Source: https://www.halfmarathondessables.com/en/half-marathon-des-sables-fuerteventura/regulation-2019
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 16:30:57+00:00

Document:
The HALF MARATHON DES SABLES 2019 is organized by WHAT AN ADVENTURE (WAA) and will take place from 22nd to 29th September 2019 in FUERTEVENTURA (Canaries) in Spain. The event will involve 500 participants.
The HALF MARATHON DES SABLES is a foot (running) race, open to runners and walkers, in 3 stages, freestyle, and with food self-sufficiency over a distance of about 120 Km. Each participant must carry his/her own material (obligatory food and equipment).
The HALF MARATHON DES SABLES will be administered according to the general race regulations and their amendments (road book, etc.), to which all participants agree when they register.
Anyone meeting the following conditions will be accepted: over 18, any citizenship. Competitors must hold a medical certificate issued by the organization.
Any person of full age, of any nationality, fulfilling the requirements of this Regulation and holding the medical certificate of the organization certifying his suitability for the event is admitted as a competitor.
Teenagers aged 16 and over may participate in the HALF MARATHON DES SABLES subject to prior consent from NDS and written permission from a parent or guardian. They will have to meet (fulfill?) the same requirements as adults, set out in these regulations.
Due to the specific features of the race (food self-sufficiency, race regulations) no accompanying parties are accepted on the race.
A team is made up of at least 2 runners. To remain in the race, both members of the team must complete the event. However, each member is recorded as an individual in the general ranking.
September 22: Technical, administrative and medical checks.
Step 1, beginning of food self-sufficiency.
These checks will take place on 22nd September 2019 at PLAYITAS RESORT.
Each participants must present themselves to the race stewards and medical team responsible for carrying out these verifications. Each participant must imperatively have fulfilled his or her technical, administrative and medical obligations (see ART. 24, 25, 27 & 28) before departure.
The race stewards are authorized to check participants' backpacks at any time. Individual items of participants’ equipment as set out in the list below are strictly personal. All competitors are responsible for their own equipment. Any found objects that remain unclaimed after 24 hours shall be disposed of, except for telephones, cameras and batteries.
During the race, the organization will not look after any items from competitor’s backpacks.
The ID marks provided must be worn by the participants throughout the race and positioned according to the organization's indications, failing which penalties will be applied. The race stewards may carry out checks at any time. It is formally forbidden to cover the organization's race numbers with any other lettering. Each participant must ensure that his/her ID marking is clear, entirely visible, in good condition and in the proper place, at the risk of penalty (see ART. 27 and 28). The organization will provide competitors with spare bibs in case of damage or loss. The distress beacon must be handed in at the end of the race. The loss of the distress beacon will incur a fine of 200 euro (see ART. 27 and 28).
Each participant agrees to adhere strictly to this rule, at the risk of incurring penalties (see ART. 9, 27 and 28).
In addition to official ID markings, participants may use other available clothing space for personal sponsors e.g. T-shirts (apart from the chest area exclusively reserved for bib number) shorts, socks, caps, backpacks, etc. However, the organization reserves the right to prohibit sponsorship considered to be oversized or in direct competition with the organization's partners or for any other reasons that the organization does not have to justify.
The upper part of the chest area is reserved exclusively by the organisation for positioning your bib. The race organizers will be very strict about the placement of this bib. Therefore, participants should think carefully about where to position advertising and publicity on T-shirts and backpacks.
Before the start of each stage, the water distribution point is a compulsory check-point (see ART .13 et 16).
The mileage, the maximum times allowed and the closing times of each CP will be indicated on the road-book distributed on 22 September 2019 to the technical controls.
Step 2 NON STOP: The headlamp must be on at 7 P.M. The place of bivouac is free for each competitor, but must remain on the axis of the course and be clearly visible.
Step 3: The "FINISHER" Medal will be awarded at the end of the final stage.
The water distribution points at both the start and the finish line of each day's stage are compulsory check points.
Check points are located along the course of each stage of the race. There are two to five checkpoints depending on the length of the stage, and each competitor must go through them, if not penalties will be applied (see Art 27 and 28). The race stewards record times and distribute water at these checkpoints (see ART.16). Medical assistance is available at each checkpoint. The closing times for each checkpoint shall be indicated in the road book.
A stopwatch will record the daily time of each competitor.
Daily bivouac on a previously chosen site where the competitors benefit from a camp site under tent. Competitors will be able to spend their free time preparing for their overnight installation and medical care if necessary.
Each competitor's time is recorded in hours, minutes and seconds.
The daily race ranking is calculated by adding the time taken to run that stage of the race plus penalties, if applicable.
General ranking is calculated by adding together times for each stage of the race. Any claims must be made in writing at the race and handed to the ranking marshals (see Art. 27).
The organization takes care of the water supply for each competitor.
On each CP, competitors can reload their cans or water bags to the tanks provided. At the finish of the stage, each competitor is awarded 5 liters of water. The next water supply will be on the first CP of the next day's stage.
Each competitor will have to manage his daily water needs according to the distribution of the water supply as indicated on the road-book and at no time will he be able to supply himself by his own means.
Never leave without water. Should you get lost in the desert, water reserves could be vital.
A specially chosen medical team, specializing in sports and tropical medicine, will be present throughout the race with the use of assistance vehicles. It will be posted at checkpoints and at the finish line each day and will ensure that any participants suffering from physical or mental exhaustion are brought back to the bivouac. The medical team is authorized to remove bibs and eliminate any participant they deem physically unfit to continue the race and/or who has received vital medical care. (See ART.27 and 28).
In no circumstances, under pain of having to pay the expenses of search caused to find it, the competitor will be able to leave the race without notifying the organization and to sign an official discharge provided by NDS. In case of abandonment of a competitor, it is imperative that he warns the organization as soon as possible and gives his identification marks to one of the race commissioners or commissaires bivouac.
The competitor whose physical condition is satisfactory will be returned to PLAYITAS RESORT within a maximum of 24 hours after signing an official release provided by NDS. Waiting for his transfer, the competitor will be automatically supported and he will necessarily give his food to the organization.
Abandonment or disqualification of a member of a team of more than 2 persons results in one hour of penalty for the team (see Articles 27 and 28).
In the event of a serious medical condition, medical repatriation is immediately organized.
If the competitor has opted for an accommodation package at PLAYITAS Resort his room will be available. If not, the organization will give him his personal bag. Costs of accommodation and food at the expense of the competitor.
The organisation reminds all participants that the HALF MARATHON DES SABLES is a race that must be completed with food self-sufficiency and any outside assistance is strictly prohibited. Replenishment during the race shall incur a minimum penalty of 3 hours and possibly élimination. Any competitor who wanders far from the race route, necessitating a lengthy search, will be eliminated from the race and pay a fixed fine (see ART. 27 and 28).
An insurance policy covering medical evacuation is arranged by the organization for all participants.
Evacuation on medical grounds and corpse repatriation in the event of death: actual costs for all competitors to return to European Union member countries and Switzerland. Competitors residing in countries not included in the above list will bear the full costs of returning to home countries from the place of repatriation. They are therefore strongly advised to take out personal insurance.
Payment of medical expenses in Spain for non-residents only: 15,000 euros.
All competitors take part in the full knowledge of the risks that may be incurred in this kind of competition. Since competitors participate of their own free will, the organization is not responsible for any incident or accident.
In accordance with the French Act of 1984 on sport, the organizer is obliged to advise participants to take out their own accident and death insurance.
The route of approximately 120 kilometres covers a wide variety of terrains. In the event of sand storm lowering visibility to zero, competitors must stop in their tracks and wait for instructions from the race stewards.
Participants in the HALF MARATHON DES SABLES must imperatively follow the route as marked by the organizers, failing which penalties may be applied according to the particular stage. For liaison stages, the course will be marked approximately every 500 metres. Several natural landmarks will serve as additional points of reference.
Special NON-STOP stage: light beacons from CP3 to the finish line.
The absence of the road book during the event will result in a penalty (see ART 28). Comments will be given each morning before the start of the day's stage on the most delicate points, during the briefing in French, English and Spanish.
All competitors must bring their personal equipment to the race. The total obligatory equipment and personal belongings for each competitor (food, survival equipment and marathon kit, etc.) must weigh between 5 kg and 12 kg. This minimum/maximum weight does not include the daily water supply. All participants must present their obligatory equipment at the administrative and technical checks (see ART. 27 and 28). Any food outside its original packaging must clearly feature the nutrition label relating to the product concerned.
He will have to select the foods which seem to him the most adapted to the efforts, the climatic conditions, the transport and the weight. It is strongly recommended to have a minimum of 2,000 k / calories per race day. Gas stoves are strictly prohibited. Competitors will not be able to purchase food and water on their own during the race, on pain of penalty (see Articles 27 and 28).
the official medical certificate provided by WAA, duly completed and signed by the doctor : Download available here from June 01, 2019.
a road-book handed over on 22 September (see Articles 27 and 28).
This kit will be handed over during technical and administrative inspections on 22 September.
Since the total number of participants is limited, the organization will select applications in order of registration and according to the available places.
If the number of places for the 2019 edition is reached, the organization will set up a waiting list.
Attention: in case of cancellation for a competitor registered in the current edition , it will not be possible for another person to take his place.
Any registration or late payment will be increased by 90 euros.
In the context of transfer, the bank charges are borne by the payer. All regulations must be made to WHAT AN ADVENTURE.
Precision: The organization reserves the right to refuse the registration of a competitor without having to give the reasons.
All competitor's identity information, contact details, etc.
The official medical certificate is available for download via the article 22nd of the race’s Regulations, or from the runner’s online registration space. It must be filled out and signed by your doctor no earlier than 30 days before the beginning of the race (from 22th August 2019) and is must be presented during technical, administrative and medical checks on September 22, 2019. Only the original medical certificate, dated and signed, will be accepted (photocopy not valid). Failure to submit this document will result in penalties (see Articles 27 and 28).
The organization has decided to set up health prevention and research actions on the HALF MARATHON DES SABLES events. These actions have neither the vocation nor the competence to replace the national and international regulations in force in the field of anti-doping but are intended to reinforce the medical surveillance desired by the organization. They are conducted in collaboration with the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT) and Athletes For Transparency (AFT). These actions are led by a Medical Committee made up of doctors who can consult the experts of their choice and responsible in particular for giving an advisory opinion to the race jury on the medical condition of the participants.
The declaration of this information to the medical commission must be made through each runner's ITRA health page which each runner can create free of charge on the ITRA website: www.itra.run (To open an account is free of charge and is necessary in order to access the health page).
To accept to answer any request that the Medical commission may make based on information that they have collected, in order to discuss their ability or not to participate in the race for which they are registered. As a result of the meeting, the Medical Counsel may suggest that the race Jury exclude the runner from the race.
100 euro will be retained for processing fee in the event of cancellation until 30/05/19.
25% of the full enrolment fee will be retained by the organisation in the event of cancellation between 01/06/19 and 30/06/19.
50% of the full enrolment fee will be retained by the organisation in the event of cancellation between 01/07/19 and 31/08/19.
Beyond 31/08/19 at midnight, no request for reimbursement will be honoured.
Important : NDS strongly recommends that each competitor take out personal cancellation insurance. In case of cancellation, NDS undertakes to reimburse amounts received according to the above schedule.
Any participant who arrive more than 30 minutes late for these checks on 22 September shall be penalized by a time equivalent to their lateness. Participants who do not submit proof of having all of their mandatory equipment shall be disqualified (see ART 28).
At the medical checks on 22 September, competitors must present the organization's medical certificate and a resting electrocardiogram with tracing. These 2 documents must be signed and dated at least 30 days before the start of the race, i.e. after 22 August 2019. Competitors who do not fulfil this obligation shall not be able to start the race. However, such competitors shall be able to participate after an examination by the organization's doctors and subject to their approval. Each of these documents can be produced in the bivouac for a fixed fine of 200 euro to be paid in cash on the spot. A penalty of one hour per missing document shall be applied (see ART. 28).
Competitors who abandone one or more items of their personal belongings should inform a bivouac steward. Competitors who cannot justify at any check point the absence of any personal item will be severely penalized (see ART. 28).
8000 compulsory k/calories. When spot-checks are made, any competitor unable to present and justify the minimum 2000 k/calories per day during the race will receive a 2 hour penalty (see ART. 28).
During a test, the competitor can not present his meals for 23 September: lunch, dinner 24 and 25 September: breakfast, lunch, dinner 26 September: breakfast, lunch will be punished by a penalty of 2 hours (see ART 28).
Competitors failing to wear their ID bibs or not wearing them in the correct back and front positions risk disqualification from the race (see ART. 8, 9 and 28).
Tampering with ID markings will result in the participant's immediate disqualification (see ART. 28).
Competitors who fail to be present at the starting line when each stage begins will be penalized by the time equivalent to the delay.
At each stage start line, finish line, and on the route, time-checking is obligatory at the checkpoints and is the responsibility of the competitor.
If a competitor arrives up to 30 minutes late at the checkpoint before the start he/she will receive a 30 minute penalty. If more than 30 minutes late, the competitor will no longer be registered and will be penalized for failure to check-in. The first infraction will result in a one-hour penalty, the second infraction a two-hour penalty and the third time elimination from the race (see ART. 28).
Any competitor who exceeds the maximum authorized time for each stage shall be disqualified and must return their bib to the steward. Any competitor who arrives at a CP after the deadline shall be disqualified (see ART. 28).
30 minutes for lack of luminous signal sticks after 8 pm.
30 minutes for number bibs not visible.
Any participant withdrawing from the race must notify an organization official as soon as possible.
Withdrawal by one team member in a team of more than 3 members will result in a one-hour penalty for that team, provided of course that at least 2 people remain in the race (see ART. 28).
Any inappropriate or harmful behaviour may incur serious penalties (see ART. 28). Mobile phones must not be used in the bivouac or at the CPs (see ART. 28).
Note that any form of external assistance is formally forbidden.
External assistance in the form of food or water for competitors will be subject to a penalty ranging from three hours to elimination from the race. The use of any means of two- or four-wheel transport by a competitor will result in elimination from the race.
Any long searches resulting from excessive wandering from the course will result in a 200-euro fine (see ART 28).
Exceptional water assistance with the agreement of the race marshals or following medical advice (lack, loss or leakage of water) will result in a 30-minute penalty the first time, a one-hour penalty the second time, and elimination from the race the third time.
Vital medical assistance (drip, plaster cast, etc.) will result in a two-hour penalty the first time and elimination from the race the second time.
Any water bottles found on the race route will incur a penalty (see ART. 28).
The throwing away of any food packaging or other items on the race route is strictly forbidden and will be penalized (see ART. 28).
Failure to comply with the assembly, dismantling and conditioning of the tent and failure to observe the tent installation in the assigned area (alveoli) will result in penalties (see ART.28).
During the race, they should be handed over to the head of the competitors' bivouac. Replies issued within 24 hours.
Out of time CP3 and CP 4 "non-stop"
NDS reserves all exclusive rights for photo coverage of the HALF MARATHON DES SABLES. Participants agree that NDS may have exclusive use their identity and individual or collective pictures for anything related directly or indirectly to their participation in theau HALF MARATHON DES SABLES, including commercial usage. Any still camera, video or movie coverage done during the event cannot be used by participants, their entourage or trainers for any use other than personal, unless by prior authorization or accreditation from NDS. As a result, any book or film (short, feature) project must obtain NDS prior authorization.

References: ART. 24
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 ART. 9
 Art 27
 ART.16
 Art. 27
 ART.27
 ART. 27
 ART 28
 ART. 27
 ART 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART 28
 ART. 8
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART.28