From Tassie to the tropics: the world's first human powered vertical crossing of Australia.
The expedition is due to begin at the end of December 2019 and is expected to take up to six months to complete. It will span over 7000 km of the continent, covering a huge variety of terrain from dirt roads and 4x4 off-road tracks, to the open ocean. The expedition will be split up into three distinct sections; running across Tasmania, kayaking across the Bass Strait, and cycling the full height of mainland Australia.
The Run
The triathlon starts with a challenging 600km run across the Island state of Tasmania. The team will cross from Southwest Cape to Little Musselroe Bay using a combination of trails and minor roads. Carrying all of their kit,and with only 21 days to complete the run, severe fatigue will be the primary challenge.
The Paddle
The paddle starts off where the run ends, at Little Musselroe Bay, and consists of 350km of sea kayaking across the infamous Bass Strait. With only three weeks to complete this leg the team will have to maximise good conditions to cross between isolated islands and wait out any storms that pass through. The biggest stretch of open water will be about 70 km, which is estimated to take at least 12 hours depends on wind and current conditions. Long days, heavy swell and marginal conditions will make the journey, to Wilson’s Promontory on Victoria’s southern tip, an epic challenge for the team.
The Cycle
Crossing mainland Australia by bike is a monumental challenge, not least when you shun the easy coastal roads and head in land up the Great Dividing Range. For Ben and the team, the 7000 or so kilometres from Wilson’s Promontory in the south, to Cape York in Tropical North Queensland will be the longest and perhaps most mentally draining section of the expedition.
