Race Regulations

1. General:

Florina Trail Challenge (in short FTC) consists of 3 trail running races and 2 road races, which take place on the trails of Varnouda and in the city, the second weekend of June. All races start & finish at Florina (New Park Area).

The trail running races are 31, 16 & 6 km long, with a mixture of trails and forest roads, covering 90%, 84% & 60% of the above routes. These races start on Sunday 12th of June. For participation on the 31 km race, athletes need to have the necessary experience.

The road race of 5 km, which takes place in the city, is designed with the standards of urban trail, including street stairs, steep ascends and descends, running over sidewalks and paved roads. Finally, the 1.1 km race, is a race for children in an around New Park Area. The road races start on Saturday 11th of June.

2. Philosophy:

FTC constitutes a trail running athletic event, with the necessary support. The trails of Varnouda are compatible, with soft terrain, ideal for new comers, but equally demanding, with continuous changes of slope for more experienced athletes. It was our choice to offer 3 races, in order to cover, as much as possible, a larger spectrum of athletes and provide them with the race they really want to participate.

Regarding the urban trail race, it’s another way to guide you through the city of Florina, while running beside Sakoulevas’ banks. For those, who would like to combine the road race with a trail running race, there are combination packages. Finally, the road race of 1.1 km, is a way to introduce children to the concept of running.

3. Eligibility:

• 31Km Route: Eligible are men and women of 20 years of age (1996) and above
  
• 16 Km Route: Eligible are men and women of 18 years of age (1998) and above .
• 6 Km Route:  Eligible are men and women of 15 years of age (2001) and above.
• 5 Km Route: Eligible are men and women of 15 years of age (2001) and above.
• 1.1 Km Route: Eligible are children 6-12 years of age.

Minors should produce a Parent Statement. Download HERE, sign and deliver it to the Secretarial on Saturday or Sunday. Without the Parent Statement, no minor can participate in the event.

4. Cancelation of Participation:

Every athlete, who has completed the registration process, is allowed to full fee repayment, when the cancelation is done by the Organization, until the 8th of June 2016. After the above date, no cancelation is possible.

5. Briefing: 

The Organization will brief the athletes, on the afternoon of Saturday 11th of June, at the Multiple Applications Area, which is situated 50 m., from the starting point, at the New Park Area. Information will be provided about the terrain of the routes, the dangerous areas, the Supply Stations (S.S.), the upcoming weather report, whereas questions of participants will be answered.

Time of briefing for Arctos Trail is from 19:30 to 20:00 and for Lupus Trail from 20:00 to 20:30.

6. Participants Number:

The Secretarial will be open on:

• Saturday 11th of June 2016, at the Multiple Applications Area, at noon from 12:00 to 14:00 and in the afternoon from 18:30 to 20:30.  At this area, the race packages will be given, together with gift bags and a light supper from local flavours in a nice packaging (Arctos/Lupus Trail). For Sakoulevas Run the race packages will be given only in noon hours.
  
• Sunday 12th of June 2016, at the New Park Area, from 08:15 to 08:45 the last race packages for Arctos Trail and from 08:45 to 09:15, the last race packages for Lupus & Lynx Trail.

No number will be provided to a third party, except to the individual athlete, who needs to provide a proper ID or password.

7. Security:

The Organization disclaims any responsibility for a potential damage of health or physical integrity (injury of death) of the athletes participating in the races. Every athlete should know, if his/hers level of fitness is adequate in order to participate safely in one of FTC’s routes. Signing the Statement of Participation, the athlete accepts personally the liability of his/hers participation in a trail running athletic event, taking the necessary precautions.

During the races, the Organization will appoint members of EDOPA at S.S., in order to provide First Aid to athletes. In addition, in case of emergency, evacuation of athletes would be possible from specific S.S. to the New Park Area, where an appointed physician will be present, or to Florina’s Hospital in case of severe injury.

Every athlete has the moral obligation to assist his/hers teammates, if they are in any kind of peril. In case of immediate danger, an athlete should notify the Station Master of the next S.S.

8. External Assistance/Escort: 

External assistance to athletes is allowed, from anybody, only in S.S. Escort of athletes is prohibited from non athletes. Escort of an athlete is punishable with exclusion from the race.

Escort of an athlete from family members or friends is allowed at the last (city) segment of the route.

9. Auxiliaries:

The use of walking poles is allowed. It is also allowed, the possession and use of map, compass, GPS device or mobile phone.

10. Environmental Protection:

During the race, it is obvious that an athlete should avoid leaving any kind of object on the trails, such as bottles or any kind of solid or liquid package of food. In every S.S. there will be a special plastic waste bag. Athletes are obliged to dispose their waste in that bag.

Intentional pollution of the route, except the S.S., is punishable by exclusion from the race.

11. Supply Stations:

On Sunday there are 4 S.S. in total, where athletes could refuel. All S.S. have water supply. There is one main station (Trifillitsi), equipped with all types of food. The other stations (Polivolio, Kataskinoseis, Oropedio) are equipped with some types of food. You can see HERE.

In addition, there is first aid support in some stations (Trifillitsi, Kataskinoseis, and Polivolio).

On Saturday, there is 1 station (Heroes Sq.), where athletes could have water and receive, is necessary, first aid support.

Head of every S.S. is the Station Master, who except supply issues is responsible for a possible interruption of the race, exclusion of athletes, penalty application e.g.

12. Valid Termination Time Limit:

Every athlete is considered that finished timely the race, if he/she pass through every check point of the route and finish within the time limit. Every termination is considered overdue, if it is outside the time limit set by the Organization.

Athletes that abandoned the race with their own will or they are excluded due to overdue arrival to one of the Points of Time Exclusion (P.T.E.), are listed on the board as DNF, but they are not entitled to the commemorative medal.

13. Points of Time Exclusion:

Arctos Trail, Kataskinoseis, Κ13, (S.S.) at 2:40 hours from the start.
Arctos Trail, 150 m., from Kria Vrisi, Κ19, (outside S.S.) at 4 hours from the start.
Lupus Trail, Trifillitsi, Κ9, (S.S.) at 2:15 hours from the start.

The time limits are set for the security of the athletes. As recording time, which could potentially exclude the athlete, is the time of arrival to the above points.

Athletes that are excluded due to time limits are obliged to return their bib number to the Station Master (the bib number will be given to them, from the Secretarial after the end of the race).

Athletes who want to continue their effort, despite the fact that are excluded due to time limits, are free to do so, at their own risk. These athletes could not have any support from the Organization, or have any kind of requirements from the part of the Organization.

14. Abandonment: 

Athletes, who abandon the race, are obliged to move to points, set by the Organization to transfer athletes to finish area. Such points are:

Arctos Trail, Trifillitsi, Κ9 & Κ24, (S.S.)
Arctos Trail, Kataskinoseis, Κ13, (S.S.)
Arctos Trail, 150 m., from Kria Vrisi, Κ19, (outside S.S.)
Lupus Trail,Trifillitsi , Κ9, (S.S.)
Lynx Trail, Polivolio, Κ4, (S.S.)

From these points there will be transfers with vehicles of the Organization, at irregular time intervals. If an athlete abandons the race at a point with vehicle access, he/she can negotiate with the Station Master of the nearest S.S., a possible transfer after the end of the race.

In case an athlete abandons in any other point from the above, then he/she could try to reach one of these points, or walk back to New Park Area.

15. Objections: 

Objections for any reason are declared only by the same athlete, no later than 30‘from the finish of the athlete. The final decision for any objection is the responsibility of the Race Director and the Station Master in whose area of responsibility, the event took place. The decision is published no later from the awards ceremony.

16. Penalties: 

For all offenses, the penalty of exclusion from the race is imposed. The penalties are immediately enforceable from the Station Masters of other authorized personnel.
Exclusion is imposed:

• Refusal to comply with the suggestions of authorized personnel of the Organization.
• Deliberate pollution of the route.
• Inappropriate behaviour towards the personnel of the Organization or fellow athletes.
• Shortening the route
• Use of transport to shorten the route.
• Lost one of the P.T.E.
• Support outside S.S.
• Escort on route (outside S.S.) from person without a bib number.
• Loss of bib number.

For any misconduct of inappropriate /violent behavior, and/or deceitful tactics, the exclusion might be of a permanent nature.

17. Personal Data:

The Organization , while respecting the relevant legislation is not going to make known to third parties the personal information of athletes who apply for participation. Publishable are only the name of the athlete , the home town and age.

18. Liability Disclaimer:

The Organization is not responsible for the death , injury or any damage to the health of the competitors, who by submitting the application form, declare that they know the risks that exist and afirm that their health condition is good and allows them to compete. It is the responsibility of the competitors to have recently been examined by a doctor for that matter. Competitors agree to the free use of their name and image by the Organization, the media and the sponsors of the event for promotional purposes. The Organization disclaims any responsibility for the physical integrity of athletes. It is the responsibility of the competitors to behave responsibly in dangerous parts of the routes. Finally, the Organization declines any financial responsibility in the event of external assistance to any athlete.

19. Regulations Amendment:

The Organization reserves the right to modify these rules without prior notice.