REGULATIONS and RULES Red Fox Adventure Race 2015
Organizer - Red Fox Company
Race Director - Olga Moroz
Race designer and chief race judge - Vitaliy Chegarovskiy
Designer of technical stages - Alexander Ovcharuk
Chief of volunteers – Dmitry Bulavinov
Race camp commandant – Dmitry Smol’yaninov
Electronic timing - Yuriy Gultyaev
Official race web site – www.adventure-race.redfox.ru Date and place
Red Fox Adventure Race 2015 takes place in Karelia region, Onega Lake district on June11 -14th 2015.
The race center is situated on the bank of the Gulf of Onega Lake, the Svyatukha Lip.
Accommodation of racers and organizers: field camp (tents)
How to get the race center: see on “Scheme, Race center location”
PROGRAMM of the Red Fox AR 2015
9th June, TuesdayArrival of participants at the race center is opened from 8:00 a.m.
10th June, Wednesday
9:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. – equipment check, passing of a test rope route, teams registration
9:00 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. – race brief
9:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m. – race brief in english
11th June, Thursday
10:30 a.m. – opening ceremony
12:00 a.m. – race start
12th June, Friday
race
13th June, Saturday
12:00 a.m. – race closure for SHORT class
13:30 a.m. – prize giving ceremony for SHORT class
14th June, Sunday
12:00 a.m. – race closure for LONG class
13:30 a.m. – prize giving ceremony for LONG class. Closing ceremony. Departure of the participants
Race format
Race format - non-stop adventure race. Any external assistance is prohibited.
Classes
- RFAR “Short” – 48 hours
- RFAR “Long” – 72 hours
Team’s nominations
For each class: SHORT or LONG there are three nominations:
1. team of 4 racers (at least one woman)
2. team of 2 racers – MM ranking
3. team of 2 racers – MW or WW ranking
Each racer has to reach the age of 18 by the start of the race.
Distance
Race distance is planned in form of 3 loops . After finishing of each loop a team has to return to the Race Center where it starts the next circle. The sequence of passing of loops is set and can't be changed.The order of stages is described in the Scheme of distance. Some controls (CP) are mandatory for passing, the rest are not. See more details in the following chapter.
The race design doesn’t allow for the teams of Short class to take all the CPs. For the best result it is necessary to compete full 48 hours. The strongest teams of Long class have a chance to finish the race earlier than in 72 hours.
Teams completed all of the 3 loops before the race closure have a chance to get some additional CPs located close to the finish.
There will be the following routes (stages): mountain bike, paddling, trekking, rock climbing, speleo stage, fixed ropes and one secret stage. Information about the secret stage will be announced one hour before Race start, right after opening ceremony.
Order of CPs passing
One part of route is mandatory for passing, another is not. It gives a chance for slow teams to overcome at least fractionally but all stages of the race.On the maps the mandatory check points are marked by red, non-mandatory - by green circles.
CPs connected by the red line with arrow on the map should be passed in specified order. All the other CPs can be passed in any order at the choice of teams. But there also can be the special order of passing for some CPs pointed in the route sheet. Please attend!
Some CPs (which marked in the route sheet and maps) can be taken during any of three main loops. It means that a team decides itself on what loop to take these CPs. For example: CP 45 (2-3) can be passed during second or third loop.
The result of teams broken the order of passing of mandatory CPs will be scored as well but in the final results they will be placed below those who overcame all distance in correct order.
Scheme of passing of route stages
Race distance (track length), km
As the route depends on the choice of CPs to pass we can only give an estimation of maximum possible distances for different disciplines:1. Mountain bike – 190 km
2. Paddling – 100 km
3. Trekking – 55 km
4. Speleo-leg – 100 m
Mountain bike stage
At this stage competitors will use asphalted roads of different quality, gravel roads and paths. 90% of these tracks has hard surface and easy passable when it’s rainy (in dry conditions gravel roads are very dusty after car passing).There is a rare traffic on the main roads.
Generally the roads are flat.
Participants must obey traffic regulations.
It's mandatory to use helmet during the whole MTB stage.
Team’s number (given by organizers at the registration) must be fixed on the bike.
Mandatory equipment:
1. Mountain bike with rear red light
2. Helmet
3. Bike gloves
4. Maps (received at Team registration)
Recommended equipment:
1. Clothing according to the weather
2. Bike map-board on handlebar
3. Bike lock (some CPs are apart from the roads!)
4. Spare tube for each team’s member
5. Bicycle repair kit
6. Food reserve for this stage
Paddling stage
Route lies through the system of lakes and assumes portages of 200-800 m in length.There are possibility to meet hidden reefs that can damage a kayak cover.
Participants must wear life vests during the paddling stage.
Team’s number (given by organizers at the registration) must be placed on kayak.
Mandatory equipment
1. Two-seat kayak and pair of paddles. For teams of 4 racers: 2 two-seat kayaks and pairs of paddles. It’s allowed a kayak of any model. The kayak should be equipped with floatation bags corresponding to kayak’s model.
2. Life vest for each team member
3. Kayak repair kit in case of damage a kayak cover
4. Skirt
5. Compass for each team member
6. Lamp for each team member
7. Map and route sheet (received at Team registration)
Recommended equipment
1. Map-board of А3 format
2. Non-sliping gloves
3. Clothing according to the weather and additional spare set of clothing packed in dry bag
4. Food reserve for this stage
See information about renting of kayaks in chapter “Rent of kayaks”.
Trekking stage
Trekking routes pass through the hilly area with height difference up to 80 m. There are many rocky walls up to 1.5 km in length with loosened rocks at the foot. Somewhere the stones can be covered by moss and are very slippery even in dry weather conditions! One can meet big wild animals in the forest: elks, boars, bears. In this case, please, refer to the recommendations in special chapter “Wild animals”. Successful passing of trekking stage requires skills of orienteering in the wild forest with detailed map.Map’s scale: 1 cm = 200 m. The most part of trekking area is out of roads and paths. Passability of the forest is various. At the first tracking stage there are some beaver dams. It’s forbidden to go over the dams!
Personal mandatory equipment:
1. Compass
2. Light with a double stock of batteries
3. Maps, route sheet (received at Team registration)
4. Whistle
Recommended equipment:
1. Clothing according to the forest conditions and weather
2. Footwear with metal crampons
3. Trekking poles
4. Food reserve for this stage
5. Insect repellent. There can be a lot of mosquitoes!
6. Mesh or mosquito net will allow you to sleep in the forest
Rock climbing
Some CPs will be located on the rock walls – not high, perhaps over the water. The climbing CPs are not difficult and don’t require any special footwear. It's mandatory to use helmet when taking these CPs.Personal mandatory equipment:
1. Helmet
2. Clothing protecting elbows and knees
Fixed ropes stage
Successful overcoming of these routes requires the following skills:- climbing and rappelling by floppy vertical rope
- overcoming of long! air portage with climbing by inclined rope
- rope climbing
- via-ferrata
On some check points it’s necessary to use a team rope for rappelling and climbing to CP.
During the fixed ropes stage participants must wear helmets.
Personal mandatory equipment:
1. Harness
2. Helmet
3. 2 lanyards
4. Descender. It’s recommended: reverso, atc and others. Figure-eight descender is admitted.
5. Rope clamp - 2 pcs. It could be a jumar, baisic, croll, pantin. Prusik knots are forbidden.
6. Carabiners 3 pcs.
7. Tradle for jumar
8. Clothing protecting elbows and knees
Recommended personal equipment: additional sling 80 cm.
Team mandatory equipment: rope 9 mm of 15 m length.
The detailed technical requirements for mandatory equipment see in special chapter: "technical requirements for mandatory equipment".
One of the fixed ropes stages - climbing by long inclined air portage – will be very hard and above a strength of majority of teams (it’s not obligatory stage for passing). Please, estimate adequately your team skills when choosing that stage.
Test route. There will be a short test route in the Race center prior the race start. Time limit of the test route’s passing for teams of 2 and of 4 racers will be announced at the place. Teams successfully passed a Test will be admitted to the main rope stage at the Race.
Speleo stage
During this stage it’s necessary to overcome a route along horizontal tracks of adit.Mandatory equipment: helmet and lamp for each team member, clothing protecting elbows and knees.
Secret stage
This stage doesn’t require any special skills and equipment.All information concerning this stage will be presented after Opening ceremony.
Mandatory equipment
All team’s members must have personal mandatory equipment when it is specified. Team mandatory equipment also has to be available. The judges have a right to check the mandatory equipment at any stage of the route.
Before registration each racer should personally pass the test of mandatory equipment specified by this Regulations. The participants who didn't undergo testing or presented equipment inappropriate to the requirements aren't allowed to the start.
During the whole race all the teams must have the following general team mandatory equipment:
1. First aid kit in sealed package:
- Bandage of 6 cm width - 2 pcs.
- Plaster of min 3 cm width.
- Anaesthetic (like paracetamol and others).
- Anti-inflammatory (like ibuprofen and others).
- Aseptic bandage and cotton wool – 1 pcs.
2. Knife
3. Matches in sealed package
4. Mobile phone fully charged in sealed package
5. Thin tip marker – 2 pcs., red or blue color are preferable
Forbidden equipment
1. GPS and GLONASS-navigators
2. Motorized vehicles
Transition areas (TA)
The change of the activities will take place at Transition areas.Teams can leave their equipment in transition area temporary. After leaving a transition area team should collect all the team equipment to carry on further. Participants have to leave their equipment with the team’s number.
There is drinking water for participants at all transition areas. There are water, hot tea and hot meal in the TA “Race center”.
Organizers will not provide any delivery of equipment to transition areas.
Some transition areas have a limited open time.
Electronic punching system
Electronic punching system SFR is used at the event. Electronic chips will be given at Team registration, fixed on wrist of each participant and sealed.Each member of the team has to punch on CP. Only in this case the CP will be scored.
Time gap between punching of the racers of one team should not exceed 1 minute, excepting rope stage and special stages. Chip can fail by wrong pressing or shock. Please, see the correct punching in special chapter: "Electronic punching".
Cut-offs points
Race rules do not have any cut-offs of delays at rope stages. Distances are planned and prepared to minimize probability of queues and delays. Even if the technical route is occupied team have a tactical possibility to get other CPs and don’t wasting extra time.Weather
Average daytime temperature in the middle of June is 12-15 оС. But in this area it can be fast changing of temperature within 10 degrees.Night time temperature is usually 3-5 degrees lower. Water temperature in different parts of lakes can be varied from 5 to 18 оС. Sunrise at 3:40 a.m. Sunset at 11:40 p.m. Duration of light day is 20 hours.
Maps
Maps are prepared specially for this race. The symbols of topographic maps and symbols applied for sport orienteering are used.The maps are based on topographic maps of district in scale 1:50 000, cosmic photos and field works performed during 2014. Maps are laminated from the both sides (matte laminate). There are the maps in different scales for different stages.
Each racer will receive the full set of maps at Team registration.
Check points - CP
CPs are marked by circle on the maps and placed on typical natural objects. Red circle – obligatory for passing, green circle – bonus CPs.CPs performs the white-orange sign. The size of that sign can be varied according to the object on which it is fixed. It's guaranteed that the sign of check point is visible from a point described in the control descriptions but not earlier.
There is the station of electronic SFR system close to the sign. All necessary additional information about CP is specified in the control descriptions.
Control descriptions
Control descriptions give the verbal description of the object on which the check point is located. For some CP there could be given the photo of object with arrow indicating the exact location of CP or direction of movement to this CP.Descriptions will be provided in the route sheet.
Route sheet
There are the following information in the Route sheet: all numbers of CPs, control descriptions for CPs, position of CPs for all 3 loops, working time of all transition areas, special information concerning equipment necessary for reaching some CPs, special order (if needed) of passing through some CPs.Cost of CPs (points)
The “cost” of CP in points is equal to the first digit of the CP’s number. For example, for taking CP №34 team receive 3 points. Generally the “cost” of CP depends on the level of difficulty of CP, time needed for reaching CP and other factors.«Sponsoring CPs»
On some CP the fastest teams can find special plastic tokens (totally about 20-30 pcs per CP).Team can take one (!) token of these on CP. During the awarding ceremony there will be special prizes from the race sponsors for the owners of those tokens.
Safety
Each competitor has to be aware that the race distance is potentially unsafe from the technical, natural and climatic point of view.Racers should avoid situation at which the attention, coordination and reaction is broken.
Competitor has to refuse overcoming of the obstacle or route if it exceeds the level of its physical or mental capacities.
Each team must have a turned-off charged mobile phone in sealed package for contacting the race organizers in case of emergency. The telephone number for safety communication with organizers will be printed on each page of map.
Mobile communication in many places of race region is limited or absent. Generally GSM works at the tops of hills and open wide water. In the race area Megafon GSM-provider has much better connection than all other mobile providers.
During the paddling stage all participants must wear life vests.
It is mandatory to use helmet during the mountain biking and rope stages.
There will be a doctor in the Race center.
Requirements for competitors:
Each competitor has to obey to all the requirements and conditions specified by these Regulations.
The participant has to follow to instructions and demands of judges and volunteers during the Race.
Registering the Race competitor confirms to follow all the requirements stated in these Regulations.
Organizers don’t accept any financial, civil or criminal responsibility in case of physical injury, financial damage occurred during the race. Participants must have the medical insurance.
Teams ended the race before finish or not finished within the control time have to connect and inform organizers immediately about their status, then come through the finish and return the electronic chips.
Applications
On-line registration will be available at website www.adventure-race.redfox.ru.The official registration will be opened from 1st December, 2014 up to 18th May, 2015.
If the team’s line-up isn't defined completely or will be changed after the deadline of application it can be solved upon arrival to the Race center.
Payment of the entrance fee
All the registered teams should pay an entrance fee for participation the Race.
The entrance fee in case of payment up to 20th April is 1000 rubles (around $16) for each participant regardless race class. The entrance fee in case of payment from 20th April up to 18th May is 1300 rubles (around $20) for each participant.
Team registration process
1. During registration all team members have to undergo a check of all mandatory equipment excepting kayaks and paddles.
2. Further team presents a medical insurance or completes it at Team registration.
3. Team confirms the team line-up or makes the changes.
4. Team receive the following: sleeveless sports shirts with numbers, numbers for bike, numbers for kayak, maps, route sheet, Red Fox T-shirt.
5. Team receives the chips of electronic SFR system.
6. Teams ordered rented kayak receive it at the transition area.
Environmental rules
Organizers reserve to themselves the right to disqualify the teams broken common environmental rules. During the race teams must bring all the trash to the waste-bins at Race center or transition areas.Sport ethics
Race Rules required teams behave in a friendly and ethical manner to other teams. In case of difficult and critical situations, the teams have to help each other, irrespective of the race results. Human mutual aid is appreciated higher than sport results.Spectators
The race rules allow only moral support of teams. Team can be disqualified for the external assistance.Sponsor recognition
During the race all participants must put on sleeveless race shirts with numbers (Race bibs), received from organizers at Team registration. The shirts with numbers should be always worn over the clothes.
Penalties, disqualification
The presence of mandatory equipment can be checked any time during the race. For the lack of any of mandatory items team receives the penalty of 1 hour.Team can be disqualified from the race for the following:
- Any external assistance
- Using of forbidden transport and equipment
- Breaking of the race or safety rules
- Breaking of sport ethics
- Breaking of environmental rules
The chief judge makes decision for all the questions concerning Race results and penalties. In case of disagreement with the chief judge’s decision, team can submit the appeal in written form not later than 30 min. before the awarding ceremony.
Results calculation
Results calculation is provided according to the rules accepted in rogain competitions.Winners are determined by the sum of the gathered points within control time. «Control time» is 48 hours for Short class and 72 hours for Long class. In case of equal amount of gathered points higher place is awarded to the team with a faster time at the finish line.
In the final ranking the teams missed one or more mandatory CPs will be placed below those who took all mandatory CPs irrespectively of the sum of the total gathered points.
Teams breaking the order of passing of CPs are placed below those who took CPs in the right order.
Finish
Race time for team will be stopped after the punching on “Finish” CP. Time is recorded after the last racer of a team passed the finish line. At the Finish of the Race all team members has to download data from their electronic chips.Excess of control time
Penalty of 1 point is given for every minute of delay.Crossing the finish line more than 1 hour after control time leads to disqualification of that team.
All teams that don't cross the finish line by 12 pm. have to inform organizers immediately.
Awards
Medals and prizes will be given for 1st-3d places in the following 6 nominations:RFAR Short:
- teams of 4 racers,
- teams of 2 racers ММ,
- teams of 2 racers МW /WW.
RFAR Long:
- teams of 4 racers,
- teams of 2 racers ММ,
- teams of 2 racers МW /WW.
There will be special prizes from the race sponsors for owners of tokens (described earlier).
Amending
Organizers reserve the right to make any changes to this regulation in case of emergency or in force majéur situation.YOUR TEAM IS WELCOME to the Red Fox Adventure Race 2015!
