"Running City" Urban Orienteering Rules

as of 11.o8.1o

Contents

General Provisions

1. Teams and Competitors
2. Categories
3. Entries and Fees
4. Required Equipment
5. Registration and Start
6. Documents and Merchandise
7. Moving Around the City
8. Courses and Checkpoints (CPs)
9. Finishing
10. Results

General Provisions

This documents lists rules used for all Running City urban orienteering events.

For each event, rules are accompanied with the event agenda, which provides detailed information on that event.

1. Teams and Competitors

1.1 Urban orienteering events are team orienteering competitions aimed at regional ethnography in an urban environment.

1.2 The minimal and maximal number of team members is specified by the event agenda. All these teams have equal rights during the event.

1.3 Teams consisting of less than the specified minimum number of participants are allowed to participate, if not explicitly stated otherwise in the event agenda. Such teams are not included in the overall ranking.

1.4 Competitors under 14 are allowed to participate only when accompanied by a competitor over 18 in the same team (provided that the participant over 18 is a parent, a relative, a guardian or has a written permission from the parents to accompany the minor competitor).

1.5 Minimal age for bicyclists and inline skaters is 16 years.

1.6 The event agenda can contain additional regulations concerning the team composition in different courses.

1.7 Event organizers reserve the right to deny participation in any course to anyone without any reasons.

1.8 Participants agree to obey the event rules as well as instructions of the organizing committee and other event officials.

1.9 Organizers are not responsible for any incidents occurred to the competitors due to their fault or fault of third parties.

2. Categories

2.1 The events are held in different categories.

2.2 Categories for a particular event are specified in the event agenda.

2.3 Each category description contains following provisions:

• allowed and restricted modes of transportation around the city
• if the course time is considered in the results
• other additional parameters

2.4 Each category description in the event agenda may be either expressed explicitly or refer to the description of a typical (traditional) category in paragraph 2.6 of these rules.

2.5 Participants of every category can be included into different rankings. Rankings are described in the event agenda and/or determined by the organizing committee based on the event results.

2.6. Typical (traditional) event categories:

3. Entries and Fees

3.1 Pre-entries are accepted using forms on the event website specified in the event agenda.

3.2 Pre-entries should contain the following information:

• an e-mail address, which serves as an identifier for the entry (only one team can be entered with one e-mail)
• the desired category
• After the entry has been submitted, you can enter all other data using the entry editing form (please refer to the corresponding paragraph).

3.3 Closing dates, deadlines for entry payment and activation as well as payment information are determined by the event agenda. If a pre-entry is not paid and activated on the date specified in the event agenda, it will be cancelled.

3.4 Each team pre-entry sent through the website can be modified starting from the entry submission until 48 hours after event closure. Entry data is modified using the editing form on the event website.

3.5 By the time of activation, the entry should contain following information:

• name of the team
• contact phone
• valid data for at least one competitor (first name, last name, year of birth, place of residence)

3.6 The team is responsible for the completeness and validity of all entry data. If a team specified invalid or misleading information, it can be deleted from the team list irrespectively of the activation, restricted from starting or disqualified. The organisers reserve the right to judge upon the entry correctness.

3.7 The starting order and time for a team will be determined after entry activation. You can specify the desired time range, but it does not guarantee getting the start time in the specified range. The start time is the local time of the territory where the event is held.

3.8 The number of teams in each category is initially limited to a certain number. This limit is based on the average course time and allows the last starting team of a category to complete the course before the finish gate closes. After the category limit is exhausted, entries for this category will be suspended until free slots are available.

3.9 Free slots in the category can be introduced by extending the entry limit and opening additional start time ranges. When starting in an additional time range, teams are not guaranteed to complete the course before the finish gate closes. Activation of an entry after extension of the limit is considered to be a voluntary team decision to accept potentially unfavorable participation conditions.

3.10 Requests concerning the pre-entry submission, activation and editing are handled by the technical support. A request is an e-mail sent to the address of the organizing committee from the event agenda and containing data which can uniquely identify the team: number of the team or e-mail (for non-activated entries). By default, requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. When processing requests, the technical support does not accept responsibility for operation of third-party mail services.

3.11 Entries can be submitted during check-in on the day of event, if free slots are available in the desired category. The time for entries on the day of event can be limited by the event agenda.

3.12 The entry fee can be refunded in following exceptional cases:

• if an Inline Skater team decides to withdraw from the event before proceeding with the pre-start check-in
• if an activated entry of a team was deleted by the organizers while the team acted in accordance with the paragraph 3.5 of these rules

In the aforementioned cases the entry fee will be refunded to the competitors on the day of event upon presentation of an identity card.

3.13 The entry fee will not be refunded in any other cases apart from those mentioned in paragraph 3.12.

4. Required Equipment

4.1 Event participants of all categories must have the following equipment:

• identity card for every competitor;
• watch;
• writing instrument (a pen or a highlighter);
• mobile phone (for communication with the organizing committee in case of emergency).

4.2 All participants are strongly advised to have the following equipment:

• health insurance policy;
• map;
• torch.

4.3 Special equipment requirements when using specific modes of transportation:

• Bicyclists must have a helmet and an operational red flashlight. A headlight and a bicycle lock are recommended.
• Inline skaters must wear a helmet and a rigid hand protection. Kneepads are recommended.
• Motorcyclists and scooter drivers must wear a motorcycle helmet.

4.4 The event agenda can specify additional requirements for the equipment.

4.5 Competitors are uniquely responsible for providing all aforementioned equipment.

5. Check-In and Start

5.1 Location and time of check-in and start in each category are specified in the event agenda. The check-in and start time are local times of the territory where the event is held.

5.2 Teams of one category start separately at intervals defined in the event agenda.

5.3 To ensure a timely registration and pre-start inspection, competitors are advised to arrive for the pre-start check-in 30 minutes before the start time of the team. The team accepts responsibility for a timely start.

5.4 During check-in, competitors provide all required documents (identity cards for all team members as well as other documents if they are required by the event agenda in accordance with paragraph 4.4 of these rules) and receive a kit of start materials.

5.5 Late arriving teams can start the course out of turn. The course time begins with the initial start time. If desired, the entry of a late arriving team can be cancelled and submitted again in accordance with the usual procedure as an entry on the day of event.

5.6 All participants using private motor vehicles should leave them at least 50 m away from the start line or in a special zone specified by the organizers in the event agenda or on site.

5.7 If competitors fail to observe paragraphs 1.8, 4.1, 4.3, 5.4, 5.6, 6.4, and 6.5 of these rules, the team is not permitted to start.

6. Documents and Merchandise

6.1 Each team receives one kit of start materials.

6.2 The start materials kit includes:

• the control book of the team
• badges with team numbers (one for each competitor)
• additional start materials can be also provided, including additional merchandise

6.3 The control book is the main document of the team. The team should be in possession of the control book during the whole course and hand it back to an event official in the finish gate. If the control book is lost, the team is considered retired.

6.4 The badge should be attached to competitor's clothing or equipment so that it is clearly visible during the whole course. Badges with the team number should be shown on official's request.

6.5. If additional start materials are available, they should be used according to the event agenda and organizer's instructions.

7. Moving Around the City

7.1 Event participants move around the city as usually according to the road traffic regulations, all laws and bylaws applicable for the event area, which is specified in the event agenda. Event participants are not granted any additional rights.

7.2 The way of moving around the city in different categories is determined by the event agenda. From the start to the finish or retirement, competitors move around the city using only methods allowed for their category.

7.3 If a certain category allows using public transportation, the term "public transportation" includes any means of passenger transportation following a set route and transporting people on a regular basis: buses, trolleybuses, tramways, route taxis, suburban trains, subway, funiculars, water buses etc. The event agenda can impose additional restrictions on use of specific means of public transportation.

7.4 Participants are allowed to use city maps (plans, guidebooks etc.), reference materials and any kind of navigation devices.

7.5 If a team chooses to retire, competitors should inform the organizers.

7.6 If one or several team members choose to retire, other competitors can continue the course, but their result will not be included on the overall ranking. The decision of one or several competitors to retire should be noted in the control book by an event official.

7.7 Teams are disqualified by the officials if any of the team members fails to observe paragraphs 4.3 and 7.1 of these rules.

8. Courses and Checkpoints (CPs)

8.1 Event courses consist of a certain number of checkpoints (CPs).

8.2 Checkpoints are mounted in publicly accessible locations within the event area.

8.3 Stage order for the course is determined by the course pattern from the event agenda.

8.4 Following patterns can be used in the events:

8.5. In all patterns, additional bonus checkpoints may exist, which can be visited at any time during the course.

8.6 Some checkpoints can be limited in the time of operation. These cases are specifically described in the checkpoint legend.

8.7 Provided checkpoint descriptions (CP legends) include the following information:

8.8 Checkpoint tasks which require finding some information at the location can not be correctly answered with «zero», «missing», «nothing» and similar answers.

8.9 To identify a checkpoint with a «Sign» task on site, the traditional orienteering symbol is placed next to the sign, which is a square divided into red and white triangles («prism»). If a checkpoint description is specified using a puzzle, the symbol is used, which is a square divided into two pairs of triangles.

8.10 In some cases, checkpoint of other types can also be marked with a prism, if this is explicitly specified in the checkpoint legend or in the event agenda.

8.11 Any task in the stage legend can be replaced with the "Signature of an official" task without prior warning. In this case, officials will stand next to the checkpoint indicated in the legend and place a «prism» so that it can be seen.

8.12 A checkpoint is considered visited if the whole team has arrived at the location specified in the legend, found out the information required in the task and wrote it down in the control book. Time of arrival at the checkpoint also has to be noted down.

8.13 All members of the team always have to be present at each checkpoint. Event officials may control the number of team members at any checkpoint. At any time during the course, event officials may also request from the team to get all team members together. All team members should be assembled within 5 minutes.

8.14 When using public transportation during the course, participants use the control book to note down routes travelled with public transport (time and location of boarding, route number). It is also recommended to write down the license plate number of the vehicle. If transportation data is missing from the control book, potential controversial situations can be interpreted not in favor of the team.

8.15 It is prohibited to communicate any information about the checkpoint locations or courses to other teams.

9. Finishing

9.1 The finish location of teams in each category is specified in the event agenda.

9.2 A team is considered as having finished the course after all team members arrived in the finish gate and handed in the control book.

9.3 The finish time is rounded to one minute.

9.4 Competitors are prohibited from staying in the finish gate longer than necessary and preventing other teams from finishing.

9.5 All participants using private motor vehicles should leave them at least 50 m away from the finish line or in a special zone specified by the organizers in the event agenda or on site.

9.6 Course closure time is determined by the event agenda. The closure time is the local time of the territory where the event is held.

9.7 Teams arriving after closure time are considered retired.

10. Results

10.1 If a category is divided into different rankings, results are calculated separately for each ranking. If there is no division, only one ranking is calculated.

10.2 The number of visited checkpoints (apart from bonus checkpoints) is the main criterion for result calculation.

10.3 The only valid proof of a visited checkpoint is an entry in the control book which contains a correct answer for the task specified in the checkpoint legend.

10.4 If several teams have visited the same number of checkpoints, teams which spent less time for the course are ranked higher, if not stated otherwise in the category definition.

10.5 If a bonus checkpoint was visited, the team receives a bonus time, which is subtracted from the course time. The bonus time is specified separately for each bonus checkpoint in the documentation provided during the course.

10.6 Teams can be excluded from the common ranking at the discretion of the controller. This decision can be made if a team fails to comply with paragraphs 7.2 and 8.14 of these rules.

10.7 The controller can disqualify a team. A team can be disqualified if it fails to comply with paragraphs 1.8, 4.3, 5.6, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 8.13, 8.14, 9.4, 9.5 of these rules.

10.8 At the discretion of the controller, if a failure to comply with the rules did not cause a disqualification, the team can receive a time penalty from 10 to 60 minutes.

10.9 In rankings specified in the agenda, prizes are awarded to:

• 1st, 2nd and 3rd-ranked teams, if 6 teams or more competed
• 1st-ranked team, if 2 to 5 teams competed

10.10 Preliminary results are published on the event website within 72 hours after event closure.

10.11 All claims (appeals) concerning results are accepted for 48 hours after preliminary results have been published.

10.12 Terms of result publishing and appeal acceptance can be changed by the event agenda.

10.13 Appeals can be submitted solely as an e-mail message sent to the address of the organizing committee, which is specified in the event agenda. An appeal must contain the team number in the subject line and message body. Appeals received using other communication channels or documented in a non-compliant way will not be processed by the officials.

10.14 Decisions made by the event controller as a result of appeal processing are final and can not be appealed against.

10.15 Results are considered final after they have been declared as final on the event website.