Race Rules & Information

NFNF is excited to welcome you as a participant with the right AR ethos.

These participants know and respect the general AR rules which are applied for safety and to facilitate a fair race. Action will be taken against a team that deliberately manipulates or misinterprets the rules to benefit themselves.

In essence, as well worded by VASBYT AR:

1. Keep your moral compass firmly set on Integrity and don’t stray in the general direction of Win-at-all-Costs

2. Stay together at all times

3. Stay equipped with mandatory gear at all times

4. Stay out of touch with the outside world at all times

5. Don’t take the bus

More specifically (with thanks to Godzone and ARWS for reference; the rules to follow in subsections are standard AR rules. These may be updated periodically here.

Overall, respect the sport, your team, and your fellow racers and do not bring our sport into disrepute. The race director will not be sympathetic to teams attempting to use loopholes in the rules.

1. Mandatory “Personal” equipment must be carried by each individual competitor.

2. Mandatory “Team” equipment may be carried by anyone on the team

3. If a piece of mandatory equipment is lost during the race, you must report this to the race official at the next TA and cannot leave TA until a replacement is found

4. Only official race maps as provided by the organisers

5. No equipment, food, provisions or anything else is permitted to be dropped or cached by teams or supporters on the course prior to the start.

6. Prohibited Items:

– GPS, Mobile phones, radios, smart phones, internet, computers or other communication devices other than those provided by the event

– Distance measuring devices with exception only of cycle odometer

1. Once the Maps and Team Handbook are given to teams, friends, family, media and supporters (“FFM&S”) are not permitted to assist in any race preparation, planning, route information, access any team equipment or in any way provide assistance to the team in their preparation.

2. FFM&S are not permitted to pass important race-related information such that might allow a team to gain an unfair advantage.

3. No assistance may be sought from the general public that involves the team or their equipment being moved in any way or assisting their movement along the course

1. Teams must complete the race course as specified in the Team Handbook, from the Start Line, through race checkpoints (CPs) and transition areas (TAs), by the racing discipline specified and to the Finish Line. The first team to complete the course, with any penalties taken into consideration, will be considered the winning team

2. Team members are not permitted to knowingly travel on any part of the course prior to the start

3. Teams must start and finish with the specified number of members

4. Unless specified, stages of the event and CP’s must be visited in order

5. Teams must check in at manned and unmanned TAs or CPs via the method adopted by the Race Organisers. Failure to do this is considered “Missing” a CP or TA.

6. If a team visits the physical location of where a CP marked on their race map should be, and no CP is found (it may have been stolen or incorrectly placed), the team must prove they visited the correct location represented on the map by taking digital photos to show the Race Director at the next TA or Finish. The Race Director may also reference any tracking devices carried by the team to satisfy themselves the team was in the correct location

7. No credit is given if a team incorrectly plots a CP on their maps

8. If an unmanned CP is missed, a team is permitted to return using the most direct and permitted route to collect that CP. Any part of the course they had completed past this CP is no longer valid. They must complete the course from that CP onwards as specified in the Course notes and Race maps

9. Teams must not travel in Out of Bounds areas (these will be marked on the maps)

1. In the case of withdrawal of a team member, or an entire team, Event HQ must be notified by the quickest possible means

2. If one or more team members decides to withdraw from the race, the whole team must accompany that member to the nearest TA or specified point. Permission must be obtained from Event HQ if the team wishes to continue on the course Unranked.

1. The event organisers decision to remove a person due to medical or safety reasons is final

2. Intravenous Fluids (IV) may only be administered by approved medical staff. Any administration of IV fluids will result in the team becoming Unranked

3. Should a team require medical assistance it is the decision of the event medical staff and race management team who will decide when and if that team is permitted to continue

4. If you or your team comes across someone (be they involved with the event or not) who is in a genuine emergency situation, you MUST stop and give assistance. Organisers will attempt to re-credit lost time where possible

5. Emergency communications devices should only be used in a situation where you require immediate assistance, or if there is a real danger to yourself or others in the event

6. Use of the emergency tracking device for assistance purposes will automatically mean that the Team becomes Unranked

1. Deliberately breaking any rule to gain advantage will result in disqualification

2. Any penalties will be awarded and applied by the Race Director. Teams will be notified of any penalties as soon as possible on the course

3. Failure to carry an item of mandatory kit will mean that the team will not be able to continue until a replacement is found. A time penalty will be applied for items depending upon safety impact

4. Unintentional breaches of the rules and forgetting of equipment will receive a bespoke penalty depending the severity of the offence

5. In the case of missing Mandatory Equipment the penalty clock will start once a replacement has been found

6. Unless officially Short coursed, teams failing to reach a TA or CP will be deemed to be Unranked

7. Teams will have 12 hours after the Finish to appeal any decision

1. No fires unless in an emergency

2. Respect wildlife, all farm stock and fences

3. No litter left on course

4. Be discreet and conscientious about where you BK

1. Competitors may not remove, tamper or adjust event equipment at any time

2. Competitors must follow any additional rules outlined in any of the race briefings

3. Competitors must also follow directions issued by Event Officials

4. Any complaints or protests must be in writing and submitted to Event HQ within 12hrs of either finishing or withdrawing from the event.