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RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE KHOMAS100

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

  • The Khomas100 powered by Hollard is a UCI and Namibian Cycling Federation (NCF) sanctioned event, therefore, UCI race rules will apply. Riders are expected to display good sportsmanship and prioritise the safety of themselves and others.
  • Participants must be in good physical condition to participate in any of the events organised by Khomas100. The minimum age to enter the 143km is 18 years.
  • Age is determined on 31 December in the year of the event.

 

WITHDRAWAL

  • Participants who wish to withdraw from the race must inform the organisers immediately.
  • Failure to inform the race directors may cause a search and rescue action – the cost of which will be for the participant’s account.
  • If you need to withdraw from the race for whatever reason, you need to inform any one of the following personnel directly:
    – Paramedics
    – Khomas100 personnel at any one of the checkpoints.
    – Inform any of the race officials in Indongo Toyota Cars.
    – Call our emergency number on the race documentation.
  • Merely informing another participant of your withdrawal will not be deemed sufficient notice of withdrawal. In such an instance the race organisers cannot be held liable for any costs involving a search party.
  • If you need to withdraw from the race and you find yourself before the halfway point, a sweep vehicle will recover you from the route and take you to the halfway point. You will be responsible for arranging your own as well as your bike transfer from there.
  • If you need to withdraw from the race at any point between the halfway mark and the finish, a sweep vehicle will recover you from the route and take you to the finish. You will be responsible for arranging your own as well as your bike transfer back to the start.

 

RULES AND SAFETY

FAIR PLAY

  • Slower participants must make way for faster riders.
  • Riders must take caution when the route is not clear or coming to an intersection or road crossing.
  • Riders should be prepared to brake before steep downhills.
  • Riders must obey all traffic rules.
  • Bike repairs should be done in a visible area on the edge of the road.
  • In case of a sprint to the finish, you must hold your line.
  • No outside seconding or assistance is permitted under any circumstances.
  • Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting riders – neutral tech zones excluded.
  • If you go off course, you will have to go back to where you went off course and follow the correct course. 
  • If riders are caught taking short cuts/shorter routes other than the official course, they will be disqualified.

 

SAFETY AND BAD SPORTSMANSHIP

These rules are essential to the safety of riders and if disregarded may lead to immediate disqualification. Khomas100 has the right to disqualify any participant on the following grounds:

  • Technical or equipment problems.
  • If a rider has been declared medically unfit to ride by a medical official.
  • Disregarding any of the fair play rules.
  • Unsportsmanlike behaviour.
    ”Pushing” or “pulling” by a third party.
  • Any disrespect to the environment or race personnel.
  • Not wearing a helmet.
  • All helmets must comply with international ‘ANSI’ standards.
  • Appropriate riding attire, including a shirt, must be worn at all times.
  • Smoking on the route is not permitted.
  • Bike modifications will be checked at the start of the race, make sure your bike is compliant (contact racedirector@khomas100.com.na).

 

RIDER IDENTIFICATION

  • Riders must display their race numbers at all times.
  • Bike numbers must be firmly fixed on the front of the bike, and may not be obscured by cables or any other item.
  • Race numbers may not be modified or mutilated in any way, including cutting, adding stickers, removing existing stickers or trimming.
  • No outside seconding or assistance is permitted under any circumstances.
  • Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting riders.

 

NUTRITION AND WATER POINTS

  • Riders retain the ultimate responsibility to carry enough water and nutrition with them.
  • Khomas100 will provide water and other snacks at official water points on the route.

 

ENVIRONMENT

  • We will enforce littering, cutting trails and environmental abuse with stiff penalties. Every participant who is caught disregarding the environment will be fined a two (2) hundred dollar penalty for the first offence and disqualification for the second offence.
  • In the case of environmental concerns, Khomas100 has the right to cancel, delay or reroute the race. Participants will not be reimbursed in a situation where the event or part of an event had to be cancelled due to environmental conditions that were out of Khomas100’s control.

 

RACE TIMING

  • Riders have to report to the start line at least 30 minutes before the start of their race.
  • Riders will be briefed 15 minutes before the start.
  • In the event of a batched start, riders will be briefed before the start of each batch.
  • The start line will remain open for 15 minutes after the start “gun”.
  • Timing will start with the start “gun”.
  • Riders that do not reach designated cut-off points in time will be prevented from continuing and will be swept from the course and classified as DNF (did not finish).
  • Cut-off points can be enforced at any time if the organisers deem the situation as unsafe. 

 

REFUND POLICY

  • No entry fee shall be refunded to a participant for a cancellation of the Event due to acts of God (so-called Force Majeure), which acts shall include but not be limited to adverse weather conditions, riots, strikes, political unrest and/or any other occurrence not within the control of the event organiser. 
  • No refund shall be given if a participant cancels their entry into the event. The event organiser may consider a refund under exceptional circumstances such as illness and/or any other extraordinary circumstance. In that case, the organiser will evaluate a request for refund on its merits and such refund shall be at the discretion of the Event Organiser.
  • Cancellation due to COVID-19: Should the event be cancelled by the organiser due to COVID-19 related reasons, every rider shall be entitled to have their entry automatically moved to a new date specified by the race organiser.

 

DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF COMMISSAIRE

  • Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where a specific provision for any incident has not been made in these rules, the decision of the chief commissaire will be final.
  • There will be no reimbursement of costs to the participant in case of disqualification.

 

LIABILITY

  • The organisers, sponsors, volunteers and event personnel are not responsible for any injury or damage that may occur during the event, or cancellations, delays or re-routing due to extreme weather (including, but not limited to, heat, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, storms, lightning and floods), accidents, acts of war or terrorism, military conflicts or riots, pandemic or endemic outbreaks or for any reason that, in the organiser’s discretion, will protect the safety and security of Event participants and spectators. In the event of such cancellation, there will be no refund of registration fees.
  • By entering this event, participants agree that Khomas100, their agents, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and sponsors shall not be held responsible for any death, illness, injury, loss or damage of any kind sustained by any rider while participating in this event and all related activities, caused in any manner whatsoever.

 

BASIC GRAVEL BIKE RACING RULES AND ETIQUETTE

  • Riders must complete the entire route, and the responsibility for following the official route lies with the rider.
  • A rider is not permitted to take any shortcuts or take advantage of a similar nature against competitors.
    Riders who exit the course for any reason must return to the course at the same point from which they exited.
  • Any walking, running or riding by a rider, carried out without the intention of directly re-joining the course, or other activity in breach of the regulations, which takes place outside of the marked course area, can result in disqualification.
  • A rider cannot receive any technical assistance along the course from an outside party.
  • Riders must respect the countryside and ride only on the official route.

 

E-BIKE

GENERAL

An E-Mountain Bike is a bike operated with two energy sources, human pedal power and an electric engine, which only provides assistance when the rider is pedaling. An E-Mountain bike must conform to the following bike standards:
– Engine of maximum 250watts
– Engine assistance up to 25km/h
– Pedaling assistance only, although start-up assistance not exceeding 6km/h without pedaling is allowed.

 

AGE CATEGORY

E-Mountain Bike events are open to riders aged 18 and over.

There will be no prize money for E-Bike riders.

 

BATTERY

Full distance E-bike riders will be able to hand in their clearly marked batteries at registration and then collect it at Waterpoint 2 (60km). Nowhere else. Please ensure both batteries are marked clearly. No private support cars will be allowed on the route. Riders receiving outside assistance other than at the designated stations from support crew will be disqualified.