Rules

Organization

1.1 Race organization

Folkhälsan Swimrun is organized by Folkhälsan: Folkhälsan Utbildning AB, Nuuksiontie 82, 02820 Espoo, Finland. Race director: Mats Almqvist

Jury:
Mats Almqvist (race director),
Heikki Kiili (head of race course),
Rasmus Åberg (Race office chief).

2. Entry prerequisites

2.1 To be able to participate in FOLKHÄLSAN SWIMRUN you have to be at least 18 years old and able to swim. Younger persons can be admitted to the race by jury approval.
2.2 Each team member needs to have a valid insurance for this type of activity.
2.3 Your registration is final. The Race Organization will not reimburse entry fee. In case of pre-race injury preventing participation, entry fee can be reimbursed, by jury, against a medical certificate.
2.4 Changing one team member to a new member of the same gender is permitted.
2.5 Contestants are not allowed to sell their race registration to third parties. 

3. Race course

3.1 Race course
3.1.1 The race course is clearly marked
3.1.2 The participants must follow the marked course
3.1.3 Any participants who do not follow the marked course can be disqualified

3.2 Water stations
3.2.1 There will be several water / food stations throughout the course
3.3 First-aid stations
3.3.1 There will be several First-aid stations where participants can get medical help if needed
3.3.2 There will be medical staff and equipment along the course. 

4. Equipment

4.1 Equipment: General Rules
4.1.1 All teams must bring all of their equipment from start to finish.
If a team fails to bring all of their equipment to the finish line, they can be disqualified. All equipment, including snacks and the like, must be labelled with participant or team name or race number.

4.2.1 Mandatory equipment per team
1 first aid pressure bandage, packed waterproof
2 wetsuits, 1 per person, suitable for the water temperature at the time
2 whistles, 1 per person
1 emergency blanket / team
2 mugs, 1 / person. Service aid stations might not have disposable cups.

4.2.2 Mandatory equipment for individual contestants in non-team race
1 first aid pressure bandage, packed waterproof
1 emergency blanket
1 wetsuit suitable for the water temperature at the time
1 whistle
1 pullbuoy or other floating device

1 mug, Service aid stations might not have disposable cups

4.3 Mandatory equipment supplied by the race organization
Race bibs (If used: must be worn visible for the entire duration of the race)
Maps
Timing chip (If used: fee for lost or unreturned timing chip: 100 euros)
Swim caps (must be worn and visible during all swimming stages)

4.4 Recommended equipment
4.4.1 Tow line
4.4.2 Hydration bladder
4.4.3 Compass or GPS watch

4.5 Equipment checks
Random gear checks can be performed before and after the race. NOTE! Teams who fail to present the mandatory equipment at a gear check may face disqualification.

4.6 Equipment that is NOT allowed
4.6.1 Flotation help that is bigger than:
4.6.1.1. 100 cm x 60 cm x 15 cm
4.6.2 It is forbidden to modify or decorate wetsuits with paint or color that washes off in water.
4.6.3 Swim fins longer than 15 cm are not allowed. The measurement is taken from toe to the end of fin.

5. Timing

5.1 Timing
5.1.1 The time is from the start until the finish line
5.1.2 Team must pass all timing checkpoints and the finish line together, within 10 meters’ distance from one another. Both members of the team will be timed. The slower time will be the finish time of the team.

5.2. Cut off times
5.2.1 Throughout the course there will be cut off points where the teams need to pass within a certain time limit to be allowed to continue racing.
5.2.2 Information about the cut off times will be given the day before the start.

6 Racers' responsibility

6.1 General
6.1.1 The participants must know the rules and follow them.
6.1.2 The participants shall respect all other participants, the race organization, spectators, and the people living in the race area.
6.1.3 The participants are not allowed to use unfair methods to gain advantage.
6.1.4 All forms of doping are forbidden. Folkhälsan Swimrun follows the guidelines set by The Finnish Centre for Integrity in Sports, FINCIS. We require all contestants to acquaint themselves with, and follow, these rules and guidelines.
6.1.5 The participants are obliged to help in case of emergency, if the race organization requests their help.

6.2 Before the race
6.2.1 The participants are allowed to practice and scout the course prior to the race but they must respect the residents of the area and behave according to the Finnish "right to roam" (jokamiehenoikeus). Training recommendations for the area will be communicated via newsletter to the racers, as some areas are sensitive from an environmental perspective. These recommendations must be respected.

6.3 During the race
6.3.1 The participants participate at their own risk and cannot hold the organization responsible for any accident during the race.
6.3.2 The teams are obliged to help, to the best of their abilities, any another team that have sustained an injury or who require first aid.
6.3.3 A team that has abandoned the race shall report it to the organization as soon as possible.
6.3.4 The participants are not allowed to leave any trash in the nature. If a team does so, they can be disqualified.
6.3.5 For safety reasons, use of tow line is NOT allowed on the first running stages of any race.

7. Rules

7.1 Race jury
7.1.1 Race jury consists of the race director and two other persons from the race organization.
7.1.2 The race jury:
– Enforces the rules
– Makes decisions on the outcome of a protest
– Makes decisions on disqualification
– Makes decisions on course changes and changes to the rules
7.1.3 At least two members of the race jury are needed for taking a race jury decision.
7.1.4 The race jury has the right to use “common sense” to take a decision about any situation that arises, if a clear solution to it is not stated in the rules.
7.1.5 The decisions of the race jury are final.

7.2 Protests
7.2.1 Any protest must be made in writing to the race organization within an hour after finishing the race.
7.2.2 A protest must include:
– Time and location
– Team number and signatures of the team members
– Team number or team name of the team that the protest is against
– Reason(s) for the protest
– (If possible) witness and their name or team number
7.2.3 A protest that does not meet the criteria set under point 7.2.2 will be ignored.
7.2.4 Decision of the race jury will be communicated to those involved as soon as possible.

7.3 Disqualifications
Failure to follow the rules can lead to immediate disqualification.

7.4 External assistance
Receiving assistance from persons outside the race organization is forbidden. Each team must make their own way from start to finish.

8. Safety

8.1 General safety rules
8.1.1 The race organization must complete a risk assessment and take the steps required to minimize risks during the event, both regarding the participants and the race staff.
8.1.2 The race organization must ensure that the necessary safety staff are in place.
8.1.3 The two members of each team must stay together at all times and must not at any point get more than 15 meters apart from each other.
8.1.4 The race organization can refuse a team their right to continue in the race, if the jury judges the team is too fatigued or in such a physical condition that continuing to race would pose an unnecessary risk.
8.1.5 A team that has started the race but is for some reason unable to continue racing, must notify the race office about them abandoning the race as soon as possible.
8.1.6. A team that has abandoned the race must, if possible, move either to the finish area or the nearest service aid checkpoint.

9. Media and sponsor exposure

9.1 Sponsor markings
The teams are allowed to have sponsors marked on their race gear.

9.2 Race bibs and timing chips (if used)
Race bibs must be worn visible at all times during the race. Modifying the race bibs in any way or covering the logos of the official race sponsors is prohibited, and the race bibs and must be worn from start to finish.

9.3 Photograph and video rights
The participants grant the race organization the right to use photographs and video material taken during the race free of charge in marketing, press material, and on their website.
9.3.1 All teams will be photographed before the race for safety reasons and for marketing use.
9.3.2 If the team or participant does not want to be seen in the marketing or on social media, this must be announced in writing (or by e-mail) at the latest upon confirmation.

10. Accepting the rules

By entering the race, each team member accepts the rules in full.

11. Image rights

Rights to all images from the event are reserved by the race organization. Any unauthorized commercial use of images will be legally pursued.