Lupine Racing Rules - September 10th, 2025 - v1.3.3

Note: Pay close attention to these rules. Most exist as a result of situations/clarifications in previous events.

Section 1 - Route and Checkpoint Rules

  1.1 - The start line, checkpoints, and finish line must be visited in the order provided.
  1.2 - You must be present at the start line when the race begins, and reach the finish before the cut-off.
  1.3 - Once you cross the finish line, your race is over, you may not go back for missed evidence or to collect more points.
  1.4 - The race pack given at the start line will detail the specific evidence needed to validate each checkpoint.
  1.5 - The rules below refer to your linear route to complete the challenge. If personal safety forces you off the route, record the spot (GPS screenshot) and return to that exact point before resuming.

Section 2 - Tickets & Proof
  2.1 - Every long-distance inter-city journey must be paid for and evidenced by a ticket, receipt, or official e-ticket screenshot bearing date, time and route.
    2.1.1 - Fare-free systems: Where a network issues no tickets (e.g., Luxembourg), provide a geo-tagged photo on board showing the destination display.
  2.2 - (Note: This rule is under review for the 2026 season). Region-proof for points rule: A visit only counts if you step off the vehicle and capture one geo-tagged photo of yourself at a clearly recognisable spot outside transport infrastructure, for example a street sign, shop front, town square, or border marker.

Section 3 - Teams

  3.1 - Each team member pays an individual entry fee and must follow all rules as a single entrant.
  3.2 - Splitting up and sending different people to each checkpoint will not count.
  3.3 - Each team member is issued their own ranking in the results as single entrants based on their own finish time.

Section 4 - Travel Between Cities

  4.1 - This is a public transport-based event and not a car rally.
  4.2 - Overland travel only; no planes or helicopters. Ferries are allowed.
  4.3 - Hitchhiking is not allowed.
  4.4 - If you are traveling using a public transport pass, such as the Interrail pass or similar, this is acceptable.
  4.5 - Marshrutka minibuses will be considered public transport for the purpose of this event. If a ticket is not provided, please collect photos/video proof of the transport as evidence of the journey, ideally showing route destinations, which are usually displayed on the front of the minibus.

Section 5 - Travel Within Cities/Towns

  5.1 - Taxis and other forms of private hire transport are allowed, including rental bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters.
  5.2 - Public transport is allowed.
  5.3 - If you wish to bring personal transport, such as a folding bike, skateboard, or rollerblades, for travel within a city, this is allowed. Personal transport must not cross the city-limit line defined below.
  5.4 - City/Town limits will generally be defined by the outline drawn when searching the city's name in Google Maps, unless specified.
    5.4.1 - London: the North and South Circular will mark the boundary.
    5.4.2 - Brussels: entire Brussels-Capital Region (19 municipalities, incl. Midi/Zuid)

Section 6 - Country Counting Classification

  6.1 - A point will be awarded for each visit to a unique UN member state, plus Kosovo, Gibraltar and Vatican City. Each event may also have bonus points, detailed below. A point is logged the moment you obtain Section 2 proof issued inside that country.
  6.2 - In the event of a tie in terms of the number of countries visited, the fastest finish time will be used as a tiebreaker.
  6.3 - You must keep the race director updated on your points score throughout the race using the specified method (a webpage) within 2 hours of earning a point. This is to facilitate the pre-invigilation of GPS tracking as well as the points leaderboard.
  6.4 - Bonus Points: Similar to city limits (Rule 4.4), the borders of these regions will use the Google Maps defined limits.
    6.4.1 - If a bonus point area is the only part of that UN member state that you visit, you will still be granted both points: one for the country and one for the bonus.
    6.4.2 - 2026 Slovenia Bonus Points (initial draft, may be revised): 
              1 point - Bornholm, Öland, Gotland, Listenbourg, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily
              2 points - Heligoland, Jersey, Guernsey
              3 points - Wales, Lampedusa
              4 points - Arctic Circle

Section 7 - The Savvy Award (Low Cost)

  7.1 - Your cost is based on the sum of your long-distance, city-to-city travel costs.
  7.2 - Accommodation costs are not factored in. For safety reasons, we do not wish to encourage rough sleeping.
  7.3 - If you contact companies and negotiate discounts or free transport, you will be excluded from this award.
  7.4 - Only one person can win. If there is a tie, the prize will be split.
  7.5 - For multi-day passes like Interrail, the total cost of the pass will be factored into your submission.

Section 8 - Conduct

  8.1 - Fair play - No deception, sabotage or rule-bending. Obey event rules and all local laws.
  8.2 - Safety & respect - Put personal and public safety first. Treat racers, organisers and bystanders with courtesy. Follow organiser instructions. Many aspects of the event have been designed with safeguarding as a core element, such as prize categories, our tracking and evidence solutions, checkpoints and many other elements. It is forbidden to create your own version of any event elements or attempt to organise unofficial events within the event with their own rules. These actions will be considered circumventions of safeguarding measures and may lead to disqualification and potential bans from future events.
  8.3 - Clarifications - If a rule seems grey, ask the Race Director immediately, their public ruling is final.
  8.4 - Physical trophies must be collected at the awards by prize winners or by their nominee, or they will be forfeited.
  8.5 - All racers must be officially registered. No tagalongs, no ghost teammates. Any entrant found racing with, or facilitating, an unregistered participant will be disqualified, removed from the event, and may be banned from future races.

Section 9 - Close Finish Rules

  9.1 - If it becomes apparent there is going to be a very close finish, the Race Director may distribute extra rules to handle the circumstance.