RACE RULES

CODE OF CONDUCT, SAFETY GUIDELINES AND RACE RULES

Your challenge is to:

use good common sense
stay safe
race hard
play fair
and have a bloody good time doing it!

CODE OF CONDUCT

As a part of attending the festival all participants and spectators agree to:

Demonstrate through words and actions the spirit of sportsmanship, sports leadership and ethical conduct.
Treat others with respect and refrain from negative or disparaging remarks or conduct.
Not knowingly place themselves in a situation that could give rise to a conflict between personal interests of the festival
Comply at all times with the laws, bylaws, policies, rules and regulations the festival operates under.
Respect basic human rights.
Work in a spirit of manaakitanga, cooperation with others, assisting less experienced people, and refraining from public criticism of others.
Refrain from, and refuse to tolerate in others, any form of harassment or abuse be it physical, verbal, mental or sexual of athletes, officials and other people involved in athletics.
Not act in any way that brings the sport, the event company or any other partner organisation into disrepute.
At all times, be honest and act in the best interests of the community.

SAFETY GUIDELINES

All Competitors:

You are responsible for your own physical condition — please train appropriately for the challenge you’re taking on.
Enter at your own risk. A pre-event medical check is strongly advised.
Enduro racing is demanding. Risks include (but are not limited to): collisions with other riders, officials, spectators, trees, terrain, or vehicles; and potential for heat exhaustion or dehydration.
While every effort is made to ensure a safe and fun event, neither the organiser (MDA Group) nor event officials can guarantee safety across the full course.
All riders must attend the compulsory event briefing before their race start.
Compulsory safety equipment must be worn/used where applicable.
It’s your responsibility to ensure your bike and gear are in safe, working condition and suited to the weather and trail conditions. Bring enough food, water, and energy to get through the day.
Always stop to help an injured rider. If it’s serious, ensure other riders are warned and send someone to alert a course marshal or medic.
If you need to withdraw, tell an event official and return your timing device to the timing team at the start/finish area.
There is a strict course cut-off time. These will be released with the course.
Riders under 16 must have a guardian present on race day who has signed consent during registration.

Mountain Bike Specific:

Helmets must be worn at all times while riding.
Officials and medics will be stationed around the course.
A sweep vehicle may collect riders who cannot continue.
Riders must follow NZ road rules and the directions of race officials.
If you’re feeling unwell or lightheaded, stop and wait for assistance.
Be alert at all times — especially when passing or being passed.

RACE RULES

Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse.

All riders must attend the event briefing.
Only one bike may be used for the entire event.
Approved helmets and compulsory gear must be worn correctly.
Race plates must be visible at the front of the bike at all times.
Timing devices must not be tampered with. Lost/damaged devices could incur a $100 replacement fee.
E-bikes are allowed only in the e-bike categories. E-Bikes: A pedal assist electric E-bikes with a maximum of 300 watts may be used in the Whakarewarewa Forest. E-Bikes can have motor assistance up to 32kmph, must not be modified to override the speed restriction and must be pedal assistance only (no throttle).
No other motorised transport is permitted (except official shuttles).
Riders must start within their allocated window and finish before cut-off. A 6-second penalty applies for each minute overdue.
NZ road rules apply at all times.
Follow the marked course to and from the forest.
Riders must know the course and stages they are racing.
Obey officials and follow stage markings — failure results in disqualification.
Tie-breakers will be decided by stage placings, then overall race time.
Short-cutting is not allowed — broken tape or missing signs are not valid excuses.
If you go off-course, re-enter where you exited. Repair broken tape if necessary.
Blocking another rider is grounds for disqualification. Slower riders must yield when safe. Overtakers must give clear, polite verbal notifications (e.g. “rider coming, on your right”).
Helping injured riders is mandatory. Riders who stop to assist will receive a time adjustment based on their other stage results.
Officials on the track = dismount and walk past the scene. Remount only after the scene is cleared.
Riders must be self-sufficient. No outside help unless from another rider, event official, medic, or within tech zone/aid station.
No towing athletes (i.e ebikes towing people, parents/guardians towing kids etc.).
Riders deemed unable to finish may be withdrawn by officials.
No alcohol, illegal substances, or banned performance enhancers during the race.
Unsportsmanlike conduct, abusive language, or disrespect towards anyone may result in disqualification.
Protests must be submitted in writing within one hour of the protester's finish time. All protests must be signed and verifiable.
Penalties range from a 6 second time penalty to disqualification, depending on severity.
Minimum ages:
1. 10 years for the Short Course event
2. 15 years for the Long Course event
Riders aged 10–13 must be accompanied by a registered adult (1:6 adult to kids ratio). The adult must agree to accompany the minor/s throughout the race and be present at each stage start, stage finish and transition. Accompanying adults must either purchase an ACCOMPANYING GUARDIAN entry or enter in the same event category as the minor/s. If the minor is found outside a race stage without theACCOMPANYING GUARDIAN that rider may be disqualified. This rule is for the safety and protection of children, event organisers and other forest users.
Underage Rider Participation Guidelines – Long Course (Ages 12–14)

Minimum age requirements are in place to prioritise the safety of all participants, ensure a positive rider experience, and uphold the responsibility of event organisers to meet recognised industry standards. Riders under the age of 15 who wish to compete in a Giant Legends Enduro Series Long Course event may apply for an exception to this rule, subject to approval by the Event Director. While we acknowledge the skills and enthusiasm many younger riders possess, we encourage families to consider whether the challenge of a Long Course event aligns with the rider’s stage of development. Childhood is brief, and there will be many opportunities in the future to take on higher levels of competition. Ensuring that riders progress through age-appropriate experiences contributes to their long-term enjoyment and success in the sport.

To be eligible for consideration, the following minimum requirements must be met:

Age: Rider must be at least 12 years old at the start of Race 1 in the series.

Experience: Rider should have a demonstrated history of participation in events of comparable difficulty. This may include prior enduro races or other technical mountain biking events that reflect readiness for long course demands.

Results: Rider must be able to demonstrate successful completion of comparable events. Finishing the event safely and within course time limits will be considered a key indicator of readiness.

A parent or legal guardian must submit a formal application via email to the event organisers. The application must include:

1. Full name and date of birth of the child

2. Name of the accompanying adult (must be present during the event)

3. The specific race(s) for which the application is being made (e.g., Race 1, Race 2, Full Series)

4. A summary of the rider’s results from comparable events. Reference events could include: Giant 2W Gravity Enduro 6 Stage, Cable Bay Enduro, Phoenix Enduro, Craigieburn Enduro, Otepoti Enduro, 440 Enduro 6 Stage

If accepted, the following conditions will apply:

* The rider may only participate in the **Long Course Shuttled** option.

* A maximum supervision ratio of **1 adult to 2 underage riders (1:2)** will be enforced.

* The accompanying adult must ride with the underage rider and remain within close proximity for the duration of the course.

* Approval is at the sole discretion of the Event Director and may not be granted, even if minimum criteria are met.

Each application will be assessed based on safety, course demands, rider experience, and event capacity. All decisions are final.

29. The Event Director reserves the right to disqualify any rider.

30. The Event Director’s decision is final.

RACE RULES

CODE OF CONDUCT, SAFETY GUIDELINES AND RACE RULES

CODE OF CONDUCT

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