RAID THE NORTH &
RAID THE NORTH EXTREME

A. THE ORGANIZERS

Raid the North and Raid the North Extreme are organized and staged by Frontier Adventure Sports & Training Inc. Race management reserves the right to add, modify, replace or cancel venues or events at any time. Race Management reserves the right to make changes and amendments to the rules and regulations at any time. In the event that changes are made, race management will contact all registered teams with the updates so that they may make the appropriate adjustments to their preparations for the race.

Each team must consist of four members, of which at least one must be male and one must be female. All teams members must be at least 16 years of age at the time of the race. The team must consist of the same four members throughout the race and all four members must stay together and complete the entire course together for the team to be officially ranked. All members of the team must be in good physical condition and be of reasonable health. All team members will be required to complete a medical form to verify this.

For Raid the North races, each team must also have a support crew of one or two people, and each support crew must have a vehicle suitable for rough roads (although 4 wheel drive is not required) and the capacity to transport the team to the start line. The support crew is then expected to transport all team gear to the transition areas where they will remain until their team passes through. Note: Teams requesting and fully paying for the 'unsupported' option are not required to have support crew. Teams competing in Raid the North Extreme will not be permitted to have a support crew.

To be considered a registered team, the team captain must submit all required paperwork and full payment for the race ($1,495 CDN plus hst for Raid the North races or $4,500 CDN plus hst for Extreme) on or before the stated deadline date (typically eight weeks prior to the start of the race). If all paperwork and full payment is not received by this date the team may be forced to forfeit their spot in the race and their non-refundable down payment ($495 CDN plus hst for Raid the North or $1,995 CDN plus hst for Extreme). If circumstances exist that require a team to make their final payment after the deadline and they have informed Race Management and received approval, that payment must come in the form of a certified cheque or money order.

If a team is unable or chooses not to participate, the non-refundable down payment may be transferred to another race up until 6 weeks before the race the team is currently registered for. There is an administrative fee of $50 for transferring a downpayment. If less than 6 weeks prior to the event, the down payment and whole of the entry fee becomes non-refundable or transferable under any circumstances. If a team cannot or does not choose to participate in the race they forfeit the entire amount. If the race registration is sold out and a replacement team can be found to compete in the now vacant slot (either by race management or the withdrawing team) the entry fee paid by the replacing team will go to the withdrawing team (minus a $100 CDN administration fee). In other words, the registration fee is transferable to another team, but not refundable under any circumstances. Please note, if registration for the race is not full, than any additional teams found by race management to compete in the race will be considered new teams and NOT replacement teams for a withdrawing team.

Race Management reserves the right to restrict access to the race for any team without an explanation. Entry into the race is handled on a first-come, first-serve basis only if the applying teams are approved by race management. Race management also reserves the right to remove any team from the registered team list should race management feel that team will not be suitably prepared for the event or may act in a way that will be harmful to themselves, other participants (including but not limited to competitors, volunteers, media and staff) or the event as a whole. In this situation the team will be notified immediately upon finalization of the decision and their full entry fee will be refunded. Note, the entry fee will not be refunded if the team chooses not to compete, but only in situations where race management refuses a team from the race.

Each team must check in for registration at basecamp by 11:00 a.m. one day prior to the race for Raid the North races and by 8:00 a.m. two days prior to the race for Raid the North Extreme (actual times may change based on individual race. Refer to Schedule of Events in Competitor Updates). At this point, race management will verify with the team captain that all paperwork is in order. The paperwork required includes:

• completed and signed medical forms from each team member (including support crew);
• signed waivers from each team member (including support crew);
• full payment of entrance fee for the team and complete contact information for each team member;
• signed image release forms from each team member (including support crew).

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

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

One member of the team will also be required to pass a navigation test. That member must demonstrate the following:

• familiarity with a 1:50,000 topographical map;
• familiarity with UTM grid system (6 digit grid coordinates);
• familiarity with a compass and declination;
• familiarity with triangulation.

If the navigator for a team has already passed a navigation test at a previous Raid the North race and is recorded in Frontier records as having done so, the team will be exempt from the navigation test.

If the particular race includes rope sections, each team will also be required to attend a ropes review session put on by a rope rescue instructor at registration. Each team member will then be required to demonstrate a basic understanding of rappelling techniques. If a participant has participated in the ropes review at a previous Raid the North race and has been recorded in Frontier records as having done so or can show proof of certified ability with ropes, that participant is exempt from the ropes review.

At least two members of each team must attend an emergency protocol briefing run by Frontier medical staff. If at least two members have attended an emergency protocol briefing at a previous Raid the North event in the last two years and are recorded in Frontier records as having done so, the team will be exempt from attending the briefing.

No other skills will be tested in registration for the Raid the North races, although it is expected that all team members are familiar with each discipline of the race. For Raid the North Extreme, all four members of each team must pass all of the skills tests detailed in the race material unless notified by Frontier staff that they are exempt from the tests. All teams will be notified of necessary skills tests and certifications for Raid the North Extreme prior to final payment being due for the race.

Following registration, all teams must attend the race briefing scheduled for the late afternoon prior to a Raid the North race or the day before Raid the North Extreme (times may change depending on individual race). The race briefing will consist of an introduction of all teams competing in the race, distribution of the race package, description of some of the obstacles and challenges on the course and a question and answer period. Race management will be available until 10:00 p.m. on the night prior to the race to answer any further questions that do not get answered during the race briefing.

The race package given to each team will include all maps required for the race (including maps for the support crew), course instructions with the grid coordinates for all checkpoints and transition areas. Passports are no longer necessary in Raid the North events.

The maps provided in the race package are the only maps permitted on the course. Any team found using maps other than those provided may be disqualified from the official rankings. This includes the use of non-provided maps, other than standard road maps (with a scale no less than 1:500,000), by the support crew.

The course instructions will include brief descriptions of particular obstacles to watch for throughout the course and a list of all checkpoints on the course. Each checkpoint will be denoted by a 6-digit UTM grid coordinate. The racecourse and checkpoints will not be marked on the maps. It is the responsibility of each team to correctly plot the coordinates of all checkpoints on the map as well as determine the route they wish to follow. Some of the checkpoints given will also be labeled as transition areas. These areas are the only points at which teams will be allowed to meet up with their support crews. Instructions will also be included for when support crews must check in to each transition area.

The racecourse will start at an undisclosed location. The course will cover roughly 125+ kms for a Raid the North race or 450+ kms for a Raid the North Extreme race and pass through a series of checkpoints. Teams must travel through all checkpoints in the order specified by race management. At each checkpoint the team must check in and sign the official checkpoint tracking sheet presented by the checkpoint staff. It is the team's responsibility to ensure that an official time is recorded for their team at that checkpoint and to sign the sheet to verify it. Should a discrepancy occur, an unsigned sheet will not be considered valid.

Any team that did not pass through all checkpoints in order will not be included in the official rankings. If a team misses a checkpoint they will be allowed to backtrack to reach it, but must still pass through all subsequent checkpoints in order, even if they had already visited those checkpoints (e.g. If you are at checkpoint 10 and realize you missed checkpoint 7, you will be allowed to backtrack to checkpoint 7 but must then pass back through checkpoints 8, 9 and 10 to maintain status as an officially ranked team).

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

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

There will be one official race clock for the entire race and all teams. The clock will start at the sound of a horn at the start line and will remain running until the pre-determined cutoff time for the race. The official time for each team will be recorded when all four members reach the checkpoint or finish line. If a team receives a time penalty for a violation of the race rules and regulations, they must wait out the duration of their time penalty at a designated area prior to crossing the finish line. In so doing, the order that teams cross the finish line will represent the official rankings and results.

Certain cut-off times will be established for later sections on the course. If teams do not reach these points by the cut-off time established it is assumed that it will not be possible for them to complete the entire course within the maximum time allowed. At this point, each team will be given a choice to either continue on the course as long as they can (to be determined by race management) or to be moved ahead on the course by vehicle to a later section so that they may cross the finish line. Teams that choose to be transported ahead on the course will not be ranked ahead of a team that did not get transported. All cut-off times will be communicated at the race briefing and will be listed in the course instructions provided in the race package.

For Raid the North races, the racecourse will remain open for 4 additional hours after the 36 hour maximum allowable time. Teams meeting all other cut-offs along the way have until 4:00pm on Sunday to reach the finish line.

Most Raid the North Series races will include an Advanced Section. This will be a series of extra checkpoints near the end of the race involving one or more disciplines. Teams reaching the checkpoint from which the Advanced Section starts before a pre-determined cut-off time will proceed onto the Advanced Section. Teams reaching the checkpoint from which the Advanced Section starts after the pre-determined cut-off time for the Advanced Section but before the pre-determined cut-off time for the race (this second cut-off time is set to the point where teams not passing the checkpoint before will not have enough time to complete the entire race) will proceed on the regular racecourse. Teams continuing on the regular racecourse are still fully ranked teams in the race.

All teams completing the Advanced Section and the entire race as a ranked team will be ranked ahead of all teams completing the regular course. Teams that take the Advanced Section but do not finish the race will be ranked as having not completed the course (therefore, behind any team that completes the entire regular course) . Final standings for the race will be posted with only one category. No distinctions in rankings will be made between the Advanced Section finishers and the regular course finishers, other than as described above.

For some races, it may not prove feasible to include an Advanced Section due to terrain, climate or other issues. In these situations the race will proceed normally with all teams following the same course.

The first team to have all four members cross the finish line and have passed through all checkpoints in order will be the winners. All teams starting the race with a complete team of 4 will be ranked according to the furthest CP they reached and the time they reached the CP. All teams finishing the race will be ranked ahead of any team not finishing the race. If two or more teams finished at the same checkpoint (such as the finish line) they will be ranked according to arrival time at the CP. Any team completing the Advanced Section of the race and completing the entire race as a ranked team will automatically be ranked ahead of teams finishing as ranked teams on the regular course. Any team proceeding with only 3 members will be ranked according to the furthest checkpoint they reached as a complete team of 4.

The distance traveled between checkpoints will not be considered in the rankings. Only the time of arrival at the furthest checkpoint will be used to determine a team's ranking.

All team members must wear the Raid the North race jersey provided at all times during the race. It must be worn as the outer layer (so it is in plain sight at all times) and may not be altered in any way. Removing any race logos from the jersey, covering logos or adding logos may result in disqualification from the race. All team members must also have a number plate (provided) attached to the front of their mountain bike at all times during the mountain bike sections. Teams are free to wear any other items or logos for their team sponsors provided they do not interfere with the Raid the North event sponsor logos.

Each team must have a support crew consisting of one or two members who have been registered with race management (support crews are not required for Extreme). At least one support crew member must possess a valid driver's license. The support crew will be allowed to meet up with and assist their team in the designated transition areas only. Any assistance provided outside of the designated transition area may result in disqualification for the team. The support crew must also have a vehicle suitable for rough road travel. All vehicles must be registered with race management. Please note, teams that request and fully pay for the 'unsupported' option will not be required to have a support crew for the race.

Support crews must obey all traffic laws while participating in the event and drive responsibly and safely at all times. If a support crew is observed speeding, driving recklessly or in violation of any other rule of safe driving that support crew's team may be disqualified from the race.

Teams and support crews will be required to supply their own food and drink for the entire race, including the night prior to the race. Water will be provided by race staff at transition areas only. Teams will also be responsible for the supply and handling of all equipment required for the race, unless otherwise noted in the Mandatory Gear List provided for each race (equipment provided by race management).

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

The specific Mandatory Equipment list for each race will be provided with the update information for that race and will be labeled as Mandatory Equipment and dated as to when it was created. Please note, the equipment list is subject to change. Race Management will endeavor to inform teams of any changes as they arise.

Certain items on the mandatory gear list will be provided by race management (as marked on the list). These items must remain with the team for the duration of the section they are assigned for and must be returned to the race staff at the end of the section in good condition. Damage to any equipment provided by race management, beyond a reasonable level of wear and tear, may result in a time penalty or disqualification and the team will be responsible for paying for the damages.

Personal Paddles - The only exception on the mandatory gear list will be with paddles. Teams may bring their own paddles to be used in the paddling sections only. Teams with personal paddles will not be required to take the paddles provided by Raid the North.

Emergency Radios - Teams will be required to leave a credit card as a security deposit for the emergency radio. The card will be returned to the team captain when the radio is returned at the end of the race and it has been verified to be in full working order. Teams will be responsible for any damages caused to the radios. Although the radios will be provided in sealed bags, these are not to be considered waterproof bags. Any water damage to the radio is the responsibility of the team.

The following is a list of equipment that is forbidden during Raid the North. Any team possessing any of these items will be disqualified from the race.

• GPS device with location data (see below for clarification)
• night vision goggles
• weapons of any sort (with the exception of the mandatory knife)
• any mode of transportation not authorized by Raid the North event organizers
• maps not provided by Raid the North
• cell phones, two-way radios or any other communication device not provided by race management

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

Any device that provides data about your current position, either on a map or by providing coordinates, is forbidden.

This means any device that provides no location data or information will be allowed. This would include GPS trackers, heart rate monitors, pedometers, watches and other devices that provide distance travelled.

Each team will be given an emergency radio that must be carried at all times during the race. The radio will be in a sealed bag. In the event of an emergency, the team must use the radio to contact race management and rescue procedures will be set in motion. NOTE: There is no penalty for using the radio when on the racecourse. Teams will only be disqualified from the race if they require outside assistance to continue.

Teams are encouraged to help each other while on the course. No penalty will be incurred for receiving assistance from another team. If a team comes in contact with another team that is in an emergency situation they are required to stop and help. Failure to help another team requiring emergency assistance may result in disqualification. Teams that do offer assistance in emergency situations may be awarded a time bonus.

Weather conditions may restrict safe travel for certain sections of the course. Race management reserves the right to make changes to the course or restrict travel on certain sections due to weather conditions.

During times of extreme weather conditions, teams that cannot verbally inform race officials of their location and status are required to use their emergency radio to report to race management. Teams will not be disqualified for using their emergency radio during extreme weather conditions.

Any team that is on the racecourse between checkpoints beyond a specified cut-off time is required to radio race officials to inform officials of their position and status. As well, any team taking more than 12 hours (24 hours for Raid the North Extreme) to reach a checkpoint from the previous checkpoint must radio race officials to identify their location and status.

It is mandatory that all team members wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket at all times during the canoeing and whitewater sections of the course. Similarly, it is mandatory that all team members wear a mountain bike helmet at all times during the mountain bike section. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

The use of any illicit or illegal drugs or prescription medication not prescribed to the user for that specific use is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification from the race and removal from the course. Similarly, the use of IV's other than those administered by race medical staff is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification from the race and removal from the course. In cases of blatant disregard for this ruling, competitors or teams in violation may be permanently banned from the Raid the North race series.

Teams may only voluntarily withdraw from the competition at designated transition areas, with the exception of injury situations. Any team that voluntarily withdraws from the race must be transported back to the finish line by their support crew. If a team voluntarily withdraws at an area other than a transition area and it is not as a result of an injury or a safety concern, they will be required to pay for the cost of removing them from the course.

If only one member of a team withdraws and the remainder of the team wishes to continue on the course, they may only do so with specific permission from race management. The remaining members must remain at the transition area until the member withdrawing is in the care of the team's support crew or race management and the race management approves the continued travel by the remaining members. From that point forward, the team will not be officially ranked. Race management reserves the right to issue a time penalty to any team wishing to continue unranked. This would be done to prevent unranked teams from interfering with the progress of officially ranked teams. Also, race management reserves the right to stop an unranked team at any time on the course and not allow further progress, regardless of the circumstances of the initial permission to continue on the course unranked. Please note, no team will be allowed to continue with less than 3 members.

Race management reserves the right to issue time penalties to teams, disqualify teams from the official rankings or remove teams from the course if they violate any of the rules and regulations of the race. The severity of the penalty will be depend on the severity of the offence and will be decided by judges. The following is a list of violations:

• team members getting separated by more than 100 metres;
• changing the team composition during the race (substituting one or more members of the team);
• missing mandatory equipment;
• not following the prescribed rules of safe travel (e.g. wearing approved life jacket for canoeing);
• possessing forbidden equipment;
• failing to wear the provided race bib as the outer layer at all times;
• receiving any outside assistance including from support crews outside of the designated transition areas;
• possessing maps of the race course area other than those provided by race management;
• using any means of transportation not authorized by race management;
• any environmental damage;
• deviation from mandatory course;
• unfair behaviour.

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

All event participants must act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times during a Raid the North event, including during registration and pre-race activities and post-race activities. Specifically, teams should obey the following principles:

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

Any team or support crew observed not acting in an environmentally responsible manner may be disqualified from the event (in the case of a support crew, that support crew's team will be disqualified from the race). Any team or support crew observed showing blatant disregard for the environment may be permanently banned from future Frontier Adventure Sports events.