebrate the 170th anniversary of the discovery of Mt Kozciusko by Polish explorer Sir Paul Strezelecki, the Australian Mountain Running Association in conjunction with Strezelecki Heritage Inc is organising an 11 km run from Charlotte Pass alpine village to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko at 11am on Friday 19 March 2010.
Strezelecki Heritage is bringing two of Poland\’s most famous athletes to participate. Former world record holder Robert Korzeniowski won the 50 km race walk at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games and the 20 km walk as well in 2000 in Sydney. He also won World Championship titles in 1997, 2001 and 2003. Joining him will be Antoni Niemack, a former 2:09:41 marathon runner.
Full race details and online entry are available at http://www.transitionzone.com.au/events/amra/kosciuszko10/
The 11 km course starts outside the Charlotte Pass Chalet in Charlotte Pass Village, off the Kosciuszko Road in Kosciuszko National Park, and finishes at the summit of Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak. The altitude at the start is 1740 m and at the finish is 2229 m.
After the start the course follows the village entry road 750m up to Kosciuszko Road, turns left and follows the Kosciuszko Road 1km to the start of the Summit Walk off the Charlotte Pass lookout carpark. It is then 9.27 kms to the finish at the summit.
Weather: The alpine weather is highly variable and can change very quickly from sunny to blizzard conditions.
A National Park requirement is that a maximum of 50 runners may contest the run. No vehicles are permitted beyond Charlotte Pass and therefore all entrants must be fit enough to run non-stop to the summit carrying safety gear, water and food and then make their own way on foot back to the start. All participants therefore will complete 22 kms in total.
Because of these requirements and the dangers from the weather, there are strict entry requirements in terms of demonstrated fitness and compulsory carrying of gear during the run.
Awards include prize money of $500, $250 and $100 to the first 3 males and first 3 females.