Pre-race, entrants are provided with lists of compulsory gear and a list of disciplines included in the event. As far as gear goes, you pack compulsory stuff and then add ‘logical’ items to this, like socks, cycle shorts, running shorts, gloves, tees, warm clothing, extra batteries, drybags. So far, so good.

The race location may only be disclosed a week before the race; but upfront you’ll know it is a two to three hour drive from a major centre.

As for distance of legs, order of disciplines and types of maps, you’ll find this out at race briefing when you receive your race instructions. There’s no need to fret about it before you get there because it is out of your control. When you receive the race instructions, then you start planning.

Due to the number of navigation courses I’ve taught recently, I’ve come into contact with more enthusiastic – but hesitant – novices than usual.

A few weeks ago I was caught in a discussion around why he has to take part in a team, and not on his own (he has never done a long race; only sprints). My answer, “Because this is adventure racing, not multisport or triathlon. Adventure racing is a team sport and that’s just how it is”. The extended answer refers to safety, but essentially, adventure racing is a team sport. Full stop.

Tonight, at AR Club, I met a new team and they had some good questions – things I take for granted. But, what I found interesting was the one guy’s questions on knowing everything; the disciplines, the distances, the maps, the location, the equipment to take on each leg…

His enquiry was well founded as he assumed that I’d know the answers because of previous events. But, here again, every race is different even if organised by the same person in the same country. There’s different areas, seasons, distances, disciplines, terrain and topography and number of checkpoints.

I told him not to worry about all of these things, to pack the stuff he is told to in the race instructions and to come prepared for the disciplines included in the race. More than this you just don’t know pre-race so it isn’t worth thinking about it. All is revealed at the race in the briefing and instructions, which will tell him exactly what to do when and what to take – in addition to mandatory gear – on each leg.

The other side to this is not only the pre-race unknown, but also the variable elements within a race that participants have to cope with. Less desirable weather conditions that develop a day into the event, an ill or injured teammate, nasty vegetation, extended hike-a-bike sections, navigational mistakes, tiredness and fatigue, team personalities, spending double the time on a leg than expected, swimming on a paddle leg and losing a paddle, mechanical problems with a bicycle… Teams that cope the best and adapt well to these variables will finish.

The most difficult part of adventure racing is getting to the race: packing, gear, food, support crew, organising people and related admin on top of family, responsibilities and work. Once you’re there, all you have to do is race and eat. It’s nice, very nice, to just have to deal with what is in front of you.

So, make like a river, go with the flow, moving around and over rocks and obstructions. Don’t overthink something outside of your control and embrace the unknown for rewarding (and successful) racing.

Entry Fees & extras

Entry fees vary according to country, currency, event duration and add-ons. Locally, we pay an entry fee and anything else (meals, accommodation) is extra; foreign events include everything – from airport transfers to hire of special gear – in a package. 

Fees range from US$2,000 (R15,000) to US$7,000 (R52,000) for a four-person team. Paired teams may pay upwards of US$1,500. This doesn’t seem so bad when you consider that Cape Epic, a single discipline (mtb), full-service event on local turf is R25,200 per pair.

“Fees for races in less developed nations are generally lower, so these are always quite attractive,” says Team Cyanosis’ captain Nicholas Mulder. Indeed, you get more for your Rands if you’re paying in Pesos rather than Euros.

Support Crew

It is far easier – and less costly – to race abroad without support crew in unsupported events where race organisation transports team equipment. “I would always choose an unsupported race over a supported one because all the teams are in the same situation,” says Tatum Prins, an experienced international racer in Team McCain Adventure Addicts.

Participating team members customarily cover the costs of their support crew, sharing the extra expenses for their crew’s accommodation, travel and food. And don’t forget the hire fee for the support vehicle and fuel.

“Unfortunately,” adds Mulder, “unsupported races seem to be less and less common”.

Flights, visas and buying power

Flights and travel packages get you to major airports at reasonable rates. Once you tag on that second flight, to another country, city or smaller town, that’s when costs escalate.  Keep in mind too your desired destination’s tourist season and the benefit of purchasing tickets months in advance to get better rates.

Some current air ticket prices

• XP Australia, May 2010.To Cairns, via Sydney and Brisbane – R14,000
• Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, December 2010. Direct to Abu Dhabi  – R6,500

Phone the airline in advance about excess weight. Explain that you’re a South African team, ask for an extra allowance per person and make sure you get a letter confirming this arrangement. “Our last experience, going to Malaysia for the Perak Amanjaya International Eco Adventure, was fantastic,” says Prins. “It took one phone call and they gave us an extra 20kg’s each.”

Some airlines now charge a flat rate for bike transport. “We stuff the bike boxes full of gear as there is no per kilogram charge on weight,” Mulder explains.

Visas can be a pain in the butt – and pricey, at between R650 (Schengen) and over a thousand Rand (UK and US). Some, like those for India, are free-of-charge paperwork formalities. Fortunately, many countries just let us in.

New skills and more toys

Exotic disciplines introduce new skills and additional equipment, which can be borrowed or bought second-hand. “We got our skates second-hand and we had to learn from scratch. It was very amusing,” says Prins. “To train for a new discipline is fun and refreshing as it breaks up your normal training routine.”

Climate determines clothing choices; thermal clothing for colder climes, wet weather gear for rainy places and insulated paddling gear for sea outings. Borrow what you can and while you’re unlikely to get kit sponsored completely, many local suppliers and agents will gladly offer your team wholesale on their products.

Isn’t local lekker?

Local is lekker but the personal and competitive rewards of racing abroad are enormous.

International racing raises your performance.  “You get to see how other teams race, the decisions they make and why and the gear they use. You realise that we don’t do things that differently. We (South Africans) can do as well as any foreign team,” says Prins.

Where travel opens your eyes to the World and participation ups your game, personal experiences and treasured memories are most rewarding. “You make amazing contacts at international races; this creates opportunities later on,” Prins says. In 2005, racing in a team without sponsorship, her team held an auction to raise the funds to get them to New Zealand. Two years later she was invited to join a Danish team in Scotland for the AR World Champs.

“Racing overseas alters your outlook,” Prins adds. “This sport is bigger than you think and when you stand on the start line, with over 60 teams from all over the World, you have feelings and emotions you will never forget.”

Yes, you can!

While you won’t get to race overseas for two grand, international racing is not beyond reach. Plan in advance, save money specifically for the race, organise fund-raising activities and cultivate relationships with sponsors. Et voila!

Author: Lisa de Speville | Published in Go Multi Magazine, MarchApril 2010 (issue 14.1)

1. Team Format
2. Team Skills & Certifications
3. Equipment
   1. Compulsory Competitor Equipment
   2. Compulsory Team Equipment
   3. Compulsory Equipment Defined
   4. Restricted Equipment
   5. Support Crew Equipment
4. Event Rules and Regulations
   1. Team
   2. Support Crew
   3. General Rules
   4. Medical Assistance
   5. Complaints & Appeals
   6. Disqualification/Time Penalties
   7. Spirit of the Event
   8. Event Specific Rules
5. Eco Awareness
6. Prizes/Awards

1. Team Format
Teams must consist of 4 members, with at least one member being of the opposite sex to qualify for any prizes and points allocation – unless otherwise indicated in the Event Specific Rules.

In addition, each team must have support members, unless otherwise indicated in the Event Specific Rules. The support members’ function will be to provide support to the team at designated transition areas and to transport the teams’ equipment during, and on completion of the event.

2. Team Skills & Certifications
At least one member of the team must be capable of navigating by compass and map during the day and night.

At least one member of the team must hold a minimum qualification of Level One First Aid. A current certificate or certified copy thereof must be presented on request.

Rope certification may be required – will be indicated in the Event Specific Rules.

All team members must be suitably competent in all discipline included in the event as specified by the race organiser and be able to complete the event without any assistance from any person other than own team members.

3.     Equipment

3.1 Compulsory Competitor Equipment
The equipment rules are not enforced to inconvenience competitors.

Competitors must each be equipped with the following minimum equipment:

• Mountain bike and ANSI approved cycling helmet
• Backpack/rucksack (min 20-litre). No hip-packs will be allowed as a substitute
• Torch, spare batteries
• Knife
• 2-litre hydration system
• Cold and wet weather gear

Paddling helmet and Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s) and any additional compulsory equipment will be indicated in the Event Specific Rules.

3.2 Compulsory Team Equipment
Each team must be equipped with the following minimum equipment:

• 1x Compass
• 1x First aid kit (racing)
• 10 m continuous safety rope (diameter >7mm)
• A shelter – will be indicated in the Event Specific Rules
• Sleeping bag and/or Bivvy Bags – will be specified in the Event Specific Rules
• 4 x Safety/Space blankets
• 1 x emergency flare/light – will be specified in the Event Specific Rules
• Sufficient food and water for 24hours
• 4 x Whistles
• 2 x carabiners

Watercraft and additional team equipment will be specified in the Event Specific Rules.

3.3 Compulsory Equipment Defined 

• Backpack – any form of backpack capable of containing the equipment and provisions required by the team. Minimum capacity of 20-liters
• Sleeping Bag/Bivvy Bag – a bag, capable of containing a human body, designed to keep the body warm whilst sleeping during the normal practice of outdoor activities. The organisers will take into consideration the modern developments in sleeping bag technology as well as the trends followed in adventure racing.
• First Aid Kit – the ‘race’ first aid kit should contain the necessary equipment to cope with injuries while far from assistance e.g. gauze, muscle-rub (arnica oil, Voltaren/Reparil Gel), anti-inflammatory tablets, painkillers, headache tablets, antiseptic solution (Dettol/Savlon), triangular bandage, plasters, rehydration powder (Rehidrate), strapping tape, latex gloves, roller bandage, 5ml syringe and needles (for draining blisters), scissors/knife and personal medication (asthma pump, anti-histamines).
• Shelter – a sheet of waterproof material large enough to cover the entire team (4 people). This shelter should have guy ropes on each corner and 4 tent pegs. Walking sticks may be used as ‘tent poles’.
• Tent – complete with guy ropes, tent pegs, tent-poles and flysheet, capable of housing the entire team.

3.4 Restricted Equipment

• Any firearm or weapon
• Satellite navigation equipment i.e. GPS – unless indicated in the Event Specific Rules
• GPS wristwatches i.e. Timex Ironman, Garmin 405 and the Suunto X9

3.5 Support Crew Equipment

• A vehicle capable of transporting the teams food and equipment. 4×4 vehicles may be necessary. Will be specified in the Event Specific Rules.
• Appropriate recovery ropes, spare wheel (also for trailer) and tools required to change the wheel. In keeping with off-road etiquette the vehicle that is being recovered should supply the recovery equipment.
• Appropriate camping equipment e.g. shelter/tent, ground sheets, gas cookers etc
• Sufficient water containers capable of carrying 75l.
• Comprehensive first aid kit
• A spade

Support members must be prepared to camp en-route without any facilities whatsoever.

4.  Event Rules & Regulations

4.1   Team

• The event must be started and completed by the entire team.
• All members of the team must be within visual and hearing distance of all other members of their team at all times i.e. spread over no more than 100m.
• No substitutions will be allowed.
• The team is to complete the entire event without any assistance, excepting in official transition areas.
• Teams receiving any form of assistance, including medical assistance, whilst not in a transition area, will be penalised.
• Teams are required to pass through all transitions, orienteering points and checkpoints in the order designated by the Organiser.
• All team members are required to pass through all transitions, orienteering points and checkpoints together. At these check points the team captain is to clearly mark his/her own team passport. The marshal may request the passport for inspection. Failure to mark any transition, orienteering point or checkpoint on the passport will result in disqualification, unless the team returns to the missed transition/orienteering point/checkpoint and the team in full compliment, re-does the route from the missed point on
• Where teams are required to comply with time restrictions during an event, this will be for safety or logistical considerations. Failure to meet a designated cut-off will require the team to lay-up (camp) overnight; will result in them being removed from the event; or being re-routed on a shortened course, as stipulated by the Organisers. The elapsed time in the case of a safety/logistical cut-off is included in race time, unless otherwise stipulated by the Organisers.
• While organisers do try to avoid bottlenecks, delays may cause teams to wait their turn to complete a discipline. If the delay time is to be ‘returned’ to the team the marshal will record their time of arrival at the discipline and time of start of the discipline. Clarification on this point should be indicated in the Event Specific Rules.
• Kit inspection may take place at any point in the race. Teams will have to report to an official for kit inspection on request.

4.2   Support Crew

• Team support members will be required to transport mountain bikes, watercrafts and all equipment not used for a current leg to transition areas.
• Team support members may provide assistance in transition areas designated by the organisers. These transitions will be specified in the race information booklet and at the event briefing prior to the start of the race.
• Team support members may provide moral support in any transition area.
• Any team support members leaving the transition area for any reason will make their team liable for a time penalty irrespective of reason. The transition area will be demarcated with bunting and restricted areas will be indicated.
• No second may lay any complaint to the Organisers unless through their team captain, irrespective of his/her ability, experience or skills.
• No second will converse with any of the Organisational personnel regarding the event or question any decision made by the Organisers except through the team captain.

All team members and support crew are to have read these Standard Rules and Regulations as well as the Event Specific Rules. Any other supporting members accompanying the team are also to be made aware of the Rules and Regulations.

Team and support members will be required to sign indemnity forms at the event registration. No team may compete should they not have signed the indemnity form.

4.3  General Rules

• Any team and/or individual who tests positive for illegal substances will be barred from all events for a minimum period of two (2) years. (See www.infosource.co.za/druglist for illegal substance details.)
• Any individual, male or female, will be barred from all events for life if found to have used physical violence during the course of the event.
• Abusive language will not be tolerated. Persons wishing to express outrage will do so in a controlled manner through their team captain only. Any person using abusive language undermines the integrity of the sponsors and Organisers and have own their integrity at stake.
• Teams crossing the finish will be given a “line finish position”. This is pending the outcome of illegal substance test results, complaints and/or any further information coming to the Organisers’ knowledge.
• The first team to complete the event, having complied with all rules and regulations and time penalties taken into consideration, will be considered the winning team.
• Any abuse of or disregard for instructions given by race marshals by any team member, including the seconding team will result in immediate disqualification and a disciplinarily hearing at the end of the race. The disciplinarily hearing may result in additional penalties.

4.4  Medical Assistance

• Medical crews will be available for non-emergency medical treatment and consultation within transition areas when available. Any team receiving any form of medical treatment outside a transition area or a medical support area as specified in the race instructions will be disqualified.
• Medical treatment will be provided to race seconds and staff regardless of their location and at no risk of disqualification to any teams concerned.
• Medical treatment within transition areas is limited to basic first aid and advice. Should a racer require advanced life support, active fluid replacement therapy (IV), the administration of any oral or intravenous drug, then that racer, subject to the race directors final decision, will be prevented from continuing with the event.
• The medical crew has the authority, on confirmation with the race director, to withdraw a racer from an event should the racers further participation in the event result in permanent injury, disability or death to the racer or his/her teammates.
• Racers are obliged to carry the team’s personal medications in the team first aid kit or on the person concerned. The medical crew will not be on hand to supply personal medication should the team concerned have failed to supply their own.
• The medical crew will provide immediate, emergency treatment and stabilisation. Should a racer require transport by road or air ambulance, the cost of any transport out of the race environment will be carried by the patient
• Racers are strongly advised to take appropriate insurance against the costs of emergency evacuations and repatriation.

4.5  Complaints & Appeals

• All complaints and/or queries are to be directed through the team captain. Only the captain is allowed to direct questions, objections and complaints to the Organisers and/or their Management team and this is to be done in writing.
• In the event of there being discrepancies in finishing positions resulting from such reports and/or complaints, only line finishing positions will be announced at prize giving and the relevant prizes will be given after a verdict has been reached. The length of this window period will be determined at the event by the Organisers.
• Positions announced at prize giving are subject to the results of illegal substance tests and any further findings brought to the attention of the Organisers within the window period.
• No correspondence will be entered into after the window period and/or once official finishing positions have been announced.
• Any team wishing to appeal or complain any aspect of the event is to do so in writing. Complaints are to be received by the Race Director or his/her co-director within half an hour of the team crossing the finish line. Complaints may only be made with first hand knowledge. No secondhand reports will be accepted or considered. Should an appeal result the complainant must be prepared to give evidence at the Appeal Hearing at a date, time and venue specified by the Organisers. Appeals regarding decisions are to be received in writing by the Race Director or his/her co-director within 24 hours of the team completing the event.
• The event Organiser, as advised by senior marshals will consider appeals.
• Any individual or team not adhering to any of the above rules and is found guilty and forbidden from the event, will forfeit their team entry fee.

4.6  Disqualification/Time Penalties

• Any team transgressing the 100meter, visual and hearing distance rule will be penalised or disqualified.
• Any team found not to be equipped with the minimum safety equipment, as specified, during a kit inspection will not be allowed to start the event.
• Any team found not to be equipped with the minimum safety equipment during the race will be disqualified and pulled from the course.
• Any team found to have transgressed the rules and regulations of the event and/or acting contrary to the spirit of the event will be liable for disqualification.
• The race director may impose a disqualification or penalty taking into consideration the spirit of the event. He/She will request a statement from the applicable team captain should they wish to explain or justify the team’s actions.
• Any team and/or individual refusing to undergo testing for illegal substances will be disqualified.

4.7  Spirit of the Event

• Not cheating with regard to the rules and regulations of this event and the sport.
• Where one team finds another in need of medical attention – they must stop to assist.
• Abiding by the rules and regulations of this event and sport.
• Being eco-friendly, polite and prepared to assist a fellow man in need.
• Not misleading Organisers and/or marshals with inaccurate/incomplete information.
• Not removing checkpoint punches, their illuminating devices or signage of any sort.

4.8   Event Specific Rules
This document details Standard Adventure Racing Rules and Regulations. Individual events may have specific equipment requirements and/or rules. The Organiser for each event will specify additions and/or alterations to these Standard Rules and Regulations in their event information.

9. Eco Awareness
Teams and their seconds are to adhere to the following stipulations at all times:

• All waste is to be carried to the closest transition or checkpoint for disposal.
• Human waste is to be buried between 20 and 25cm below the soil surface.
• Picking of flowers, cutting of walking sticks and/or any damage to the natural vegetation (even though they might appear to be dead) is prohibited.
• The making of fires, whatever the circumstances and no matter how small, are prohibited along the entire route (butane gas stoves will be allowed).
• No tree, rock etc may be defaced in any manner.
• Be polite and courteous to local inhabitants. Pass quietly through settlements, especially at night.

The transgression of any of the above will render the entire team liable to prosecution.

10.  Prizes/Awards

• Prizes and/or points awarded to a team that is subsequently disqualified due to the outcome of illegal substance test results, complaints etc will be forfeited. Organisers may request prizes to be returned.
• Monetary prizes will be awarded at the prize giving or will be transferred to the account of the team captain/manager within a week following the event.

 ENDS

I put this document together in April 2003, following a number of badly organised races where CPs were in the wrong

This document has been initiated as a constructive guide to both racers and organisers. For the racers, it expresses what they can expect at events; and for the organisers the Forum guides the competitors and records their expectations. In March 2003 I sent out an email to many teams, who have been racing for a number of years, asking for constructive comments aimed at improving the standard of events. In my email to these teams I expressed the following views: 

“There have been a number of really good races but even these have had issues/problems of sorts. Most of these issues are easily avoidable and totally unnecessary. There’s a certain allowance for ‘learning’ but at this stage we’re out of nappies and into a more professional realm.

I believe that the racers and the organisers should be working together. Adventure racing is not about one or the other. To develop successful events there must be a synergy between the two. 

Racers should be saying what they want, what they don’t want in races and after the event should provide constructive feedback to the organiser. 

You guys have experience and know what you want and what you don’t want. You are also role models for the newcomers and you have the ability to drive this sport. You are the ones who can help to elevate our races and in so doing raise the level of  competition and your abilities. If you ever want to race internationally (even just to finish) you need to tackle more challenging events that really give you a run for your money.” 

I compiled the responses from teams and organisers to create this document.
Lisa de Speville, April 2003

Team & Competitor Responsibility

• Teams are expected to enter races by the registration cut-off date. This includes their entry forms and full payment. The cut-offs are put in place so that the organiser can plan the logistics for the number of entered teams i.e. maps, water craft, food, accommodation etc
• Organisers are encouraged to offer ‘early bird’ incentives i.e. reduced entry fee, turning down or imposing an additional fee on late entries.
• Teams are to comply with the Standard Rules and Regulations as published on www.ar.co.za and any Event Specific Rules published by the race organiser.
• Each participant must take responsibility for his/her health, fitness and competency in each discipline to be presented at the event.
• While the race organiser takes responsibility for the safety of disciplines, the racers must ensure that comply with certification requirements i.e. ropes, first aid etc
• Teams should ensure that they are able to navigate.
• Teams should take responsibility for the condition and maintenance of their equipment and vehicles.
• Constructive feedback should be given to the race organiser after each event. Applaud the positive and present negative comments in perspective and in context.
• Discussions about the event are encouraged on the mailing list. Personal attacks on the organiser are forbidden.

 Pre-event Information

• Event info should be posted on www.ar.co.za in good time, as teams need to plan for the event, book flights etc. event information for classic distance and expedition events should not be published less than 2 months before the event.\
• Once entries are in, additional information must be sent to the Team Captain/Manager directly and should not be issued on the mailing list.
• Information released on the web should include the following: 
  • Dates and times for the race registration and briefing
  • General location – if the exact location is not to be released until just before the event give a general location. Example: northern Gauteng, 1hr from JHB.
  • Team format – solos, pairs, 3’s or 4’s
  • Seconding requirements i.e. Are seconds needed? Recommended vehicle type e.g. 4×4 and special requirements like 75l water containers.
  • Equipment provided by the organiser – rafts, helmets, PFD’s, abseil equipment
  • Compulsory team equipment – first aid, shelter, sleeping & bivvy bags etc
  • Compulsory competitor equipment – whistle, safety blanket, backpack, hydration system, mountain bike, helmet etc
  • Disciplines – mountain biking, trekking, flat-water paddling, rafting (Grade ?), sea-kayak, rope ascent/descent traverse etc
  • Technical difficulty – this should be a basic guide as to the level of competency required by the racers. If the navigation and trekking sections are challenging then make note of this. Those less experienced may not enter while others will polish these skills in preparation for the challenge.
  • Course distance/time – considering some 200km events take 16hrs to complete and others take 40hrs, events should not only be listed according to distance. It should be stated, for example, that the first team should finish in 20hrs, middle-of-the-pack teams in 25hrs and back-markers in 30 – 36hrs.
  • Shortened course – mention if you will have a shortened-course route for those not reaching specific points by cut-off times.
  • Certification requirements – first aid, ropes, paddling etc
  • Event Specific Rules
  • Entry fees – each item included in the entry fee should be listed i.e. accommodation before and after the event, gate/park entry fees etc
  • Prizes for each category
  • Accommodation – before and after the event. Provide names and telephone details for accommodation options (camping, chalets, guest houses and hotels) in the area if you are not providing accommodation. If you do not want to give the race venue away, co-ordinate accommodation bookings for the teams.
  • Organiser contact details – telephone, cell phone, fax, email and web address (if applicable).
  • There should be no last-minute additions to initial kit and vehicle requirements.
• Any other communication prior to the event should only be made directly with the team captain/manager of entered teams by email. This information should include:
  • Start venue & directions
  • Start times
  • Water – Is the water on the course drinkable? Cholera? Bilharzia?
  • Malaria?
  • Weather – what weather can be expected; rain, snow, wind, heat.
  • Registration, briefing and kit check times & procedures
  • Accommodation details – type of accommodation, self-catering facilities?
  • Competency testing – are you checking rope/water skills? When, where and what time?
  • Other event specific instructions

Race Briefing & Instructions

• Race briefings should be concise and to the point.
• The briefing should be used to welcome the teams and to hand out booklets, bibs, safety/emergency instructions and racing instructions – if applicable. Race instructions and maps may only be handed out just before the start.
• The briefing should not be held late at night especially if there is an early morning start.
• All instructions for competitors and seconds should be contained in a race instruction booklet.
• Race instructions should be unambiguous especially where a misunderstanding could prove dangerous and disadvantageous to teams.

The following information should be in the race information booklet:

• Co-ordinates – may be issued at the briefing, start of the race or in sections.
• Be certain of the format in which the co-ordinates are presented. The standard format is:
  Degrees, minutes and fraction of minutes e.g. 29°45.5’ S and 27°23.75’ E
• PC descriptions – in some cases a description of the PC location is useful i.e. left-hand side of the gate; bottom of cliff (as opposed to top of cliff – not always distinguishable on a 1:50 000 map); hanging in the tree behind the old farmhouse.
• Map corrections – particularly if the maps are old. Corrections should be given for the whole map, not only for one route where many options may exist.
• Start instructions – what time to meet, time of the start, the starting location – with directions.
• River instructions – take-outs, portages, weirs, low-level bridges and other hazards (fallen trees, strainers etc) should be indicated.
• Seconding instructions (this should be a separate document) – what time to leave the start, directions to the first transition (see below Seconding for further points).
• Specific event rules & regulations
• Emergency contact numbers for teams to call if they end up at a farmhouse or if they have an ‘emergency’ cell phone and have reception.

Race Alterations

• Changes should only be made prior to the first team reaching the point where the change is to be implemented. While in most cases this is possible there may be situations where changes may only effect some of the field e.g. due to heavy rainfall a bridge collapses after the first few teams have passed. If changes occur after some teams have passed, these teams should be credited any difference in time.
• Any changes to the route should be put on paper to be read by the Transition Official, Marshal or Race Director to the captain of each team. Instructions must not be given verbally as these messages tend to not be consistent. Instructions must be read. This way each team will receive the same instructions.
• Should a transition area be moved, a marshal must be placed at the original point. They should:
  • Read the new instructions to each team captain.
  • Provide water and food to the competitors (if the distance/duration of the new section warrants this). Teams plan their food and water according to distances and the time it will take them to complete sections. Should they have to spend more time out to reach a new transition, food and water may need to be provided.
• Should a race start or re-start be scheduled at short notice, teams must all be given an equal and fair chance to get prepared.
• Plan B should be just as exciting and challenging as Plan A.

Support Crews/Seconds
Seconds have a very important role to play in each team. They have to move around the course locating the various transition areas, delivering equipment and providing food to their team. They do need information.

• Seconding booklet – handed out at registration or after the start. It should contain directions and a map to at least the first transition as well as start instructions. Emergency contact numbers should be included.
• Specific transition instructions and further directions can be handed out at each transition by the official and placed on the transition notice board (see below under Transitions).
• All seconds should receive the same instructions.

 Transitions

• The transition area should be clearly demarcated with banners and bunting.
• Critical turn-offs on the way to the transition should be marked with reflective tape or a signboard.
• The location of the transition official should be clearly indicated. The official should be easily identifiable (t-shirt/bib). They should be located at the entrance or exit of the transition area.
• Seconds should check-in and check-out with the transition official.
• Teams should check-in and check-out with the transition official (times to be recorded)
• Transition notice board – a big notice board should be put up at each transition area and should detail the following:
  • Where to park
  • Location of the ablution facilities
  • Availability of water and condition of water.
  • Team positions at the last transition or checkpoint – where possible.
  • Expected team arrival times. Example: Front teams expected at 11h00, middle teams at 14h00 and back teams, not sooner than 16h00.
  • Restricted areas – often the seconds have time and they’d like to go for a walk. It would help for them to know areas where they can and can’t go exploring.
  • Map to the next transition area and expected travel duration (also to be handed out on paper by the transition official if not handed out at the start).
  • Location of the medical crews
  • Any new or special instructions (e.g. route changes, security warnings) that have developed during the race.

Officials and Marshals
Officials and marshals are mostly volunteers. In return for their time and commitment to the event the organiser should cover their transport costs. They should be given a food allowance, or food should be provided, as well as accommodation at the start and finish. These people stay out waiting for teams for hours (and perhaps even days!) and will only be encouraged to come back to events if treated correctly. People interested in being an official or a marshal can contact Lisa at lisa@ar.co.za to be added to the volunteer database.

Transition Officials
The Transition Officials are the teams’ link to race management. They should:

• Be briefed by the race director as to their duties.
• Be in place long before the expected arrival of the of the first team’s seconding crew and/or the first team.
• Make certain that their location in the transition area is clearly indicated.
• Check-in and check-out the seconding teams.
• Put up the transition notice board with the relevant information (see Transitions above).
• Check-in and check-out the teams, recording their times.
• Record any rule infringements to be forwarded to the race director.
• Notify teams of any course changes – to be read to each team from a piece of paper or handed out to each team captain (see Race Alterations).

Marshals
Marshals out on the route are extremely important. In the past marshals not in the right place or missing completely have ruined events.

• A person who has volunteered as a marshal must be informed of exactly what they are to expect, the gear they will need (sleeping bags, shelter, water containers, wet-weather clothing, warm clothing), the environment they will be in and how long they can expect to be out.
• Marshals should be given maps indicating how to get to their position, a description of the check point, which must be pre-marked with a bright tag by the race director (see Check Points below). A GPS may be helpful in this regard. They must also know from what direction they can expect to see the teams arriving.
• Marshals should wear distinctive bibs or T-shirts.
• Marshals must have radio contact with race headquarters where possible.
• All marshals must speak English.

Marshals have the following responsibilities:

• Stay at their point until they are relieved by another marshal; the ‘sweeper’ arrives or until all teams are accounted for i.e. all teams have checked-in or teams have been confirmed as retired by the race director.
• Record the arrival and departure (if different) times of each team, noting the condition of the competitors. All team members must be present.
• Clearly mark the checkpoint – visible banners during the day and lights at night (Marshals to be sent out with spare batteries).
• Read any new instructions to the captain of each team or to hand out printed instructions. The marshal should understand the instructions.

 Checkpoints (PC’s)
The function of checkpoints is to guide teams around the race route. They also provide navigational points.

PC’s should not be in the wrong place and should be clearly visible.

• Setting PC co-ordinates by GPS alone is not adequate. Co-ordinates should be generated from maps using topographical features. GPS co-ordinates can then be used for crosschecking. Race directors should note the degree of error on the GPS.
• When setting the checkpoints, the race director should tie a brightly coloured tag, labeled with the PC number, to the exact position where the PC should be placed. The marshal manning that point will then be able to confirm the PC location from the tag.
• At night PC’s must be adequately lit – light sources must be visible from 360°, not uni-directional. Marshals must have spare batteries. If the point is not marshaled, a back-up light should be in place and extra batteries should be attached to the checkpoint. Teams will gladly replace failing batteries.
• Checkpoints at crucial positions should be manned by reliable marshals.

Checkpoint Terminology

• Passport Control (PC) or Checkpoint (CP): A navigational point that teams have to locate. A checkpoint will either be unmanned or manned by a marshal. Teams prove that they have been to the checkpoint by punching their race passports in the designated block.
• Waypoint (WP): A point provided by the organiser to assist and guide the teams along specific sections. A waypoint may indicate a fence crossing, bridge etc. Though the teams do not have to pass this point, it is recommended. There will be neither a punch nor marshal.
• Orienteering Point (OP): A term occasionally used to indicate that the checkpoint is unmanned. This point must be visited and passports must be punched.

Start and Finish Areas

• If food is provided at the start teams must be given the option of whether they want food or not.
• If food is provided it should cater for athletes i.e. fresh fruits, vegetables (sauces separate) and salads (dressings separate). Vegetarians must be catered for. Greasy, oil-laden food is not suitable. An indication of the food to be provided can be included in the pre-race information so that the teams can decide whether the food provided caters to their requirements.
• A meal provided at the finish gives the racers and seconds a chance to rest, socialise and talk about the event.
• Showers and ablutions at the start and finish are necessary.
• The finish line should be setup where the seconds and other teams are positioned so that they can welcome the teams in. Security and safety of equipment and vehicles is often an issue. Seconds waiting for their teams will be reluctant to go to the finish if it is located away from the transition area. Where safety is a problem, security should be provided.
• A really nice finish area is appreciated e.g. grass, trees, ablutions etc

 The Race

• The entire route should be pre-tested by the organisers and/or experienced people, either in stages or in one go.
• The organiser should ensure that the race falls into the category in which it was advertised. If the race is advertised as a 100km event, the race distance must fall within this classification i.e. (95 – 105km). If classified according to time, i.e. 24hr, the upper to middle teams should complete the race in 22 – 26hrs.
• If an event is billed as being really tough and challenging, then it must be tough and challenging for the top teams. The organiser should be unconcerned with finishing rates.
• A race billed as easy must be easy. If the race brief states that the winners will complete the course in 7hrs, it should not take them 18hrs to complete the event.
• Pro and Sport categories at events may deal with the issue of events not being challenging enough for the more experienced teams and the organisers wanting to encourage novices and obtain high finishing rates. Sport categories should have less challenging navigation and should cover a shorter distance.
• Top teams should always be challenged; other teams should enjoy the event. Even if they drop-out, they will come back.
• Marshals (and the teams) should not be kept out on the route indefinitely particularly as the gap between the front and the back teams lengthens on multi-day events. Reasonable cut-off times can be applied in the later stages of the race. Back teams can be directed on to a shortened course, allowing them to still ‘complete’ the race.
• Cut-off times should not be altered without informing all teams. In the past cut-off times have been extended. Teams affected by this change were not informed until after they had decided to withdraw.
• Equipment checks should be enforced to ensure that the teams are all carrying the specified compulsory equipment. This is for their safety. Penalties should be applied for missing items, disqualifying the team is necessary.
• Navigation, route choice, team dynamics and cunning strategy prevent adventure racing from being a strictly off-road triathlon. These four factors are seldom present in our races and should be incorporated. Challenging navigation and route choice
• Navigation should be of a challenging level, especially in races designed for experienced teams.
• Banned routes should be well indicated in the instructions and must be patrolled to ensure team compliance. Banning of certain route choices should only be for safety reasons and not to force teams into taking a specific route. The location of checkpoints should such that teams need not approach restricted areas.
• Route choice – teams should have to make a conscious decision regarding the route they’re going to take from one point to another. They should be encouraged to take risks whereby taking a more difficult route could score them an advantage. Terrain, routes and discipline distances should be as diverse and interesting as possible.
• Technical navigation and route choices should be offered on all disciplines where possible.
• Rope disciplines should preferably be done in daylight to benefit from the usually spectacular scenery.
• Water sections, particularly where dark-zones exist, should be planned so that most of the teams will reach and complete most of the section in daylight. This is obviously easier to plan in the early stages of the race. Poor planning can result in a team 20 minutes behind another ending up over 12hrs behind by daybreak.
• Watercraft provided by the organisers should be suited to the conditions to be experienced.
• Particularly in the longer races, long sections challenge the teams. But sending them on a mountain bike ride on a dirt road with no route choice for 24hrs is not adventure racing.
• In shorter races (100km), shorter legs and many transitions keeps the seconds busy as they’re always on the move.
• While organisers do try to avoid bottlenecks, delays may cause teams to wait their turn to complete a discipline. If the delay time is to be ‘returned’ to the team the marshal will record their time of arrival at the discipline and time of start of the discipline. Clarification on this point should be indicated in the Event Specific Rules. Delays at rope disciplines should be avoided by setting up multiple ropes.
• Time will not be given back to teams in the case of a dark-zone cut-off.

 The Rules

• Standard Rules and Regulations as agreed by the race organisers are posted on www.ar.co.za. The relevant organiser will issue Event Specific Rules.
• Teams who break the race rules should be dealt with immediately and not at the end of the event.
• Infringements could result in immediate disqualification and removal from the course.
• Time penalties should be enforced immediately and should not added to the final race time. Teams can wait out the penalty at the transition area – in a “penalty box” – without assistance from their seconds.
• Seconds are as much a part of the team as the racers. If they breach the race rules penalties should be applied.

Medical
Medical assistance is provided at events in case of medical emergencies – not to get the competitors through the event.

Medical Assistance

• Medical crews will be available for non-emergency medical treatment and consultation within transition areas when available. Any team receiving any form of medical treatment outside a transition area or a medical support area as specified in the race instructions will be disqualified.
• Medical treatment will be provided to race seconds and staff regardless of their location and at no risk of disqualification to any teams concerned.
• Medical treatment within transition areas is limited to basic first aid and advice. Should a racer require advanced life support, active fluid replacement therapy (IV), the administration of any oral or intravenous drug, then that racer, subject to the race directors final decision, will be prevented from continuing with the event.
• The medical crew has the authority, on confirmation with the race director, to withdraw a racer from an event should the racers further participation in the event result in permanent injury, disability or death to the racer or his/her teammates.
• Racers are obliged to carry the team’s personal medications in the team first aid kit or on the person concerned. The medical crew will not be on hand to supply personal medication should the team concerned have failed to supply their own.
• The medical crew will provide immediate, emergency treatment and stabilisation. Should a racer require transport by road or air ambulance, the cost of any transport out of the race environment will be carried by the patient
• Racers are strongly advised to take appropriate insurance against the costs of emergency evacuations and repatriation.

Medical Crews

• The medical crew should be suitably qualified according to the nature and length of the particular event. (Level of medical qualification, experience, rescue capabilities)
• The medical crew should be physically fit enough to access and treat and evacuate a racer. Race organisation should provide terrain appropriate vehicular support (4×4’s, watercraft or aircraft).
• Race Directors and medical crew are to meet prior to the start of the event to discuss the race profile. Access and evacuation routes are to be discussed and decided.
• The medical crew must be provided with full maps of the race area and must be able to read and use the maps.
• Racer evacuation plans are to be discussed and decided (Nearest appropriate medical facilities, transport options, medical aid coverage)
• The medical crew is to advance with the “bulk” of the race.
• For races exceeding 150km in length, provision must be made to split the medical crew in order to provide immediate medical assistance for racers at the front and rear of the field. Expedition length races should consider multiple, independent medical crews and possibly a central “Field Hospital”.

 Results 

• Results should be issued within three days of the race cutoff. Split times should be given for transitions and as many PCs as possible.
• Team members should be listed with their team name.

Prizes

• Prize giving should be held on time.
• Prize money should be given out at the event or be transferred within a week of the event to the team captain/manager. In the case of the latter, organisers should request banking details at registration.
• Each team completing the event should receive a memento. Whether a sprint or an expedition event the competitors want to walk away with something that represents the event and their achievement.

Safety

• Disciplines should be cancelled if unsafe i.e. a river section due to rain. The race organiser should have an alternative plan in place in the event of this happening i.e. re-route the teams on a trekking leg. Plan B should be as challenging as Plan A.
• In severe heat/humidity conditions, water points should be provided to competitors at PCs especially where water is not available on the route. There is a limit to how much water each competitor can carry.
• Radio contact between marshals, officials and the race director is crucial.
• On rivers – put-ins, take-outs, portages, weirs, low-level bridges and other hazards (fallen trees, strainers etc) should be indicated in the race instruction booklet.
• Co-ordinates for crossing points on dangerous rivers should be given if not indicated on map.
• Helmets and PFD’s should be brought to all events where paddling/rafting/kloofing disciplines exist. While it may not be necessary to wear a helmet whilst paddling across a dam, it certainly is necessary when on a river or in a kloof. PFD’s should be worn at all times. Kayaks have been known to sink in dams, leaving the paddlers treading water for hours. In a kloof a PFD could cushion a fall.
• Ropes – in all instances qualified personnel should oversee the rope discipline.
• All rope work should make use of a backup system i.e. a belay or prussik in abseiling.
• Certification – in most events over 100km first aid and ropes certification is required. These certificates should be checked. The race director reserves the right to prevent those that are not certified from starting the race. No team or individual is exempt. Individuals may request assessment as described below.
• Certification requirements should be phased in over 2-3 years i.e. medical, rope skills, rafting, water rescue, paddling and perhaps even navigation. This allows race directors to organise more challenging and adventurous races knowing that the participants have the necessary skills.
• Experience does count e.g. in rope skills. Some competitors have been climbing and performing rope tasks for years. In these cases qualified personnel should assess the individuals for competence.
• Competency assessment – while some disciplines require the presentation of in-date certificates, others may require competency testing i.e. if there is to be a sea kayaking discipline, the teams’ ability to leave and return to shore should be assessed.
• Kit checks should take place at each and every event with strict penalties being applied for those teams missing mandatory equipment. A team that goes into the mountains without a shelter or sleeping bag is in danger.
• Medical backup should be available at positions easily accessible to most teams. Over longer point-to-point races, multiple medical crews should be provided as teams are spread out over hundreds of kilometres.

THE END

The purpose of a bike tow system is to assist slower and fatigued teammates; faster riders slow down and slower riders speed up such that the team’s overall speed increases. Towing systems are usually anchored to the seat post of the stronger rider’s bike (tower) and attached to the front of the weaker rider’s bike (towee). An alternative system is a waist-belt pair joined by bungy cord.

• length of PVC pipe
• short length of thin accessory cord (for connecting pipe to seat post and elevating it above the wheel from the seat underside)
• length of bungee cord or surgical tubing (alternative: length of accessory cord with bungee cord tied on both ends)
• light wire gate carabiner (optional)

• make two holes near the end of the PVC pipe (this is to thread a short length of
• thread the bungee cord through the length of the PVC pipe; tie one end around the seat post and knot it
• tread a piece of thin accessory cord through the two holes, and tie around the seat post (this keeps the PVC pipe close to the seat post and prevents it from floating along the length of cord); remember that the PVC pipe is not load-bearing
• use another piece of the thin accessory cord to suspend the pole from the rail underneath the seat – so that it doesn’t droop on to the wheel

• Option A: Cable tie an open hook (an ‘S’ gate carabiner will work) to the towee’s handlebar stem. Make a loop in the end of the tow rope. Attach a light-weight wire-gate carabiner to the loop. The towee will be easily able to clip it in to the ring – it is slightly more difficult to remove, especially over bumpy ground. An open ‘S’ hook carabiner is another option. This can be similarly fastened on to the stem of the towee’s handlebars; the two rope will have a loop in the end.
• Option B: A loop in the end of a surgical tubing tow rope fits quickly over the headset; it is also fastest and easiest to release in a hurry
• Option C: Make a loop in the end of tow rope. The towee holds it in their hand (their hand will be on their handlebars)

I’m not crazy about wet cold and my constitution doesn’t hold up to rolling swell on the open ocean; this explains why you are unlikely to find me doing a race in a wintery Scotland and I hesitate to enter a local event on the Wildcoast if it features a large sea kayaking leg. Race location is an important participation decider as it sets the seasonal, climatic (temperature, humidity, weather condition – sun, wind, precipitation) and topographic (relief, terrain, vegetation) tone for the event. It also determines the disciplines included in the race.

To explore strange new worlds

Adventure races offer variety. Participants can experience festivities in rural villages, desolate desert crossings, rafting on raging glacier-fed rivers and trekking through pristine alpine parks. The variety of terrain, even within a race, is an attraction that keeps racers in the sport for years. Course director, race distance and format aside, based purely on location, no two races are ever alike.

Throw in some other challenges

Distance alone is a devil.  Add technical navigation and dense vegetation to the standard mix of long stages, major elevation gain (and loss), extreme temperatures (hot and cold) and high altitude and you’ve got a bar-brawl of challenges. These factors affect the racing speeds of teams; that’s why teams will cover 400km in three days at one race and in seven days at another.

Sign us up for snowboarding lessons

“We’ve done rollerblading in Portugal, slot canyoneering and river boarding in Utah, coastal paddling with a three-metre high swell in New Zealand and glacier crossings in Greenland,” says Team Cyanosis’ captain and navigator Nicholas Mulder.

An event’s location and the season in which it is held opens a range of discipline possibilities. American and European races like to include rollerblading or kick biking; some winter events incorporate snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing or even ice climbing; and many seem fond of throwing wet-suit clad racers into near freezing rivers for adrenalin-rushed riverboarding or tubing stages.

If the discipline is a difficult one to train in South Africa, like snow skiing, options include taking a crash-course in Lesotho or abroad and giving it a bash at the race; or not entering races that include skiing if one has neither the necessary skills nor opportunity to gain proficiency. Most racers would probably select the latter option because travelling abroad to race is a costly investment in time and money and it’s better to go over with well-rounded competence in all of the event’s disciplines and a fighting chance of reaching the finish line.

But it’s a BIG race…?

In 2010, Poland’s Bergson Winter Challenge is hosting the Adventure Racing World Championships. This winter race includes snowy disciplines like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. You’re unlikely to find a South African team attending but you can be assured of seeing flags from Finland, Sweden, France and Spain.

“There are other races, like Bergson, that aren’t high on my priority list,” says Mulder. “I prefer to do races in a temperate or sub-tropical environment rather than a tropical jungle – there were too many horror stories of weird infections and viruses from Eco Challenge Borneo. It would take a special circumstance, like World Champs, before I would seriously consider racing in such an environment. I might not be totally adverse to certain terrain types, but there are others I’d agree to race in much quicker.”

Desirability factors

As much as the appeal of multiday races is the physical and mental challenges, adventure racing is fun and an adventurous way to see the World. The three most important factors that determine the desirability of a race are location, location and location. With these in mind you can select races held in places that interest you, at a time of year that is suited to your temperature preferences and that includes disciplines in which you have reasonable competence.

Author: Lisa de Speville | Published in Go Multi Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010 (issue 13.5)

Before you leave for the race (like a day or two before), read the information provided, check for compulsory equipment and print the race directions. Really. Don’t phone the organiser and pester them because you’re a lazy-butt. They’ve got lots of other things to deal with pre-race.

On arrival, check in at the race registration table to collect your race envelope. It may have instructions, maps, bibs and, most certainly, an indemnity form. Get each team member to sign the form and return it promptly. Read the race instructions. There is also usually a race briefing before the start. I loathe convoluted race briefings as I believe they should just welcome us, thank the sponsors and let us get going. When it comes to instructions and rules, my rule is that if it isn’t on paper, it doesn’t exist. Sure, it doesn’t always happen this way but it should. After 30-minutes (if that!) I can’t remember to turn left, right, right again and left at some obscure white post.

Anyway, don’t stress yourself before the race about the route, the disciplines and the distances. That’s the thing with adventure racing – adaptability and variability. And don’t make assumptions. Just attend the briefing, read the rules and do what you’re told. It’s as easy as that.

Sprint races and short course races (up to around 65km) will probably have a central transition area and are generally unsupported (no support crew required). And becuase of this central transition they’re a bit more spectator friendly. You can leave your bikes and gear for the running and biking disciplines in the transition area. You can also leave a bottle of water to refill your hydration reservoir/bottle and some food, like a banana, extra bars, sandwich and such – you don’t need to carry everything the whole time.

While you’re munching out on course, please take care that your wrappers from gels and bars don’t end up on the ground. Secure in you backpack and place in a bin when you return to the transition. It’s amazing how much stuff ends up on the ground when it wiggles out of pack pockets.

In short races you can expect to have running and biking and maybe some other obstacles thrown in for fun. The running and biking will be split into more than one leg – so even on a short 2-3hr race you could still have 3-4 legs. This is nice because then no one leg will be much more than 10-15km, which is a comparitive drop in the ocean on a bike. Obstacles require no special skills - they’re meant to be fun.

The start could see all the teams on the starting line for a group run/bike or you may receive instructions/maps at the start. If it’s the latter, teams will usually move to one side, read the instructions or the map to decide where to go or what to do first, and then they’ll move off in their own time.

Navigation is included in short adventure races too (multisport events have no nav – and they’re not often team events either). You can be assured that the navigation in short course events will be easy – it is not rocket science – and they don’t hide the controls. They’ll be on significant features like a big tree, fences, road junction and you should notice the control as you approach.

Each time you come in to the transition you’ll have to check-in with the marshal. You may have to check out with them too. You’ll be told in the briefing. If your team withdraws from the race, for whatever reason, be sure to tell the marshal. Very important! Make sure you’re checked off at the finish.

The pace of short events is faster than a 24hr and longer race so don’t be put off and think you could never do a longer race. They are as different as a 5km fun run is to Comrades Marathon.

And then, once the race is done, there’s a prize giving. Most events have lots of luck draw prizes so it is worth hanging around. It’s also fun to sit around chatting with other teams after the race.

It’s a similar setup for longer races – the main differences being that you’ll have a support crew who transports your gear and provides food; transitions will be all over the place as the race progresses; paddling will certainly be included; leg distances will be longer; and navigation will be a little more challenging.

That’s it.

To eat or to share

Tasty treats offer comfort to both the provider and the recipient, who may be the same person. Team Cyanosis workhorse, Clinton Mackintosh, has a thing for Sally Williams Nougat. “I pack at least four,” he says. “I usually use them for rewards. I set a goal and when we reach it I have a nougat.”

George ‘The Baron’ Forder, an experienced racer, guides ARinKZN (www.arkzn.co.za) and presents a number of events. His treats vary and if you’re in a bad way he’ll probably share with you. “My special comfort snacks are for myself or for anyone deserving – someone with a real need,” the Pietermaritzburg resident explains.

For others, treats are not just gastronomic delights – they’re a way to communicate with their teammates. Navigator Clinton Hardenberg is the brains behind Pretoria’s weekly Dark ‘n Dirty mountain bike rides. He uses his sweets to slow down the pace so that he has time to think. “I always carry a packet of jelly babies – they’re especially important for those really dark nights or conditions of thick mist. When I stop the team and say, ‘Let’s sit down and eat some jelly babies’ the team knows that I am actually saying that we are really lost and that I need time to find us on the map again.”

And after days of bars, gels, treats and sandwiches, reward your ivories. “I’ve got one of those small airline toothbrush and toothpaste kits in my pack,” says Garry Morrison. “A session of dental hygiene mid-way through a race always leaves me feeling great.”

‘Maybe I’ll use it sometime’ stuff

For Forder, water purification tablets and anti-inflammatory pills are a security blanket. They live in his first aid kit and although they’re rarely used, he likes to know they’re there. Cable ties and duct tape are common ‘accessories’ that find their way into backpacks. Hardenberg keeps duct tape wound around his hiking pole for emergency use. These situations could include ITB strapping, blister patching and the repair of a mountain bike tyre sidewall. “And,” he jokes, “it even deals with team members who are subject to verbal and other forms of diarrhoea.”

For years, the backpack of Team Cyanosis’ captain – and arguably the country’s top navigator – Nicholas Mulder, has been home to a child’s inflatable swimming ring (for floating his bike across water), Swiss Army knife, superglue and elastic bands. “It’s all weird stuff, but maybe I’ll use these things one day,” he laughs.

Pack a spare

A compass is a navigator’s steering wheel. G4 Challenge campaigner Richard Kolbe always brings a spare, which he gives to another team member to carry. “I’ve lost three compasses in adventure racing; once while crossing a river and twice when hiking in thorny bush areas where the compass string often gets caught on branches. Fortunately, in all cases, we had a spare.”

Gettin’ practical

A Leatherman-type plier tool is really useful,” says Hardenberg. “In one race I used it to tighten map board bolts, to loosen a trekking pole that wouldn’t extend and to cut a piece of wire from a fence to fix a rear derailleur flywheel that had come apart.”

Lauren Goulding, captain of Team Dewpoint, an all-girls team, is never seen without a BUFF. “If the weather is hot I soak my BUFF in rivers to cool down and in the cold they’re excellent for warmth and to protect your face from the wind.”

The use of a towrope, for foot and bike stages, helps to up a team’s overall speed. “Sometimes I get to tow; other times it’s my turn to be assisted,” says Team Cyanosis member and ropes specialist Ryno Griesel. “This is the awesome nature of this sport; it is about being the fastest possible team and being open enough to accept assistance when you go through a bad patch so that you can be carried through to recovery.”

Non-elastic strapping tape, like duct tape, finds an obvious home on twisted ankles and foot blisters. Its application also extends to preventing chaffing. Kolbe has used it under his arms, on his shoulders where the backpack straps rub and other prevalent chafe zones. “It works amazingly well; just a bit difficult getting off,” he says laughing.

Other practical essentials include toilet paper, gaiters, an extra pair of socks in a waterproof bag, needle to drain any blisters, light wind shell, sunblock and an anti-chafe formula for chafing (which can be used in obvious places, as well as your feet, to prevent blisters).

Less is more?

There’s a fine line between packing too many things you’ll never use and being MacGyver, prepared for all eventualities. But before your pack gets bogged down with excessive stuff and weight, weigh up your trinkets with careful consideration, especially if you have a good number that have never been used. Let go. That said, what is most important is that you are reassured (physically and mentally) that what you’re carrying will contribute to your comfort and safety.

Author: Lisa de Speville | Published in Go Multi Magazine, Nov/Dec 2009

What you need

• 0.25 metres of 4-way stretch fabric (I use regular lycra)
• 1.5 metres ’panty’ elastic (it is about 0.8mm in width)
• 1 metre thicker elastic approx 15mm wide and thicker and stronger than the ‘panty; elastic (this goes around your ankle)
• 25cm length of velcro (2cm width)
• Box of pins, thread, sewing machine/needle, sharp scissors and possibly a friend with sewing skills…

STEP 1
Measure and draw this pattern on a piece of paper (you’ll need to join two sheets together).

NOTE: This is an average pattern size. Because lycra stretches it generally works for most shoes. BUT… there are differences in fabric, even lycra (thickness and stretchiness) and this makes the biggest difference. Sometimes these things are a bit of trail and error…

STEP 2

• Fold your fabric in half, with right sides facing (in lycra, the right side is a little more shiny). Make sure the fabric is flat – no bumps and kinks.
• Place your pattern on the fabric and pin around the edges.
• Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut out the fabric (double layer)

STEP 3
Start with one piece of fabric (it’s like maths… what you do to the one side, you do to the other).

• Pin a 45cm length of the thin panty elastic to the bottom of the fabric (against the wrong side). Tip: I pin one end first, then the other. Then, stretch the elastic (yes, lycra is a bit longer than the elastic) and pin in the centre. Then repeat inbetween the ends and the centre.
• Sew the elastic to the fabric

Tip: ALWAYS pin and/or tack before you machine sew. If you have an overlocking machine, use it. If you just have a straight sewing machine, then stitch in the middle.

STEP 4
You can leave the bottom as it is… but I prefer to hem it.

• Roll the stitched elastic base up, pin and straight sew. This makes a neat hem. (‘Panty’ elastic will now be ‘hidden’)

STEP 5

• Repeat the same pinning and sewing process with the thicker elastic. I check the length required by measuring around my own ankle according to how tight I’d like the top of the gaiter. You do want it snug, but not cutting off your circulation. Probably about 22-26cm.

STEP 6

• Fold the shape in half, right sides together. Join the sides. This is where an overlocking machine is really great. If you sew with a straight machine, or by hand, sew two rows. Remember to pin and/or tack first, before sewing.

 

• Cut a 9cm length of velcro – both the fluffy and hooked sides.
• Cut another 3cm length of velcro – also both sides
• Tack (rough stitching) the short fluffy length on top of the long hooked side – both facing up (not stuck together). Do the same to the other two pieces.

Now grab the gaiter you’ve made. With it turned inside out, flatten it so that the main seam lies centre. Tack the velcro (double layer part) to this bottom end; then sew by machine. I make an X pattern.

STEP 8

• Turn them right side out
• Slip your foot into them (velcro towards your toes)
• Now put your foot into your trail shoe. Tie your laces.
• Pull the back down over the heel. It won’t slip because the elastic keeps the tension. Then hook the velcro over-and-under your bottom-most lace and stick the fluffy side on to the hooked side. Et voila!

Having organised the support for most of the races in which I’ve competed and having been on a support crew, I’ve made mistakes, like taking too much stuff and forgetting other useful items.

This practical support guide will give you an idea of the responsibility involved in seconding and will provide you with the basic tools to get your planning started. In time, you’ll have your own methods worked out, but for now, this should help to get you on the road.

• Support Crews: Planning & equipment
• Support Crews: Food, glorious food
• Support Crews: Pre-start preparation
• Support Crews: Transition area