Pocket Gopher Chill Race Rules (Gopher Edition)

Even the chilliest gopher knows a tunnel system only works if everybody follows the map. Here are the rules of the burrow.

Before the Race: Pop Up and Check In
Every team must follow the registration procedures, go through the equipment and competency checks, and attend all compulsory meetings and functions the Race Organiser schedules. No sneaking in through a back tunnel.

Equipment: Pack Your Cheek Pouches
Teams and athletes must carry the mandatory gear on the AR World Series Mandatory Equipment List, plus any race-specific items the Race Organiser calls for. A gopher never heads out without the essentials.

The Race Course: Follow the Tunnels
Teams must complete the course as directed in the course book and maps, passing through the race checkpoints (CPs) and transition areas (TAs) using the discipline specified for each leg. You must use the maps provided by the Race Organiser. The first team to finish, having followed all the rules and with any penalties factored in, is the winning team and earns top gopher bragging rights.

Your Team: One Burrow, One Crew
Teams travel and finish the course together, with no substitutions. Team members must stay close enough to see and talk to each other at all times. If you can’t see or hear your teammates, you’ve dug too far ahead (or fallen behind).

Support and Assistance: No Outside Gophers
Teams may not receive unauthorised race-related assistance during the race. This one’s all you and your crew.

Emergencies, Medical and Communications: Gophers Look Out for Each Other
If a team comes across a medical emergency, whether it’s their own teammate, another team, or someone outside the event, they must stop and render assistance. The race can wait.

The Environment: Tread Lightly
Gophers love the landscape they live in. Treat the course with respect and leave minimal evidence that you raced through it.

Conduct: Be a Good Neighbor
Athletes must be respectful at all times: no cheating, no abusive behaviour or language, and no violence.

Banned Substances: Keep It Clean
Athletes may not use banned substances or methods as specified in the World Anti-Doping Code.

Penalties: When a Tunnel Goes Wrong
Teams who don’t complete the course as directed and in accordance with the rules may receive a time penalty, an Unranked (UR) status, a Disqualification (DQ) status, or a Did Not Finish (DNF) status.

Adjudication: The Council of Elders
Adjudication of these rules is the responsibility of the Race Referee (if one is designated), the Race Director, and the Race Jury. Any formal protest must be submitted in writing as soon as possible, and no later than 3 hours before the scheduled time of the final presentation/awards ceremony.

Race Specific Rules: Local Burrow Customs
Each race may have specific rules that apply to that race only. If there’s a conflict between rules, the event-specific rules take precedence.