All participants must be registered and
must sign required waiver statements during the Check-in before the
race. Register early -- there is Late Registration before the race, however, there is
an extra fee for race-day registration.
All Team members must attend the Mandatory Pre-Race Meeting. See BEAR
UPDATES page for location and time details.
Safety is the most important part of this
event. All Teams must act in a safe manner, both for themselves and for other Teams. If a
Team feels that any portion of The BEAR is unsafe for their own level of training and
preparation, they should reconsider continuing. If dropping out of the race, a Team must
notify Race Mangers at the Main Transition/Admin area. We highly
recommend that at least two members of each Team be trained in First Aid
and CPR.
All Teams must have and wear designated
race numbers from the Race Director; race numbers must be visible on front of Team
members at all times. Additional race number markings may be written on Teammates by Race
Managers to ensure clearer identification during the race.
Each Team (all members) must check-in at
each Check Point in proper sequential order to finish this event. Each Team may receive a Check-in Marker OR have their BEAR Passport punched at each Check Point reached
as a Team.
Bike helmets must be worn and secured by
straps at all times that Teams are riding or in contact with bikes, including within
transition areas. Life jackets must be worn and secured at all times when in and around
the kayaks or canoes.
Each Team must have and carry all
Mandatory Equipment, including a basic First Aid kit at all times. See the Bear Essentials page for more detail about
Mandatory Equipment.
There will be one Main Transition area located
at the race site. Teams may keep some of their equipment, fluids, and supplies at this
transition.
Good Sportsmanship is essential. Teams
showing unsportsmanlike conduct will be disqualified. The decision of Race Managers will
be final in this situation. Teams will carry our all of their trash.
Any Team found to be
littering on the race course will be disqualified.
Teams must complete each leg or segment
of the course as instructed, marked, or directed, and must do so together as a Team.
Teams arriving at any Check Point without a Team member will suffer severe penalties or be
disqualified at the discretion of Race Officials. Use of any GPS
device (including Garmin Forerunner) or any other electronic
equipment is not allowed.
Teams may assist each other without penalty in the race if they choose.
After the start, Teams receiving any
outside assistance from spectators, friends, bystanders along the course, or any other
non-racing person will be DQ'd (disqualified). Refunds or credits are not permitted for
disqualification.
Each Team must approach each Check Point
and cross the finish line with all members of the Team together. Any Team member
arriving at the Finish-- or any Check Point -- without his or her Team will be sent
back on the course to rejoin the Team or that Team could face severe penalties. Teams will
not pass any Check Point or start a mystery test unless all Team members
are together. Each mystery test must be completed as a Team.
In order to finish, Teams must account
for and turn in all required Check Point markers. Markers are provided at various Check
Points along the course. It is the responsibility of the Teams to secure these markers and
carry them for verification throughout the Race. There will only be one marker per Team at
any Check Point, so it is essential that Teams carefully protect their markers.
Each team will use its own kayaks or
canoes, paddles, life jackets, and mountain bikes. On Race Day morning, your Team's kayaks
or canoe, paddles, life jackets, and bikes must be brought to the appropriate
location (designated by Race Managers at Pre-Race Meeting). Each team must have one
non-inflatable, USCG approved life jacket for each member of the Team and
each member will wear his or her life jacket at all times when in and
around the kayaks or canoes. Each Team member must have a bike for the race.
Teams must stay close together throughout
all Stages of The BEAR race. Each Team will be
required to have at least one life jacket with the Team during
any Team Swim.
The life jacket(s) may be worn, carried, pulled, or pushed by the Team. If the Team is
judged by Race Managers to have been separated or if it loses possession of the life
jacket(s) at any time while on the swim, the Team will be directed to re-group or
regain possession of the life jacket(s) and re-start the Swim segment.
There is a 10-hour time limit.
There is also an intermediate cut-off: Teams must actually
begin the final segment and have passed its designated Check Point in order to
continue officially racing. Teams that have not passed the necessary cut-off
in time, or that have not finished within 10 hours of the start, will be officially scored as "DNF"
(Did Not Finish).
Rules and Required Equipment can change
at any time prior to the Start of The BEAR. Teams are responsible for
checking on this Rules list, The BEAR Essentials page,
and The BEAR Survival Guide periodically
prior to race day to be certain of any updates to these Rules and Required Equipment. Teams
must have Mandatory Equipment with the Team as designated in The
BEAR Essentials page. Your failure to have your Mandatory Equipment at verification
points along The BEAR course or at the finish will be reason for disqualification or
severe penalties for your Team at the discretion of the Race Officials.
A Team will be disqualified if found to
be carrying, holding or using Forbidden Equipment as listed in The BEAR Essentials.
Race Officials reserve the right to
disqualify or remove a Team from the course and from competition for health, safety,
sportsmanship, or other reasons at the discretion of the Race Officials.
