SPRINT- Racing rules

I. INSCRIPTION RULES
A) Acceptance conditions

1° Entry

The European/World Championship entry will be communicated to the F.I.S.T.C. Secretariat and to the Promoter Committee of Race, before the race, and respecting the date line mentioned by the Race Organisator.

The day before the race, at the latest at 16.00pm, unless the organisation is informed of a major problem, all teams must be available for pre-race checking.

On 12:00 thirsday the starting list will be final. A team can change category after 12:00 only in agreement with the FISTC Vet if dogs are ill.

2° Musher

a) The musher´s nationality mentioned in his passport is valid, with one exception: a musher living and working in another country is authorized to participate for the team of his country, under the condition that he has the authorization on his country, mentioned in his passport, to start for another nation.
b) The musher who will start the first head of the race, will compete during the two others heats with the same team.
c) If a musher is disqualified during a heat, he will not be authorized to compete for the rest of race.
d) The musher of FISTC member countries is not authorized to participate in "open" championships.
Legal participation in open championships for the mushers on condition that:
- IFSS only deals with open results, this means no separate classification for pure-breed teams;
- IFSS recognises the FISTC as the dominant pure-breed organisation ;
- no participation of the mushers on the WSA championships- WSA belongs to an open Federation and is our main opponent, it is suggested that any participation to WSA championships is strictly forbidden to any FISTC team.
For the teams that would not respect this rule, the sanction would then be two years of disqualification from the FISTC championships.

e) The FISTC is authorized to invite mushers from countries which are not members of the FISTC. But the next year this country has to be member, otherwise those members can no more participate in FISTC championships.
f) Minimum age for the participation in official races:
Category D1/D2 = 12 years
Category C1/C2/Pulka = 14 years
Category B = 16 years
Category A/O = 18 years

3° Dogs

a) The Race Marshall will be authorized to refuse the entry of any team or dog(s) for serious reason(s),
b) The Race Marshall and the Vet will have the possibility to consider any team or dog(s) coming to the Start Line and disqualify him/it, if it is suspected to be inapt or inefficient to finish the Trail safely.
c) Teams or dogs that don't compete the first heat will not be authorized to start the following day(s).
d) Dogs allowed to compete must be registered in one of the four sleddog breed as Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Greenland-dog, Samoyed, with a Pedigree, standard FCI and with a regular and complete F.I.S.T.C. DogPass. (The stamp has been cancelled during the GA of 17.06.2000.)
e) The dogs must be 12 months old before the first day of the race.
f) No dog can be disqualified for non-conformity with the standard later than 2 hours after the finish of the first heat (decision of GA June 2004 in Nova Pec/CZ).

g) The dogs racing on the FISTC races (and particularly the Championships) have to respect the standard of their breed also with regard to the size (with a tolerance of + 1cm with regard to the maximum size allowed by the standard).

Advice for member countries to check the size of racing dogs and to stay in conformity with the standard.

4° Distemper

a) All dogs and/or equipment coming from an infected Kennel by virus like RABIES, DISTEMPER, HEPATITIS, PARVOVIRUS or any infectious disease will be prohibited.
b) If the Race Marshall or Vet detects that one of the present dogs on the race area is infected by an infectious disease, the whole team will be disqualified and invited to leave immediately the race area.
c) Any dogs present on the race will be immunized against RABIES, DISTEMPER, HEPATITIS, PARVOVIRUS, LEPTOSPIROSE and KENNEL COUGH.
d) IF A DOG IS IN TROUBLE CAN BE LEFT AT CHECKPOINT. THE CHECKPOINTS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED WITH RADIO SO THAT THEY ARE REACHABLE IN 10 MINUTES BY THE VET- WITHOUT PENALITY FOR THE MUSHER. FOR A DOG WHICH HAS BEEN LEFT AT A CHECKPOINT THE RACE IS FINISHED AND THE VET HAS TO CHECK THE DOG. THE VET MUST HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO GO TO THE CHECKPOINT BY SKIDOO. IF THE SKIDOO DISTURBS A TEAM IT WILL NOT BE THE FAULT OF THE MUSHER. ALSO FOR PULKA TEAMS THE DOGS CAN BE LEFT AT A CHECK POINT.
This decision taken during the GA 2001 will be tested during the season 2001/2002 and has to be confirmed during the next GA!

e) It is forbidden to transport an injured dog at any other way than in sled bag. If there is no place in the sled bag the musher has to stop and wait for help at that point. If this rule is denied, the team will be disqualified. ( A piece of wood can be put into the the sled in order to fix the sled).

The race vet is allowed to take a dog out of the race if he/she thinks that the dog is too tired/ injured after a run. The musher must respect this decision in all times.
If a dog dies, the musher has 1 hour to retract himself from the race. After this time the FISTC will disqualify the musher without giving any reason. On every dog a necropsy should be preformed. If the section clears the musher of the blame the disqualification can be only for the race. If the musher has part in the death of the dog, he will be disqualified at least for the next EC/ WCH of all distances. But the punishment can be extended.

The results of the necropsy and the punishment of the musher will be made public, so that everybody can see what happened and the consequences are.

5° Identification

a) All dogs running must be provided with electronic chips before participating in a FISTC championship (decision of GA June 1999 in Seckau/A).

6° Team Size

a) Open Team O 9 dogs minimum for the first heat,
6 dogs minimum the other heats.
8 Dogs team A 8 dogs maximum and 7 dogs minimum for the first heat,
5 dogs minimum the other heats.
6 Dogs team B 6 dogs maximum and 5 dogs minimum for the first heat,
4 dogs minimum the other heats.
4 Dogs team C 4 dogs maximum and 3 dogs minimum for the other heats.
2 Dogs team D 2 dogs during the complete race.
Pulka 3 dogs maximum for the first heat.
Skijorring 1 dog during the complete race.

b) During the race, the 6 dogs team will be divided in 2 groups as follows:
B1 Team composed by one or more Siberian Huskies
B2 Team composed by Alaskan Malamutes, Greenlanddogs or Samoyeds.

c) During the race the 4 dogs team will be divided in 2 groups as follows:
C1 Team composed by one or more Siberian Huskies.
C2 Team composed by Alaskan Malamutes, Greenlanddogs or Samoyeds.

d) During the race the 2dogs team will be divided in 2 groups as follows:
D1 Team composed by one or more Siberian Huskies.
D2 Team composed by Alaskan Malamutes, Greenlanddogs or Samoyeds.

e) The Pulka category

All people and all dogs will run in the same class.

The category will be split in 2 groups PW- Pulka Women and PM- Pulka Men, if we have at least 5 competitors in each category.

f) The Skijorring

All people and all dogs will run in the same class.

The category will be split in 2 groups SKJ Women and SKJ Men, if we have at least 5 competitors in each category.


7 ° Start order

The start order for the categories will be as follows:
Skijorring
Pulka Men
Pulka Women
O category
A category
B1 category
B2 category
C1 category
C2 category
D1 category
D2 category

8 ° Trail Distances

* D and C class: 10-12km
* B, SJ and pulka: 15-18km
* A: 18-20km
* O: 20-25km

B) Drugs

1. PROHIBITED DRUGS

All drugs mentioned on the FISTC list are prohibited.

2. DRUGS CHECKING
a) Every dog is liable to be checked. One or more dogs from the same team will be controlled.
b) When a dog is selected to be tested the Musher has to present a written list of all the drugs the dog has been treated within the last 72 hours before the Race Start.
c) If a Musher doesn't agree with the control, the team will be disqualified.
d) If a team dog shows a positive result with a prohibited drug during the control the whole team will be disqualified.

C) Equipment

1. INSPECTION
a) Drivers, teams and equipment have to be available for checking in the start area at least 4 minutes before the start time.
b) A harnessed team will not be obliged to stay for checking more than 2 minutes before the start time.
c) Checking has to be made in a place where the controllers will not disturb starting or arriving teams.
d) Each team is subject to approval by the Race Marshall after each heat.
e) All the equipment is subject to approval by the Race Marshall.
f) For PULKA the weight will be checked by the Race Marshall or his assistant before and after each heat.
g) All the Mushers have to take care about checking for their own equipment.

2. Type of harnessing
a) All the dogs will be in single line hitch or in paired gang hitch.
b) All the dogs have to be connected to the central line with an individual neck-line in front and an individual back-line. The lead-dog will be connected to the team with an individual back-line. When there are two leaders, they will be connected with a neck-line.
c) For PULKA, if there is more than one dog in the team, the dogs will be attached in single line.

3. Sleds and Pulka

The Sled
a) The Sled must be built to carry the Musher and with a sufficiently large basket to carry a dog.
b) The Sled must be equipped with an appropriate brake, a brush bow, a convenient snow anker and a security line.

Snowanchors must be handable with one hand (so not be in the dogbag because then it takes to much time to grab it in emergency situations).

c) A Dog Bag must be firmly attached to the basket and apt to contain a dog trying to escape. (The Dog Bag will be conceived with their autlet so that the dog can easily breath during the freight).

The Pulka
a) The Pulka will be connected to the harness by two solid shafts and this in a way that the dog(s) will not enter in danger to get run over.
b) The Pulka will be built to avoid the possibility that the runners endanger the musher or/and the dog(s).
c) The Pulka will be equipped taking care that the load is firmly attached.
d) The Pulka must be equipped with a security line, connected to the skier during the heats and with a brake if more than 2 dogs are harnessed.

4. Other equipment

Young mushers of 12-17 years must wear helmets, except skiers in categories skijoing and pulka.

a) Muzzles and choke-collars are forbidden.
b) Whips are forbidden.
c) A number shirt will be provided to each competitor by the organisators. The driver must show visibly his number shirt during all heats.
d ) For the category Pulka the abolition of the obliged minimum weight. (decision of GA June 2004 in Nova Pec/CZ)

D) THE TIME LIMIT DISQUALIFICATION

a) First heat time

A team will be disqualified and not authorized to start the next heat(s) if the time to run the trail is 1,40 (decision of GA June 2004 in Nova Pec/CZ) the average time of the first 3 teams of the category.

b) Second heat time

A team will be disqualified and not authorized to start the third heat if the time to run the first 2 days is 1,40 (decision of GA June 2004 in Nova Pec/CZ) the average time of the first 2 heats of the first 3 teams in the category.

c) Third heat time

There will be no time limit disqualification.

II. STARTING/ARRIVAL RULES

A) STARTING ORDER

a) The starting line for the first race heat will be established by computer the day before the race.
b) The first start race will be done in ascending numbers. Number 1 starting first, number 2 second etc.
c) The second day starting order is determined by the time of the first heat, the fastest team starting first, second fastest team starting second etc.
d) The third day starting order will be the sum of the 2 first heat times, the fastest team starting first, second fastest team starting second etc.

B) EX AEQUO TIME

1° If the total times of several teams are the same, the starting order will be the opposite order than that of the previous heat.
2° If the times of several teams are still the same at the end of the race, teams will be classified directly following the previous fastest team. As for example:
... 2 second fastest team = 2nd place
3 ex-aequo fastest team = 3rd place
4 ex-aequo fastest team = 3rd place
5 fastest team = 5th place

C) STARTING AREA--STARTING LINE--STARTING TIME

1° The Musher will be the reference point for the starting line.
2° Each team will start at his forecasted time and will be responsible for his own starting time.
3° Each team which will not be at the fixed time at the starting line, will be declared "late-comer".
a) A team coming too late for its start will be authorized to come on the starting area if it comes on the half time separating itself and the following team. After this time the team will be forbidden and will have the possibility to start after the last competitor of its category (and this after a waiting time defined by the Race Marshall).
b) A team starting the race too late will respect and will not disturb the other competitors.
c) If there is more than one team declared too late, those teams will start in the rank of their previous start.
4° A team having not started within minimum 30 m from the starting point before the next team is starting may be disqualified.

D) HELP AT THE STARTING LINE

1° Number and type of helper(s) will be defined and announced by the Race Marshall before the first heat start.
2° If the team leaves the starting line of an official start, the racing rules will be applied.

E) FINISH

1° The team will finish the heat when the musher will pass the finish line.
2° If a team goes through the finish line without the musher, the time of this team will stop when the musher passes through the finish line.

F) DOPPING TEST

All the tests (mushers and dogs) will be taken after one or more heats.

III. TRAIL RULES

A) ALONG THE TRAIL

1° Each team and its musher have to run the totality of the trail fixed by the organisators.
2° If a team leaves the trail the musher will take his team and join the trail where he leaves it.
3° The trail signals will be as follows:
a) RIGHT BEND: a red panel at the right side of the trail before the bend.
b) LEFT BEND: a red panel at the left side of the trail, before the bend.
c) TO GO AHEAD: this indication will be marked by blue panels along the trail.
d) TAKE CARE: this indication will be marked by a yellow or orange panel along the trail.
e) END OF THE STARTING AREA: (minimum 30 m) will be shown by panel(s) along both sides of the trail.
f) A Panel "800 METERS" will be installed 800 m before the finish line to mark the "NO PRIORITY" area.
g) On the trail, directions for the competitors will be indicated by panels showing the trail each category has to follow.
4° MARKING
Each category trail will have the possibility to be marked in different colours. If applied, the signification of the different colours will be announced during the Official Musher Meeting.

B) THE TEAM DRIVING

1° Competitors have the possibility to stay on runners, pushing or running. (PULKA) The competitors will run after their team skis booted.
2° Any competitors who will use another vehicle than his sled during the race will be disqualified.
3° Competitors will not disturb another team.
4° All the dogs who start a heat, will finish it either arriving in the team or on the basket. (PULKA) If a dog is not able to follow the trail, the competitor will finish the heat by pulling the pulka with weight and the dog. In this case the pulka must be able to wear a dog.
5° If a dog starting with a team is not able to run until the end of the trail, it is expected to finish the heat in the basket.
6° Transporting passengers (for any circumstances) during the race will be prohibited, except for the following reasons:
a) Any case specified in the present rules.
b) Transporting another competitor in an emergency situation.

C) HELP ON THE TRAIL

1° Any team can be helped by the Race controller installed in determined places along the trail. The conditions for helping will be mentioned by the Race Marshall before the first heat of the race.
2° Competitors racing during the same heat will be authorized to help themselves. The conditions will be mentioned by the Race Marshall before the first heat of the race.
3° Help on the trail provided by a spectator, a Race controller or a dedicated person must be restricted to holding the sled, except if the team is running free or dangerously for itself, other teams or people.
a) If the competitor is not in a dangerous situation, to help will be limited in holding the sled.
b) If a competitor is not there, the team will be stopped and hold until the musher or a Race controller will arrive and catch it.
4° It will be absolutely forbidden to run along with a team in order to help and encourage it.
(PULKA) The competitor is not allowed to encourage his dog(s) and run in front of him/them, except in the downhills.
(PULKA) The competitor will help his dog or team and push or pull the pulka.
5° It is forbidden to call the dogs during all the heat and also when they come to the finish line (decision of GA Seckau/June 1999).

D) TEAM OR DOGS FREE ON TRAIL

1° Teams or dogs lost or free on the trail must not disturb or take time to other teams.
2° The musher has to catch his team himself and by his own means.

3° Lost dogs have to be caught by the musher as soon as possible, and before continuing the race, and have to be taken back in lines or in the bag.
4° Teams or dogs lost or free can rejoin the trail without penalty only if the team completes the whole trail and will respect point C 3°.

E) PASSING TEAMS

1° When a team wants to pass another team, the fastest musher will ask the priority to the slowest one when his lead dog(s) will arrive about at 15 m distance.
2° Passed team(s) will let the place to the fastest team and will park his team on the side of the trail, slow down or stop if asked by the fastest team.
3° When a team is passed, he will not try to repass before
a) "O" Team: at least 4 minutes or 1600 m
b) "C", "B", "A" Team: at least 2 minutes or 800 m
c) The distance will be reduced if the two competitors agree.
4°If a team passes another team and jam during the pass, the driver is authorized to ask the musher he passed to stop for maximum 1 minute in the category O and a half minute in all other categories.
5° A competitor catching two teams or more, who stopped together along the trail, will be able to pass all those teams. All the other mushers will do the maximum to let this team free to pass them and avoid any trouble.
6° Teams in queue will maintain at least the length of one team, except when passing another team in the "no priority" area.

IV. ATTITUDE

A) RESPONSIBILITY AND SPIRIT

1° Each competitor is responsible for himself, his dog(s), his handler(s), on the race area.
2° The common sense and the sport ethic will preside. If the Race Marshall judges that the attitude of a competitor, handler or team, will inflict injury to the sport or the race, this team will be disqualified.
3° During an official FISTC event every dog trading is prohibited. In repeated case the dog handler will be punished by prohibiting to participate in official FISTC competitions for 10 years and has to pay 1000 Euros.
4° To prevent damage and/or injuries the pickets must be marked 30 cm above the snow (GA 17.06.2000).

B) MALTREATMENT WITH DOGS

To beat dog(s) with or without tools is prohibited, except when it is necessary to stop fighting dogs.

V. TRANSGRESS THE RULES

A) RACE CONTROLLERS REPORTS

1° The Race Controllers will indicate to the Race Marshall any problem immediately or after the heat during which the transgression was done.
2° The Race Marshall will be able to react at any transgress indicated by the Race Controllers.

B) COMPETITORS REPORTS

1° Competitors who wants to mention that a rule was transgressed by another musher have to declare the fact directly after the heat. Notification can be done orally. Any oral report must be followed by a written one. This one will be transmitted to the Race Marshall less than one hour after the end of the heat. The written report will be given with a caution of SFR 100. This amount will be given back if the protest is justified and correct. Otherwise this amount will be transmitted to the F.I.S.T.C. treasurer.

C) PROTEST AND DEFENSE

1° Any competitor or Race Controller involved in a transgression report is allowed to protest and ask to be listened to his defense by the Race Marshall.
2° Any protest will be discussed with the Race Marshall, the FISTC President and the Race committee of the F.I.S.T.C. during the daily delegates meeting. During this meeting a decision will be taken by this committee and transmitted to the musher by his country delegate.

D) DISCIPLINARY ACTION

1° Any transgressed F.I.S.T.C. rule will be notified by the Race Marshall, the musher or team driver as follows:
a) oral warning or
b) time penalty or
c) disqualification.
There will be no other actions taken or foreseen. The sanctions or decisions will be announced as soon as possible, but must be officially transmitted at last two hours before the following start.
2° Any disciplinary action taken after the final heat will be announced at least one hour before the Official Price-giving Ceremony.
3° If for any reason, time to process the drug control will not be enough, the above time limit will be obsolete. The necessary time will be let to the laboratory. In this case the involved team driver will benefit of the same time delay as the needed laboratory process.
4° Drivers will have no claim whatever the Race Marshall decides.

Franco Mannato
The FISTC-President