Guidance on checkpoints & cut-offs
We want the journey down the spine of Wales to be completed in full by as many participants as possible; to do this we have strict but fair procedures in place as follows:
Checkpoints
Each checkpoint is marked on the event map (issued at registration) along with a guidance time or cut-off time (see example below) that indicates whether you are on course to reach that day’s finish by the course closure time. Most checkpoints are unmanned, but at least one each day will be manned. If the checkpoint is manned then a symbol is included to indicate this (see example below).
All checkpoints must be visited and in the correct order!
2019 Dragon's Back Race® map extract showing manned and unmanned checkpoints, with guidance times and a cut-off time boxout
Tip
Participants are able to access cut-off and guidance times on the respective day's route on the route pages.
What does a checkpoint look like?
Checkpoints are locations (often summits of mountains) that define the route. They are always marked with an orange and white orienteering kite and participants must touch the flag (or pass very close by) to record their time at that location.
An example summit checkpoint (Diffwys, Day 2) on the Dragon's Back Race® ©Guillem Casanova
Manned checkpoints
At all manned checkpoints
there is an enforced cut-off time (see more below)
it is possible to retire (please see guidance on retirements and the reduced course)
we will provide emergency help and it will be possible to summon a medic to these locations based on the Medical Teams’ priorities and your immediate needs.
At one manned checkpoint each day, participants will be able to access their resupply dry bag. This is known as the support point and is approximately mid-way each day.
Day two support point at Cwm Bychan ©No Limits Photography
Cut-off times
Each day will be subject to various cut-off times, to enable us to deliver the event logistics fluently. These cut-offs are as generous as we can make them in relation to that day’s course closure time. The cut-off time is the time by which participants must have departed, not arrived at a checkpoint. If a participant has not departed a checkpoint by the cut-off time, they will be retired from that day’s racing and transported directly to the overnight camp (please see guidance on retirements and the reduced course).
The cut-off times are clearly displayed on the event map issued at registration and can be previewed by interacting with the icons on the respective day's route on the route pages.
At each manned checkpoint there will be a strictly enforced cut-off time. The cut-off time is based on whether we think the slowest participants will make it to the overnight camp before the course closure time. We have finessed the cut-off times using data from previous events. Lateness at the finish would cause disproportionate affects on the event by keeping our admin team, medical team, safety team, catering team awake and the generator and lighting on (affecting all participants) until the last finisher is accounted for.
At the support point, event staff will always wait for the last participant to arrive.
Course closure time
Any participant arriving at the overnight camp after the course closure time will be automatically timed out from that day’s racing and will not be able to start the full course on the following day. Thereafter they can only continue on The Hatchling.
Please refer to the guidance on retirements & swapping to The Hatchling article for full details.
Please bear in mind that there is a considerable debilitating and cumulative fatigue effect of arriving late/slowest each day, and that this is a reason for the course closure time (and the cut-off times) ruling. It is clearly helpful to stay comfortably ahead of the guidance times. There will not be any staff sweeping behind the last participants as we constantly monitor participants’ GPS trackers.
Guidance times
These times indicate when participants should have departed from that location in order to remain on schedule to finish that day by the course closure time.
Each checkpoint will have a guidance time. However, because we do not man all checkpoints, these times are advisory only, unless the checkpoint becomes manned and the guidance time becomes a cut-off time. We may choose to man any checkpoint at any time or location i.e. any guidance time may become a cut-off time. The guidance times will be printed on the event map and will be published with the respective day's route on the route pages.
We recommend staying well in front of the guidance times or you will have very little time at the support points and are likely to have a stressful day!
Please note
We reserve the right to retire any participant, at any point during the event, should they fall behind our schedule for course completion.
In some instances, checkpoints and support points have guidance times and cut-off times which are different. This is deliberate and you should have departed by the guidance time in order to give yourself the best chance of finishing the day before the course closure time. This difference allows participants who will not be able to finish the course before the course closure time the chance to experience as much of the course as possible.
2019 Dragon's Back Race® map extract showing how the day one support point has a guidance time which is different to the cut-off time