ARUTAM AMAZON RACE
RULES
1st Edition - SEP 2022
1. Definitions
Arutam Amazon Race is an adventure race in which the competitors will have to complete 3 sections, in 3 days, using different disciplines.
The criteria of the competition:
- The event will include 3 adventure disciplines: kayaking, trekking and orienteering.
The nature of the competition:
- Each racer will compete individually.
2. General provisions
By entering the Arutam Amazon Race, the competitors agree to follow the race rules; public regulations; Reserve and private regulations to respect the environment of the terrain that they are moving through; and to respect any private properties that they cross.
Fair play
All persons taking part in this race shall behave with fairness and honesty. They shall have a sporting attitude and a spirit of friendship. Competitors shall show respect for each other, for officials, journalists, spectators and the inhabitants of the competition area. Sporting fairness shall be the guiding principle in the interpretation of these rules by competitors, organizers and the jury.
It is the duty of all competitors to help injured competitors.
Doping is forbidden. The WADA Anti-Doping Rules apply to this event.
The English text of these rules shall be taken as decisive in any dispute arising from a translation into any other language.
Officials
A team of various officials, safety officers, river guides, and medical personnel assist the organization.
Competitors must respect the instructions given by the officials and must follow their decisions regarding safety, health, security, or any other decision pertaining to the race and the course in general.
Any abuse towards a member of the organization’s team will entail severe sanctions.
Safety
Each racer will be supplied with a “H.E.L.P. emergency beacon”. Use the beacon in the case of extreme peril (serious injury or endangered life).
The organization, and then Search and Rescue are responsible for the search co-ordination. The competitor who requested help must wait for the physical presence of a member of the organization before setting off again.
Any breach in the regulations with respect to assistance to persons in danger will be penalized by disqualification.
Should the beacon be activated for a minor problem the competitor will have to pay the cost of the search and rescue operation. A credit card authorization will be taken by the race organization as an insurance against any abuse.
Medical Assistance
A medical crew will be available for non-emergency medical treatment and consultation within camps including the finish line.
Medical treatment within camps is limited to basic first aid and advice. Should a racer require advanced life support, the administration of any oral or intravenous drug, then that racer, subject to the race director’s final decision, will be prevented from continuing with the event.
Anyone needing IV fluids has to remain in the camp and must be medically cleared before continuing. IV fluids may be dispensed by race doctors only and cannot be self-administered, then that racer, subject to the race directors and doctors’ final decision, will be able to continue with the event.
The medical crew has the authority, on confirmation with the race director, to withdraw a racer from the event should the racers further participation in the event result in permanent injury, disability or death to the racer.
The medical crew will provide immediate, emergency treatment and stabilization. Should a racer require transport by road or air ambulance, the patient through their insurance policy may carry the cost of any transport out of the race environment
Water
For safety purposes, all competitors must:
i. Know how to swim
ii. Be confident while paddling on a Grade 2 river.
Each competitor will have to fill in a medical form. The medical form will stay strictly confidential and be used only by medical professionals.
Each competitor enters under their own responsibility. He / she alone can judge whether they should participate in the event, start and continue to the finish line.
Nevertheless, the organization reserves the right with consultation of a doctor, or for any other reason deemed suitable by the jury / race officials, to forbid a competitor, or a team, from setting off or continuing on the course.
The organization is not responsible for the behavior of competitors or assistants infringing the laws of the country.
Competitors must be fully aware of the risks they run by entering a race. They will release the organization of all criminal or civil responsibility in case of personal accident or damage to property during the event. All competitors will be expected to complete a liability release form for this purpose.
Competitors must be fully responsible for any equipment loaned to them by the race organization or its associates. They must look after it and return it in the same condition as they received it in. All competitors will complete a liability release form for this purpose and a credit card authorization to cover any damages which may occur.
3. Competition
The Course
The route of the course may be added to, modified or cancelled at any moment by the organizers due to bad weather, security or other unforeseen circumstances deemed suitable by the race directors.
Competitors must follow the course and alternatives designed by the organization, and must comply with the spirit of the competition.
The course will be marked, with the exception of the orienteering section. This section will require some basic orienteering skills to find checkpoints in the route.
The orienteering section
The course is punctuated by checkpoints that competitors should find. A checkpoint may be manned by event officials, but can also be remote and unmanned. The checkpoints will have a point system where 3 is the minimum and 9 the maximum points of each CP. Racers will have a maximum time to collect as much points as possible in the course. In the case the racer fails to arrive at time to the finish line, they will lose 1 point for every minute or fraction. The winner will be the racer with more points in less time.
The precise location of the check points shall be defined by check point descriptions published in the map.
Examples: CP3 Carroll Hut
And, in addition, the CP is located at the NW cnr. of the large rock outcrop
The check points shown on the map shall be clearly marked on the ground and for unmanned checkpoints be equipped to enable the competitors to prove their passage.
Unmanned Checkpoints
In case of a remote and unmanned checkpoint, competitors must follow the instruction given to them at the briefing. e.g.: punch their passport or card in order to prove their passage. This information will then be given at the finish line.
Unmanned checkpoints may use the standard orienteering control flag consisting of three squares, about 30cm x 30 cm, arranged in a triangular form.
The flag shall be hung at the feature indicated on the map in accordance with the checkpoint description. The flag shall be visible to competitors when they can see the described position and not hidden.
Each checkpoint / control shall be identified with a code number, which shall be fixed to the control flag so that a competitor using the marking device can clearly read the code. The codes will be made with 2 numbers, for example: CP 34 and CP 76. CP 34 will have a point value of 3 and CP 76 will have a value of 7 points.
Checkpoints with Manual Punching systems
Competitors shall be responsible for punching their own card at each check point / control using the punching device provided.
The control card / passport must clearly show that all controls have been visited.
Checkpoints with Electronic Punching systems ie Sportident
It is the competitor's responsibility to ensure that the electronic punch is in the e-card by not removing the e-card until the feedback signal has been received. If, and only if, no feedback signal is received, the competitor must use the backup punch
If a competitor punches too fast and fails to receive the feedback signals, The card will not contain the punch and the competitor will not be able to prove the visit to that checkpoint.
Competitors must follow the instructions given by officials responsible for the checkpoints.
Competitors will be informed in which order they should visit the orienteering points and checkpoints designated by the Organizer.
Course Cutoffs - alternative courses
The organisation reserves the right to impose cut-off times on sections of the race, for logistical, safety reasons, at any time. An alternative route will be put in place, where possible, for the competitors who haven’t made the cut off times. This route is set in advance and must be followed.
Alternative courses may also be put in place for bad weather options. This route is set in advance and must be followed.
Cut-off times will be outlined at the briefing, and noted on the competitors’ instructions.
Restricted areas and routes
Rules set by the organiser to protect the environment and any related instructions from the organiser shall be strictly observed by all persons connected with the event.
Out-of-bounds or dangerous areas, forbidden routes, line features that shall not be crossed, etc shall be marked on the map. If necessary, they shall also be marked on the ground. Competitors shall not enter, follow or cross such areas, routes or features.
Compulsory routes, crossing points and passages shall be marked clearly on the map and on the ground. Competitors shall follow the entire length of any marked section of their course.
Compulsory Equipment
At All Times
Competitor equipment
1x H.E.L.P. Beacon / GPS tracker (provided by organization)
Personal equipment
- 1x Survival blanket
- 1x Whistle
- 1x Headlamp
- 1x Waterproof jacket i.e. Reflex, Gore-Tex
Recommended
Kayaking:
- 1x Dry bags (to contain competitors extra top, bottoms and hat)
- 1x Life jacket (provided by organization)
- 1x Headlamp
Trekking and Orienteering:
- 1x Shin Gaiters
- 1 x trekking / Trail running boots/shoes
- 1x Backpack / Trail running vest or belt
Equipment inspection
At race registration, there will be a minimum gear inspection in order that the organizers can certify that every competitor meets the requirements of the race regulations.
We also highly recommend competitors to get comfort medication and other first aid items in sufficient quantities, but in case of persistent illness, or important injury, the medical personnel, or an independent qualified doctor should be approached.
Do not take medication without advice from a qualified doctor.
Timing
The organization will start a chronometer at the start of the race. Times will be recorded at manned checkpoints, and when the competitors cross the finish line each day. The final time will be the addition of the 3 race days.
When a competitor decides to rest at a checkpoint, the watch doesn’t stop.
Ranking
The winning competitor will be the first to have completed the entire race in the shortest time. (Points considerations may apply in the orienteering section and explained by the organization in the briefing)
Complaints, protests, jury
Complaint
In the first instance, a potential problem should be taken to the organizer as a complaint. This avoids trivial points, where the decision is obvious, from being brought before the Jury.
Complaints shall be made in writing. Competitor protests must be filed in writing with the organizers within one hour of finishing the section, or as soon as possible after the problem is recognized; and include information on the time, date and place, name of the complaining competitor and the description of the complaint and any witnesses. This must be presented on the protest form supplied by the organization.
The Organizer decides whether a complaint has been made in time or not. Up to a few days is acceptable in certain circumstances.
The Organizer investigates the case, seeking appropriate advice other than from the Jury. When the Organisers have collected all the relevant information and heard from all the competitors and people involved, (what happened, where, how etc.) they make a decision.
This decision should be given if possible before the end of the following stage.
Decision
The Organizers shall inform the complainant, and any other directly affected competitors about the decision.
A statement should be issued once the decision is made stating the decision making and investigation process (what happened, where, how, including the team’s explanation and detailing the tracking information etc.) Also, what penalty was applied and how it had been calculated etc.
The statement shall be issued to all participants.
Protest / Jury
If the Organizer’s decision is deemed unsatisfactory by the complainant, then the complainant may submit a formal protest to the Jury.
As the second stage, a protest can be lodged only after a complaint has been made and answered. The Jury acts as a court of 'second instance' and bases its final decision on the Organizer’s investigations and its own reflections about the case.
A protest is made in writing to the Jury. A protest can be made only by competitors. A protest lodged without a previous complaint shall be presented to the Organizer first as a complaint.
The protest must include information on the time, date and place; name of the complaining team and the description of the complaint and any witnesses. This must be presented on the protest form supplied by the organization.
A race jury will view any legitimate protest from a member of the organization, or between teams that has not been resolved by the complaint process.
The race jury will be convened as soon as possible after a protest is lodged.
Since the Jury's decisions are final, the Jury should examine a case very carefully, consult all regulations necessary and hear the views of all people involved.
The Jury shall consist of three or five members.
A representative of the Organizer, Event Director, may participate in the Jury meetings but has no vote. Their purpose is to present the side of the Organizer in case of any questions or disputes. All Jury members need to be able to speak English.
Time penalties / disqualification / unranking
- Disqualification will occur for:
Unfair behavior
Non assistance to person in danger
Use of performance enhancing drugs
Use of a ‘Help Beacon’ for minor reasons
Use of unauthorized means of transport
- Unranking will occur for:
Missing a part of the race.
- The organization reserves the right to allocate a 1-hour time penalty for:
Missing of mandatory equipment being: beacon
Pollution - dropping of rubbish.
Results
Provisional results shall be announced and displayed in the finish area each day.
The ‘official’ results to date shall be published, on the web at the race HQ, no more than 24 hours after the finishing time of the race.
Prizes
The following prizes will be awarded:
• 1st place trophy
• 2nd place trophy
• 3rd place trophy
