The below information relates to the 2024 event as a reference only and will be updated with relevant 2025 information when entries open in March.
NEW COURSE FOR 2024!
To keep things interesting and provide a new course for returning runners, we have changed the 50km course route to be the first half of the 100km course (Leg 1 & 2). This is an incredible run.
The 50km Surf Coast Century is a journey that leads competitors through an incredibly diverse range of landscapes that will keep you captivated (and smiling) from start to finish … it really is the ‘feel good ultra’!
From towering sea cliffs to renowned surf beaches (Bells Beach!), remote wilderness, endless single track, some technical rock running and almost everything in between as part of this incredible race. The 50km course provides a journey where no two footsteps are the same…
The 50km course is split into 2 different legs; the end of each leg being a ‘check point’ where runners can receive support from support crews and and prepare for the next leg. Each leg is quite different from the other, with its own range of landscapes and terrain. There is also an intermediate checkpoint approx halfway along each leg.
50KM COURSE SUMMARY
- Great Ocean Road Holidays Leg 1 – Coastline Crusade. 0km – 21km
- Scratch Leg 2 – Ironbark Basin. 21km – 48km
The 50km course attracts 2 UTMB and 2 ITRA points for a solo runner. Details here >>.
COURSE MAPS
Capra Map
PUT THE MAPS ON YOUR PHONE: Scan the relevant QR Code or CLICK HERE to download the terrific CAPRA mapping app and receive the 50km map on your phone. (Follow the prompts to create an account and you’ll find the map in the app’s ‘Library’). This is our NEW and RECOMMENDED way to have the maps on your phone.
Plotaroute Map
50km course map can be found here; https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2533967?units=km
DETAILED COURSE DESCRIPTION
Great Ocean Road Holidays Leg 1 : 0km – 21km
Distance: 21km Elevation gain / loss: 105m
CAPRA maps link for leg 1 HERE
Terrain style: Along a mixture of wide gravel path (Surf Coast Walk), hard sandy beach and inter tidal zone with some technical terrain over reefs and rocks. It starts with a couple of short hills but flat from the 9km pt. You WILL get wet feet and there may be some pools you have to negotiate that can be up to waist deep.
Leg start point: Race Start (Anglesea Main Beach)
Leg finish point: CP2 at Torquay Surf Beach (Rotary Rotunda – behind the Torquay SLSC)
Cut off (all 50km runners must depart by): Published Start time + 4h
All 50km runners in the Surf Coast Century commence on the sweeping arc of the Anglesea Main Beach, at the mouth of the Anglesea River. The race commences up the hill beside the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club and along the Surf Coast Walk to Point Roadknight and then back along the beach past the start line at the 4km mark.
Cross the Anglesea River and soon after you turn left up the boat ramp and follow the Surf Coast Walk and clifftop track over a few hills and hinterland terrain to Pt Addis Back Beach where you will rejoin the sand at ‘Red Rocks’ – a small rocky headland before joining the slightly steeper and softer Red Rocks Beach. The next headland is Point Addis where you go up a flight of stairs to the Intermediary Race Kitchen at CP1 at the 10km point at the end of Point Addis Rd. After CP1 follow the sealed Point Addis Rd approx. 500m and then turn right to descend down some stairs and onto Point Addis Beach.
Point Addis Beach is one of those perfect, crescent shaped beaches that’s lined by cliffs that you usually only see in postcards – but this time you run the length of it. Keep running along the coast and you are soon past Jarosite Beach and running down the famed Bells Beach at the 15km mark with some of the world’s best curling waves peeling off on your right. At the Northern end of Bells Beach all runners must climb the stairs and run 100m along the concrete path and then descend the Winkipop stairs back to the intertidal zone (this is to avoid getting wet around ‘The Button/The Point’) and then continue along the coast.
From Bells onward, the terrain gets a a lot more technical as the soft beach sand of Bells is replaced by sections of coastal rock and reef platforms spotted by rock pools. This can be a very technical and slow section as you scamper over sharp rocks and step over rock pools and wet stones for ~2km. Then take the “Steps/Boobs” stairs and leave the inter-tidal zone and join the Surfcoast Walk for the remainder of the leg to Torquay Back Beach and then run up the ramp just past the Torquay SLSC and the end of Leg 1 at CP2 the Rotary Rotunda and the first ‘Race Kitchen’ at the 21km point.
The CP and interchange point will be on the grassy area behind the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club at the Rotary Rotunda (past the public toilet block).
NOTE: If you are training on the course and wanting to run leg one here are some guidelines for when to run around the tides:
- DO NOT go under the cliffs beyond Anglesea. This section of beach is now closed due to the danger of cliff collapse and rockfall.
- To time your run so you have low tide for Torquay end of the run you should to set off from Anglesea no earlier than 2hrs before a low tide and no later than 1hr after low tide.
- It is best if the low tide is no higher than 0.40m on the Port Phillip Heads gauge.
Finally, always take caution when running below any Cliffs as they are still active and sometimes collapse in chunks. Always avoid them after wet weather and at high tide, minimise the time you are below them (do not stop!), do not get closer to the cliff base than 15m and use common sense and run with a friend.
Scratch Leg 2 : 21km – 48km
Distance: 28km Elevation gain / loss: 520m / 520m
CAPRA maps link for leg 2 HERE
Terrain style: A mixture of gravel footpaths and narrow single track through the bush. Whilst not exactly hilly, this section is best described as undulating.
Leg start point: CP2 at Torquay Surf Beach
Leg finish point: CP4 at Anglesea Green, Great Ocean Road
Cut off (all 50km runners must finish by: Published start time + 9h30min
Leg 2 basically follows a mixture of the Surf Coast Walk and other walking tracks and trails from Torquay back to Anglesea. Competitors will set off from CP2 behind the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club, across a short car park and then across Spring Creek via the board walk. Continue along the gravel path beside the Torquay Golf Course and then through the lower car park at Jan Juc Beach and keep going along this popular section of pathway (please be aware of other track users and dog walkers).
The gravel path continues along the cliff top providing extensive views in all directions, and continues all the way to the Bells Beach Car Park at the 27km point. Run straight through the car park and then descend the stairs at the southern end onto the beach and across the sand for 10m before continuing along the gravel path on the other side, running through the Southside car park and then onto Jarosite Rd for 200m before turning left into the Jarosite Trail. 500m after leaving the road all runners must stop and wash the soles of your shoes to help prevent the spread of Dieback.
Runners descend down to Jarosite Dam and then up the other side and then turn left to run around the Ironbark Basin and its magnificent views down to Point Addis until you reach the Hydration Station at CP3 at the 32km point in the Ironbark Basin Picnic Area on Point Addis Rd. (NOTE: 50km support crews cannot access CP3 due to limited parking and space)
Continue along and then cross the sealed Point Addis Road, along the single track beside the main Anglesea Rd and then across the dirt Hurst Road and then you’re in the single track network of Eumeralla at the 33km point. There is a myriad of trails in this area and the course follows a twisting route through the bushland out to the coastal cliff tops and back again. The majority of the course is on single track with some short sections on 2WD and 4WD tracks to break things up. Due to the complexity of the course in this area all runners are encouraged to remain ESPECIALLY ALERT FOR COURSE MARKINGS to ensure you do not lose the trail and go the wrong way.
If it is especially hot on race day we will incorperate an unmanned water point at approximately the 40km point so runners can top up in the middle of this leg.
The course ultimately crosses the dirt road leading into the Eumeralla Scout Camp, past a good lookout over Anglesea and then descends past the football ground, around the back of the caravan park, and onto Anglesea Main Beach.
All runners leave the beach beside the river with 100km runners going right past the finish line to enter CP4 where another ‘Race Kitchen’ will be set up to provide plenty of food and drinks to give you the calories to keep going.
TRAINING ROUTES ON THE COURSE
We have mapped out some great training loop runs on the course that you can access at any time. These maps are included in the terrific Capra mapping app so you have live mapping and information whilst running. See the maps on Capra here or for more details and a summary of each run click here.
If you are more of a paper map type of person and like exploring the area a bit more independently then Click Here for a PDF map of Leg 1 and Leg 2 of the 100km course covering the 0km – 50km section of the 100km course or Click Here for a map of Leg 3 and Leg 4 of the 100km course covering the 50km – 100km section of the 100km course.
COURSE MARKING
The course will be fully marked so you can see where to go – BUT that trail running events are quite different to road running events and you need to actively look for markers and remain aware of where you are. If you have your head up and are looking where you are going, the course will be easy to follow and will be marked with:
- red and/or orange arrows (pegged into the ground and fixed to trees or bushes)
- fluoro pink coloured plastic surveyor’s tape (tied to trees or bushes)
- ‘wrong way’ is indicated by red and white barrier tape across a track / road at ground level. Do not cross red and white tape
- Sections of the course that are likely to be completed in darkness will also be marked with silver and / or red reflective tape tied to trees, as well as (infrequent) reflective arrows. Nonetheless, any course is harder to follow in darkness so we recommend you use a bright light to make things a bit easier!
COURSE CHANGES
Please note that 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 or
- when competitors pass a checkpoint
Please see the Emergency Plans and Procedures section for more emergency plan information.