Arrive alive Summer Down Under 2009

The 2008 Arrive alive Summer Down Under Series (SDU) was held from 17th – 27th January with the feature race being the prestigious Oz Day 10K Road Race on Australia Day. To access the results from the Series, click on the links below.

Arrive alive Summer Down Under 2009 - Registration form - coming soon

Series Facts

• 2009 is the 20th year of Summer Down Under Road and Track Racing Series, hosted by Wheelchair Sports NSW.
• The Series is sponsored for the 12th year by the Motor Accidents Authority of NSW (MAA). The MAA’s Arrive alive road safety message is being used for the 7th time at this year’s event.
• The Arrive alive Oz Day 10k is an official Australia Day Council event in Sydney, through the Rocks district on Monday 27th January 2009 at 9.00am. The Arrive alive Oz Day 10k starts and finishes on Alfred St, Circular Quay. The course is a 5km loop that goes down George St, The Rocks and along Hickson Road to the turn around point. The athletes complete this 5km loop twice. In the Open Men’s category, Athens Paralympic Marathon gold medallist Kurt Fearnley will be defending his 2008 Oz Day 10K title. Fearnley has competed in every Oz Day 10k since 1996 before tasting victory in 2005, so he is keen to make 2009 his 5th consecutive title.
• Countries expected will include; Australia, France, Ireland, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, USA, Noumea, Japan, Germany, New Zealand

What is Wheelchair Track and Road and Racing

Wheelchair Track and Road Racing are official Paralympic Sports. Wheelchair Track racing is also a full medal event at the Commonwealth Games. Track racing is recognised as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games and the IAAF World Athletic Championships.

Track Racing

Competition from the 100m events through to 10,000m conducted on an athletics track.  As with able-bodied competition, wheelchair track events are offered in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m distances.

The same technical regulations apply to all wheelchair track competition as is with able-bodied competition.  The deciding point crossing the finish line is a vertical line through the hub of the front wheel of the racing wheelchair.

Athletes are classified by internationally recognised classifiers into classes based on their level of functional ability. Track athletes are identified by ‘T’ classifications.

In track competition for distances 1500m and above the T3 and T4 classifications are combined.  It is considered that in the shorter distances, athletes with a greater degree of trunk functional ability have an advantage over those with less and that in the longer distances this difference in functional ability is not apparent.

Since the Los Angeles Olympic Games two Wheelchair Track events have been included in the Olympic Track program as demonstration events.  The 800m distance for Open Women and the 1500m distance for Open Men.  Athletes are required to qualify at trials to be eligible to compete in the Olympic Games final.  Medals are awarded to these events, however these medals are not included in the respective Country’s medal tally.

Road Racing

Defined by long distance competition events, which are held on Road surfaces.  Generally road races commence at the 5KM distance through to the Marathon distance of 42.195KM.  The most common road race distances are 10k, 15k, ½ and full Marathons.

Athletes again compete in classification categories and as for track competition IPC classifications are adopted for IPC competitions such as the Paralympic Marathon.  Most road races around the world are sanctioned by ISMWSF and the Open Men, Open Women, Open Quad and T1 Quad categories are adopted.

The Equipment

Wheelchair track and road athletes compete in specifically designed ‘Racing Chairs’.  These chairs are streamlined in shape, having two rear wheels and a single front wheel.

Racing chairs are custom made to the specifications of individual athletes and generally cost between around $3,000 to $4,000 each.  An elite athlete would obtain a new racing chair each year.

The frames of racing chairs are designed to be aerodynamic and are supported by a variety of back wheels dependent on an athletes personal likes and the individual competition.  A racing frame would weigh approximately 7kg without wheels.  Wheels are generally carbon fibre solids, tri & quad spoke carbon fibre, spoked wheels or disk wheels. The nature of the wheels have different advantages and disadvantages dependent on race conditions.  Wheels can cost anything up to AUD $2,500.