“I plan to be in the middle of the pack,” she laughed when asked how she planned to tackle the 3.2-kilometre swim through Nitmiluk Gorge in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“They generally say there are none there but it does play on your mind a bit, especially when you’re in the water.

“You don’t want to be leading and you don’t want to be right up the back.”

Elliott will start the gruelling race - which is hosted by the Katherine Multi-Sport Club - as a solo competitor for the second time this weekend and will be aiming to chalk up back-to-back victories after sitting the event out in 2013.

“I did my first solo one two years ago and won that but I didn't do it last year because I fell off my bike [during a training session] and broke two ribs,” she said.

About 50 athletes will take part in this year’s race as both solo and team competitors, and while the six stages present varying obstacles for different competitors, Elliott admitted she was not looking forward to the mountain bike ride, a 25km test of rider and equipment.

“Probably the mountain bike ride is the hardest leg,” she said.

“It’s very rough and a lot of things can go wrong.

“You've got to cater for everything.”

Fellow competitor Damien O’Brien said there was now not much left for athletes to do, explaining that the “serious” preparation had been fine-tuned in the weeks leading up to race day.

Big crowds are expected to converge at points along the course, including at Knotts Crossing, the High Level Bridge and at Springvale Homestead, when the 40km road ride will conclude.

“We get a lot of people hanging out at Knotts [Crossing] where the kayaks start,” Elliott said.

“A lot cheer us on there and the runners when we get to the Low Level Park.”

What are competitors up against?

Stage 1: 3.2km Katherine River swim

Stage 2: 10km cross-country run

Stage 3: 25km mountain bike ride

Stage 4: 11km Katherine River kayak

Stage 5: 11km road run

Stage 6: 40km road ride