Gauja is the longest river, which begins and ends in Latvia – it has more than 420 km long. Want to have it in full length? Why not – at the first days of May it will happen! Gauja River Quest XXL 2010 will be day and night race, totally 3 days! The winner will become the first Latvian champion in this distance.
Relay race is organized in the form of three degrees of difficulty – 420 km (8×50 km, full length), 210 km (4×50 km, a half length) and 100 km (4X25 km, short distance) (Apart from the relay are organized special competition Gauja XXL Special (310 km) for strongest paddlers with mandatory stops at special checkpoints, see bottom of page).
420 km (8 X 50 km) distance – at least 2 times each of the boats should be used and each participant must travel at least 2 legs.
210 km (4 x 50 km) distance – at least 1 time each boat should be used and each participant must run at least 1 leg, at night stages each team must run double boat (or two single).
100 km (4 x 25 km) distance – at least 1 time each boat should be used and each participant must run at least 1 leg.
Gauja XXL Special (310) km is an individual competition with mandatory stops at checkpoints..
Participants are prohibited to run 2 consecutive legs (with the exception of the boat). Track has eight (420 km distance) or four (210 km (4X50 km) and 100 km (4X25 km) distance) intermediate finish lines, reducing the number of them or exchange is strictly prohibited. The Winner of the race is the team, which first arrives at finish and is taken all the legs (see Annex 1).
This is a team competition!
The team consists of at least 2 boats and at least 4 people, and at least one support vehicle. The team may not have more than 2 boats from the same class. 420 and 210 km distance teams must have at least two different classes of boats one of which is a double boat. (Except Gauja XXL Special (310) km and 100 km (4 x 25 km) where one boat per team is allowed).
Startup procedure
The first leg participants will have relay bullets and will be given the common start. At the next intermediate finish, the boats from the first leg have finish and boats of the second leg will be given start. Thus, all the participants are changed at every leg, after finishing of last leg participant, relay bullet pass to the judge.
Event time
May 1-3, 2010, from Friday to Sunday – Monday morning;
Registration
At Lodes bridge near village Taurene (420 km (8X50 km)) May 1, up to 6:30, start at 7:00,
Spicrāmis (200 km (4×50 km) ) May 2, up to 14:30, start at 15:00,
Raiskuma bridge Cesis (100 km (4×25 km)) May 3, up to 6:30, start at 7:00
Lejasciems bridge (Gauja XXL Special 310 km) May 2, up to 4:45, start at 5:00
Finsh wil be open from 20:00 May 3 until 05:00 May 4.
The difficulty and complexity of characterization: Multiday Marathon (in addition a one-day 100 km (4X25) relay popular class);
The required training and qualification: not to see paddle first time. With willpower alone may not be enough.
Getting the starting points: the teams do it independently.
Extra evacuation: the teams do it independently.
Membership fee – Ls 8 per participant (including the supporting stuff) until February 10, after it Ls 10
Payments should be pay to:
Didzis Sedlenieks
SEB Nr. LV26UNLA0050015043919 (LVL)
SEB, SWIFT kods UNLALV2X.
Comments and Notes: This is a team competition, where the team works together and plans their own strategy. If you take part in the full race (420 km (8x50km) and want to arrive previous day, camping site (your own tent) will be situated close to start point. If you a have plan to arrive previous evening, check the box in the registration form.
Additional information: Didzis Sedlenieks: + 371 29268924 sedlenieki@apollo.lv Skype: Gauja XXL 2010
GAUJA XXL SPECIAL
.Gauja XXL Special is multiday marathon along the Gauja river from the bridge Lejasciems to the highway Riga-Tallinn (AI) bridge Carnikava at a total distance of ~ 303 km, which is divided into two phases with a mandatory 7 h stop.
Participants, who apply for participation in a marathon, should be aware of their physical fitness and health status of such length and intensity of the distance, as well as preparation for the race should include the following, not less important factors and risks:
– Perhaps part of the distance will be taken after dark, which may seriously hamper orientation on the river;
– Distance and the pursuit of personal well-being may affect the unpredictable weather at the beginning of May (probably cold, frost, rain, snow, low temperatures);
– Due increased physical activity pain to the shoulder may occur, hand and arm dislocations, muscle pain, back pain and other health problems, hallucinations, etc..
– Lack of clothing may result in hypothermia, fatigue, lack of food and drinking may result in fatigue, dehydration etc.;
– Obstacles in the river (rocks, tree branches, stones, rapids).
Participants should be provided with the necessary equipment, including several layers of warm clothes, rain clothes, food, the opportunity to cook a hot drinking, suitable inventory to spend night at open air. .
Proper equipment is part of the guarantee to finish the race. Good physical fitness and rowing skills is not enough.
1. Race timing: May 1 – 4
The rules of competition: Gauja XXL Statute and Annexes 1 and 2. If participant is in non-compliance with this statute, the Judge of competition are entitled to disqualify a team.
2. Participants:
Competition can apply for everyone who wants to enjoy and discover itself unprecedented emotions, for everyone who feels mental and physical strength to do so, and has attained the age of 18.
Persons under 18 years of age may participate in competition only with written parental permission, and only on double boats or barges (voyageur), together with adult persons.
Participation fee:
Participation fee for GAUJA XXL SPECIAL is – Ls 8 per participant (including the supporting stuff) until February 10, after it Ls 10.
Payments should be paid to: Didzis Sedlenieks,160362-10622 SEB Nr. LV26UNLA0050015043919 SWIFT code UNLALV2X.
Participation fee should be paid immediately after registration
3. Boats
Allowed types:
- Single and double sea or touring kayaks, min. length 4.40 m;
- single, double and 4 seated canoes, min. length 4:40 m.
- 12- seated Voyager canoes.
It is not allowed asymmetric or flat-water marathon canoes and kayaks, other means of propulsion (nutty tools), sails or motors.
Boat exchange during the race is prohibited.
4. Minimum requisites
Each team must equip themselves with the following minimum inventory:
- life jacket, which must be weared (and fastened) during the entire distance, while on the water;
- spare paddle in the boat;
- bowl for water withdrawal from the boat (eg, sponge, plastic cup or pump);
- river map (the river description or GPS) (track description will be the issued bay the Judge);
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first aid kit containing necessary individual medicines, gauze, or watertight patch, disinfectant (eg, hydrogen peroxide);
- enabled mobile phone with charged batteries in waterproof purse, affixed to the rider clothing;
- head lamp with spare battery pack;
- Drinking water and food * (min. amount of 5 liters of water per person per stage)
* organizers recommends to chose products that provide sustained energy; do not try to go distance with just a few chocolates, bananas or dried fruits;
i. metal bowl to prepare hot drink (e.g. tea, soup, hot vitamin drink) (3 servings per member to the team per stage);
j. gas / alcohol primus, fuel for it, water balloon and matches in a safe container;
k. metallic bowl for boiling a water;
l shelter and sleeping bag for each participant;
m. layer of dry clothes (preferably wool, fleece clothing) in the water-safe bag for each phase;
n. tape (Mc Gaver type);
o. headwear;
p. passport (for border zone).
r. cash;
Mandatory equipment may added or change at checkpoint Strenči . If any of the listed minimum inventory is exhausted at the distance of lost / damaged, for next phase it MUST be restored!
If life jacket is not used or not fastened properly, team should be disqualified, regardless the violation committed by one or more team members.
5. Participant arrival, registration and equipment check
Participants arriving at the Lejasciems bridge at May 1, registration takes place 16:00 – 21:00
At the registration time mandatory equipment is also checked and participants will have further instructions.
Registration will be stopped at 21:00. The team, which has not arrived fully completed until 21:00, is not registered.
6. Starting procedure
Starting command for all registered teams will be given May 2 at 5:00 in the morning. Starting line will be open for 1 hour. The team, which has not on the run within an hour after the start, will be disqualified.
Organizers have the right to refuse start for a registered team, which does not have all mandatory equipment.
7. Checkpoints
The run have several checkpoints, where participants should arrive not later than that specified in regulations. The team, which arrives in one of the checkpoints after control time should be disqualified. Teams, of course, can continue the distance as tourists.
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At the checkpoint Strenči assistance from the side is allowed. It is also allowed to replace or add mandatory inventory, if necessary (food and water replenishment, change clothes, etc..)
Teams, which are arrived in checkpoint Strenči should to continue the race only after 7 hours from arrival; Teams have rights to continue the distance after about 7 hours from time of arrival, but in this case will be considered, that the team is transited from checkpoint Strenči 7 hours after arrival there. Time will be calculated without taking into account the actual departure time from checkpoint Sternči; Before leaving the checkpoint Strenči, the Judge shall check the inventory. The team has no right to leave the checkpoint Strenči before the mandatory equipment is checked. |
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| 3rd checkpoint |
Sigulda. 252 km from the start. Control time – May 3 22:00. The team should call the Judge, stating the number of team. Estimated arrival of the leaders 15:00 |
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| FINISH | Approximately 1 km before the Riga-Tallinn highway bridge. 303 km from the start. Control time – May 05:00 Finishing time of the team will be recorded by the Judge. Estimated arrival of the leaders. 21:00 |
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8. On the run
8.1. When participant is on the run, any planned or unplanned assistance (including, inventory change, food supplementation, etc.) from the side is forbidden, except in case of an accident and at checkpoint Strenči . If the team has received unauthorized assistance, they are obliged immediately, but not later than 30 minutes after the finish, inform the Judge about it In each case the judge decides whether the unauthorized assistance is awarded by the penalty minutes, taking out from the race or team has to be disqualified
8.2. Participants during the run should inform the Judge by telephone in the following cases:
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on arrival at the checkpoint;
- if accident if is happened to the team or its members;
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for each known incident, which happened to another team;
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- in case of unplanned stop which is longer than 1 hour, regardless of the reason for stopping;
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- in case of withdrawal from the race (even if the team evacuated by the support group).
8.3. Each team has a duty to provide necessary assistance to other team (such as the boat capsizing, acute health problems, etc.) or call for assistance to the Judge, if the same assistance is not possible. Assisting team has no right to leave the victims until it is satisfied that injured crew has help from the side. Participants, who have not given assistance to the team in danger, though it was a real opportunity to provide such assistance, shall be disqualified from the race “for life”.
8.4 22:00- 04:00 it is mandatory to use the head lamp.
8.5. Participants is prohibited to throw out food or other garbage away in the river or on the banks, only in waste collection containers / urns.
8.6.Participants is forbidden to interfere other teams including, threaten the safety of other teams (such as roll-over the boat).
8.7.Participants is prohibited to use alcoholic, narcotic or other intoxicating substances while in the run.
Evacuation:
Race organizers do not provide retired participants “collection”, it is made by participant support group efforts or by contacting the Judge. In this case it is a paid service Ls 30.
Recommendation:
If the participant while on the run feel physically and mentally impaired by fatigue, hypothermia or start to feel signs of dehydration, health or other problems, participants are advised to cease participation in the race and join the coast to change clothes, make a hot drink, eat, relax, etc.. In any case, make decision about the continuation of the race only after rest.
NB! If participants decided to withdraw from the race, it should be able to get to the next checkpoint, where the team has not own supporting group!
9. Responsibility
Participants are responsible that information, given to organizers at the registration sheet, is correct.
Applying to the race, contestant certifies that he has read the Statute and its Annexes, the participant has understood and agrees to be aware of all the risks of competition, as well as stating that race, during or after will not be brought claims against the organizers in connection with injuries or damages, which happens due to the participants own negligence, congestion, weather conditions or the underestimation of others.
Participants have the right and obligation to carry the extra safety equipment deemed necessary for the run.