Girls on Top are another New Zealand team who will participate in the event for the sixth time.
Andy Reid, the director of Cranleigh (a corporate advisory and finance firm) and Adventure Racing Coromandel is the captain of Team Osprey. They are "apprehensive but looking forward to it".
"We are the heavyweights of the New Zealand teams with a combined weight of 350kg, so our mission is to finish," said Reid.
Reid has been a multi-sporter and event organiser for the past 15 years, and describes himself as "very average" at all three disciplines.
"This has been on the plans for a few years - it gets very good reviews from the New Zealand teams who take part."
The Flinders Ranges feature vast open spaces, towering rock walls, spectacular gorges, abundant wildlife and Aboriginal culture and rock art.
"We are looking forward to the remoteness and the contrasting terrain to the New Zealand bush," said Reid. "The lack of water will be a particular challenge. The wildlife will also be a challenge. We are pretty nervous about snakes and spiders."
In a world first, the Australian round of the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) will give competitors a real inland experience with a lengthy trek across a vast and remote salt lake.
"The 50km walk across the salt lake will be an experience of a lifetime," said Reid.
Organisers of the South Australian race have also assembled one of the largest ropes courses in the event's history.
"We are all worried about the 100m ascent on ropes," said Reid.
"Our team completed the first Godzone [adventure race] in 2012.
"Training over winter has been difficult - I have averaged about 12 hours a week for past three months. We have done a few long mountain bike rides and one long trek, and we practised our rope ascending last weekend in Taupo and it was incredibly difficult.
"So we feel a little bit underdone for this event."
One of the biggest challenges for the teams is having no idea about the route until 24 hours before the gun goes off.
Team Osprey hope their planning will make up for their lack of conditioning.
"Food and gear is the big thing," said Reid. "Making sure you have enough food for each stage and that you have the right gear in the right place - the race is unsupported and logistics is a huge part of doing well.
"We have visited Nikki Hart - the 'Evil Diet Witch' - for good nutrition advice. We also need to pace ourselves carefully - not getting too caught up in racing but going at our own speed and trying to make as few mistakes as possible.
"Your feet are a big thing in these long events - so we have all got comfortable shoes and paid a number of visits to the podiatrist. We have tried to be well organised this time."
XPD Race
When: September 2-14
Where: The Flinders Ranges, South Australia, 366km north of Adelaide.
What: Teams navigate through a series of checkpoints as they trek, mountain bike, kayak and complete roping sections across a 700km course in the Outback.
Online: For information on the event visit www.xpd.com.au
