Event and Race Rules

Safety Considerations

As a SkyRun Zim participant, you are responsible for yourself and should know the rules and regulations of the race. You need to be able to clearly evaluate your mental and physical abilities. You need to be sufficiently trained and keep all the necessary equipment with you. Runners should be able to complete the race in a semi-autonomous manner in terms of food, drink, clothing and safety. This requires an ability to adapt and face expected or unexpected problems (darkness, bad weather, physical ailments, injury, etc.). 

The Event takes place on extremely technical, single-track hiking trails. Running on such trails comes with inherent risks that runners accept upon entering the event. Runners will be in remote areas where help is not always nearby for extended periods and need to be prepared accordingly in cases of emergency. 
 
In addition to trail conditions, other potential dangers include but are not limited to wet/slippery trail conditions (mud, roots and rocks), wet/slippery rope crossings, river crossings, bees/bee stings, and steep drop-offs/cliffs. Caution must be taken with regard to personal safety and incidents of crime. While highly unlikely that such incidents will occur, we recommend partnering up along the route.​

EMERGENCIES​

If you leave the race route and fail to notify race officials, you will be banned from participating in the future (unless assisted from the course by First Aid crews). 

If you become immobile and need to consult with a medic, you will need to take the following steps:
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STEP 1: Initially, use your first aid kit, stay warm, dry and be visible, and remain on the trail.
​STEP 2: Trigger the emergency whistle response found on the back of your race number.
​STEP 3: Phone the emergency number located on your race number; you will be asked your race number, name and location​. Help will be sent on its way. Always stay on the trail and where you are if you cannot get to the nearest checkpoint.
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IF THERE IS NO CELL RECEPTION
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STEP 1: Initially, use your first aid kit, stay warm, dry and be visible, and remain on the trail.
​STEP 2:  Wait for an assisting participant who will find and alert the nearest marshal or staff member who will make contact with Race HQ.
​​STEP 3: A medical and rescue team will be dispatched to your location.
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You will either be treated and allowed to continue or be evacuated off the route to the nearest medical asset by ambulance or, in life-threatening situations, by helicopter.

Insurance

The organiser has public liability insurance cover. This does not include personal accident insurance for competitors. We recommend that you arrange your own personal accident insurance, ambulance cover and income protection insurance before participating in the Event to cover any unforeseen personal costs you may incur due to ambulance trips, medical expenses or time off work due to injuries sustained whilst participating in the Event. International participants should take out travel insurance that provides cover for ultra-trail running events.

Environment​

The Turaco Trail is in a pristine wilderness environment and has been looked after by many hikers and trail runners before you so please do the same and leave the trail and environement in the same way that you found it. ​

• Littering on the trail is strictly prohibited. You are responsible for discarding of your litter at the finish line correctly. Leave nothing and take nothing. If you are discovered littering then a 60-minute time penalty applies. 
• Never run from or scare animals. Face animal and back away slowly. 
• Give way to faster runners.
• Stay on the trail. Shortcuts and cutting of switchbacks is not permitted.
• No overtaking by going off the trail. Wait until there is adequate space to pass another runner. 
• Ignoring any trail rules concerning safety, environment, hygene, checkpoints will incure a time penalty or disqualification.
• No dogs allowed.​

Food & Drink

• ​You may take food and drink from the official nutrition stations with you but may not take bottles or cups. You must use your own hydration pack.

Cut-off times

• Our cut-off times are there for your safety. If you do not make an intermediary cut off then you will be pulled off the course. Finish Line cut-off times our in place to make sure that our safety teams have enough time to get back in or get you in if there is an emergency.

General

• Should you want to drop out of the race then please make sure that you get to the next checkpoint and then let our head marshal know. It is very important that you let us know. 
• Runners are to have their Compulsory Gear with them at all times during the race. Random gear checks will be performed during the event. Penalties ranging from time penalties to disqualification will be applied based on the severity of the breach.
• You may not run with another athletes number, failure to do this will result in being banned from future events.
• Your race number must be visible at all times on the outside of your clothing and on the front of your body. Do not cover your race number with any article of clothing. We recommend using a race belt.

​Timing & Recording​

• Please note that checkpoints are compulsory. It is up to you to make sure that you get scanned through each point. If you miss a checkpoint then a time penalty or disqualification will be given.

Drop Bags

• You will be issued your own Event Drop Bag tag. Please make sure these are put in the designated zone at Far and Wide to get to where they need to.
• You can place extra nutrition and a change of clothes/shoes/etc. in this Drop Bag. No valuables are to be placed in your Drop Bag. Event organisers are not responsible for any loss or damage to these bags. 
• Any bags not collected during Race Week will be donated to charity. No bag will be shipped back to participants.

Lost and Found

Any personal items left after the race will be donated to a charity or to other local runners in need. We will not ship items to you.

Results

Preliminary results will be available immediately on the website. Final results (with any corrections) will be posted on this website within a few days of the race.

• Should there be a need to change a detail on the results page then please message us or see the race director within 1 day of the event.

Volunteers

Volunteers are the backbone of the race week. As participants, please show your appreciation for their efforts to help you finish the race by thanking and giving a smile to our volunteers. We are always looking for volunteers. Do you have friends or family that may want to volunteer? Tell them to get in touch.