RACE RULES, MANDATORY KIT & PENALTIES

UPDATED APRIL 7, 2023

BIB COLLECTION & RACE BRIEFING

Tortola Sports Club, April 19, from 5pm

 

KIT CHECK

There is a MANDATORY kit check for all Torturers. We will open kit check at 5:00am

You will NOT be permitted to start unless you have all of the mandatory kit (for teams, we will check the first runner at the start and subsequent runners at their start):

  • One litre of water in resuable water storage* - there are six water stops on the course. That is NOT enough to keep you hydrated while you run 34 miles up and down hills in the Caribbean heat.
  • Two energy gels and two energy bars or equivalent in calories
  • Reflective gear (for the first runners only, who will be starting in the dark).  Headlamp recommended.
  • A mobile phone, with the number that you provided on registration, that is turned on

*See Penalties

RACE DAY

The main race will start at 5.30am on Saturday, from the Tortola Sports Club. 

We have mandatory cut-offs. Those cut-offs are for your safety and will be strictly enforced. None of us will like making you get into the sweeper van if you miss a cut-off, but we will be closing the aid stations and it will be too dangerous to leave you out on the course. So, if you miss a cut-off we will insist that you retire.

CUT OFF TIMES

  1. Teneo West End Aid station (3 person team changeover) – 8.30am
  2. Mourant Stoutt’s Lookout Aid Station – 10.00am
  3. KPMG Sage Mountain Aid Station (2 person team changeover) – 10.30am
  4. Brewer’s Bay Aid Station – 12.00pm
  5. Georges’ North Side Aid Station (3 person team changeover) – 1.00pm
  6. Little Bay Aid Station – 1.30pm
  7. Finish – 3.00pm

WATER STOPS

After the first aid station at West End there is under 5 miles between each aid station and if runners are filling up their water bottles or hydration packs at each aid station there should be no need for extra water in between. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate (reusable) kit to do this!

*See Penalties

Distances between water stops after West End stop:

West End to Stoutt´s Lookout 4.5 Miles 

Stoutt´s Lookout to Sage Mountain 2.9 Miles 

Sage Mountain to Brewer´s Bay 4.8 Miles 

Brewer´s Bay to George´s North Side 3.4 Miles 

George´s Northside to Little Bay 4.6 Miles 

Little Bay to Finish 4.5 Miles 

EMERGENCY & CONTACT

If you have a medical issue that is not an emergency, please call one of us. If you have an emergency, please call 911 first (and then call us - we will also come to you, but if it is an emergency, make sure the emergency services are on their way before you worry about calling us). If you know it, we suggest writing your emergency contact number and blood type on the back of your bib, just in case.

You will be running on open roads, so please be cautious of traffic. We strongly recommend that you don't run with music.

If you insist on running with music, please do not use a headphone in the ear closest to traffic. We have had one car accident fortunately it involved our medics, not a runner) and we do NOT want a repeat. You have all signed the waiver, so know that this is all at your own risk...

OVERSEAS COMPETITORS & MEDICAL COVERAGE

If you are visiting from overseas, please check your medical insurance policies regarding coverage outside your home country and validity regarding taking part in ultramarathons.  If you have any doubts, please take out additional medical insurance that includes air medical evacuation to your home country.

We are not affiliated with them but have heard good things about Seven Corners, SkyMed and World Nomads.

PENALTIES



SUPPORT CARS

It is great that everyone in teams, and individuals, wish to support each other, but due to the nature of the roads, safety of the runners, fairness to overseas competitors, and general congestion, we need to put in some controls.   

Kit Check states that everyone should start with 1 litre of water.  We put this in for runners´ safety but people are starting with it, then ditching it and taking water from support cars.

Due to this, from this year you will not be able to take water from a support car after the first aid station and support cars may only give aid at Nanny Cay or Pockwood Pond.  Support cars must park off the main road in Mulligan´s or DMV car parks. 

There will be a 15 minute time penalty for any runner caught taking water from a support car after the first aid station.

  

USE OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC

We have made our race disposable-bottle-free. Five-gallon jugs, 5-gallon coolers, reusable cups, reusable water bottles and a lot of water, mean that in the region of 1200 half-litre bottles aren´t used on the course each year.

There will be a 15-minute time penalty for any runner caught using disposable bottles.

 

MEDIA TEAM - SPOT PENALTIES

The media team may impose 15-minute spot penalties to support vehicles if their presence affects their photography, video, or ability to reach key landmarks throughout the race.

However, any penalties levied can be appealed at the finish line...

 

FINISH LINE

TRIAGE

After finishing you will be required to take a seat, have a drink, and wait a few minutes before being cleared by our medic to leave.

PARTY

There will be one!