24hrs Inline Montreal

The race

Goal: Your team's goal in this race is to complete, in 24 hours, as many laps as you can around the course. Since this is a relay, just one member at a time of each team can be out on the course. The number of laps completed by every team will be posted regularly throughout the event, and published on the result section of the 24hrs Inline Montreal web site.

Start: The race will start at 1 pm on Saturday, September 6 - rain or shine. Just one member of each team will take the start, for which all the starters will line up together at the start/finish line.

End: The last lap of each team must be completed after 24 hours. Hence all teams will have a total time greater or equal to 24h. The total number of laps completed will decide the final ranking of the teams in each category. Teams with the same number of laps will be ordered based on lowest total time. Therefore, in the case of teams in the same cathegory that have skated the same number of laps, the order of finish among them will be determined by who crosses the line first on the last lap after 24 hours.

Teams are not required to have a skater on the track at all times.

Registration

Members: When the captain goes to pick up the team race-kit on the morning of the race (from 9 to 11 am on the Saturday of the race), he/she must hand in the completed team registration form with the name, gender, age, email address and emergency contact for each member of the team, along with each member's signature on the waiver of responsibility. Only skaters who have signed this waiver may participate in the race.

Age: The lower age limit to participate in the race is 14 years. Parents of a child under 14 years old must request a permission to the organization at least a month before the event. If this permission is granted by the organization then the parents will need to sign a discharge.

Ability: The race is open to all, however for safety reasons complete beginners and those who cannot brake effectively are asked to abstain.

Categories: Each team must register in one of 4 main categories: elite (average speed 28 km/h and over); fitness (over 20 km/h to 28 km/h); recreational: 20 km/h and under.); or solo (one skater). Race officials reserve the right to reclassify any team that is significantly faster, on average, than the category in which it is registered.

Teams

Members: A team can have from 1 to 10 members. Teams are free to determine their own race strategy. Who skates when, how often, for how many laps, that's entirely up to you.

Race-bibs: On the morning of the event, each team will receive a race-kit containing, among other things, two timing chips, a relay baton, two race-bibs, and an identifying bracelet for each member of the team. All participants must wear their bracelet on the left wrist. The skater who is out on the course must be wearing one of the chips and one of the race-bibs, and be carrying the baton. The skater who will replace him/her must also be wearing a race-bib as well as the other timing chip. Both race-bibs for a given team will bear the same number.

Captain: Each team must have a Captain, who alone will represent the team in all interactions with the organizers. The Captain is responsible for: registering the team; picking up the team race-kit on the morning of the event; representing the team in any discussion with officials, and on the podium as the case may be; and returning the chips and race-bibs to designated staff at the end of the race. The Captain accepts responsibility for ensuring that the team's assigned space in the paddocks is kept clean during and after the event. Each team must also have a Co-Captain to stand in for the Captain if necessary.

Name: Each team must have a unique name. Teams displaying originality in their costumes will be recognized at the awards ceremony.

Tents: Tents are not allowed along the wall in front or behind the paddocks. Depending on availability, teams may place their tent in the assigned area close to the exhibitor's zone. However, these tents cannot display any logos beside non commercial ones such as clubs and associations. Please contact us about pricing if you would like to display instead a commercial logo on your tent (e.g., company, product or service names).

Relays

Relay zone: Relays are allowed exclusively in the 150-meter relay zone on the downstream side of the start/finish line. A skater who is preparing to take the relay must enter the track within the relay zone, never on the upstream side of the start/finish line. Skaters on elite teams are asked to perform the relay exchange in the last 50 meters of the relay zone. It is forbiden to perform a relay by pushing the other skater.

Baton: The relay will be performed by a hand-to-hand exchange of the official baton. Throwing the baton is not permitted. For safety reasons, it is strictly forbidden to push the skater taking over.

Attention: Skaters who are giving or taking a relay are expected to watch out for other skaters in the relay zone, and must exercise care so as not to interfere with another team's relay.

Drafting: The members of a team may not at any time aid another member of their team by skating with him. However it is permitted to draft with skaters from other teams. Drafting bicycles or other vehicles on the track is strictly forbidden.

The course

Track: The race will take place on the Gilles-Villeneuve Racetrack, which is located on Notre-Dame Island in Jean-Drapeau Park, Montreal. The track is approximately 4.3 km around (2.7 miles) and is basically flat, apart from a minor uphill and a single downhill. The downhill is not difficult, however beginners and those who are afraid of any downhill at all should either practise in advance or abstain from taking part.

Attention: With the exception of the start/finish area, one lane of the track is open to cars (which will be moving slowly). The lane reserved for skaters will also be open to cyclists and non-participating skaters. You have to stay in the lane and follow the course everywhere otherwise your team will get a penality. Participants in the race must also exercise caution and courtesy toward other users of the park.

Exits: Any skater (carrying the team baton) who leaves the course for whatever reason must return to it at the exact location where he left it.

Speed: Slower skaters are required to keep to the right if possible. Faster skaters are required to keep to the left if possible, and to warn skaters they are about to overtake in a courteous manner. "On your left/right", or "Passing on your left/right" - not an aggressive shout.

Safety & Conduct

Paddocks: The Captain accepts responsibility for ensuring that the team's assigned space in the paddocks is kept clean during and after the event. You must also be respectful of other teams and avoid making noise in the paddocks at night. Set up your team in the space assigned to you and please leave a 1 meter (3 feet) wide area unencumbered between team spaces.

Equipment: Helmets are obligatory, no exception. Wrist-protectors, elbow-pads and knee-pads are also recommended. The race must be completed with inline skates or quads. Skaters are not allowed to use any other type of equipement in front of them or behind (e.g., no strollers, no ski polls). No domestic animals are allowed on the track. Since the course is not completely illuminated at night, we strongly recommend that each team come equipped with two helmet lamps, one for the skater who is out on the course and one for the skater who will take the relay.

Courtesy: Every participant is expected to conduct him or herself in a courteous and sporting manner toward other participants, toward officials, and toward the public, including cyclists and non-participating skaters who may also be on the course.

Penalties: Unsporting behavior, or contravening the rules of the race, will incur a penalty to the team of the offending skater. Depending on the gravity of the offense such penalty could take the form of one or more laps being deducted, an obligatory pause during which no member of the team may skate, or disqualification of the entire team.

Only the chief official may administer a penalty, his decision being final and without appeal.