Rhino Charge 2001 

*Post Script -
The Hog Charge Team's story

Programme
Saturday 12th May	Preliminary Briefing at Ruiru Sports Club and issue of distance measuring devices and instructions for fitting. Production of sponsorship form and relevant cheques to a minimum of KShs 80,000. Announcement of location of Check-in.
Friday 1st June 0900 - 1500hrs   1700 - 1800hrs	Check-in and Camping Fee payment and production of any sponsorship not given at the Preliminary Briefing. Calibration and sealing of the DMD's and Scruitineering. Drivers briefing at HQ and issue of maps.
Saturday 2nd June 0600 - 0615hrs 0630hrs SHARP 0730hrs 1730hrs SHARP	Assemble at Collection Point for convoy to START points Depart for start points. Start of the event (or as advised). Guard Posts (Controls) CLOSE
Sunday 3rd June 0930hrs 1100hrs	Posting of results Prize giving followed by fun at the venue.
Monday 4th June	Depart at own convenience

Rules & Regulations

1. The event is open to any vehicle with 4 or more wheels, which must be registered, licensed and insured to drive on the roads of Kenya, EXCEPT that the following are specifically excluded:-
   • Agricultural prime movers or similar vehicles
   • Earth moving machines and equipment
   • Plant and machinery for construction works
2. The minimum unladen weight of a vehicle is 500kg
   The maximum unladen weight of a vehicle is 3000kg
3. Equipment:
   1. Tyre size and design is free except that studs, chains and spikes are prohibited.
      Tyre sizes and pressures must be maintained during the event.
   2. Each competitors performance will be measured by the DMD supplied by the organisers. No other instrument will be considered as valid when computing final results.
   3. Competitors who did not enter last years event or who are entering a different vehicle type or model from last year, must provide a speedometer cable for their vehicle which will become the property of the organisers. All cables must be in the hands of the orgnanisers by the 31sty March 2001. Those competitors who provided  a speedo cable last year will be permitted to re-use that cable provided they have entered a similar vehicle. However, the performances of the cable will be the competitor's responsibility and he must satisfy himself of its serviceability and if in doubt it is advised that he provide a new cable.
   4. Due to the susceptibility of the sensor probes, it is recommended that they now be positioned above ther floor of the vehicle in a dry, protected place. Any Entrant who wishes to incorporate this modification will need to provide a new speedo cable to the Organizers. If this method is adopted, the entire length of the speedo cable must be encased within a rigid casing, (such as PVC tubing), which must be securely clipped to the body of the car every 150mm.
   5. The speedometer cable MUST be driven from the gearbox. It will be the competitors sole responsibility to fit the DMD provided by the organizers according to their instructions. Entrants are strongly advised to fit the DMD immediately they receive it so that it can be thoroughly tested before the event. Any malfunction must be brought to the organizers attention by the 15th May 2001, in order to give enough time to rectify the problem. The organisers cannot take any responsibility for the malfunction or failure of the equipment after that date.
   6. The DMD and associated equipment provided as shown below remains the property of Rhino Ark and must be returned to the organisers on completion of the event, prior to leaving the Park Ferme.
      1. Trip Meter
      2. Universal cable probe
      3. Power cable
      4. Speedometer cable (supplied by the entrant)
   7. Any evidence of damage to the equipment or interference with it's sealing will result in exclusion
   8. Each vehicle must carry an adequate First Aid kit.
   9. Each vehicle must carry at least 10 litres of water. It is recommended to carry sufficient sustenance for the crew for 24 hours, as well as warm clothing and blankets. A battery powered flashing light is highly recommended to enable search parties to locate lost vehicles at night.
   10. Power-driven winches are permitted.
   11. Motorcycles are forbidden at the venue prior to or during the event except for use by the organisers, and these will be marked accordingly. Any competitor who is judged by the Clerk of the Course as having used motorcycles or any other vehicle to reconnoiter a route before or during the event will be disqualified.
   12. Radio communications will not be allowed. Any competitor who is judged by the Clerk of the Course to have used radios will be disqualified. Entrants are required to sign an indemnity, which allows the organisers to state in the official results the reasons for the disqualification of a competitor due to any infringement of this regulation.
   13. GPS's are permitted.
4. Eligible Competitors
   1. Any person licenced to drive on the roads of Kenya is eligible to be nominated as DRIVER. The choice of crew is entirely at the discretion of the Entrant subject to Rule 8.5 hereafter
   2. All entries must be in the name of an individual and not a company. Commercial entries are not permitted.
5. Entries
   The Maximum number of entries is 55.
   In the interest of ecological conservation and due to the nature of the ground to be covered, the organisers will limit the number of entries to the above figure. A strict policy of First-Come First-Served will be adopted. An entry will be accepted only if accompanied by KShs20,000 and once an entry is accepted, the entrant is responsible for the minimum sponsorship(see 7.2) unless the entry is officially withdrawn before the 28th Feb 2001
6. A crew must consist of not less than 2 and not more than 6 persons including the driver.
7. Fees & Sponsorship
   1. The 'Entry Fee' is KShs 2000/- payable to the Rhino Ark. All entries must be accompanied by a payment of KShs 20,000/-. The additional KShs 18,000/- is an advance of sponsorship. This advance will be kept in a suspense account and will be credited to the entrant's sponsorship fund provided that entrant starts the event. It will be counted as part of the minimum sponsorship as defined in paragraph 7.2 hereafter.
   2. Entrants are required to gather a minimum of KShs 80,000/- cash sponsorship in addition to the entry the entry fee of KShs 2000/- plus advance sponsorship of KShs 18,000/- in accordance with the requirements stated on the sponsorship form. The Organisers will distribute the sponsorship form to the Entrant after acceptance of entry.
      The Guarantee of a higher sponsorship figure to ensure a place has been discontinued, and Entrants are advised that acceptance of their entry commits them to the minimum sponsorship in accordance with Rule 6.1 above.
   3. If an entrant arrives at the 'Check In' with a pledge of cash sponsorship but without the actual cash/cheque, the this figure will be excluded for the purpose of assessing the highest cash sponsorship.
      However, if the entrant is prepared to issue his/her own personal cheque for this sum then Rhino Ark will issue a letter to the entrant, which he/she can present to the sponsor. This will indicate that the cash has been received by Rhino Ark and confirm that the sponsor should reimburse the Entrant direct.
   4. All Sponsorships to be considered for the Victor Lodurum must be handed in by 5pm prior to the event. Sponsorships received after that time will be acknowledged in the Archive.
   5. Entry is at the sole discretion of the organisers, who may reject an entry without giving any reasons.
   6. The Organisers reserve the right to refuse participation in the event by any individual.
   7. The Control Officers' decisions are final.
8. Advertising
   1. While entrants are encouraged to find and advertise their own sponsors, the MUST carry any advertising provided by the organisers. Every Entrant will be issued with 2 Rhino Charge ' T ' Shirts which must be worn and visible throughout the event by the driver and co-driver. The other persons in the vehicle may wear any other ' T ' Shirts. The Entrants 3 official competition numbers should  be attached as follows:-
      One on Each FRONT DOOR or the SIDE BODY.
      One on the ROOF or the BONNET which must be clearly visible to aircraft.
      All these stickers must be displayed, and in this configuration, even if additional backing boards/plates have to be attached to the vehicle to conform.
   2. Apart from the advertising on the official numbers, which is compulsory, any Entrant who wishes to reserve exclusive advertising on his/her vehicle will be required to pay a fee equivalent to UK £ 10,000.00
9. Insurance
   1. Competitors will take part entirely at their own risk. The arrangement of Personal Accident Insurance, Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance etc. is the responsibility of the Competitor.
10. Running of the event
    1. Check-In times will be strictly adhered to. Any entrant that arrives at the 'Check In' control after 15.00 hours on the day of Scrutineering may be excluded. No person, other than those expressly authorised in writing, is permitted to arrive at the venue of the event prior to 09:00 hours onb the day of check-in as defined previously in these regulations.
       Each Entrant's starting Guard Post (control) will be determined by random draw, conducted at Scrutineering.
    2. The organisers will Scrutineer, calibrate and check the sealing of each competing vehicles DMD in a place and manner to be notified later. All tyres including spares will be identified and marked and their pressures recorded.
    3. On the competing day competitors will proceed to an assembly point and along a designated route. At the assembly point competitors will gather in their respective starting groups. The will then proceed in convoy to their respective starting points by following an escort vehicle along a route laid down by the organisers. Vehicles at each start point will be mass started, and competitors will then choose their own route within the restrictions given elsewhere in these regulations, and may visit Guard Posts in any order. As a safety precaution, competitors are required to declare their next intended Guard Post at the start of each section. They are also requested to notify the Control Official before competing for a Tiger Line. This is to enable the Organisers to keep track of vehicles throughout the day and to monitor the progress of each vehicle in order that a search can be immediately called if any vehicle becomes unduly delayed in any section.
    4. The overall winner will be the entrant who visits the most Guard Posts in the prescribed manner. Where the number of Guard Posts  visited by two or more competitors is equal, advantage will go the entrant who has covered the shortest distance. If the distance covered is still equal, the result will be tied.
    5. It is the entrant's responsibility to ensure that his Route Card is correctly completed and signed at each Guard Post by the officials. The competitor must park his vehicle within the designated area at each Guard Post, and must comply with the instructions of the Officials in this regard. Competitors who do not comply will be judged not to have visited that control.
    6. No Section between any two Guard Posts may be attempted more than once.
    7. The organisers intend to carry out checks on the DMD's during the event, and competitors must comply with any instructions, which are given by officials in this respect.
    8. If a DMD fails during the event and it is possible to re-calibrate the instrument, then that entrant will be given a distance equal to the longest distance recorded by any other competitor who completed that section (between the two guard posts). If no other competitor completed that section, twice the shortest distance for that section, as declared by the Organisers. In the event it is not possible to re-calibrate the DMD, entrants may continue with their planned route, but will be deemed not to have visited those Guard Posts for the purposes of the results.
    9. Vehicles may be manhandled across the terrain by any means devised by the crew's ingenuity, except that no outside assistance is permitted wether it is in mechanical, human or animal form, except that given by another competitor.
    10. Competitors must have particular regard to the welfare of the ecological environment in which the event takes place.
    11. After checking into their final 'Guard Post' or at the time notified as the closing time of all Guard Posts, all competing vehicles must be taken to the designated Park Ferme whether they have visited all the Guard Posts or not. All vehicles will remain in Park Ferme until released by the Clerk of the Course. Any entrant who has not checked their vehicle into Park Ferme by the stipulated time will be liable to disqualification.
    12. There will be a Compulsory Gauntlet, which must be completed by all entrants. Co-ordinates given at Drivers Briefing will specify the start and finish of the Gauntlet. At each end of the Gauntlet, entrants will be required to pass through a 'gate' marked by cairns where Officials will sign the Route Card and record the distance. Entrants may traverse the Gauntlet by whichever route they choose, but may not visit a Guard Post while traversing the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet may be traversed in either direction. All competitors MUST attempt this section to be classified in the results. The Organisers may provide assistance for vehicles in difficulty within the Gauntlet, but the decision on any aspect of assistance provided will rest entirely with the Clerk of the Course, and will be final.
    13. Any objections to the results must be brought to the Clerk of the Course within 2 hours of the posting of results.
    14. There will be an admission/camping fee for every vehicle that enters the area. The amount will be advised at the Preliminay Briefing on May 12th 2001.
    15. There will be a specific camping area set aside for the entrants and their teams. No camping outside the designated area will be permitted. All campers MUST TIDY UP their camp before departing, and leave the area perfectly clean. Do not leave bags of rubbish at your campsites. Take them with you, or to the Refuse Truck.
        The Organisers will hold competitors responsible for the behaviour of their friends and assistants who have shared their campsite. Future entry may be refused ot any person deemed to have flouted this regulation in past events.
    16. There will be Camp Commandants who will be responsible for monitoring campo behavior and cleanliness. Their instructions must be followed. Failure to take reasonable and prompt action to comply with instructions of a Camp Commandant may result in the person(s) being asked to leave. A Camp Commandant can be contacted at HQ at all times.
11. Penalties
    1. There will be Rangers (judges of fact) throughout the course and any entrant adjudged to have contravened the rules or the spirit of the event may be penalized or disqualified at the discretion of the Clerk of the Course.
       The following are examples of what will constitute an infringement:-
       1. External assistance of any sort, other than from another competitor.
       2. Tampering in any way with the proper operation of the DMD.
       3. Deliberately blocking the passage of other competing cars or behaving in an unsporting manner
       4. Using tyres other than those marked by the organisers.
       5. Increasing the recorded pressure of marked tyres
       6. The formation of teams of two or more vehicles as a means of enabling one vehicle to gain a competitive advantage will be considered as against the spirit of the event and will be penalized by the Organisers in accordance with paragraph 11 above.
       7. Wanton destruction of the environment
       8. The use of radios
12. Awards
    1. There will be a perpetual prize known as the 'Victor Ludorum'. This award will be made to the entrant who has achieved the shortest discounted distance calculated by discounting the actual corrected distance traveled at the rate of 2 centimetres per Kenya shilling of sponsorship raised.
    2. There will be a perpetual prize known as the Rob Coombes Memorial Trophy, for the Most Meritorous Entry, which is awarded entirely at the discretion of the organisers.
    3. There will be other prizes as set out below.

List of Prizes

The Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust
P.O.Box 63410
Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: 749654/5/6
Fax: 740753/740721

rhinoark@triad.co.ke