THESE ARE THE RULES
- Captain/Co-Captain:
Each team must designate a captain and co-captain. Team captains will represent the team in all correspondence and communications before, during and after the event. The co-captain can represent the team during the event when the captain is unavailable. Only team captains and co-captains can file protests.
- Race Meeting:
The team captain and/or co-captain must attend the pre-race meeting, though everyone on the team is welcome to attend.
- Start/Finish Area (Timing/Check-In-Station):
Once in the Start/Finish area or in the teams’ pit area, racers may change, repair or replace any equipment. They may even swap entire bikes. In the Start/Finish area or in the teams’ pit area, racers may accept support from anyone. Also, teams may bring as many support people as they would like, but their support is limited to the Start/Finish area or the teams’ pit area (not on course).
- Race Course:
Only official registered racers are allowed to ride on the designated race course during the event. Course Marshals are the only officials that are allowed to walk the course.
- Support:
Technical or mechanical support on course may only be supplied by registered racers. Supporting racers must access the course under their own power (i.e. foot travel or on bike) and that access can only be achieved by going in the direction of the course. Shortcutting the course is not allowed (See rule #6). Supporting racers should stay clear of all competing racers. Supporting racers may take any equipment or tools with them; they may even swap bikes with a teammate. Support can be provided by any registered racer, on any team, to any registered racer on any team.
- Shortcutting:
Shortcutting on the course shall result in immediate disqualification of that racer’s entire team.
- Aid:
Water and food may be supplied to any racer by anyone, anywhere on the course. However, racers must stay well clear of the course when taking food and water. Please, do not litter.
- Draft:
Racers can draft, but they may only draft other registered racers.
- Right of Way:
Racers riding bicycles have the right of way over racers pushing bicycles. When practical, racers pushing bikes should stay on the least ridden portion of the trail when being passed.
- Lapping:
Lapped riders should yield to leaders. Leaders should be very vocal when preparing to pass any racer. “PASSING ON YOUR LEFT!” “PASSING ON YOUR RIGHT!” should be used. It’s the responsibility of the challenging racer to overtake safely. Riders being lapped must yield on the first command.
- Position:
When two riders are vying for position, the leading rider does not necessarily have to yield position to the challenging rider. However, a rider may not bodily interfere, intending to impede another rider’s progress; this is to be considered highly unsportsmanlike behavior.
- Foul Riding:
Use of profane or abusive language and any other unsportsmanlike behavior will be taken very seriously. Such behavior by any racer shall subject that racer’s entire team to a warning or immediate disqualification. This will be strictly applied when such behavior is directed at course officials, volunteers or spectators. The penalty imposed is at the discretion of the race director or co-director, should the race director be unavailable.
- Protests:
Protests can only be made by team captains or co-captains. Protests will be made in writing and delivered to the race director or co-director anytime during the race, or up to 30 minutes after the posting of the final results. Protests should contain any information that supports the protest, including a description of the incident, witnesses’ names, addresses, phone numbers and a signature of the protesting team captain. It will be up to the team to keep track of what your team has done for laps to accompany a protest. This sheet will be the only item accepted for protests regarding laps & times. A $50.00 fee shall be submitted, in cash, with the protest. The fee will be forfeited to the race director if the protest is denied or refunded if the protest is upheld.
- Rulings:
The Event Director and Co-Director have the final say in any ruling.
- Quiet Hours:
Quiet hours will be imposed in the camping area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 11:00pm until 7:00am. During this time period we ask that all noise in the camping area be kept to a minimum. You may be wide-awake but it doesn’t mean everyone else should be.
- Lighting Requirements:
During the night ride, racers must have a primary light source attached to the bike or the helmet of the rider. In addition, each rider must carry a secondary or backup light source in the form of a penlight, flashlight or other lighting system.
- Night Riding:
Racers entering the course between 7:00pm Saturday and 6:00am Sunday must show that both the primary and secondary light sources are in good working order and are functioning. If we determine that your lighting system is not acceptable you will not be allowed on course. After 8:15pm on Saturday, riders are required to ride with the lights on. Riding with lights out to save batteries is both dangerous and against the rules. In the unfortunate event that both lighting systems fail, it will be permissible to leave your bike on the side of the course, out of the way and leaning against a tree while you take the shortest route back for fresh batteries then return and continue on your way. Lights must remain on when entering or leaving the scoring tent. After 6:00am on Sunday, lights may be turned off and dismounted.
- Charging Station:
Battery re-chargers may be plugged in at the designated charging station. Be sure the chargers and the batteries are clearly marked with either your name or your team’s name. Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center will not be responsible for the security of either the batteries or the chargers. Please be courteous to your fellow riders’ equipment. Treat it like you want your own equipment treated.
- Check-In/Out Stations:
Racers must log in and log out on each lap at the Check-in and Check-out Stations under the main tent. Each rider will have a chip associated with that individual rider. The chips are not interchangeable and must be carried by the correct team member. Chips will be provided in the racing package picked up at registration. Chips may be worn on the rider, or attached to the rider’s bike.
Although the primary timing is done with chips, manual timing is an important back-up system that is used in case of electronic system failure. Races must give their number as to the registrar as they come into the tent, and as they leave the tent. Races on-course and off-course time will be tracked separately by checking in and out for each lap. A team’s time will be inclusive of all of their off-course time. In other words, the clock is ticking the entire time.
- Consecutive Laps:
A racer may ride consecutive laps, but must log in/out at the Check In and Check Out Stations under the main tent after each lap. If a racer is staying in for additional laps they must log out and in each time. If the racer does not do this, only one lap will be counted, not two. Solo racers will also follow this rule.
- Verifying the Log Sheet:
Laps will be compiled and recorded for each racer and displayed online on the live results website. It’s the team’s responsibility to verify that each rider is logged-in and logged-out correctly. Please be patient and courteous while verifying information with your registrar. A good habit is to state your number first, then your name, to confirm that your registrar is logging you in correctly.
- Minimum Lap Requirements:
NO minimum lap requirements per racer. Ride as many laps as you can in a 24 hour period.
- Loss of bike plate:
The loss of a bike plate does not create a time penalty. However, if a racer does not have a plate at the start of his lap, he will be required to retrieve his bike plate or purchase a new one for $5 from race staff before he can log in to start his lap. In the event that a racer does not have a bike plate at the finish of his lap, a finish time will be recorded on the log sheet and entered manually into the computer with a chip Error Report Form.
- Loss of timing chip:
The loss of a timing chip does not create a time penalty. However, if a racer does not have a timing chip at the start of his lap, he will be required to retrieve his chip or purchase a replacement one for $55 from race staff before he can log in to start his lap. In the event that a racer does not have a chip at the finish of his lap, a finish time will be recorded on the log sheet and entered manually into the computer with a chip Error Report Form.
- Canceling a Rider’s Lap:
Once on the course, a racer must complete his or her lap. However, the team has the option of canceling a rider’s lap and restarting from the Timing Tent with a substitute. This is a difficult and costly decision, but if the first rider is unable to complete the lap for any reason, it may be to the team’s advantage to cancel that rider’s lap. Any team member can cancel a rider’s lap by notifying the team’s registrar at the Timing Tent. Once a cancellation has been made it cannot be rescinded. If a team cancels a riders lap and is restarting with a new rider, the new rider inherits the log in time of the canceled rider’s lap.
- Dismount Area:
Just prior to entering the timing tent you will pass under the Start Arch, this is also the designated dismount area. Riders finishing a lap must dismount completely at this point and proceed on foot. This is much safer for everyone. Riders who do not completely dismount will receive a five-minute penalty. Second offense, the lap is not counted. Riding on one pedal into the tent will also result in a penalty. Please dismount and walk or run to the tent then walk to the registrar.
- The Finish:
You do not need to have a rider on course at midnight for the 12 HoGG or at noon for the 24HoGG.
Each team’s final placement will be determined by the number of laps the team has completed and the finish time of the teams’ last lap.
For example, a team that has completed 28 laps with a finish time of 12:31pm would beat a team that completed 28 laps with a finish time 12:47pm.
And of course, a team that completed 29 laps, finishing at 12:50pm would beat them both.
- IMPORTANT:
The race will officially end at 1:15 am for 12 HOGG or 1:15pm Sunday for 24 HOGG. If your last rider is not logged out by then the lap will not count.
- Catastrophic Failure:
In the case of catastrophic failure due to weather or another extenuating circumstance that prevents the ongoing scoring of the event or creates a racing environment that is deemed too dangerous for the participants, the race director may call the race as of a certain time. Final results will be calculated based on each team’s placement at the call time as determined by that team’s last completed lap. This rule is intended to be exercised as a last resort, in the most dire of situations, when no other means is available to continue scoring the event or when the potential for serious harm or loss of life becomes imminent.
- EMS Ghost Rider:
In the event that a racer stops to assist in the care of a seriously injured fellow racer which requires an EMS response, Ghost Rider procedures will be implemented. The EMS personnel will radio to the Log Tent the name and number of the assisting racer. Race staff will then inform the team of the assisting racer to prepare the next rider on their team. That rider will be allowed to start his lap based on the assisting racer’s “ghost rider” lap time which will be based on the fastest of either the assisting riders average lap time or the team’s average lap time.
- Dogs and Other Pets:
NO DOGS or OTHER PETS allowed on the property during this event. No Exceptions. Bring a pet and you will be asked to leave, period.
- Safety:
For safety reasons, as well as company policy, please do not ride your bike or walk on the Mt. Washington Auto Road. You will find two entrance/exit ways to the campground. The first is located by the main entrance of the campground; the second is by the split rail fence in the far North West corner of the campground. Please use these at all times.
- The Final Rule:
Follow the spirit of the event. This event is about endurance, camaraderie, competition, sportsmanship, skill, desire, confidence, mental & physical conditioning and teamwork. Most importantly it is about FUN! Be Prepared! We encourage all of you to build a strong team of riders and support people for the weekend. Do your research and show up ready to enjoy the weekend. Tinker Bell is here to help! We want you to walk away from this event feeling as good as we do when it’s over.
To ensure a safe event we take these rules very seriously.
Rules are subject to change.
All rules apply to 12-hour division as well.