Table Of Contents:

I. THE ORGANIZERS

The Atomic Adventure Race is organized and produced by 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC. Race Management reserves the right to add, modify, replace or cancel venues or events at any time. Race Management reserves the right to make changes and amendments to the rules and regulations at any time. In the event that changes are made, Race Management will contact all registered teams with the updates so that they may make the appropriate adjustments to their preparations for the race.

Race Directors:

• Josh Forester
• Jack Forester

Race Management:

• Race Directors[s]:  Josh Forester and Jack Forester
  
• Logistics Director[s]:  Jordan Emmorey
  
• Course Directors[s]:  Jack Forester and Jordan Emmorey
  
• Safety Director[s]:  Laura Pell
  
• Media Director[s]:  Joanna Erion
  
• Administrative Director[s]:  Michael Hutsel
  

Race Staff:

• Course Staff
• Control Point Staff
• Safety Staff
• Media Staff
• Administrative Staff

II. TEAMS

Each team must consist of two or three members. At least one team member must be over the age of 18 and any team member under the age of 18 must have the written permission of his/her parent or guardian. The team must consist of the same members throughout the race and all members must stay within 100ft or sight distance (whichever is less) of their teammates. Exception to this rule is allowed only if Race Staff instructs otherwise for a specific section of a race. The team must complete the entire course together for the team to be official. All members of the team must be in good physical condition and be of reasonable health.

Teams are not permitted to have a support crew during the race.

III. REGISTRATION

To be considered a registered team, the team captain must submit all required paperwork and full payment for the race on or before the stated deadline date. If all paperwork and full payment is not received by this date the team may be forced to forfeit their spot in the race. If circumstances exist that require a team to make their final payment after the deadline, they must have informed the Race Directors and have received approval.

4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC will offer the following refund policy for the Atomic Adventure Race:

• 75% refund applicable up to 90 days prior to the event date.
• 50% refund applicable up to 60 days prior to the event date.
• Non-refundable if refund request date is less than 60 days prior to event date.

If a registered team is unable to participate in the Atomic Adventure Race, their entry fee may be transferred to another team at no cost up until 60 days prior to the event date. Please notify the Race Directors if you do so for confirmation of the change. There will be no exceptions to this refund policy for cancellations after this period except the following two:

1. A full refund will be issued if a team member is called up to active duty by the military and the team cannot race.
2. A full refund will be issued if a team member passes away and the team cannot race

Entry into the Atomic Adventure Race is handled on a first-come, first-serve basis and only if Race Management approves the applying teams. If the race is sold out, a waiting list will be formed.

Note: Teams will not be allowed to compete unless all contact information for all participants on the team is complete and accurate including:

• signed waivers from each team member
• full payment of entrance fee for the team and complete contact information for each team member

Once all paperwork has been completed, each team must pass through a mandatory gear check. All items specified will be checked. Teams missing items will not be allowed to compete. Teams will be given until the close of registration to pass the mandatory gear check.

No skills will be tested at registration for 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC produced races unless otherwise specified, although it is expected that all team members are familiar with each discipline of the race. In some cases, other special certifications may be required. This will be specified on the race page or in the racer updates.

IV. RACE BRIEFING

Following registration, all team captains must attend the race briefing at the scheduled time prior to the Atomic Adventure Race. The race briefing may consist of an introduction of all teams competing in the race, description of some of the obstacles and challenges on the course, and a question and answer period. Race Management will be available after the race briefing to answer any further questions that do not get answered during the race briefing.

The race package given to each team will include all maps required for at least the first section of the race, course instructions with the grid coordinates for all control points and transition areas if needed, and a 'passport'. Additional maps and information may be given out throughout the different sections of the race, forcing the racers to plan quickly and be able to strategize on the run. The passport must be carried at all times by the competitors during the race.

The use of outside maps is permitted, however, it is Race Management's goal to provide the most complete map available for the race area.

The course instructions will include brief descriptions of particular obstacles to watch for throughout the course and a list of all control points on the course. Each control point will either be pre-marked or denoted by an 8-digit UTM grid coordinate. The actual race course (i.e. a pretty line to follow) will not be marked on the maps. If not pre-marked, it is the responsibility of each team to correctly plot the coordinates of all control points on the map as well as determine the route they wish to follow. Some of the control points given will also be labeled as transition areas.

Where there is a conflict in the verbal instructions given by Race Management at the pre-race (or pre-stage) briefing and the aforementioned course instructions, racers are expected to adhere accordingly:

Written course instructions override verbal instructions, except in the case where Race Management explicitly points out the correction to be made in the written course instructions.  If Race Management neglects to explicitly correct the written instructions, written instructions will remain authoritative.

V. THE RACE COURSE

The race course may start at an undisclosed location. Teams must travel through all control points in the order specified by Race Management. We will use at least two formats for traveling through the control points:

1. Numerical Order where all points in that section of the race must be found in order.
2. Score-O style from orienteering where points in a given Score-O section can be found in any order.
3. Additional formats, to be unveiled on the race course or at the pre-race briefing.

The Score-O style is described in detail in Section VII.

Unmanned numerical order control points will have orienteering markers that are accompanied by a logbook. Logbooks will be used to track teams' progress through the race for safety purposes. Teams are required to BOTH punch their passports and put an entry for their team in the next available space in the logbook; failure to do so will result in a penalty. Entries will consist of the team number, team name, time, and signature. Control Point Staff will have logbooks for manned numerical order control points. In addition to arrival time, Control Point Staff will be recording departure time of teams. Be sure to sign in with Control Point Staff at both arrival and departure.

If a team misses a control point that should have been retrieved in order, they may be allowed under certain circumstances to back-track to reach it. If they have not punched or signed in at the next control point in the sequence, then they can go back for the missed control point without penalty. If they choose to go back for a missed control point after they have already checked through subsequent control points after the missed point, then a time penalty may be assessed for punching the points out of order. If you are in a race with manned control points please notify Race Management and/or Race Staff if you missed a control point and are attempting to go back and get it out of order. Both Race Management and Race Staff reserve the right to deny your request due to time or other constraints.

Although each team is free to select the route they feel is most appropriate for the majority of the race, certain sections of the course will include instructions for a mandatory route (for safety reasons or to preserve certain environmentally sensitive areas). Other areas may be deemed totally off limits to racers. Teams that do not follow specified mandatory routes or enter off limit areas may be disqualified or penalized.

In some paddling sections of a race, portages may not be allowed. Race Management will make it very clear through race instructions if portages are allowed or disallowed in a particular section of a race course. A portage will be defined as follows:

A portage is a section of the race where the entire team gets out of the boat and pushes, pulls, or carries it across land where water from the river or lake does not exist in normal conditions. A portage could be very short, like in the finger of lake that only has a small land bridge disconnecting the two sections of water. Pushing or pulling your boat through very shallow water such as sand bars, is not considered a portage.

Route choices could lead to private property. In some cases permission will have been obtained by Race Management allowing teams to travel on private property. If permission has been obtained for private property use, Race Management will make it very clear that the given private property is acceptable for race travel. In cases where private property is very near the race course and permission has NOT been obtained to use it, Race Management will try to point out this OFF LIMITS private property either with off limit areas marked on the maps or with written instruction. Ultimately, racers are responsible for avoiding private property unless given direct permission by Race Management that the private property is acceptable. So in a case where racers find themselves coming onto private property that they have not been given specific permission by Race Management to cross, they MUST choose NOT to cross the private property. Just as in life outside the race, you are not permitted to trespass; you may not trespass in a race either.

Some instances in a race will lead teams into contact with the public or private persons, landowners, etc. So long as it is not prearranged, racers are permitted to interface with these persons and even get assistance in the form of directions, food, water, etc from these persons. Any assistance found to be prearranged could result in automatic disqualification. Normal rules of travel apply to this, meaning no motorized means of transportation, towing behind a motorized vehicle, etc. will be permitted. It is also legal for teams to stop at stores and buy food, water, and gear as long as the gear purchased is not on the list of forbidden items.

An overview of the entire course will be given to teams at the race briefing. Race Management reserves the right to make changes to the course during the race due to unforeseen circumstances such as, but not limited to, inclement weather or time constraints. Any changes made will be communicated to all teams as soon as is reasonable and will be done as equitably as possible for all teams.

VI. TIMING

There will be one official race clock for the entire race and all teams. The clock will start when the Race Directors begin the race at the start line and will remain running until the pre-determined cutoff time for the race or the final team reaches the finish line. The official time for each team will be recorded when all team members reach the control point or finish line. If a team receives a time penalty for a violation of the race rules and regulations, they must wait out the duration of their time penalty at a designated area prior to crossing the finish line or the time penalty may just be added to the overall time depending on the race and the circumstances.

Certain cut-off times may be established for later sections on the course. If teams do not reach these points by the cut-off time established, it is assumed that it will not be possible for them to complete the entire course within the maximum time allowed. At this point, each team will be given a choice of one or more of the following options:

1. to continue on the course as long as they can (to be determined by Race Management)
2. to be shuttled ahead on the course by vehicle to a later section so that they may cross the finish line
3. in some cases, teams may have the option to do an alternate, shorter course

Teams that fail to make any of the cut-off times will be considered unofficial, but will be allowed to continue in most cases. Teams that fail to make a race cut-off time will never be ranked ahead of teams completing the full course. If the race that has multiple cut-off times, teams that have failed to make a cut-off time earlier in the race will always be ranked behind teams that have completed more of the full course before they fail to make a cut-off time. Teams that fail to make a cut-off time will never be ranked behind disqualified teams. Course ranking is covered in detail in Section VIII.

All cut-off times will be communicated at the race briefing and will be listed in the course instructions provided in the race package. Race Management reserves the right to make changes to the cut-off times during the race. If changes are made, Race Management and Race Staff will make every effort to notify teams on the course of the change. Alternate courses may not be given during the briefing as they may change due to race circumstances.

VII. SCORE-O FORMAT

4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC produced races could include a Score-O style format at the finish or at some point in the race. This system is adopted from orienteering and is used to give teams more route choices and planning options. We may use one or more types of Score-O style courses, during which the control points can be gathered in any order. If Score-O sections are to be used on the course, their parameters will be detailed at the Race Briefing or on the course.

VIII. TEAM RANKINGS

The first qualified team to have all members cross the finish line and have passed through all control points in order, without having missed any cut-off times, will be the winners, barring that there are no penalties or bonus yet to be given.

All teams finishing the race with a complete team will be ranked according to the following factors:

• started/unstarted - if the team toed the starting line or not
• qualified/disqualified - if the the team have adhered to all major rules or not
• official/unofficial - if the team made all cut-off times or not
• finishing/withdrawn - if the team crossed the finish line or not
• complete/incomplete - whether the team finished with all of the members with which they started the race or not
• time/adjusted time - the time at which the team crossed the finish line or acquired their last control point, and time at which the the team crossed the finish line or acquired their last control point, factoring in time penalties and/or bonuses

All teams that do not complete the course will be considered withdrawn.

Any team that fails to make a cut-off time will be considered an unofficial team. An unofficial team that crosses the finish line, despite being shuttled or taking an alternate route, will not be considered a withdrawn.

Any team proceeding on the race course with fewer members than started the race will be considered an incomplete team.

For an explanation of ranking among those in the same status grouping, consider the following example:

In the instance of multiple cut-off times in one race, teams who fail to make all cut-off times are ranked amongst themselves by who acquired the most control points in the least amount of time. For example, let’s say the race that has three race cut-off times. These different cutoff times will take place at different control points in the race: “A”, “B”, & “C”. For this example we will say that “A” is first, “B” is second and “C” is third. Now let’s take two teams: Team One is racing too slow and they miss a cut-off time early at control point "A" and are forced to take alternate course as an unofficial team. Taking alternate course gets them back on track and they complete the remainder of the full course and finish. Team Two races fine through the first part of the race, but misses a cutoff time that forces them to be shuttled ahead from control point "C". The shuttle from control point “C” gets them back on track and they complete the remainder of the full course, finishing one hour after Team One, as an unofficial team. In this example, Team Two would be ranked ahead of Team One because they raced more of the full course before missing a cut-off time.

Now let's add another team, Team Three, to the previous scenario. Team Three makes it to control point "C", one hour before Team Two reached it and failed to make their cut-off. However, due to an injury, one of the members of Team Three can no longer continue. Team Three is given the option by Race Management to continue on without their injured teammate, and they choose to do so. They finish the race an incomplete team, fiinishing one hour after Team Two. They are ranked ahead of Team One because they reached control point "C" before receiving their incomplete status. Further, Team Three is ranked ahead of Team Two because, while both teams acquired control point "C" before receiving their incomplete and unofficial (respectively) status, Team Three acquired control point "C" first.

Prizes will be given for multiple divisions in the race:

• 3P-Coed
• 3P-Open
• 2P-Coed
• 2P-Open

Should any of those divisions contain less than 5 teams, that division may be combined with the Coed division of the same number of competitors for prize distribution.

For example:

If the 2P-Open division only has 3 teams, those teams may be ranked with the 2P-Coed division. The elite division, 3P-Coed, may end up getting certain prizing that is unavailable to other categories. Racing series points will only be given to elite division teams.

IX. MISSING, STOLEN, OR MISPLACED CONTROL POINTS

The control points in a race are what actually make the race course. If these points are missing, stolen, or misplaced, the entire course and the participants can be thrown off. We strive to have every control point correctly placed and to keep people from interfering with them. However, adventure racing is not an exact science and from time to time a control point may come up missing or be accidentally misplaced by the Race Staff. If you encounter such an instance during an 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC produced race, please use the following guidelines to assess the situation and act accordingly.

1. Missing Control Point - missing for the entire race

   A control point is considered missing if it was never placed by Race Management or stolen by someone before the first team even reaches it. A control point missing for the entire race will be treated as if it is not part of the race. Here is the procedure teams should follow for locating control points:
   
   If you reach an area that you feel should be the correct location for the control point, yet no point is there, you must search within a 100-meter radius of this location. If the control point still cannot be found within this 100-meter radius of the area you believe to be correct, then we advise that you take as much time as you need to verify your location. If you feel confident that you are in the correct area and the control point is missing, then you should move along on the race course as if the point is no longer part of the race. If you are the one in error and the control point was correctly placed within a 100-meter radius of the specified location, then you will be able to go back and get the control point as long as you have not yet checked in at the next control point in the sequence. If the control point is part of a Score-O style section, then the missed control point can be obtained anytime during that Score-O section. If you are the one in error and you do not go back to get the missed control point, then you will be subject to penalty. As soon as you can, we ask that you would tell the Race Management and/or Race Staff about the control point that you found to be missing.
   
   This scenario assumes that the control point is missing for the entire race and therefore each team encounters the same difficulty in searching for and making the determination that the control point is missing. No time bonus will be awarded based on the amount of time you may spend looking for the missing control point. Again, in this instance, the Race Management will treat the control point as if it never existed.
   

2. Stolen or Moved Control Point - stolen or moved during the race after at least one team has checked through the control point (if no teams has checked through then it is treated as a missing control point)

   A control point is considered stolen or moved if it was placed by Race Management and then correctly found by at least one team and then stolen or moved before the remaining teams have a chance to find it. In such a circumstance, Race Management will make every effort to replace the stolen control quickly or get Race Staff on the course to notify teams of the missing control point. However, if you are one of the first teams to reach the newly stolen control point and are unaware that is stolen you should still follow the same protocol for a missing control point mentioned in the section above.
   
   

   This scenario assumes that the control point was NOT missing for the entire race and therefore each team does NOT encounter the same difficulty in searching for and making the determination that the control point is missing. In such an instance a time bonus may be awarded to those teams that unfortunately had to search for a stolen or moved control point. These types of scenarios are rare and can be very difficult for Race Staff to deal with since there is no exact clock that we can use to give back a time bonus to an unfortunate team. Please be honest and understanding in this situation and the Race Staff will work with you to hopefully put the race back on a level field of play.

3. Misplaced Control Point

   A control point is considered misplaced if it is was placed by Race Management, but was placed more the 100-meters from the location that is pre-marked on race maps or given in a coordinate position in the racer instructions. 100-meters may seem like a large search area, but it can be covered quickly if you know you are in the right area. Race Management will always strive to have the control points placed exactly as they are shown on a map, but errors can occur. If you approach an area and believe the control point may be misplaced you should still follow the same protocol for a missing control point mentioned in the section above.
   
   This scenario assumes that the control point was NOT missing, but actually misplaced outside the 100-meter radius. In this instance, Race Management will treat the control point as if it does not exist and it will no longer be part of the race. There will be NO bonus or advantage awarded to a team that finds a misplaced control point once that point is over 100-meters from the specified location. We do recommend that you follow the protocol and double and triple check the area, but by no means should you continue to search far out of the 100-meter radius. This will only slow your team down and hurt your chances of finishing since even if you do find the control point it will mean nothing because it is now removed from the race. Once you begin searching outside of a 100-meter radius from the specified location, it can only be assumed that mere chance will lead you to the control point. This is why the Race Management will not give credit to a team that may find a misplaced control point and also why you should move on along the course if you are 100% you are correct and the control is misplaced. This scenario also assumes that the control point is misplaced for the entire race and therefore each team encounters the same difficulty in searching for and making the determination that the control point is misplaced. Again, NO time bonus will be awarded based on the amount of time you may spend looking for the misplaced control point. Race Management will treat the control as if it never existed.

X. FILING A COMPLAINT

If an individual racer or team has a complaint or question that may affect the outcome of the race, a complaint may be filed by speaking directly to one of the Race Directors. Any complaint or question must be brought forward to 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC officials in as much of a timely manner as possible, or at least within 1 hour of the completion of the event. The complaint or question must be clearly stated. No decision shall be rendered until a consultation with either the other Race Director or a Race Advisory Committee has taken place. A decision will be made and enforced in a time deemed appropriate by the Race Directors.

XI. RACING WITH OTHER TEAMS

It is legal for multiple teams to travel together during a race and assist each other if they so desire. The only requirement is that each team has its own mandatory gear.

Further, there may be instances where two members of separate teams, who have not been permitted by Race Management to carry on alone for safety reasons, may join forces in order to complete the race and avoid a withdrawn status. Explicit approval by Race Management is required to do so, and each member must carry the mandatory team gear of his or her team for the remainder of the course. Further, the two members, now joined, must adhere to all rules as if they were on the same team. Penalties and/or bonuses accrued once joined, including disqualification, will apply to both of their original teams when final rankings are determined.

For example:

Team One is a 3P-Open team and Team Two is a 2P-Coed team. Team One makes it to manned control point 13, at which point two of the three team members decide to withdraw from the race, upset at the remaining member because he or she broke the 100-foot rule and caused Team One to incur a one hour time penalty. The remaining member is not allowed to carry on by Race Management for safety reasons. Team Two comes into control point 13 and with one team member injured and withdrawing. There are now two team members (one from Team One and one from Team Two) who wish to continue on. They are given explicit permission by Race Management to do so. The member from Team One ensures that he or she now has all of Team One's mandatory team gear, and the member from Team Two ensures that he or she has all of Team Two's mandatory team gear. They continue on the course, but are spotted breaking the 100-foot rule. Race Management applies a further hour time penalty to both Team One and Team Two's final ranking. Team One now has a total of two hours of penalties and Team Two has a one hour penalty.

XII. RACE NUMBERS AND SPONSORSHIP

All team members must wear the appropriately provided race number or bib at all times during the race. It must be made visible (so it is in plain sight at all times) and may not be altered in any way. It must be worn as the outer most garment. In the case of a bib, it must be worn over PFD’s, but can be worn under a backpack. Removing any race logos from the number, covering logos or adding logos may result in disqualification from the race. All team members must also have a number plate (if provided) attached to the front of their mountain bike at all times during the mountain bike sections. Teams are free to wear any other items or logos so long as they do not interfere with the provided race number or bib.

XIII. SPECTATORS AND SUPPORT

The Atomic Adventure Race is an unsupported race. No formal support crew is allowed. For the purposes of this section spectators is defined as those that are affiliated with competitors, rather than the general public who may be interested in viewing the race.

Spectators may not assist their team for any section of the race, for example, by plotting or double check UTM points, packing gear, changing tires, etc. Spectators may not provide nourishment or directions of any kind to assist their team, as discussed in Section V.

Spectators will be given good viewing locations for the race after the race has begun. Spectators coming in mid-race should contact Race Management for the current race headquarters location, where they can receive the viewing locations.

Spectators are not permitted to “scout” the race course ahead of their team’s arrival beyond regular routes and normal roads intended for spectators to be traveling. For example, spectators cannot be driving 4x4 roads and two tracks to gain knowledge of the upcoming section of the race and point out which trails to take to the team they are cheering. They may not ride a bike or travel on foot ahead to the next section of the course to look for advantages to give to their teams either. Simple notifications and observations are of course acceptable and unavoidable. For example, if a spectator travels the road intended for spectator travel (as given by Race Management) and notices that a section of river to be paddled on by competitors is particularly high, then it is permissible to pass on that sort of knowledge to their team.

XIV. EQUIPMENT

Teams will be required to supply their own food and drink for the entire race, including the night prior to the race. Teams will also be responsible for the supply and handling of all equipment required for the race, unless otherwise noted in the Mandatory Gear List provided for the race (equipment provided by Race Management).

The Mandatory Gear List specifies the minimum gear required to compete in the Atomic Adventure Race. The list has been established to ensure safe travel throughout the course while adhering to the "Leave No Trace" ethos of adventure racing. Where there is room for discretion as to whether or not certain equipment is required we have left it off the list. In doing so, teams are left to make their own decisions about what will be the appropriate equipment to get them to the finish line the fastest and safest. There is NO room for discretion with the items included on the Mandatory Gear List. Any team found without the mandatory gear during the race may be disqualified, penalized, or even removed from the course entirely. All teams must pass a gear check at registration. There may also be a gear check or checks during the race to ensure all teams are carrying the required gear.

1. Mandatory Gear

   The specific Mandatory Gear List for the race will be provided with the updated information for that race and will be labeled as Mandatory Gear and dated as to when it was created. Please note that the gear list is subject to change. Race Management will attempt to inform teams of any changes as soon as they arise. You must check with Race Staff if you have questions about your gear being acceptable.
   
   Bikes – Each team member is required to have one bike for the biking section(s) of the race. Mountain or Cyclocross bikes are acceptable. Racers may ride a bike other than a Mountain Bike or Cyclocross only with permission of Race Management. If permission is granted, the racer's team will not be eligible for prizing and may be considered unofficial from the start. Each team member must also finish the biking section(s) with his or her bike.
   
   Canoes – If personal canoes are allowed in the race, they must be open bowed and have two or more actual seats.  Canoes are the only acceptable watercraft for the race, unless explicitly stated otherwise (i.e.  no kayaks).
   

2. Provided Equipment

   Certain items on the mandatory gear list may be provided by Race Management (as marked on the list). These items must remain with the team for the duration of the section they are assigned for and must be returned to the Race Staff at the end of the section in good condition. Damage to any equipment provided by Race Management, beyond a reasonable level of wear and tear, may result in a time penalty or disqualification and the team will be responsible for paying for the damages.
   
   Possible exceptions for teams to bring their own equipment in place of the provided equipment (if equipment is not provided, the exceptions below do not apply) may include the following:
   
   
   • Personal Paddles – Teams may bring their own paddles to be used in the paddling sections. Teams with personal paddles will not be required to take the paddles provided by 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC. Teams opting to bring personal paddles must carry the paddle for the entirety of the race.
   • Personal Floatation Device (PFD) – Teams may bring their own PFDs to be used in paddling or water crossing sections. Teams with personal PFDs will not be required to take the PFDs provided by 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC. Teams opting to bring personal PFDs must carry the PFD for the entirety of the race.

   
   The above listed items are only possible exceptions. Please see the specific details for the race in question and its mandatory gear list for details.

3. Forbidden Equipment

   The following is a list of equipment that is forbidden during 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC produced races. Any team possessing any of these items will be disqualified from the race:
   
   
   • Global Positioning System (GPS) device
   • watches or anything with a GPS tracking capability where position may be determined by the competitors
   • night vision goggles
   • weapons of any sort (with the exception of the mandatory knife or bear spray)
   • any motorized mode of transportation or mode of transportation not authorized by Race Management
   • cell phones, (other than the mandatory cell phone) two-way radios or any other communication device not provided by Race Management

   This is not necessarily a complete list of forbidden equipment. Any device or item that offers an unfair advantage to the team possessing it, may also be deemed as forbidden. Please check with Race Management prior to start of race if you have any items that may be questionable. If it is decided that the item will not be forbidden, Race Management will keep the query confidential.

4. Liability for Personal Equipment

   In some instances, 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC or one of its sub-contractors, may be moving, handling, transporting, or watching over personal equipment brought by racers. In such instances, 4LPH4 1337 Adventures, LLC, any of its staff members or sub-contractors cannot and will not be held liable for any damaged or missing personal equipment.

XV. SAFETY

If you are racing in extreme weather conditions, you should call in to the Race Staff to let them know your location and that everything is okay. Another example, might be calling in for first aid advice. In both these examples, the team would not be penalized or disqualified for using the cell phone.

XVI. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE RACE

Teams may only voluntarily withdraw from the competition at manned control points, with the exception of injury situations. In the event that a team chooses to withdraw from the race, they must immediately inform Race Management of their decision to stop racing. Failure to notify Race Management will result in that team being responsible for all search and rescue expenses.

If certain members of a team withdraw and the remainder of the team wishes to continue on the course, they may only do so with confirmation from Race Management. You must immediately inform Race Management of your desire to continue racing as a partial team. You will not be permitted to continue as a solo, unless you can join up with another incomplete team.

For safety reasons, the member(s) wishing to continue to race must remain with the member(s) that are withdrawing until the withdrawing member(s) is in the care of Race Management and Race Management approves the continued travel by the remaining member(s). From that point forward, the team will acquire incomplete status.

In the case where a single person from a withdrawing team wishes to continue, he or she must wait at the control point at which the withdrawing member(s) were placed in the care of Race Management. If another incomplete team arrives at the control point, and wishes to join forces, then it is possible for the single person to continue on as part of a new, merged team. However, it is only permissible if both incomplete teams agree to the merger, both incomplete teams carry the entirety of their original teams' mandatory gear for the remainder of the race (i.e. the new merged team will have 2 Emergency Cell Phones, 2 First Aid Kits, etc), and Race Management explicitly gives permission to the merged team to continue. For more information on this case, please see Section XI.

Also, Race Management reserves the right to stop an incomplete or merged team at any time on the course and not allow further progress, regardless of the circumstances of the initial permission to continue on the course incomplete.

XVII. PENALTIES

• failing to have correct punch in the passport for a control point, or signature on a tracking sheet from a control point
• team members getting separated by more than 100 feet, or being out of sight if less than 100ft
• changing the team composition during the race (substituting one or more members of the team)
• missing mandatory gear
• not following the prescribed rules of safe travel (e.g. wearing approved PFD for canoing)
• possessing forbidden equipment
• failing to make the provided race number visible at all times
• receiving any preplanned outside assistance including from spectators or support
• using any means of transportation not authorized by Race Management
• any environmental damage or littering
• deviation from a mandatory route
• traveling in restricted, off-limit areas, or forbidden routes
• unfair or unsportsmanlike behavior
• failure to assist teams in need of medical attention
• cycling at night without front an rear lights on
• paddling at night without activated glow sticks

This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact Race Management before the start of the race if you have specific questions regarding penalties.

XVIII. ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

• no litter, gear or any other object can be left on the race course, at the start line or host site except in designated disposal locations
• all human waste must be buried or properly disposed of in all situations and must not be done so within 50 meters of a water source (stream, river, pond, lake or otherwise)
• no cutting of vegetation of any type or deliberately causing unnecessary damage to vegetation or unnecessary erosion in areas with loose ground
• every effort must be made to avoid harassing animals of any type in their natural habitat; in all encounters with wild or tame animals the animal has the right of way;
• if a competitor or team notices litter, gear or any other object left by another participant it is that team’s responsibility to pack it out to the next manned control point to be left with the control point staff