Rules of Geopark Challenge 2021

1. ORGANIZER

The race is arranged by NTRNZ Oy and Free Adventure Ry

2. RACE

1. Geopark Challenge is an adventure race with multiple disciplines.
2. Winning time is expected to be about 24h.
3. During the race, all members of the team are on the route at the same time
4. Geopark Challenge is a “non-stop” race. Time spent on assistance points is included in the race time.
5. Doping is prohibited. The contestants are required to follow WADA rules and the list of prohibited items and methods. http:/www.antidoping.fi
6. The organizers may take photos and films of the competitors during the race. Racers have to accept that pictures and film material of them can be shown and shared publicly during and after the race

3. TEAM

1. Each team is a two-person team. The sex of competitors can be male+female or two females.
2. Team members will have to stay together throughout the race unless otherwise instructed in the Routebook.
3. All racers have to be able to swim.
4. The team has to name a captain.
5. The team has to have a team name.
6. Organizers have the right not to accept the team’s name if it is unconventional.

4. ASSISTANCE

1. The teams are not allowed to have their own aid. Any assistance outside of the race organization is not permitted.
2. The race organization provides a meal in the middle of the race.
3. The racers are free to purchase food, beverages, etc., from stores, kiosks, and shops open to the public.

5. ROUTE AND ACTION DURING THE RACE

1. Maps will be topographic maps, orienteering maps, tourist maps, or others on the scale of 1:1 000 – 1:50 000. The maps are not protected from the weather by the organizer.
2. The route will go through control points (CP)
3. CP:s have been marked on the maps or given in another way
4. CP:s have standard orienteering flags or, in some cases, small orienteering flags (10*10 cm)
5. The punching will be by Sport Ident-system.
6. If not instructed otherwise, the teams have to punch in all CP:s, Quests, and TA’s.
7. A missing punch will mean a missed CP even if the organizer could see the team visiting the correct position by GPS. If the missing punch is due to malfunction of the SI system, the race jury can release the team from the missing punch.
8. Teams will get a Routebook with all information on CP:s, compulsory equipment, etc.
9. CP:s have to be taken in numerical order unless differently stated in The Routebook.
10. CP’s have to be reached by discipline described for the section and told in the Routebook.
11. Teams can choose the route between CP:s if not told otherwise in the Routebook.
12. Team members have to have eyes on each other throughout the race, and the distance between them has to be less than 100 meters.
13. The teams are not allowed to go through houses, yards, and growing fields.
14. The race will take place on general and open routes. The teams have to follow general rules for roads.
15. Organizers can give additional instructions during the race.
16. The teams are required to follow all instructions given by the organizers.
17. Transition areas are marked on the map with “TA”.
18. When a team comes into a TA, they have to say their number loud and clear to the organizers.
19. Organizers can change the route during the race.
20. The teams have to agree to show the organizers their compulsory equipment during the race.
21. There will be mission CP:s on the route marked on the map with “Quest”.
22. If a team has to wait for their turn on the Quest, CP, or route, the missed time will not be compensated.

6. RESULTS AND RACE TIME

1. Race time is the time spent between the start and finish.
2. Race time can include penalties etc. and negative or positive time compensation.
3. The Routebook or instructions organizers give during the race can state a cut-off time for sections after which the teams are not allowed to go into that section anymore.
4. The result will be determined by:
   – Number of CP:s and Quests punched on the course in the correct order.
   – Time spent on the route.
5. To get a result, the teams have to reach the end by the time the finish closes.
6. The finish will be closed on Sunday 15.8 at 20.00. Teams that do not finish in time will not get a result.
7. The Routebook may contain some other rules or instructions. In that case, the teams must follow the Routebook first.

7. MATERIAL

1. Material required for the race (maps, etc.) is given to the teams at registration and partly during the race.
2. The material will include SI cards, number bibs, maps, the Routebook, and possibly some other material.
3. Teams are responsible for checking they get all necessary race material. The material list will be shown at the race office and told by organizers.
4. Material lost during the race will not be substituted or reimbursed by the organizers.
5. All material given by the organization is compulsory, and you may need it to complete the race.
6. The teams are allowed only to use maps given by the race organization.
7. Number bibs have to be visible during the race at all times.

8. DISCIPLINES

1. Trekking
   ● progress by foot
   ● can include sections like orienteering with more skilled action using maps and compass
2. MTB
   ● progress by bike by biking, carrying or moving it another way
3. Canoeing
   ● Canoeing is paddling with an open Canadian type of canoe using single paddles
   ● Canoeing will happen by using canoes provided by the organization. The organization will give two paddles and a canoe for two and two life vests for the team.
   ● Canoeing will happen in the small creek, lakes, and a large river with streams, rapids, fallen trees, etc. The class of rapids is 1-2.
   ● During the canoe section, it is not allowed to carry canoe along the road
   ● Teams can cross peninsulas or portages by carrying the canoe over
   ● The team is responsible for the canoe equipment given by the organization during the canoe section. All losses or failures will be charged from the team
4. Ropes and climbing
   ● Abseil
   ● The organizer provides abseil gear for the teams, helmets and gloves are compulsory, and the racers are responsible for having them with them
5. Coasteering
   ● Trekking or biking sections that have crossovers of water
6. Rollerblading
   ● progress by rollers
   ● ski poles are allowed
   ● running is allowed
   ● The teams can leave their rollers into transition or hide them in the forest. The competitors only need to have them when they go and come into the section.
7. Quest
   ● A special mission. Instructions are given by the organization

9. EQUIPMENT

1. The Routebook provides the equipment list
2. Equipment list follows the information given in newsletters and bulletin.
3. Prohibited gear
   ● Any other maps than the ones provided by the organizer
   ● mobile phone in case of getting information outside

10. PENALTIES

1. If a team is not following the rules, it will have the following penalties:
   ● Disqualification: team will not get a result
   ● Section disq.: the team can continue the event but lose Quests and CP:s from that section. The result will be determined according to the rule: 6.4
   ● CP disq.: CP visited will be disqualified. The result will be determined according to the rule: 6.4
   ● Time penalty: Time penalty will be added on race time or will be spent during the race in the place set by the organization

Penalties

2. If canoe gear gets damaged or disappears during the race, the team has to refund the loss or damage
3. A disappeared GPS tracker is 500 € from the team that lost it
4. A disappeared SI card is 100 € from the team that lost it
5. If a team has to withdraw, the registration fee is not refundable

11. JURY AND PROTESTS

1. The jury will have three persons: Race director, route master, and one chosen competitor
2. The jury will take care of:
   ● rules
   ● protests
   ● penalties
   ● fit rules considering “sportsmanship” as the first principal
3. The jury needs to have at least three persons to be able to decide
4. The decision of the jury is final
5. Protest will be made written and have to have:
   ● contact information, date, and signature
   ● name on captain, date, and signature
   ● the issue protested to
   ● rules which the protest is based on
   ● possible witnesses, date, place, and signatures
6. Protest will cost 50 Eur. The payment will be return if the protest goes through
7. The protest has to be made by 20:30 on August 15th, which is 30 minutes after the finish will be closed
8. The jury will not handle imperfect protests
9. Conditions in the race can’t be the reason for a protest, for example, weather, terrain, traffic, etc.

12. INSURANCE & RESPONSIBILITY

1. Racers will take part in the race by the responsibility of their own
2. The responsibility of progress and condition of the racer is all the time on the racer.
3. Organizers don’t take insurance for the racers
4. Before the team can start, racers have to accept the following thing by signing:
   ● accept rules
   ● convince to be able to swim
   ● convince to be healthy enough to take part in the race
   ●  free organizers of responsibility and understand the nature of this kind of race and understand that there may be unknown dangers in the race

13. SAFETY

1. If somebody gets hurt, they are not left alone.
2. Organizers have the right to take a racer out of the race if the organizer determines the racer is not in a condition to continue the race.
3. In case of an accident, all racers are responsible for helping other racers. Even if it means they have to change their route.
   a. in case of emergency, the race time will be compensated
4. In case of an accident:
   call to national help number: 112
   b. help and give first aid
   c. call to the organizer and wait for instructions
   d. follow instructions given by the organization

14. CHANGING THE RULES

1. Organizers have the right to change the rules any time during, before, or after the race
2. Changes have to be told to all teams same time
3. Rules can be added on maps, Routebook, separate or spoken