regulation
2023

1. ELS BASTIONS

Els Bastions is a trail running sports event that has several races of different distances: ULTRA / MARATHON / TRAIL

2. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

THE VALLEY OF RIBES, MOUNTAIN PARADISE
Ribes de Freser, la Vall de Ribes and the great peaks that surround it are one of the most spectacular corners of the Eastern Pyrenees. Thick forests, native fauna and flora, endless paths, history, small towns and unique viewpoints such as Puigmal. An unbeatable place for practicing mountain races!
Therefore, we ask for your collaboration and respect for the established protection regulations.
Remember that: For more information on good environmental practices that must be followed during warm-up and competition, visit the Good Practices Manual (FEDME).

LINK: https://www.gencat.cat/mediamb/publicacions/monografies/codi_bones_practiques.pdf

3. ETHICS AND VALUES:

Els Bastions are based on an ethic and essential values shared by runners, sponsors, volunteers and organizers. And this commitment is certified with the Biosphere seal.
LINK: https://www.biospheresustainable.com/en/community/ocisport/2594

3.1. Eco-responsability

Do not leave garbage to nature, use the available containers, respect the flora and fauna, and strictly follow the marked route without using shortcuts. The organization will use, whenever possible, reusable or recyclable material and will proceed to selective collection (batteries, paper, plastic, etc.). The marking of the route, carried out on foot, will be collected the same day. The cleaning of the course will take place immediately after the last runner. Communication on paper will be reduced to a minimum, prioritizing electronic support.

3.2. Solidarity
The respect of the runners, the volunteers, the sponsors and the public are fundamental elements of Els Bastions.

3.3. Anti-doping controls
3.3.1. Anti-doping controls may be carried out in any of the races according to the regulations of each nation, the AMA protocol and in accordance with the corresponding national federation.
3.3.2. Competitors are required to attend anti-doping controls assigned to them, in accordance with the rules of each nation and the AMA protocol.

4. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
4.1. Minimum age:
Each distance has a minimum age to participate:
The modalities ULTRA / MARATHON / TRAIL the minimum age will be 18 years old on the day of the race.
4.2. Registration: Have completed the registration correctly. The fact of registering shows the participant’s agreement with these regulations.
4.3. Material: Each runner will have to bring the mandatory material requested by the organization plus the one they deem appropriate to withstand the conditions of the mountain and the journey based on their conditions, the weather and the route.

ULTRA: MATERIAL A (required)

• Trail type sports shoes that fully cover the foot.
• Thermal or survival blanket (minimum size 2 x 1.2 m).
• Frontal
• Hydration system (at least 1 l).
• Backpack or equivalent piece.
• Mobile phone turned on and not in airplane mode.
• Screen jacket with a hood in waterproof fabric (at least 10,000 mm of water column) and breathable, Gore-Tex®, Membrain®, H2NO®, HyVent® or similar type, with heat-sealed seams and runner size.
• Reserve caloric food appropriate to the route and the number and type of refreshments of the test.
• Second long-sleeved thermal layer of at least 180 g and the runner’s size.
• Long tights or pirate tights combined with camal.
• Cap, tubular or similar piece.

MATERIAL B (according to weather forecast)

• Waterproof pants.
• Gloves.

TRAIL: MATERIAL A (required)

• Trail-type sports shoes that fully cover the foot.
• Thermal or survival blanket (minimum size 2 x 1.2 m).
• Hydration system (at least 1 l).
• Backpack or equivalent piece.
• Mobile phone turned on and not in airplane mode.
• Folding screen jacket with a hood made of waterproof (at least 10,000 mm water column) and breathable fabric, Gore-Tex®, Membrain®, H2NO®, HyVent® or similar, with heat-sealed seams and runner size.
• Reservation of caloric food appropriate to the route and the number and type of refreshments of the test.
• Cap, tubular or similar piece.

MATERIAL B (according to weather forecast)

• Second long-sleeved thermal layer of at least 180 g and the runner’s size.
• Long tights or pirate tights combined with camal.

4.4. Insurance:
4.4.1. The organization will have third party civil liability insurance in force according to current regulations.
4.4.2. Participants will have to have a minimum accident insurance that covers the activity (FEEC License – Mode C). Participants who do not have a federation license for this modality will have to contract it at the time of registration.
4.5. Categories
Male and female categories will be defined:

ULTRA / MARATHON / TRAIL:
• Absolute
• Junior (18, 19 and 20 years old as of December 31, 2023)
• Veterans (ages 40-49 as of December 31, 2023)
• Master 50 (from 50 to 59 years as of December 31, 2023)
• Master 60 (from 60 to December 31, 2023)

4.6. Money back guarantee
The organization offers a Refund Guarantee according to which 100% of the registration will be refunded to all runners who have contracted this service at the time of registration, by notification up to 7 days before the race.

5. CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION
5.1. Cancellation conditions:
Any cancellation of registration must be done by email to: [email protected]. Cancellations by telephone will not be accepted. Payment of the registration refund will be made by crediting the card used at the time of registration, subject to the following conditions.
Application date Reimbursement percentage
Up to 30 days before 80%
From 29 to 15 days 50%
From 14 to 8 days 25%
Less than 8 days 0%

6. RESPONSIBILITIES
6.1. Participants and organizers are subject to compliance with Royal Decree 1428/2003, of 21 November, which regulates the General Regulation of Circulation, and more specifically article 14 of Annex 2.

6.2. The participants accept the regulations and exempt the organizers from all responsibility in the event of an accident or material or bodily damage suffered during, before or after the competition

6.3. Participants compete at all times under their own free will. So you are informed that participation in this sporting event involves a risk of injury, which can be serious or even death.

Participants accept and are responsible for the risk involved in participating. Understanding that there may be: and damages suffered during the race, such as for example and without excluding other reasons, those caused by falls (whatever the reason), accidents, health problems derived from sports practice, illnesses, fainting , injuries (however serious) caused by fauna or flora, etc., or material damage including loss, destruction, breakage, theft or loss, due to sports accidents or due to the dynamics of the activity itself.

6.4. It will be the obligation of the participants to progress safely at all times, they feel responsible for their actions and responsible at the same time for assuming the risk of the activity and the environment. This type of competition, when taking place in the natural environment, in places with difficult control and access, implies an additional risk for the participants. By virtue of this, the participants attend of their own volition and initiative, feeling aware and assuming the risks and consequences inherent in participating in this test.

7. SECURITY
7.1. The organization will place, at certain points along the route and at the checkpoints, specialized personnel in charge of ensuring the safety of the participants. It is mandatory to follow the instructions of this staff who will be conveniently identified.

7.2. Medical personnel and ambulances will be available at strategic points along the route to intervene in case of need. These medical assistance locations will be indicated on the official race map.

7.3. There will be a barre team in charge of closing the race and collecting all the marks from it after it has passed. Because if a participant has been overtaken by the barre team, he will not find marks.

7.4. In the event of adverse weather conditions or force majeure, the organization reserves the right to suspend, neutralize or modify the time slots and/or the route and refreshments. In this case, the registration fee will not be refunded.

8. CAREER DIRECTION
8.1. The Race Directors and referees may remove a runner from the competition when they consider that his physical or technical abilities have decreased due to fatigue, he does not have the mandatory equipment, or his conditions are not appropriate to continue in the race.

8.2. The competition jury will be able to suspend, shorten, neutralize or stop the race, for safety or causes of force majeure beyond its control (climatology, external causes, etc.).

8.3. The Commissioners of the CP are responsible for the Mandatory Crossing Control Points. The participants will not be able to claim or question the rules, classifications and itineraries to the commissioners.

8.4. The organization reserves the right to modify the bases of Els Bastions or suspend them, in the event of force majeure.

9. CONTROLS

9.1. Passing all Controls is mandatory. The participants are responsible for registering their step for each one of them and for the goal. The loss of the chip or its deterioration implies the corresponding penalty. In the controls of there will be staff of the organization.

9.2. All mandatory checkpoints will be marked on the map, but there may be other surprise checkpoints during the route so that all participants follow the marked itinerary and respect the regulations. All Controls have the same mandatory validity, so not passing one of them implies the corresponding penalty.

9.3. The route between controls must be made following the marked markings and in the established direction. For reasons of safety, sportsmanship and the environment, you cannot leave the marked route.

10. EXIT / FINISH CONTROL
10.1. Before leaving, a control will be carried out to be able to access the closed exit area:
• Verification of race numbers.
• All or part of the mandatory material can be verified by the arbitrators.
• Participants who do not provide the mandatory material, or who present it unusable or defective, will be subject to the corresponding penalty.
10.2. After crossing the finish line, a check will be made to leave the closed finish area:
• All or part of the mandatory material can be verified by the referees.

11. BACKS
11.1. It is necessary to present an identity document with a photograph to be able to pick up the number. In no case can the number be changed with a third person. In no case will the bib number or the gifts be sent to the runner’s address if they have not participated in the race.
11.2. Participants will have to wear the number provided by the organization at all times. The number must be placed on the front and must always be visible, it cannot be cut, folded, covered or modified.

12. FINISHER

All participants who finish the distance in which they registered at Els Bastions within the established time will be considered Finishers and will be given a gift corresponding to their distance.

13. IMAGE RIGHTS

By registering, every participant waives the use of their image rights and authorizes the organization and its sponsors to freely use and publish any photograph or recorded video in the context of the race.

14. TIMELINE

14.1. The correct step is mandatory for all the control points provided for this purpose, including the exit and the finish line.
14.2. If the test had to be interrupted and suspended at a point on the route, the classification will be determined according to the order and time of arrival at the point of interruption or, if not, at the last control performed.

15. SUPPLIES

15.1. There are different types of refreshments distributed along the route:
• Liquids
• Solid / light (drinks, sweet foods, salty foods)
• Solids (drinks, sweet foods, salty foods, pasta…)

15.2. Reusable cup. There will be no disposable plastic cups in the race. Each runner has to take a container with him to be able to drink at the refreshments.

It is very important and the responsibility of each runner to correctly manage their supplies, adapting to the distances that may be between them and calculating their needs very well. We ask everyone to review in detail the location of the refreshments and adapt the race tactics to this fact.

16. METEOROLOGY

In the event of adverse weather conditions or force majeure, the organization reserves the right to suspend, neutralize or modify the time slots and/or the route and refreshments. In this case, the registration fee will not be refunded.

17. ASSISTANCE

17.1. Personal assistance is allowed exclusively at the refreshment points established by the organization. Except in these specific areas, it is prohibited to count on the assistance, company or external refreshments of a person not registered for the race.

17.2. Life bag: in the distance that the life bag is enabled, it will be released when collecting the bib and sports equipment can be put on. The organization will only transport this bag and not others. The Life Bag will have to be clearly identified with the runner’s number, as well as being very closed with no protruding material.

18. ABANDON US

18.1. Volunteers: Except in case of injury, it is only possible to leave at a control point. If this point is not accessible by vehicle, the runner will have to access the nearest evacuation point by his own means. It is forbidden to leave the marked route without having informed the organization and without being duly authorized. It is mandatory to register if it is a timing control point.

18.2 Obliged: The organization can momentarily stop a runner or force him to leave the race if he considers that his condition endangers his physical integrity or his safety.

19. PENALTIES
19.1. A penalty of three minutes can be applied up to disqualification:
• Throw trash outside the control areas (100m +/-);
• Receive any type of assistance in unauthorized areas (not in specified points such as the places of help);
• Not following the road signs, voluntarily or not;
• Do not wear the bib number in plain view or that has been tampered with;
• Falsify the output;
• Do not go through the mandatory control points;
• Show unsportsmanlike behavior: do not assist another competitor who needs help;
• Do not take or use the required material;
• Not respecting the instructions of the organizers or the judges.

19.2. The disqualification will be applied for:
• Not participating in the presentation of prizes without justifiable cause;
• Refusal to submit to anti-doping tests or give a positive result in an anti-doping test.

20. CLAIMS

20.1. They must be written and ratified with the claimant’s number and bib number at the finish line or in the publication of the provisional results. A deposit of up to 20 euros can be required, which will be refunded if the case is accepted.

Complaints can be made up to one hour after the publication of the provisional results.

21. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS

21.1. This regulation is generic to the Els Bastions event and affects all the races that take place.
21.2. Each race will be able to have its own specific regulations where more technical aspects of the regulation are defined, it feels like an extension of it. Reference is made to cut-off times, maximum race time, mandatory material and categories.