Southern Traverse swings into action

Over 400 km of Craggy Hill's untracked forest and underground caves await competitors in this year's Adventure Race World Championships which began in Westport this morning.

The world title is up for grabs as part of the annual Southern Traverse - one of the world's pioneer adventure sport races - that is now in it's 15th year.

School children and residents lined the streets this morning to cheer on the 46 teams as they headed off running towards the river before starting a kayaking leg in the Tasman Sea.

The six day and night adventure race leaves little time for its competitors to sleep.

During the event, which is run over a 430km course, the team stay together with each of their four members allowed to be no less than 100m apart at all times.

The course itself was kept secret until yesterday morning and involves kayaking, rafting, caving, bush-crashing abd cycling through some of the West Coast's most gruelling, picturesque terrain.

Over $100,000 is up for grabs in prize money as well as the world title but the race is so tough, more than half of the competitors do not finish.