Participation Rules
Effective 05.03.2020
General Provisions
This document lists rules used for all the competitions and games held as part of the Running City project.
City orienteering events are team orienteering competitions, also known as city games, aimed at promoting regional ethnography in an urban environment.
For each event, the Rules are accompanied with an Event Agenda which provides detailed information on that event.
1. Teams and Competitors
1.1 The minimum and maximum number of team members is specified by the Event Agenda. All such teams have equal rights during the event.
1.2 Teams consisting of fewer 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.
1.3 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).
1.4 The minimum age for cyclists and roller-skaters is 16 years.
1.5 The Event Agenda can contain additional regulations concerning team composition in different categories.
1.6 Event organisers reserve the right to deny participation in any course to anyone at their sole discretion.
1.7 Competitors agree to obey by these Rules, Event Agenda, instructions of the Organising Committee and other event officials.
1.8 Organisers 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 one or several categories.
2.2 Categories for a particular event are specified in the Event Agenda.
2.3 Each category description contains the following provisions:
- permitted and restricted modes of transportation around the city;
- whether the course is timed;
- presence of tasks in the form of riddles;
- other additional parameters.
2.4 Each category has an explicit description in the Event Agenda.
2.5 Competitors in each category can be included into different rankings. Rankings are described in the Event Agenda and/or determined by the Organising Committee based on the event results.
3. Required Equipment
3.1 Every competitor must have an identification document.
3.2 Every team must have the following equipment:
- a watch;
- a writing tool (a pen or a marker);
- a mobile phone (for communication with the Organising Committee in case of emergency).
3.3 All competitors are strongly recommended to have the following equipment:
- a health insurance policy;
- a map;
- a torchlight.
3.4 Special equipment requirements when using specific modes of transportation:
- Cyclists must have a helmet and an operational red flashing beacon. A headlight and a bicycle lock are recommended. Usage of any types of engines with bicycles is forbidden.
- Roller-skaters must wear a helmet and a rigid handguards. Kneepads are recommended.
- Motorcyclists and scooter drivers must wear a motorcycle helmet.
- Appropriate protection is recommended while using any other means of transport.
3.5 Competitors under 7 can use baby strollers, scooters, run bikes and other kinds of non-motorised vehicles. Children’s bikes are forbidden.
3.6 Competitors can use walking poles.
3.7 The Event Agenda may specify additional requirements for competitors’ equipment.
3.8 Competitors are solely responsible for providing themselves with all the equipment mentioned above.
4. Check-In and Start
4.1 Location and time when check-in and start open in each category are specified in the Event Agenda. Closing of the check-in and start is the starting time of the last team that has submitted the preliminary entry, unless specified otherwise in the Event Agenda. The check-in and start time are local times of the territory where the event is held.
4.2 Teams of one category start separately or together at intervals defined in the Event Agenda.
4.3 To ensure timely check-in and pre-start inspection, competitors are advised to arrive for the check-in 15 minutes before their respective starting time. Each team accepts responsibility for a timely start. All teams are registered on a first-come, first-served basis.
4.4 During check-in, competitors provide identification as well as other documents, if required by the Event Agenda, and receive a starting kit.
4.5 Teams arriving late can start their course out of turn. Their course time begins with the initial starting time.
4.6 All competitors using private motor vehicles should leave them at least 50 metres away from the starting line or in a special zone specified by the Organising Committee in the Event Agenda or on site.
4.7 In case the Event Agenda specifies a special means of transport, all teams must either start using the selected means of transport or follow the Organisers’ instructions.
4.8 Should competitors fail to observe the rules set out in para. 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 4.4, 4.6, 4.7, 5.4, 5.5 hereof, the team is not permitted to start.
4.9 The Organisers can take photographs of competitors to control teams composition. These photographs are published on the website. Competitors can waive such publication by sending a respective request to the e-mail specified in the Event Agenda.
4.10 Checking-in means that a competitor has read and accepted these Rules and the Event Agenda.
5. Documents and Game Paraphernalia
5.1 Each team receives one starting kit.
5.2 The starting kit may include all of some of the materials enumerated below:
- the team’s control book (route log);
- badges with the team number indicating the number of participants (at individual games can be replaced by other media, or not used at all);
- additional starting materials, including additional paraphernalia.
5.3 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 at the finish. If the control book is lost, the team must inform the Organisers and follow their instructions.
5.4 The badge should be attached to competitor’s clothing or equipment so that it is clearly visible throughout the course. Badges with the team number should be shown at officials’ request. If the badge(s) is (are) lost, the team must inform the Organisers and follow their instructions.
5.5 If additional starting materials are available, they should be used according to the Event Agenda and Organiser's instructions.
6. Moving Around the City
6.1 Event competitors move around the city as usual according to the road traffic regulations, all laws and bylaws applicable for the event area specified in the Event Agenda. Event competitors are not granted any additional rights.
6.2 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 in their category or on foot.
6.3 If a certain category allows using public transportation, the term “public transportation” shall include any means of passenger transportation following a defined route and transporting people on a regular basis: buses, trolleybuses, tramways, route taxis, suburban trains, underground, funiculars, water buses, etc. The Event Agenda can impose additional restrictions on use of specific means of public transportation.
6.4 Participants are allowed to use city maps (plans, atlases, etc.), reference materials and any kind of navigation devices.
6.5 Event officials may verify the number of team members at any checkpoint. At any time during the course, event officials may also request from a team to get all team members together. All team members must assemble within 5 minutes.
6.6 If a whole team chooses to retire, competitors must inform the Organisers.
6.7 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 must be noted in the control book by an event official.
7. Courses and Checkpoints (CPs)
7.1 Event courses consist of a certain number of checkpoints (CPs).
7.2 CPs are set up in publicly accessible locations within the event area.
7.3 The order for taking the CPs is determined by the course pattern from the Event Agenda. Taking all the CPs of a given game is not obligatory.
7.4 In all patterns, additional bonus (extra) checkpoints may exist. These CPs may be taken by the team at any time during the course.
7.5 Some CPs may have limited time of operation. These cases are specifically described in the legend.
7.6 Some CPs may be marked on site with a special symbol (an orienteering prism):
- If a CP is given explicitly in the legend, the standard symbol for orienteering competitions is used
— a square separated by a diagonal line into a red and white triangles. - If a CP is given as a riddle, another symbol is used
— a square separated by two diagonal lines into four triangles.
7.7 The CP descriptions (CP legend) provided by the Organisers include the following information:
7.7.1 A description of the object location where the CP is set. Depending on the CP type, the description may be specified explicitly or as a riddle. The level of detail in the description depends on the CP type and location.
7.7.2 A task describing the information which should be acquired at the specified location. The following task variants are possible:
- Any information initially present at the specified location: part of an inscription, characteristic of an object, number of some objects, etc.
- “Signature of an official”. Contestants must have their control book signed by an official present at the CP.
- “Sign”. Contestants must copy a sign (an image) placed by the officials at the specified location.
7.8 CP tasks which require finding some information at the location cannot have “zero”, “missing”, “nothing” and similar responses as the correct answer.
7.9 To identify a CP with a “Sign” task on site, the traditional orienteering prism symbol is placed next to a sign with the CP number.
7.10 Any task in the legend may be replaced with the “Signature of an official” task without prior warning. In this case, officials will be present next to the CP indicated in the legend and place a prism sign next to so that it can be identified.
7.11 A CP is considered to be taken if the whole team has arrived at the location specified in the legend, found out the information required by the task and wrote the answer down in the control book. Time of arrival at the CP must also be noted down.
7.12 All members of the team must always be present at each CP.
7.13 When using public transportation while on the course, contestants shall use the control book to note down the pubic transport routes used (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 the team’s favour. Other ways to control the team transportation may be specified in the checkpoint legend.
7.14 It is prohibited to communicate and publish any information about the CP locations or courses to other teams or publish such information on the Internet or in other open sources before the finish is closed.
7.15 If a CP cannot be found, or some unsurmountable obstacles block the course or possibility to take a CP, the team must immediately inform the Organisers.
8. Finishing
8.1 The finish location of teams in each category is specified explicitly in the Event Agenda or in the legend.
8.2 A team is considered to have finished the course after all team members arrived at the finishing gate and handed in the control book.
8.3 The finishing time is rounded to one minute.
8.4 Competitors are prohibited from staying at the finishing gate longer than it is necessary and preventing other teams from finishing.
8.5 All competitors using private motor vehicles should leave them at least 50 m away from the finishing line or in a special zone specified by the Organisers in the Event Agenda or on site.
8.6 Course closing time is determined by the Event Agenda and the legend. The closing time is the local time of the territory where the event is held.
8.7 Teams arriving after closing time are considered retired.
9. Calculation of Results
9.1 If a category is divided into several rankings, results are calculated separately for each ranking. If there is no division, only one ranking is calculated.
9.2 The number of CPs taken (apart from bonus CPs) is the main criterion for result calculation.
9.3 The only valid proof of a CP being taken is an entry in the control book which contains a correct answer for the task specified in the legend.
9.4 If several teams have visited the same number of CPs, teams which spent less time for the course are ranked higher, if not stated otherwise in the category definition.
9.5 If a bonus CP was taken, the team receives certain bonus time, which is subtracted from the overall course time, or the team is given another advantage specified in the Event Agenda or in the legend. Bonus time is specified separately for each bonus CP.
9.6 Teams can be excluded from the overall ranking at the discretion of the head event official. This decision can be made if a team fails to comply with paragraphs 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.3, 7.11, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15 of these Rules.
9.7 The head event official can disqualify a team. A team can be disqualified if it fails to comply with paragraphs 1.7, 3.4, 3.5, 4.6, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.5, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, 8.4, 8.5 of these Rules.
9.8 At the discretion of the head event official, if failure to comply with the Rules did not cause a team’s disqualification, it can receive a penalty time or points.
9.9 At the discretion of the head event official, in certain instances bonus points or time can be received by separate teams.
9.10 In rankings specified in the Event Agenda, prizes are awarded to:
- Teams ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd, if 6 teams or more competed in timed categories;
- Team ranked 1st, if 2 to 5 teams competed in non-timed and other types of categories.
9.11 The awarding procedure is specified in the Event Agenda.
9.12 Preliminary results are published on the event website within 3 days after event was closed.
9.13 All claims (appeals) concerning results are accepted within 48 hours after preliminary results have been published.
9.14 The deadlines for publishing results and submitting appeals can be changed by the Event Agenda.
9.15 Appeals can be submitted solely as an e-mail message sent to the address of the Organisers.
9.16 Decisions made by the head event official as a result of appeals review are final and cannot be appealed one more time.
9.17 Results are considered final after they have been declared as final on the event website.