Rules

  1. GENERAL

The Snowdonia Seven (S7) event is organised by the S7 committee under the auspices of the North Wales Police Sports Association with the aim of encouraging Fitness, Teamwork and Endurance. Travelling in mountainous areas can be hazardous and competitors should not enter without giving due regard to this. At least one member of each Team must have previously completed the event or be expected to evidence a level of ability on the entry form commensurate to the challenge.

  1. BRIEFING

19:00hrs evening before the event @ Community Centre/Y Canolfan, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55 4TY, (W3W: enigma.beast.emeralds).

Please pay car park fee, this is Community Centre income and secures future S7 events there.

Every competitor is advised to attend this meeting; however it’s important at least one member of each Team, ideally Team captains, attend. This is when any late event changes are announced and course maps available to view, including Checkpoints (CP) aid posts and ‘escape routes’.

Race Director (RD) has responsibility for making any changes necessary to rules, cut-off times, control-sections or route as necessary in the interests of safety. This may, in extreme circumstances, mean cancelling the event.

  1. REGISTRATION

Each Team must nominate a captain and indicate as such on the disclaimer signed at registration. Team captains (or representative) MUST register at Event HQ prior to 07.30hrs on race morning with Team Declaration form: signed by and listing every member of the Team starting the event.

( Please note that the Female category race starts at 7:30am so its asked that participants in this category ensure they register early) 

Individual wristbands issued at registration must be worn during the race. The wristband must be returned, by the same individual, on their return to HQ to the S7 registration team.

Only at that point, when it’s confirmed YOU ARE SAFE & WELL will your event goody-bag be given.

FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND PROHIBIT FUTURE ENTRY. (Rule 12).

 

  1. COURSE & CHECKPOINTS (CP)

Appendix A – route description

  • CP will be visited in the correct order. Teams will attend CP together as a Team.Controlled sections: parts of the course where a specific path must be followed: See Appendix A & briefing maps. Outside of controlled sections, competitors may choose their own line between CP.
  • CP1 (Snowdon) – CP2 (Crib Y Ddysgl) has two way traffic: ascenders give way to descenders.

Countryside Code:

  • Be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs
  • Leave gates and property as you find them
  • Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home
  • Consider other people

Any disregard of the above may incur time penalties (Rule 12).

National Park request: please do not train over the course route to avoid erosion where there is already heavy use by tourists.

 

  1. TIME LIMITS

Race Start time: 08:00hrs (Women’s Event 07:30hrs)

Cut-off points & times for all:

  • Pen Y Pass (GR 647555) 11:00hrs Teams will be transported back to Event HQ.
  • Llyn y Cwn (GR 637585) 13:30hrs Teams will be directed to south-west ‘escape route’ to A4086 Llanberis road, transport can be arranged.
  • Final cut-off: 18:00hrs after which, Teams arriving at Event HQ will be DNF (Did Not Finish)

Cut off times will be firmly enforced. Marshals will inform Teams they are being retired due to them being over or unlikely to make cut-off times.

Every competitor must hand in their wristband on returning to Event HQ to ensure all competitors are safe and well.

FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND PROHIBIT FUTURE ENTRY. (Rule 12).

 

  1. QUALIFICATION

Team members to be serving or retired Police: Officers, Specials, Staff, Volunteers or other member of the extended Policing Family, including Military Police.

Entry of Force Teams is on a first-come, first-served basis. The S7 committee has discretion to limit Team numbers as they see fit in the interest of fairness.

It will not always be possible to refund fees already paid. This decision will be dependent as follows:

  • Over 8 weeks prior to the published event date – Full Refund
  • Between 4 and 8 weeks prior to the event – 50% reduction for following year’s entry
  • Less than 4 weeks’ notice – No refunds/reductions*

*Where extraordinary circumstances exist (e.g. unplanned major operational demands) the event committee will consider applications for any refund or reduction in entry for the following year, once the event has been completed.

 

  1. DRESS AND EQUIPMENT

Appropriate footwear must be worn: mountain boots or fell/trail running shoes. 

Flat running trainers are not acceptable.

Each Team member must wear or carry the following:

  • Full leg covering 
  • Long sleeved top
  • Spare long sleeved top*
  • Waterproof jacket & over-trousers
  • Gloves
  • Hat
  • Working torch (suitable for night navigation)
  • Working whistle
  • Working compass
  • Pencil and writing paper
  • Map (untrimmed) O.S. OL17 1:25K or 115 1:50K; Harvey: Snowdonia North 1:25K or 1:40K
  • Fully charged mobile phone** (see Rule 8)
  • Emergency rations minimum weight: 225g (1/2 lb)
  • Liquid container min. 500ml capacity, full at start of race
  • Survival bag which a person can get fully inside. Foil blankets are not acceptable
  • First Aid pack of:
  • Adhesive plasters
  • 1x full roll No.5 (5cm/2”) wide bandage
  • 1x No.8 (8cm/3”) absorbent wound dressing 
  • 1x triangular bandage

*Competitors starting in vest or T shirt are required to carry both long sleeved tops (non-cotton).

** Competitors are required to carry a fully charged mobile phone as an additional safety measure, however coverage is not guaranteed.

Registration/Declaration forms certify that each Team member is equipped as per the rules and is aware that participation is at their own risk.

Pre-start and on-course spot checks (for which time allowances will be awarded) may occur.

Full kit checks will occur at the finish. Deficiencies in equipment will incur penalties (rule 12).

 

  1. USE OF GPS

The use of GPS, in any device form, is considered contrary to the spirit of the event. Their use to gain an unfair advantage would be subject to a time penalty (Rule 12). However, in the interests of safety Teams will be permitted to carry such devices should they be required in an emergency.

 

  1. IDENTIFICATION EN-ROUTE

Team numbers will be clearly displayed at all times. At least one Team member must have the Team number clearly displayed to their front (Rule 12).

 

  1. WITHDRAWAL OF TEAM OR TEAM MEMBER AFTER RACE HAS STARTED

Team members unable to continue the event remain the responsibility of their Team = Teamwork.

  1. If any/all of the Team withdraw from the event Competitors must report to the nearest CP and inform a Marshal. Subject to rule 11, Teams may leave a member at a CP, only at the Marshal’s discretion. Marshals can insist the remaining Team take responsibility getting their retiring member to a location where they can be safely left or taken off the mountain.
  2. Where one of the Team withdraws, as per requirement above, the remaining three members may continue. Where two members withdraw the remaining two may NOT continue.
  • Individuals insisting upon continuing alone or in a pair must acknowledge they are no longer part of the event, and do so at their own risk. They will advise other marshals they are not part of the event to avoid confusion.

FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND PROHIBIT FUTURE ENTRY (Rule 12).

11.  CASUALTIES

  • Injured Team members WILL NOT be left alone on the mountain. Where possible a casualty should be assisted to the nearest CP/First Aid post.
  • Where the casualty cannot be moved, one Team member MUST remain with them whilst the other(s) report to the nearest CP/First Aid Post.
  • CP/First Aid post marshals have the discretion to withdraw an individual from the event if in their opinion it would be unsafe to allow that person to continue.

            FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND PROHIBIT FUTURE ENTRY (Rule 12).

 

  1. TIME PENALTIES & DISQUALIFICATION

Time penalties will be incurred for the following infringements:

  • Failure to wear or have required clothing/equipment (Rule 7 & 9).
  • Using GPS (Rule 8).

30 MINUTES PER ARTICLE PER TEAM.

  • Deviation from order of CP, controlled sections, climbing walls/fences or disregard of Country Code (Rule 4).

30 MINUTES PER TRANSGRESSION.

A Team will/may be disqualified or withdrawn for breaching any of the following rules:

  • Rule 3 (Registration & Wristbands)
  • Rule 5 (Time limit)
  • Rule 10 (Withdrawal)
  • Rule 11 (Casualties)

Objections concerning any competitor(s) must be reported to the Race Organisers before 18:00hrs on day of the race.

 

  1. EVENT CATEGORIES & PRIZES
    All Teams are eligible for the Open Event.
  • WOMEN’S – Four female members.
  • MIXED – Teams of four, at least two female members.
  • VETERANS – Teams of four all aged 40 years+ on day of the event.
  • SUPER VETERANS – Teams of four all aged 50 years+ on day of the event
  • COMPOSITE – Teams made up of members from difference Forces. However, for the purpose of the competition they will not be placed.

To qualify for a placing, all four Team members must finish together. Time will be taken from the last Team member crossing the finishing line.

Presentations will be at 19:00hrs on the evening of the event, at a location to be notified. This will include a hot buffet. Trophies will be retained for a period of one year and then returned to S7.

  • Open Event winners will be presented with the Open Trophy.
  • Women’s Event winners will be presented with the Chief Constable David Owen Trophy.
  • Mixed Event winners will be presented with the Mixed Trophy.
  • Veteran Event winners will be presented with the Veteran Trophy.
  • Super Veteran Event winners will be presented with the Sir Philip Myers Trophy.

 

  1. DECISIONS

All competitors enter accepting that the decisions of the Race Director, Timekeepers, Marshals and Organisers are final.

 

 

  SNOWDONIA 7’s ROUTE                                                               APPENDIX A
  Start 08:00hrs (Women’s event 07:30hrs) Cattle Grid, Victoria Terrace, Llanberis.Grid SH580594 – Llanberis path to Snowdon Summit
  CP1 – Snowdon Summit SH609543 (Note: Café out of bounds)
  CP2 – Crib-y-Ddysgl, SH610551 to:
  CP3 & FIRST AID POINT – Llyn Glaslyn (near old ruin) SH617547 to:
  CP4 – Pen-y-Pass car park SH647555: (cut off time
11.00hrs). (START CONTROLLED SECTION)
  CAREFULLY Cross the road and over stile at the RIGHT (east) of the Youth Hostel. Do not turn right down the road towards Pen Y Gwryd unless directed otherwise by a marshal. (END CONTROLLED SECTION) to:
  CP5 – Miners Track Waterfall, SH667574 5 to:
  CP6 – Glyder Fach (near Cantilever Stone), SH657583 6 to:
  CP7 – Glyder Fawr, SH642579 7 to:
  AID POINT Llyn-y-Cwn, SH637585 (cut off time 13.30hrs)
  CP8 – Y Garn, SH630595 to:
  CP9 – Foel Goch, SH628611 to
  CP10 – Elidir Fawr, SH611613 to
  Bridge at foot of Elidir SH608596 START CONTROLLED SECTION to:
  Continue to use stiles, do not open gates to reach single track metaled road, turn right through Fron Farm. Route is now marked with red and white tape, through a bracken field, over a rocky outcrop and down towards a lane. Turn left to the main road. END CONTROLLED SECTION to:
  Main road A4086 (SH600587) turn right towards Llanberis village.
  After approx. 1 mile (SH586596) entrance on right into Padarn Castle grounds (will be marked on race day), follow footpath to left of castle before dropping down onto unclassified road opposite the recycling centre. Turn right follow the road to T junction, turn left, after a 100 yards or so turn left over a small footbridge, the Community Centre field is ahead:
Finish Cut off time: 18:00hrs