Article VII - Safety, Liability, Emergencies and Medical Services

A. Overview
Safety remains the highest priority to be considered in all decisions having an impact on the organisation, management or outcome of the race. SIKU EXTREME ARCTIC CHALLENGE reserve the right to remove any competitor or team from the competition, to
change the course, or to halt racing entirely in safety considerations warrant such actions.

B. Medical Release
The SIKU EXTREME ARCTIC CHALLENGE Committee cannot be held responsible of personal injury or death incurred during the race.

C. Personal Liability Insurance
Personal medical insurance WILL NOT be provided for individuals participating in this event. ALL PARTICIPANTS are strongly recommended to provide their own personal medical insurance coverage.

D. On-site Medical Personnel and Event First Aid
On-site medical personnel will be available for round-the-clock event first aid and emergency response. Provisions will be in place for remote emergency rescue and transport to the local hospital or emergency care facility during the race. There will be NO TIME PENALTIES imposed for receiving emergency or supportive medical treatment. For serious injuries beyond the scope of field treatment by field medical personnel, the injured party will be transported to the local hospital or emergency facility. Transport may involve county agencies and support services. Injured racers will be responsible for covering minimum deductibles and/or expenses if an emergency should arise that requires outside assistance or transport to a local emergency facility.

E. Good Samaritan Rule
If an injured party or team in need of emergency or medical assistance is encountered, you have the personal responsibility to lend assistance until the emergency the emergency situation is under control without your assistance. No time penalties will be
levied under such circumstances, and the award of time bonuses may be considered

F. Emergency Procedures
An emergency is defined as any type of serious bodily injury, accident, or exposure that would endanger life or limb. Under such circumstances, teams are REQUIRED to make every effort possible to contact race management personnel at the nearest checkpoint for emergency support. All checkpoints will be part of the emergency communication infrastructure and will have emergency communications available that include 2-way radio or a satellite phone. Survival mirrors, emergency radios, smoke signals, distress flares, or other distress signals are only to be used in an emergency where immediate emergency treatment and/or evacuation is required. Negligent use of distress signals in a nonemergency situation will result in immediate team disqualification and removal from the course. Costs for emergency evacuation could be borne by the injured party.

G. Withdrawal from Competition
The team decision to voluntarily withdraw from competition is a serious decision that cannot be taken lightly with respect to emergency situation management. Any team that has made this decision is REQUIRED to contact race management personnel in person at a checkpoint or transition area. Teams that withdraw are REQUIRED to continue to the nearest staffed checkpoint where they will remain until further instructions are provided.
If a team fails to notify race management personnel of team withdrawal and race management is forced to institute a formal search for the team, the financial responsibility of the search will fall on the team captain.
In the event that a team member is unable to continue, remaining team members must wait until help has arrived before consideration can be given to allowing the remaining team to continue the race. Incomplete teams may continue racing with a minimum of two racers. In the event that withdrawal of participants results in a team of one racer, that racer may join another team to continue racing at that team's invitation.

H. Penalties
Violations of mandatory safety procedures constitute the most severe form of racing misconduct and will met with strict penalties or team disqualification.