Competition regulations

The only Adventure Race from România!

REGULATIONS 2024

These regulations applies to the ProPark Adventure competition, organized by Propark – Foundation for Protected Areas, 2024 edition.

RACE CHARACTERISTICS

ProPark Adventure is a mountain specific race that tests teams’ physical, mental, endurance and orienteering skills.

The routes are undeveloped and unprotected, using public roads and fire-roads, marked and unmarked paths, steep slopes and rugged areas. They pass through towns, meadows, lakes, rivers, wooded areas and forest cuts, alpine plains(ridges, corridors, cliffs, valleys, debris, alpine pastures, junipers). Going through all of these requires each participant to have knowledge, skills and abilities such as:

general mountain experience
following a difficult alpine route
orientation skills in mountain areas, even in bad weather and low visibility. This means, among other things, being able to use a map and route information to get to safety.
appropriate behavior in case of danger and urgency in the mountain area
appropriate behavior in case of interaction with wild animals
appropriate behavior in case of conflicts with people (locals) in a state of inebriation or irascibility.

It should be noted that no matter how many safety measures the organizers take, they are not and will not be able to cover all the risks related to the nature of the sporting events, the environment and the conditions in which they take place.

Each participant must show fair play and friendship and act accordingly when the situation requires it.

!!! We draw your attention to the fact that no prize and no performance is above the health and life of the participants. They must act accordingly when they feel or notice a danger.

Participating teams must consist of four people, at least one female. One of the members is the team captain and is responsible for the team registration and team representation in relation to race organizers.

The minimum age to enter the competition is 18 years old on the day of the race.

The ProPark Adventure competition suppose that all the members of the team shall finish the race challenges, the maximum distance allowed between teammates being a maximum of 100 meters. The distance between teammates can be measured at any time during the race.

The teams registrations will be done by their captains using the tools available on the competition website: https://www.propark-adventure.ro, following the steps displayed there. After creating an account, the captain will receive a unique link to the provided email address, which he will use to fill in the team or teammates data fields, or to make subsequent changes to them, as well as to prove the payment of the registration fee.

The registration fee to be paid for race participation is displayed on the competition website (www.proparkadventure.ro) upon registrations opening.

Each team will bear the name of a protected area in Romania because we wish to promote protected areas among the general public. If a team wants to promote other values, entities or their own image, the registration fee displayed on the competition website is increased according to the website specifications.

If a team registers with the name of a protected area in Romania and, subsequently, the custodian or the manager of that protected area forms a team as well, they will have priority in keeping their name, the first team being forced to choose another protected area name.

After August 11, 2024, registrations will no longer be accepted, and in order to change the team structure, the organizers must be notified through the contact form from the website at least 7 days before the start. In case of a teammate substitution, after August 11, 2024, an additional fee of 50 lei will be charged, which shall be payed at the race office. Also, in case of withdrawal during or before the event, the participation fee will not be refundable.

SECTIONS AND CATEGORIES:

ProPark Adventure will have a single section consisting of classic 180-250 km long distance adventure trials. The challenges may include: trekking, trail running, mountain biking, orienteering, kayaking or rafting, rappelling or other rope sports, etc.

There will be possibilities to shorten the route. These will be presented at the technical meeting. Decisions on shortening the route will be made by each team during the race. These decisions will not make the subject of a disqualification, but will place the team lower in the rankings, after the last team which finishes a longer route in the regulatory time limit.

Contestants who finish the entire race route during the regulatory time limit, as a team, are considered FINISHERS of the Propark Adventure Race competition.

Only the teams that cover the entire route, within the cut off time, can be classified on the podium (1st, 2nd and 3rd places). If there are not enough teams that have covered the entire route, these places will not be awarded and the other teams which have not covered the entire route will be ranked starting from the 4th place.

Only the teams that cover the entire route, within the cut off time, can be classified on the podium (1st, 2nd and 3rd places).

For safety reasons and to provide equity for all contestants, if a team has been disqualified, have abandoned the race or exceeded the cut off time, regardless of the route length, it will be ranked bellow all the other teams that have completed any of the route options within the cut off time. This fact will be marked in the rankings with DSQ – disqualification, DNF – did not finished, respectively OVERTIME – exceeding the time limit.

ROUTE

Details of the race area and route check points will be communicated only at the technical meeting.

Each team is required to record the covered route using devices able to record the route even in areas without GSM and internet coverage

The GPX file(s) containing the recorded route will be submitted to the Decision-making Forum upon arrival at the finish line, but not later than 1 hour after the cut-off time.

The checkpoints must be visited in ascending order, unless the team chooses to shorten the route, in which case they will be ranked lower in the standings in accordance with this regulation.

The proof of reaching the checkpoints will be made by:

route recording using mobile phones with route recording applications even in areas without phone signal in the GSM network

and

a photo with all the team members having in the background the specific landmark of the checkpoint.

In some checkpoints there may be other special trials related to the specifics of the protected areas, the details of which will be communicated on the spot by the referees appointed by the organizers. These may require generic skills, intuition or basic knowledge of protected areas. Information about protected areas will be communicated during registration period.

Certain public roads such as motorways, European roads and national roads will be specially marked on the map, in purple, as forbidden routes. They can be crossed perpendicularly or can be used for a maximum length of 500m.

There may also be forbidden areas on the map, marked in red. Crossing these areas through any point is strictly forbidden, the presence of competitors in these areas leading to the penalty of the entire team. There may be checkpoints specially designed for crossing these areas.

The checking of the above mentioned areas use will be done after the competition, by reviewing the recorded route.

The teams’ choice of the competition route is made at their own risk.

The route is undeveloped and unprotected, so there is a risk of injury and / or death. Competitors must take into account the hazards that may arise during the race. These include and are not limited to: collisions with stones, rocks, trees, people, motor vehicles, other vehicles, other objects; falls, slippage, cold and / or heat injuries, hypothermia, sunburn, dehydration, frostbite, burns, altitude sickness, rock falls, hail, avalanches, landslides, floods, storms, lightning, animals, reptiles, insects, fires, drowning, physical exertion, exhaustion, lack of GSM signal.

REGULAR TIME

The regular time is 50 hours from the race start. It can be modified during the competition by the organizers, if there are good reasons. The change of the regular time will be announced on all communication channels (sms, telephone, communications from the referees at the checkpoints) so that the information reaches all participants.

The regular time is the same (50 hours) for all teams, regardless of the length of the route.
There will be a per second timing (ex. 15:38:22.4 will be registered as 15:38:23).
The arrival time of the team is given by the time when the last teammate crosses the finish line.

In case of race interruption, the ranking will be drawn up according to the checkpoints reached by each team: the team that reached the most advanced checkpoint at the moment of the race interruption wins. And in this case, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places (podium) will be awarded only to the teams that have chosen the full route, without missing any checkpoint.

The race will start on August 23, 2024, at 08.00 A.M.
The arrival cut-off time is 50 hours (August 25, 2024 at 10.00 – this time may be extended or shortened depending on the start time and the change in the regular time)

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

Mandatory equipment throughout the entire race:

Functional mobile phone – individually
Route recording device – properly equipped for recording the route even in areas without GSM coverage, and able to export the route in GPX format
Water container of at least 200ml with or without a lid (for use in hydration points, organizers will not provide disposable cups) – individually
Backpack – individually
Energy bar – individually
Headband / beanie – individually
Rain jacket – individually
Long-sleeved t-shirt – individually
Long-legged pants – individually
Survival blanket – individually
Headlamp – individually
Race bib (provided by organizers)
Map and race sheet (provided by organizers) / team
First aid kit (elastic bandage, sterile bandage, aid tape, disinfectant) / team

Individual equipment for mountain bike (MTB):

Functional mountain bike compliant with road traffic regulations
Helmet
White light at the front (headlamp is also accepted), red light at the rear, compliant with road traffic regulations
Race bib (provided by organizers) and visibly displayed in front of the bike – individually

Individual equipment for kayak-canoe:

Waterproof bag (Dry-bag. Plastic bags are NOT accepted)
Waterproof phone pouch – individual

For events other than mountain biking and trekking, the equipment will be provided by the organizer (life jackets, boats or hardware for making boats, orienteering maps, harnesses and other mountaineering equipment, etc.).
The bib number must be attached to the equipment and the bicycle and must be visible throughout the competition.
During the technical meeting, the maps and race sheets will be handed out (if applicable) and the exact details of the events and the race routes will be communicated.

Depending on the weather forecast, hand and / or leg warmers may be accepted instead of a long-sleeved t-shirt and / or long-legged pants. This will be communicated by the referees before the start.

The equipment will be checked before the start, at the start of each different race and randomly throughout the competition, in any location, by the referees. The absence of any individual or team mandatory item will lead to the disqualification of the entire tea.

AID STATION, DROP-BAG, SUPPORTERS/ EXTERNAL AID

Being an adventure race, there will be NO hydration or feeding points on the route, provided by the organizers.
Fans can support any competitor as long as they follow the rules of the officials and do not hinder the competition.

Throughout the competition, while navigating the route and during the special challenges, no help from outside or from other teams is allowed, except for the assistance provided in specially designed areas, where contestants can receive food, liquids, etc.

Also, the organizers will set a specially designated area, marked on the map, in which the support members can offer assistance to the contestants.

During the race each team is responsible to carry its own equipment and is forbidden to receive external aid, as assistance in transporting the equipment can only be provided between teammates.

Teams whose supporters do not comply with these rules may be penalized or excluded from the competition in accordance with this Regulation.

The organizers can transport a drop-bag of maximum 30 liters / team. It must be handed over at least half an hour before the start. Drop-bags that exceed this capacity, that do not close or that have objects hanging off will not be accepted The checkpoints at which this drop-bag will be transported will be communicated at the technical meeting. This drop-bag cannot contain fragile items, and the organizers do not take any responsibility for the damage of any item in this drop-bag. Other details will be provided at the technical meeting.

Competitors have the right to buy any food, drink or equipment from the shops or to check in at any accommodation unit located in the competition area, except the forbidden areas marked on the map.

PENALTIES / DISQUALIFICATIONS

The race organizer reserves the right to disqualify a team in one of the following cases:

Lack, total or partial loss of mandatory equipment according to this regulation
Injury, after the start, of one or more members of the team, and his / their condition no longer allows to continue to race (this will be determined by the organizing team)
Access in the red marked areas on the map
modification or change of bib numbers
exceeding the cut-off times;

Missing a checkpoint leads to a disqualification for the rest of the route (in this case, only the route up to the missed checkpoint will be considered as valid).

The organizer reserves the right to penalize a team with 5 hours or more in the following cases:

Receiving / offering help during the competition
Use of forbidden areas, marked in purple on the map
Unsportsmanlike conduct towards other participants, officials, the public, other persons (Acts of violence, insults, sabotage, intimidation, disturbance of public peace – locals / teammates)
Failure to respect the distance limit between teammates
Other non-compliance

If, as a result of this penalty, the team’s competition time exceeds the regular time limit, that team will be disqualified.

CAMPING

Each competitor will bring the necessary equipment for camping in the space indicated by the organizer in the base camp. The organizer will not provide tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, but will transport them from one point to another in case there are two or more camps / campsites during the competition. Also, the organizer will not cover the cost for camping.

The choice of rest / sleep places during the competition is at the discretion of the teams entered in the competition and is not deducted from the final time of the competition.

DROP OUT

Any participant who is unable or unwilling to continue the race, for whatever reason, must inform the organizers immediately, at the start, at the checkpoints, on arrival or by calling the emergency numbers that are noted on the map.

Withdrawal from the race will be confirmed by the competitors by signing the competition form and submitting it to the checkpoint closest to the drop out / withdrawal point.

The participation fee will not be refunded in case of disqualification, abandonment or DNS.

TIME SCHEDULE

Technical meeting
Equipment check
Start
Race and arrivals
Award ceremony

This program is subject to change and will be announced on the competition website.

Attendance at the technical meeting of at least one team member is mandatory.

The organizers do not take responsibility in case that competitors do not know certain particularities of the race that were communicated at the technical meeting. These details will be part of the competition rules.

At the technical meeting the following points will be communicated

The route
Route options and race categories
Forbidden routes and areas and possible permitted crossing points, if any
The checkpoints where the drop-bag will be transported
The stations where support members can assist the teams
Certain particularities of the race events, if any
Administrative and logistical details regarding the base camp, camping, etc.
Changes of the schedule

During the technical meeting, the maps and competition sheets will be handed out as well (if applicable). Certain challenges from the checkpoints will only be communicated on the spot by the referees at the stations in order to preserve the adventurous nature of the competition.

Attendance at the technical meeting of at least one team member is mandatory.

DECISION-MAKING BODY

For the best possible transparency, at the technical meeting the organizers will communicate to the competitors the composition of the decision-making forum that will take the important decisions during the competition, such as:

Extension or reduction of the time limit due to weather or organizational reasons
Disqualification or penalty of a team
Modifications of the special trials
Route changes
Race cancelation
Other organizational decisions

These decisions shall be taken by vote and, if necessary, after consulting the referees in the field.

APPEALS

Appeals against the rankings or any other issues must be submitted within a maximum of 7 days from the race finish date. Complaints are submitted in writing by e-mail to office@propark.ro only by the team captain. The decision-making forum will respond to each written appeal on the competition website within a maximum of 7 days upon their submission.

For transparency, all appeals and answers will be made public on the competition’s website or Facebook page. By filing the appeal, the competitors implicitly accept this fact.

OTHER PROVISIONS

The organizers do not take responsibility for adverse weather conditions and reserve the right to stop the race or change the route and / or race events at any time if the weather conditions implies.

The competing teams will certify with their signature that they have accepted the competition regulations and that they will respect the traffic law in force.

By their valid registration, the teams automatically accept the regulation as well as the consequences of non-compliance with its prescriptions.

The organizers reserve the right to amend these rules and will notify competitors of any changes by an email sent to team captains. If, as a result of the amendment to the regulations, a team can no longer participate for justified reasons, the participation fee will be refunded.

Lack of race regulation knowledge does not relieve the affected teams or any of their members of responsibility.