The aim of the race is to get as many kilometres as possible within the time limit.
A team gets kilometres by visiting checkpoints (CPs). A team loses kilometres by missing the time limit or by getting penalties for breaking the rules.
Kilometres are measured straight route (as crow flies) from CP to CP. The distance from the CP where the team takes a shortcut and comes to Finish* is not included. The official distances are:
CP Distance Total distance CP1 3 km 3 km CP2 3 km 6 km CP3 3 km 9 km CP4 15 km 24 km CP5 15 km 39 km CP6 6 km 45 km CP7 23 km 68 km CP8 3 km 71 km CP9 22 km 93 km CP10 32 km 125 km CP11 7 km 132 km CP12 10 km 142 km CP13 6 km 148 km CP14 5 km 153 km CP15 5 km 158 km CP16 20 km 178 km CP17 52 km 230 km CP18 3 km 233 km CP19 33 km 266 km CP20 22 km 288 km CP21 8 km 296 km CP22 8 km 304 km CP23 19 km 323 km CP24 66 km 389 km CP25 8 km 397 km CP26 6 km 403 km CP27 5 km 408 km CP28 2 km 410 km
Bonus kilometres for teams who take a shortcut to Finish after CP8: CP Distance Total distance CP8 3 km 71 km CP12 7 km 78 km CP13 7 km 85 km
Bonus kilometres for teams who take a shortcut to Finish after CP16: CP Distance Total distance CP16 20 km 178 km CP19 25 km 203 km CP24 43 km 246 km CP25 8 km 254 km CP26 7 km 261 km CP27 4 km 265 km Green: corrected from earlier version.
After CP16 a team can also skip CP19 and go straight to CP24: CP Distance Total distance CP16 20 km 178 km CP24 18 km 196 km CP25 8 km 204 km CP26 7 km 211 km CP27 4 km 215 km
By taking bonus kilometres a team can only win teams who also takes a shortcut to Finish after CP8/CP16. Ie. a team who takes CPs 1–9 always wins a team who takes CPs 1–8 and any amount of bonus CPs, if either team gets no penalties.
(* Finish means actually CP 28 + Finish Line. CP 28 is the very last CP very close to the Finish Line.)
Example (see picture below): If a team travels from Start to CPs 1, 2, 3 and 4 and then to Finish, it’s result is 5 km + 5 km + 5km + 10 km, if it does not get any penalties.
If two or more teams have the same amount of kilometers, the team who has used less time, wins.
1.2 Target time and maximum time
The target time for the race 120 hours. If a team finishes under 120 hours, it will not get any penalties (for being late).
The maximum time for the race is 126 hours. If a team finishes with time between 120:00:00 and 125:59:59, it will get penalty.
If a team finishes in 126 hours or later, it will not get a result.
1.3 Penalties
1.3.1 Penalties for being late
If a team finishes with time between 120:00:00 and 125:59:59, it will get penalty as follows
Finish timePenalty 120:00:00–120:59:59 –5 km 121:00:00–121:59:59 –10 km 122:00:00–123:59:59 –15 km 123:00:00–123:59:59 –20 km 124:00:00–124:59:59 –25 km 125:00:00–125:59:59 –30 km 126:00:00– DSQ
1.3.2 Penalties for breaking the rules
The Race Director may award a penalty if a team or athlete with or without the intent to gain advantage, fails to comply with these rules.
The amount of the penalty is determined by the seriousness of the violation of the rules. The penalty may be only a warning, but most likely it reduction in mileage. In most serious cases a team can be disqualification.
1.4 CPs
CPs must be visited in numerical order, but there are 3 exceptions:
CP 28 is only some tens of meters from the Finish Line, and there is marked route, from the CP to Finish Line. Marked route must be followed.At any case, every team must punch at the last CP (CP 28).
If a team takes a shortcut to Finish after CP 8, it can take also CPs 12 and 13 (and 28 as every team at any case). Also these bonus CPs must be taken in numerical order.
If a team takes a shortcut to Finish after CP 16, it can take also CPs 19, 24, 25, 26 and 27 (and 28 as every team at any case). Also these bonus CPs must be taken in numerical order, but a team can also skip CP 19 and go straight to CP 24.
These exceptions are made to make the race more interesting for teams who quits after CP 8 or CP 16.
By taking bonus CPs a team can only win teams who also takes a shortcut to Finish after CP8/CP16. Ie. a team who takes CPs 1–9 always wins a team who takes CPs 1–8 and any amount of bonus CPs (if either team gets no penalties).
If a CP is manned, competitors must follow all instructions of Race Officials. A Race Official may, for example, ask competitors to show some obligatory equipment.
If the Race Official is temporarily away from the CP, a team must follow all the instructions (like “wake up the Race Official sleeping in nearby tent”) written on the flag.
1.5 Proof of visitation
Teams must visit CPs and record proof of their visitation via the one of the following methods:
Using pin punch on control card
Only if the pin punch is missing: Writing down the two charachter code on the flag (eg. “X5”)
Only if the pin punch and the flag is missing: taking at least two photos (from two different angles) of the other team member(s) at the location of CP.
Where a team must take a photo as proof of visiting a CP, the photos should include as much detail of the surroundings as necessary to satisfy the Race Director. Photos should include team member(s) where possible. Photos that don’t clearly show the location for whatever reason (eg. water on lens, too dark, bad picture framing, lens obscured) are not valid. Equipment failure (eg. battery flat, camera not working, etc.) is not considered a valid excuse.
Visiting an CP and not recording proof of visitation is considered the same as not visiting the CP at all.
The Race Director may also reference any tracking devices carried by the team to satisfy themselves the team was in the correct location.
If a team loses their control card, they may use method 3 (photos) to proof their visits on CPs, but if the team does not have proof of visits (photos or GPS tracks) on previous CPs, the team will get no result.
1.5 Crossing rivers
The Näätämönjoki and the Kallojoki rivers may only be crossed along bridges. All other rivers may be crossed from anywhere.
2. Team
Teams must travel the course together, with team members being close enough to see and communicate verbally (within “hailing distance”) with each other at all times.
All team members must travel to within 5 m of each checkpoint, and be within 5 m at the time the CP is punched, unless instructed otherwise by race organisers.
Teams must start and finish with the specified number of members (2–5). All team members must attempt the whole course. No substitution of team members is permitted.
In the case of withdrawal of a team member, or an entire team, Race Director must be notified by the quickest possible means
If a one or more team members decides, or is instructed by the Race Director, to withdraw from the race, the whole team must escort that member (or members) to the nearest road or other location where that member can be picked up. Permission must be obtained from the Race Director if the remaining team member would like to continue on the course. There is no automatic right to continue in the event and the decision by the Race Director will be based on, amongst other things; weather, timing, ongoing support and care of the withdrawing team member/s, remaining team member well-being, etc.
Any scheduled and random equipment inspections undertaken by Race Officials must be complied with.
Mandatory equipment must be carried with a team at all times.
Any mandatory equipment which is lost or broken during the course of the race must be reported to a race official at the next manned CP. Teams must remain in that location until a replacement can be borrowed from another team or delivered by the Race Organiser or Race Organizers permits team to continue without the specific mandatory equipment.
The Race Organisation may if reasonably possible bring replacement Mandatory Equipment to a team to allow them to continue racing. Teams who receive replacement Mandatory Equipment from the Race Organisers will not receive credit for the time this takes the Race Organisers to deliver this.
Race Organizers are permitted to search an athlete or teams equipment if they reasonably suspect they are carrying prohibited items. Specifically prohibited items include:
All internet capable devices and radios or other communication devices (other than those provided by the event).
GPS devices capable of displaying maps, routes, distances or any other location information, that may assist a team with navigation.
Teams are permitted however to carry these devices ONLY if the GPS function is not used to assist with navigation, and they are carried at all times inside a sealed and opaque bag which is checked at the finish.
Laser rangefinders. (Foot pod accelerometers and pedometers, etc. are allowed.)
Devices or equipment that provide non human powered propulsion.
Tracking devices must be operated correctly and carried in the location specified by the Race Organisers. Turning the device off or deliberately shielding it to reduce its operational ability is prohibited.
Once the Race has started, no other maps than official race maps may be referenced or carried.
4. Support/Assistance
Teams may not receive unauthorised race related assistance during the race.
It is allowed to buy food and drinks from local stores during the race.
No equipment, food, provisions or anything else is permitted to be dropped or cached on the course prior to the race, by the team, or any other person.
During the actual race, if the course is such that teams return to the same location at a later point in the race, teams may cache items at their own risk (e.g. food/water/clothing), providing they retrieve all items before completion of the race and nothing is left on the course.
4.1 Supporters and media
Once the course is given to teams, supporters are not permitted to assist in any of the race planning, route advice, touch or move any team equipment or in any way provide assistance to a team in their preparation for the race.
Supporters and media may view teams in specific CPs and locations along the course as designated by the Race Organisers.
Supporters and media are not permitted to drop or cache equipment, food or anything else on the course or in CPs.
Supporters and media are not permitted to provide nourishment, medical supplies, race equipment or any other unspecified forms of assistance.
Supporters and media are not permitted to pass information to any team or athlete pertaining to the race (e.g the position of other teams, their pace, split times, sleep, route choices, strategies, etc.).
4.2 General public
Once the course is given to teams they are strictly prohibited to seek help from any third party expert or ‘local person’, particularly in relation to route selection, map advice, time estimates, etc.
General public are not permitted to move teams or any of their equipment in any way on or along the course (e.g. taxi, hitch hiking, use of farm animals, athletes riding in a vehicle/boat, having team equipment carried or moved, paddling in wake of a boat, pacing or drafting behind a vehicle, etc).
Teams may seek food/drink/nourishment/accommodation/medical supplies along the course from retail businesses.
4.3 Other teams
Teams or athletes racing the course may provide or receive assistance from each other including lending equipment, sharing food, providing navigation advice, etc.
Athletes who have withdrawn may not offer their equipment or food to racing teams.
For fairness any team or athlete providing assistance must be willing to provide that assistance to any other team or athlete on the course. (For example it is considered unfair if specific teams will only assist another specific team and this is contra to the intention to foster camaraderie amongst all the teams.)
5. Emergencies, communications
5.1 Emergencies
Any team who encounters a medical emergency, in their own team, another team, or external to the event, must stop to render assistance. Organisers will attempt to re-credit delayed time where possible. Failure to assist will be penalised.
Event Organizers have the authority, on confirmation with the Race Director, to withdraw a athlete from the race, should further participation in the event likely result in serious or permanent injury, disability or death to the athlete and/or their teammates. The event organisers decision to remove a person due to medical or safety reasons is final.
5.2 Communications
Teams may communicate using their cell pohones only in the following circumstances:
5.2.1 To request emergency medical assistance or removal of an athlete or the team from the race.
5.2.2 To inform the Race Organiser if they encounter a situation on the course that may be dangerous to their team or other teams, in the case where it is possible the Race Organiser may not be aware of that dangerous situation
5.2.3. To inform the Race Organiser if your team is undertaking a deliberate and safe course of action in the race that is likely unexpected, and potentially cause the Race Organiser to initiate an unnecessary emergency response.
6. Environment
Teams must treat the environment and landscape of the course with respect and leave minimal evidence of their racing.
All rubbish/trash must be carried off the race course and disposed of in an appropriate location (such as a rubbish/trash bin).
If the official forest fire warning is in force when the race starts, it is forbidden make any kind of open fire (campfire, pocket stove/hobo stove).
7. Adjudication
7.1 Adjudication
Adjudication of these rules and the awarding of penalties is the responsibility of the Race Director.
Race Director may use various resources to determine if a penalty should be awarded and do not necessarily need to be physically present to witness an infringement of the Rules.
Race Officials may report to the Race Director if they witness an infringement of the rules and may use videos, photographs and other evidence to support their report.
An athlete or team may report to a Race Official or the Race Director an alleged infringement of the Rules by another team or athlete. The Race Referee may or may not choose to investigate the alleged infringement. It is not the responsibility of an athlete or a team to observe other athletes or teams for infringements of the Rules.
7.2 Protests
Protests can be lodged by an athlete, team or Race Official where they believe a penalty has been incorrectly awarded or the penalty itself is unfair. Protests are not accepted where no penalty has been awarded.
Team members may make a formal protest to the Race Director in writing or via electronic means not later than 1 hour prior to the scheduled time of the final presentation/awards ceremony.
The Race Director Hear protests in a closed session, question the team/s involved and other witnesses or experts as they require. In all respects, decision of the Race Director is final and not subject to appeal. There is no obligation to make public the proceedings.
In the event of there being uncertainty in finishing positions resulting from a formal protest, prize giving should be delayed until after a verdict has been reached by the Race Director.
Lapland Wilderness Challenge 