Ten Tors Rules

TEN TORS CHALLENGE RULES

1 AUGUST 24

INTRODUCTION

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Director. The Director Ten Tors (the Army’s Commander South West) is responsible for the safe and efficient conduct of the Ten Tors Event and the safeguarding of the Army’s reputation with regard to Ten Tors. The Director may amend these Rules at any time and in all matters their decision is final.

2. Head of Establishment (HoE). The employer represented by the HoE (e.g. the head teacher of a school, the commandant of a cadet force, the district commissioner of scouts, the chairman of a rambling club or similar for other establishments) is ultimately responsible for the safety of participants in training, although this may be delegated to a designated Team Manager (TM). The HoE must assure the Director Ten Tors that all the team management are competent and suitable for the role to which they are assigned. By sponsoring an entry, the HoE accepts responsibility for all their participants’ behaviour in training and during the Event, including individuals who are not normally members of their own Establishment.

3. Team Manager. The TM, appointed by the HoE, is:

a. Responsible for the management and coordination of one or more teams on behalf of the Establishment and is the identified link with the Organisers.

b. Responsible for the planning, conduct and supervision of training including the production of the Establishment’s training programme.

c. Required to assure the Director that all participants are eligible to participate, agree to abide by the Ten Tors Rules, Charter and ethos, and are sufficiently trained, physically prepared and suitably equipped to complete their Challenge even in adverse conditions.

d. Responsible during the Event for the conduct and safety of participants before the start and after the finish of their Challenge, and of the team staff and supporters at all times.

e. An individual can only be the TM for one establishment, however, they may still be recorded as Team Staff for another establishment.

Where TMs are not suitably qualified to manage training or assure the Director, then they should take advice as necessary. With the agreement of the HoE, the TM may delegate training and other duties to competent and qualified assistants.

4. Participants. By taking part in Ten Tors training and participating in the Event, participants agree to strive to achieve the Charter’s objectives and are to obey the Ten Tors Rules.

GENERAL

5. Eligibility. Establishments from the South West Region (Bristol & NE Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire) may enter teams. Teams may be accepted from elsewhere at the discretion of the Director.

6. Team staff competence. As a condition of entry TMs must certify that team staff are competent as detailed in Annex C – Staff Qualifications, noting that at all times safety in training remains the responsibility of the Establishment.

7. Medical Conditions. TMs will be required at pre-registration to disclose participants’ pre-existing medical conditions (including allergies) and any medications being used, and to certify all participants’ fitness to undertake their Challenge. Any doubt as to the fitness of the participant is likely to require a dialogue between the TM and a medical practitioner familiar with the rigours and remoteness of the Challenge and documentation of the person’s fitness to undertake it. Careful consideration should be given to the potential time delay before external medical support can be provided given that this may require foot movement over long distances and arduous terrain. The Director reserves the right not to accept a participant on medical grounds.

8. Liability. The Organisers accept no liability for safety in training nor do they accept liability for any injuries (including injuries resulting in death) arising from participation in the Event except to the extent that any such injury arises from the neglect or default of the Organisers. The HoE and/or participants are advised to consider any insurance requirements.

9. Data Protection. The HoE is required to provide assurance that team staff, accompanying adults, and participants (or, for those under 18, their parents) have given their approval for personal data to be stored and used by the organisers for Ten Tors’ purposes including informing medical and emergency services if required. Personal data are destroyed after the Event.

10. Photography. Official photographers record images of training and the Event. The HoE is required to certify that parents/guardians have given their consent for suitable and appropriate photographs to be taken, stored and published. A Media Consent form will need to be completed for every participant under the age of 18, which will be distributed and completed via the TM dashboard prior to the event.

11. Infringements. Individuals, teams and establishments agree to follow these Rules and accept that at any stage during the training and the Event the Director may penalise them for any of the following:

a. Breaking these Rules or any other directions given by the Ten Tors Organisers.

b. Activities likely to bring Ten Tors into disrepute.

c. Failing to meet the administrative deadlines.

12. Penalties. Penalties may include disqualification from present or future events. In all cases the decision of the Director is final.

13. Routes. Challengers may attempt Routes depending on their age as at the 31 August of the year of the Event as detailed below:

14. Composition of Teams. A Ten Tors Challenge team is to consist of 6 eligible individuals of any mix of gender within the appropriate age range. Team reserves may attend the Event, but they are not allowed to accompany teams, join them or substitute during the Challenge.

15. Self Sufficiency. Teams complete the Ten Tors Challenge unaided and TMs are required to declare that participants are able to achieve this as part of Registration. Those requiring medical or supportive intervention and management, that cannot be self-administered, are not permitted to participate.

16. Individual training requirement. Before the Event participants must complete a structured and progressive programme of training which includes as a minimum:

a. 4 days of training on Dartmoor.

b. 2 nights of wild camping on Dartmoor.

c. Experience of walking in a remotely supervised group.

17. Team training requirement. In addition to the above Teams must:

a. Be sufficiently trained, physically prepared and suitably equipped to enable the team to operate safely on their own and complete the Challenge unaided even in adverse conditions.

b. Train as a team on at least one expedition noting that best practice would be to conduct regular training as a defined team. Last minute composite teams are not permitted.

PRE-EVENT

18. Applications. Applications to enter, must be authorised by the HoE and are to be made through the TM’s dashboard on the Ten Tors website by the announced deadline. Late entries will not be accepted.

19. Entrant selection. The Event is often heavily oversubscribed. Places will be allocated based on several factors including Establishment size and past conduct and performance. Allocations will be published on the Ten Tors website.

20. TMs’ Briefing. The TMs’ Briefing is held in the October of the year preceding the Event at Okehampton Camp. TMs must have attended a Briefing within the 3 years preceding the Event - if they have, a member of the Team Staff (who is registered on the TMs Dashboard) is to attend in their place. Establishments entering more than one challenge (TTC, JC and/or JC+) must send an attendee for each. Attendance at the TM’s Brief is mandatory and failure to attend will result in Establishments being de-selected from the Event.

21. Pre-registration. The TM is responsible for pre-registering data on participants and Team Staff by the date published on the Ten Tors website.

TRAINING

General

22. Requirement. The Ten Tors Challenge is a demanding expedition and thorough preparation and training are essential to complete the Challenges safely. The HoE is responsible, vicariously, through their TM, for all aspects of training including safety, planning, conduct and equipment.

23. Training in the Dartmoor National Park (DNP). The detailed rules for training in the DNP are contained in the Green Card.

24. Incidents. The TM is responsible for ensuring that the Organisers are informed within 24 hours of any Ten Tors related incident during training that:

a. Involves the emergency services.

b. Results in hospital treatment.

c. May result in media coverage.

d. May lead to complaint from a 3rd party.

THE EVENT

General

25. Routes. All locations shown on a route must be visited in the sequence shown.

26. Clothing and equipment. The TM is responsible for ensuring that individuals are equipped to complete their Challenge. A list of items that must be carried or worn is at Annex B – Kit List to these Rules.

27. TM’s responsibilities. TMs and Team staff are to obey the Orange Card – Rules for Team Staff which details their responsibilities during the Event.

28. Participants’ responsibilities. Participants are to obey the Pink Card – Rules for Participants which details the relevant rules and procedures for their Challenges.

29. Pets. Dogs and other pets are not allowed to accompany either of the Challengers.

30. Self Sufficiency. The Challenge must be completed without outside assistance.

a. Participants are to be responsible for their own preparations. The TM is to check that their team has correctly planned its route, has organised itself and is suitably equipped, then left to carry out the Challenge unaided.

b. Each team must carry all its requirements for the Challenge and must be completely self-contained.

c. Except where specified in Annex B – Kit List, the carriage or use of any mobile phone, 2-way radio, GPS or any other artificial aid is forbidden.

d. Outside assistance, including entering shops, places of refreshment and public toilets, or receiving any advice or support, is forbidden. The only exception to this is within 500 metres of the start and finish where team officials and supporters are permitted to encourage and enthuse.

31. Overnight Camping. Teams must rest overnight; no team may pass its 8th staffed location (via do not count as staffed locations) before 0600hrs on Sunday.

a. 35-mile Routes. Teams are to camp at one of the staffed locations on their route by 2000hrs on Saturday evening. Teams will be ordered to camp if it is after the Night Stop Time printed on their Control Card.

b. 45- and 55-mile Routes. Teams are to wild camp. No Control Card will be endorsed between 2200hrs Saturday and 0600hrs Sunday.

32. Finish. The Challenge finishes at 1700hrs Sunday, this may only be extended if:

a. The official start time is delayed.

b. A Ten Tors official has detained a team en route as recorded on the team’s control card.

c. The Director orders.