Intrepid teams will be searching for clues all over the Wakatipu basin at the TrustPower Adventure Quest on Saturday, November 13.
The event is in its seventh year in Queenstown, and race director Geoff Hunt said between 60 and 80 teams of two people were expected to gather at the "treasure hunt-style" race headquarters at Earnslaw Park.
"We'll have all types of people turn up on the day. It's an opportunity to have a good time at a social community event," Mr Hunt said.
The race is broken down into two divisions: "social" for a treasure-hunt race and "adventure" for more serious orienteering types.
Competitors are divided into three categories: open, female and mixed.
It has a six-hour time frame, and entrants will be told on the day whether they will begin on bike or on foot.
"We choose the divisions initially to create separation but competitors can choose to change division whenever they feel ready," he said.
In previous races, competitors have split fairly evenly between cycling and trekking.
At the headquarters marquee, racers will receive a copy of the map and a sheet of clues to begin planning their intended course.
The maps will have circles drawn on them, pinpointing locations that have a hidden tag.
With the clues provided, racers will find the hidden tags and record the information written on them. Distance and technical difficulty will vary depending on the category entered.
"The more serious racers will have to find tags a lot further out and more far spread," Mr Hunt said.
There is no set course for the race and the only stipulation will be that some sections of cycling along the road to Glenorchy will be one-way, to avoid collision.
A prizegiving will take place at the Yacht Club Bar, on Steamer Wharf, at 6pm.
"We'll have prizes from race sponsors for teams who find the most tags but we're more of a social day than a competition," Mr Hunt said.
Entry cost per team is $100 and a medium level of fitness is required. Registration begins at 8.30am at Earnslaw Park and competitors will be briefed 15 minutes before the race starts at 10am.
If the weather is very bad, the race will be postponed until the following day.
More info: www.southern traverse.com
