RULES AND REGULATIONS

Article 1 General

The association ” 4 Days of Walking in Chantonnay Vendée” (R4JCV), affiliated to the “French Federation of Hiking” (FFRP) has organised from 9th May 2024 to 12st May 2024, three “Long Distance Walking Awards” (“BMLD”). The first of 200 km (“200BMLD”), the second 150 km (“150BMLD”) and the third 100Km (“100BMLD”). These are individual walking events without personal assistance on a planned but non signposted route.

Departure times :
The 200BMLD is 8.30am on Thursday 9th May 2024.
The 150BMLD is 8.30am Friday 10th May 2024 .
The 100BMLD is 8.30am Saturday 11th May 2024 .
The arrival time is before 2.30pm on Sunday 12st May 2024 for both of the three awards.
Participation in either of the awards requires the walker to be present at least 1 hours 30 before the actual time of departure.

Article 2 Conditions of participation

These awards are open to any walker regardless of gender and they must be over 18 years of age on the day of the departure. They may or may not have a FFRP licence but must be covered by an accident insurance and civil responsibility policy. The participant must prove their physical fitness to the BMLD by one of the following 3 methods:

1-They must have a valid 2024 sports licence which includes a medical examination dated after 01/11/2023.
-They must show this licence when submitting the application.
2-Or they must have a 2024 sports licence which includes a medical examination before 01/11/2023.
-They must then complete a “health questionnaire” (click on the QS-Sport Questionnaire button, print and complete the document).
2a-If the answer is “no” to all the questions in this questionnaire:
-a 2024 license must be presented in addition to a copy of the health questionnaire.
2b-If the answer is “yes” to one of the questions in the questionnaire they can proceed to item 3 below.
3-In all other cases, a medical certificate must be presented at the time of submission of the application which verifies the ability to participate in the long distance walking event dated 01/01/2024.

Article 3 Registration and Fees

The registration is to be completed by internet on the site:-
https://onsinscrit.com/ after 01/01/2024. Registration at the time of the event is not possible.
Payment methods are indicated on this site. The price is €17 for the 200BMLD, €14 for the 150BMLD and €10 for the 100BMLD.
All registration and payment formalities must be completed by 8.00pm on 7th May 2023.

Article 3b Closing of registrations in advance

In the case of a large number of applications then the organisers reserve the right to limit the number of places for each event.
If such a decision is made, applicants for registration will be informed via the website https://www.vendee-randonnee.com/ at least 15 days before registration closes.

Article 4 Benefits

Registration entitles you to:
-Participation in the 2024 Chantonnay BMLD.
-The Logbook and pass cards.
-The guidebook, the route maps and the GPS tracks.
-Only for 200BMLD and 150BMLD : Transfer of one small bag at the “LE BEUGNON” control point.
-The use of the control point and validation of the award.
-The posting by mail of the award after validation.
-A drink and brioche at the start.
-A meal tray on arrival.
-A shower on arrival.
-A resting point on arrival.

NB: a card holder (dim. H = 27 x W = 24) is essential. You can buy one (at € 6) when registering.

Article 5 Cancellation conditions

* Cancellation requested by email or mail before 3th April 2024, a refund of 50% of the amount of the registration fee will be given.
* Cancellation requested by mail with a medical certificate before 4th May 2023 a refund of 50% of the amount of the registration fee will be given.
* In all other cases there will be no refund.

If the BMLD is cancelled by the R4JCV, all registered walkers will be fully refunded.

Article 6 Liability

Each walker is considered to be on a personal walk, therefore they must respect the rules of the road and the countryside. Participants must take all the necessary measures to ensure their own personal safety at night. The association of 4 Days of Walking in Chantonnay Vendée cannot be held responsible for any accidents that may occur during this award.

Article 7 Departure Arrangements

Address : Gymnase Clemenceau
Avenue Clemenceau
Chantonnay
For the 200BMLD the walker must be present at 7:00am on Thursday 9th May 2024  for formalities and verification of the application and at 7:30am for the briefing. The walker must be ready to depart at 8.30am.
For the 150BMLD the walker must be present at 7:00am on Friday 10th May 2024 for formalities and verification of the application and at 7:30am for the briefing. The walker must be ready to depart at 8.30am.
For the 100BMLD the walker must be present at 7:00am on Saturday 11th May 2024 for formalities and verification of the application and at 7:30am for the briefing. The walker must be ready to depart at 8.30am.

Article 8 Autonomy and Assistance

No helpers (by car, motorhome, bike etc…) are allowed, also no personal assistance is allowed. Failure to comply with these rules will result in the disqualification from the BMLD. In the event of a problem, i.e. fatigue, injury or in the case of retiring from the event, the walker must make their own arrangements to return to Chantonnay.
For other needs such as water, food, accommodation, the walker can use all the resources available on the route e.g. bars, restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, hotels, campsites, shelters etc…
Most of these resources and their location will be indicated in the guidebook.

Article 9 The route

The route is described by the organisers in the guidebook, maps and GPS trails.
The route can be modified at any time before the start of the event. Documents published on the internet are therefore provisional.
The walker must complete the entire route. If, for example, for refreshments, rest or in the case of unforeseen acts of nature, the walker has to deviate from the route, it must be resumed at the point where they left. Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification from the BMLD.

Article 10 Control points

The walkers pass will be regularly checked, approximately every 10 kilometres. The addresses of the control points are provided in the guidebook. They are the address of the a resident on the route.
For each control point, the walker will have a “pass card” indicating the identity of the walker and the address of the control point.
Please note, the walker will have to record their time of arrival on the “pass card” and then deposit this card in the corresponding letterbox (BAL). It will also be required to record this time of arrival in their “control book”.
If necessary, the letterbox will be made more visible by any suitable means.
If the letterbox is that of a trader and during opening hours, the walker may also give their pass card directly to the trader.
In addition to official control points, the organisers can set up “hidden controls points”, supervised by a member of the organisation.

Any breach of a control point, official or hidden, will result in the disqualification from the BMLD.

Article 11 Timekeeping

The time allowed to complete the 200BMLD is 78hrs, for the 150BMLD is 54hrs and the 100BMLD is 30hrs.
For each control point, estimated times are indicated on the guidebook. They are calculated for a walker who walks nonstop for 24hrs. If the walker maintains a steady speed of 6km/hr, they will complete the route in the shortest time. The speed of 2.58km/hr will enable the walker to complete the route within the time allowance.
These hours of completion are not obligatory but only suggestive.
Only arrival times are compulsory:
For the 200BMLD: at a walking speed of 6km/hr calculations indicate that the earliest time of arrival is 33hrs and 40minutes after the start at 6.20pm on Friday 10th May 2024.
The maximum time taken to travel of 78hrs would mean an arrival at 2.30pm on Sunday 12st May 2024.
For the 150BMLD: at a walking speed of 6km/hr calculations indicate that the earliest arrival time is 25hrs after the start at 9.00am on Saturday 11th May 2024.
The maximum time taken to travel of 54hrs would mean an arrival at 2.30pm on Sunday 12st May 2024.
For the 100BMLD: at a walking speed of 6km/hr calculations indicate that the earliest arrival time is 16.6hrs after the start at 1.20am on Saturday 11th May 2024.
The maximum time taken to travel of 30hrs would mean an arrival at 2.30pm on Sunday 12st May 2024.
Walkers who arrive after this time will be expected to finish until 4.00pm on Sunday 12st May 2024.
Any walker arriving after 4.00pm on Sunday 12st May 2024 will be considered as having withdrawn from this event.

Article 12 Arrival arrangements

The arrival venue will vary according to the time:
From 5.00pm to 12.00pm and from 00.00am to 6.30am, arrival will be at the “Salle de Réception de L’Epine” (9, rue de l’Epine).
From 10.30am to 5.00pm, arrival will be at Clemenceau Park.
Suitable signposting will be in place to indicate the finish.
On arrival, the walker will hand in their Logbook which must include the times of arrival at all controls, official or hidden.
The walker will be offered a meal tray, a shower and a rest room (no beds provided).

Article 13: Obligations and results

In the days following the BMLD, the organisers will collect all the control cards from the control points. After a thorough examination of these cards and the Logbook and if everything is in order they will receive the BMLD award.
The validated Logbook will be returned by mail to their owner. It will confirm the achievement of the BMLD award.
The organisers will publish on the internet (https://www.vendee-randonnee.com/) the list of all the walkers who have successfully achieved their BMLD.
As the BMLD is not a competition, no times will be published.

Article 14: Abandonment and delay

The walker is the only person who can decide to retire from the event. In this case, they must undertake to inform the organisers by the telephone number that will be issued at the time of the briefing.
The organisers may also withdraw a walker who is obviously no longer able to reach the finish in the time allowed.

Article 15 Luggage transfer only for 200Km and 150Km

The organisation will allow each walker to carry one small piece of luggage (max. 30litres) which can be handed in at the “LE BEUGNON” control points on the route located at the km 69 of the circuit.
The exact position of these control points will be indicated during the briefing.
The organisers decline any responsibility regarding the content or condition of the luggage bags.

Article 16 Attitude, Environment

Each walker must be respectful to other persons that they may meet and also to their environment.  Walkers must provide bags to carry their own personal waste. The guigebook will show the location of public bins available on the route.

Article 17 Use of personal data

The  BMLD walker must accept that their identity will be published in the results.
It also authorises the organisation to freely use their images taken during the event and on which they may appear.
The organisers undertake not to forward any personal data to a third party.

Article 18 Acceptance of Settlement, Claims

Registering and starting at the departure of the award implies on the part of the walker the unreserved acceptance of the regulations.
Before their departure, each walker must approve and accept these regulations with a signature.
In the event of disqualification from the event, and only in case of disqualification, the walker may submit a complaint to the organisers either verbally upon arrival, or by mail before Wednesday 24th may 2023. They will then be informed of the follow-up procedure for their complaint.

Article 19 Amendments

R4JCV reserves the right to modify these regulations to take into account unforeseen situations.
In this case, R4JCV undertakes to send the new version of the regulations by email to all participants already registered.

INFORMATION:

Phone: 06 50 22 84 17 (André V., responsible for the BMLD within R4JCV)
Email: r4jcv.bmld@orange.fr
Website: https://www.vendee-randonnee.com/

ORGANISER:
R4JCV MAIRIE of Chantonnay 85110 CHANTONNAY

ATTENTION

To register, do not use the procedure suggested below (for the daily walks) but select, in the B.M.L.D. tab, under the heading BMLD Registration