LOCAL TEAM TAKES ON GRUELLING ADVENTURE
After 18 months of training and preparation, Berowra resident, Kelly Mapleston and her 3 team mates this week take on XPD which is the Australian qualifying event for the Adventure Racing World Championships. The foursome have headed to Thredbo for 800km and 10 days of adventure from November 17th – 28th.
Teams push themselves to their physical limit and beyond, racing mountain bikes, white water and flat water kayaking and trekking for ten days with little to no sleep. XPD is the only Australian qualifying event for the World Adventure Racing Championships in Portugal in 2009.
Teams take 5 to 10 days to compete the gruelling course, covering 200km on foot, 450km on mountain bike and 150km in a kayak. Competitors are unsupported in their 800 km journey as they race day and night. Navigation is a key element of the event. And all 4 team members travel the whole 800kms together.
Our XPD team is called Team Outdoor Australia and consists of 41 female and 3 males, all under 30 years of age and competing in our first XPD:
Our local competitors include Kelly Mapleston – Operations Coordinator of Oxfam TRAILWALKER - 100km fundraising event from Berowra;  Steve Timbrell – Tradesman from the Blue Mountains; Andrew Renwick – Project Manager from Frenchs Forest; Sean King – a Lawyer from Canberra.
"We have been very lucky to have the support of Summit Gear – an outdoor Store in Glenbrook and Katoomba to give us advice and support for all the gear that we will need for XPD," said Kelly.
All members of the team have been adventure racing for several years and all have completed several 48hr, 24hr, 12hr and sprint (3-6hr) events.
"XPD has always been on my to do list and this year seemed the right time to put in the effort and take the plunge," said Kelly Mapleston.
To find out more about XPD go to www.xpd.com.au  Photo front cover:  Kelly Mapleston (L) and Steve Timbrell training on the Golden Staircase, Katoomba. 
Photo above right:  Steve and Kelly training in Berowra Creek..