High water levels have partially covered the boardwalk on Kelly Swamp, part of the course for the Crater to Coast Marathon Challenge.
ORGANISERS of this weekend’s Crater to Coast Marathon Challenge say they will take a wait-and-see approach to a late course change.
Warrnambool Athletic Club secretary Tracey Kol said race officials would tomorrow consider rerouting the course, after heavy rain on the weekend.
Almost 18 millimetres of rain fell on Warrnambool in the 24 hours to 9am Saturday, flooding sections of the Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trail.
A boardwalk over Kelly Swamp, west of Warrnambool, was partially under water yesterday, although water was receding. The Merri River has also broken its banks and flooded the rail trail at Merrivale.
Kol said officials had a back-up plan in case water was still prevalent on the rail trail — which features heavily in the course — tomorrow.
“We’re working in the background for a change of course if it’s required, but it might subside and we’d leave it as is,” she said.
“It’s a better course for the runners, the course that we’ve got.”
The event features the 21.1km Koroit to Warrnambool half marathon and 50km Port Fairy to Warrnambool ultra marathon.
Kol is thrilled with prerace entries and expects more than 200 participants.