Adventure Racing Rules

General

 

1. Any action of a team that results in an unfair advantage to them, or an unfair disadvantage to another team, will be penalized at the discretion of the RC. Adventure racing is all about being creative, but not at the expense of fairness. If unsure if a strategy or equipment is considered unfair, you are strongly encouraged to ask the Race Director. If your tactic is approved, he/she will not share this information with other teams. PENALTY: Depending on the severity, this could result in a time penalty (added to the final time), an unofficial rank (DNF), or disqualification (DQ).

 

2. All team members must comply with any instructions a Race Official makes.

 

3. Any protests regarding rule violations must be done with the RD within 1 hour of a team’s finish. The decision of the RD is final.

 

4. All racers are expected to be examples of good sportsmanship. Racers must treat fellow racers & race staff with courtesy and respect. PENALTY: Strict penalties will be assessed for unsportsmanlike behavior based on the infraction.

 

5. Teams must assist fellow teams in need of medical attention.

PENALTY: Strict penalties will be assessed for non-assistance based on the infraction.

 

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Electronic Devices

 

Phones to be used for photo taking only.

6. Any device (For example: computer, pace counter, GPS, etc) that communicates with a satellite is not allowed for use by a team during the race.

Watches in (AR Mode) are excepted, however subject to review by race staff to ensure the AR Mode is active the entire race. Penalties apply if the watch is found out of AR mode at any time and any awards or cash prizes will not be available at any time found with a watch out of AR Mode.

These devices may be carried during the event if the team registers them with the race management and race management places the device in a sealed, non-viewable bag during the event. If the device does not have a viewable screen or method of providing data, it should still be registered with race management, however the device would not require bagging. e.g. SPOT or Suunto Track Pods are permitted. PENALTY: DQ.

 

7. The use of cellular phones is for contacting race directors to report a problem or injury or for emergencies only. No other use is allowed.

PENALTY: DQ.

 

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Gear

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8. Mandatory gear must be carried at all times and will be checked on the course. PENALTY: 2 CPs deducted for each piece of missing gear.

 

9. Maps, Punch Cards, Rules and Instructions must be carried the entire race.

PENALTY: For lost map, rules or course instructions – none. Lost passport – only credit for CP’s which are punched on passport and recorded at previous TA.

 

10. Race numbers (if provided) must be worn on the outside of bikes and on backpacks at all times. Race numbers do not have to be worn over PFDs.

 

11. Race officials will provide watercraft, PFDs & Paddles. Personal PFDs and Paddles are allowed only if in Paddle Bags. Place team number on the outside. Bike helmets to be worn during river canoe sections.

 

12. PFDs must be worn at all times while paddling.

PENALTY: For not wearing PFD – DQ.

 

13. No modifications may be made to the boats during the event. This includes but is not limited to skeds, wooden bottoms, sails, or kites attached to the boats.

PENALTY: For modifications – DQ.

 

14. CPSC-certified bicycle helmets are required at all times during the bicycle and when specifically directed by race officials.

PENALTY: For not wearing a helmet – DQ.

 

15. Rear bike lights must be on at all times after dark. Glow sticks may be used to replace a malfunctioning rear light. Front lights must be on when entering and departing TAs. Front lights must be mounted on the bike. Helmet lights are permitted but if a racer is using a helmet light, they must also have a front light mounted to the bike. You will not be allowed to leave a staffed CP/TA if your bike lights are not functioning properly.

PENALTY: No rear light – one hour per infraction.

 

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Traversing the Course

16. Team members must stay within 30 meters, or within sight and hearing distance, whichever is closer, EXCEPT where specifically indicated in the race instructions.

PENALTY: First offense 2 CPS deducted, second offense DQ.

 

17. All travel must be under your own power. Each segment can be traversed in any self-propelled manner, provided that you have all the mandatory equipment for that segment. Bikes are only allowed on designated bike segments.

 

18. All TAs must be visited and are considered mandatory.

PENALTY: Failure to visit a TA will result in an unofficial finish (DNF).

 

19. Altering or moving race course markings (flagging tape, CP flags etc.) is not allowed. PENALTY: DQ

 

20. Teams must manually punch passport in correct space at each CP.

PENALTY: e.g. If a team incorrectly punches CP 6 in the CP 7 box that team should punch CP 7 in the CP 6 box. The team should self-report the swap at the finish line and they will receive a 15-minute penalty for each occurrence (CP 6 & CP 7 are one occurrence).

 

21. If a team fails to punch the passport, the team will not receive credit for that CP.

 

22. Racers must follow Rules of Travel as outlined in Course Instructions. Where no specific path is designated, teams select their path between CPs. When instructions designate a specific route, teams must follow that path.

PENALTY: For travel on forbidden roads or violating Rules of Travel: First offense -- 4 CPs deducted, second offense -- DQ.

23. NO LITTERING! Leave no trace!

PENALTY: 4 CPs deducted per infraction.

 

24. THIS IS AN UNSUPPORTED RACE. Teams may receive assistance from any registered team. Teams may receive assistance from any unplanned source that would be available to any other team in the competition (for example stores, bike shops, faucets on the side of a building). Teams may receive assistance from the general public, defined as unplanned assistance from people who have no connection or affiliation with the race or a competitor in the race (for example assistance in the form of mechanical help, food, water, bike parts, directions would all be acceptable). Teams MAY NOT receive assistance from spectators or friends who are viewing the event, event staff or from support persons on the course who have planned to assist teams. PENALTY: Up to Race Director.

 

 

Withdrawals

25. Race officials reserve the right to remove a team from the course for health, safety or other reasons, at the discretion of race officials and medical personnel.

 

26. If a member of a 3-person team withdraws, the remaining 2 can continue as a team, but will be unofficial (DNF). You are responsible for assisting your withdrawn teammate to a manned CP or transition area (TA).

 

27. If a member a 2-person team cannot continue, both must stop. A single person can join with another team who commits to staying with that new racer. Incomplete or single racers must carry the mandatory team gear. No solos allowed.

 

28. Any team or team member withdrawing from the race must notify a “live” person by checking in with a CP or TA volunteer or by calling the race director. Failing to notify race officials will result in that team being responsible for all search and rescue expenses.

 

29. In the event of a medical emergency, the race director must be contacted and the entire team must stop until assistance arrives.

 

 

Race Cutoff

30. All teams must be checked in at the finish line by the race cutoff. The race clock is stopped when teams place passport on check-in table. PENALTY: Teams arriving at the finish after the official race cut-off time will lose 1 CP for every 10 minutes over. Example: A team arriving 1 minute after the cutoff time will lose 1 CP. A team arriving 10 minutes after cut-off will lose 2 CPs.

 

31. If a team arrives at the finish line before the race cutoff and has received a time penalty on the course, which puts their team over the race hour limit, the team will lose one CP in addition to the time penalty

 

32. Teams may take any route to the finish line as long as their route does not travel on forbidden roads or through forbidden areas.

 

 

Rankings

33. Final rankings will be as follows: Teams will be first be ranked by number of CPs acquired; second, teams will be ranked by a number of optional CPs acquired; third, teams will be ranked by fastest time.

 

34. Teams that miss a CP will be ranked after teams that obtain all CPs provided that all CPs are in the correct spot. Teams will not be penalized for missing a CP if the missed CP is over 25 meters from the correct location of the CP. Correct location is where UTM's given to racers plot the CP or where CP is premarked on racers maps.

 

35. Race officials reserve the right to alter time cut-offs or the course itself to accommodate changing conditions and to ensure that teams finish on time.

 

36. Any time penalties will be added to the team’s finishing time, except for the top ten placing teams, which will be served on the course, if possible.

 

37. All Bonus Prizes are awarded at the post-race ceremony. Only teams that officially finish the race (either full or alternate course) are eligible to win bonus prizes