Registration will be held at Glencairn Farm. Registration will open at 15:00 on Friday afternoon and close at 20:00. You will receive your race packs, tent/room numbers and your village band. Dinner will be available to all riders, registered supporters and children. If you are coming up early Saturday you can register from 6:00am.

From JHB or DBN take the N3 to Howick / Merrivale area. (near Midmar dam). If you are coming from JHB it is NB you go all the way to Howick and do not turn at Nottingham Road. If you turn at Nottingham Road you will get onto a very long dirt road. It is beautiful but much longer time-wise.

At Merrivale take the R617 Howick / Underberg turnoff (the sign says Bulwer / Underberg) R617.

Travel through Boston and Bulwer on the R617.

From Bulwer proceed for approximately 40km to Underberg.

Travel into Underberg

In Underberg Main Street at the Shell garage take the road to Himeville.

Travel for 8.3 km passing through the village of Himeville.

Turn left up the Sani Pass road. (2km after Himeville)

Travel for 3.2km

Arrive at Glencairn Farm on your left.

GPS of Glencairn Farm: 29*42’03.81S ; 29*29’29.29E

Day 1, Friday 19h00

Day 2, Saturday 18h00

It is recommended that all riders attend the race briefing prior to each stage. Final essential information regarding the route, safety and other housekeeping is relayed to runners.

Glencairn Farm has some beautiful accommodation options! These options sell out very fast so be sure to enter early to book. This cost does not include the race entry and is for the full weekend (2 nights). Each option is for two people sharing.

Standard Canvas Tent with Mattresses - R1000

Standard Canvas Tent with Mattresses and Linen - R1400

Glamping double tent with electricity - R2600

Glamping double tent no electricity - R2200

Border Lester Stall - R3500

Oak Cottage - R3600

Border Lester Penthouse - R4000

Ram Stable - R4000

Garden Back Room - R4200

Self-camping - R250 pp

Oustide Stay Accommodation

Southern Drakensberg Website: www.drakensberg.org

Underberg Accommodation Email: info@underbergaccommodation.co.za Website: www.underbergaccommodation.co.za

Batches are limited to 100 riders per batch.

You can choose between the following batches when entering:

A - I am a racing snake

B - I am more social than a racing snake

C - I am social but don’t push up hills

D - I am social and push up some hills

Friday

Registration: 14:00

Check-in into race village tents from 12:00 – 19:00

Dinner: 18:30 – 20:00

Race Briefing: 19:00

Saturday

Breakfast: 6:30 – 8:30

Start: 7:00 (10 minutes between batches)

Lunch: 12:00 – 15:00

Yoga: 14h00

Live Music: 13:00

Dinner: 17:30 – 19:30

Race Briefing: 18:00

Sunday

Breakfast: 6:30 – 8:30

Start: 7:00

Lunch: 11:00 – 14:00

Prize Giving: 12:30

Mountain bike events are conducted in the spirit of self-contained, self-reliant backcountry cycling. Riders participate in Sani Seeker with an understanding and acceptance of this ethos. The final version of the Sani Seeker rules will be communicated at the race briefing before the event. All CSA rules apply.

RIDERS

Minimum age of participation is 15 years old by 31st of December of the event year (14 turning 15 in the year of participation.)

Riders must be in good health and well trained.

MEDICAL

During the race, the Sani Seeker Medical Officer reserves the right to withdraw a rider who is not deemed physically capable of continuing Sani Seeker.

Any medical expenses incurred will be from the rider’s account and will be claimed from his/her medical aid.

All competitors need comprehensive medical aid which will cover any medical expense that may be incurred whilst participating in Sani Seeker, which is conducted in the spirit of self-contained, self-reliant backcountry cycling.

BICYCLE

Mountain bikes or similar in good working order will be allowed to start the race.

No more than one bike per rider is allowed. Riders must start and finish the event on the same bike.

Bike Marking:

Bikes must be marked with an official Sani Seeker number board.

It is each rider's responsibility to ensure that their bike is appropriately marked.

Bikes must be race-ready at the start of each stage, and during the race. Race ready will mean the following:

The bike is correctly marked with no modification to the number board.

The front number board is securely fitted and visible from the front

The bike is in safe working order

Maintenance of bicycles during the race is the responsibility of each rider.

Other basic bike repair services will be provided by the Sani Seeker at stage finishes

In all cases of maintenance and repair, riders are required to complete the full distance of the stage with their bikes and within the time allowed.

HELMETS AND CLOTHING

A rider not wearing a helmet at any stage of the race will be disqualified immediately.

All helmets must comply with international "ANSI" standards.

Appropriate riding attire, including a shirt, must be worn at all times.

Eye protection is strongly recommended.

It is recommended that fully enclosed footwear be worn.

SEPARATION TIME PENALTIES (STPS) (Teams only)

Riders must ride with his/her team partner at all times.

Riders who are separated by more than 2 minutes from their team partner at any point in the stage will receive a Separation Time Penalty (STP) of 1 hour.

Team rider separation will be measured at the Start, Finish and Check Points, but can also be enforced at any point in the stage.

More than 1 STP per day can be enforced.

3 STPs will result in the disqualification of the team.

STPs will be applied to both stage results and to overall results.

RIDER IDENTIFICATION

Both riders in a team must display their entire race numbers at all times.

Bike numbers must be firmly fixed on the front of the bike, and must not be obscured by cables or any other item.

Race numbers must not be modified or mutilated in any way, including cutting, adding stickers, removing existing stickers or trimming.

Race leaders and stage winners are obliged to wear the leader jerseys/boards.

A rider's sponsor badge/logo fixed on any leader jersey must not cover or obscure the existing Sani Seeker branding and sponsors logos.

OBLIGATORY EQUIPMENT

These items must be considered the bare minimum, and it is strongly recommended that riders ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with emergencies they may encounter. The following items must, however, be carried by the team during the race:

First Aid Kit – consisting of a minimum of:

Foil survival blanket.

First Aid Dressings x 3 (sizes 2, 3 and 4 recommended).

Adhesive first aid plasters x 5.

Sun-block with a minimum SPF factor of 15.

Any riders on specific personal medications are responsible for supplying and carrying such medication.

At least 3 liters liquid capacity per rider.

Multi-tool or bike repair tools.

Mobile telephone (South Africa uses Dual Band GSM 900/1800 - this is the same as in Europe). We do provide an area in the race village for you to charge your phone. Please keep your phone off to conserve battery life as we cannot guarantee to charge all phones and other items each day.

START

The batch pounds open early and the stage start times will be announced at race briefing and supplied in the race guide.

Differential start zones will be allocated according to overall ranking in the race.

The top 3 teams in each category will have the option to start from the first row, if present at the start line in time.

The seeded starting batches will close strictly 10 minutes before the stage starts.

Any riders and/or teams who are not in their start zones 10 minutes before the start may be required to start in the last start batch.

Starting early (jumping your batch) will result in a 3 hour time penalty .

ROUTE AND STAGES

Riders must complete the full designated route and distance of all stages.

Only riders who complete all 2 stages will be considered Sani Seeker finishers.

INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM TIMES

Both Solo and Team Times will be recorded.

The team time is determined by the time at which the second team member passes the stage finish line.

Timing will start with the start time at the announced time each morning.

The start line will remain open for 15 minutes after the start time.

Riders who start later will not be credited with a late start.

Any rider who cannot make the start deadline must report to the organisers.

The finish cut-off time will not be adjusted for riders who are permitted a late start.

FINISH

The finish line closes at 3pm each day.

Teams which are deemed by the Race Organisers to arrive at the finish line after the cut-off time will be swept off the route by the sweep vehicle. These teams may continue riding the race, but will not qualify as stage or race finishers.

Stage winners and overall category leaders must be present at the daily awards ceremony, including the final ceremony. Absence will result in a severe thrashing.

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

Sani Seeker will not have exclusive use of any public roads during the race. Please do not presume that because you are competing in a race that there will be no other traffic on the route.

All regular traffic regulations must be observed at all times during the race. (In South Africa we drive/ride on the left hand side of the road!)

CHECKPOINTS

In each stage, there will be mandatory checkpoints, where STP's will be enforced.

Teams, which do not pass the checkpoints, will be disqualified.

The exact location of the checkpoints will not be published, and hidden checkpoints are not excluded.

The exact locations of watering and feed stations will be published.

REGISTRATION AND BRIEFING

Race Registration will be open as noted above.

A complete Race Briefing will take place as noted above.

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

Riders retain the ultimate responsibility to carry enough water and nutrition with them.

Sani Seeker Race Organisation will provide water, race food and fruit at Feed Stations on the route.

SECONDING AND SUPPORT

Competitors may receive assistance from a fellow competitor and farmers along the route.

Outside seconding, feeding or assistance is permitted in designated areas only.

Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting riders. (This implies that team members may receive physical assistance from their team partner like pushing up a hill. Towing is not allowed).

Bike repairs may be performed on the route but without obstructing other riders.

Neutral feeding, watering and medical assistance will be supplied by the Race Organisation at the feed stations.

Riders are not allowed to draft behind other riders who are not participating in the Sani Seeker, but may draft their own team partner or other riders taking part in Sani Seeker.

No other form of drafting is permitted whatsoever including, but not limited to, horses, tractors, donkey carts, postmen, private vehicles, motor cycles and trucks.

Specific escort or seconding vehicles not provided by the Sani Seeker Race Organisers are not permitted to follow the race route. However, supporters may drive their own vehicles along public roads to reach vantage points to vocally support riders. Some sections of the course will be closed to all non-event traffic including some public roads. Their closure must be respected by all.

WITHDRAWALS AND THE FORMATION OF NEW TEAMS

Teams that cannot continue the race, for whatever reason, must immediately inform the Race Office. This can be done at the Race Start, the Finish, and at Checkpoints.

In the event of a search and rescue operation being initiated for a rider or team which has withdrawn, but has not informed the Race Office, the cost of the search and rescue operation will be transferred to the rider or team.

In the event of one team member being incapable of completing the race. The Race Office will assist to form a new team in which the single rider can participate. The formation of a new team, however, remains the rider's responsibility.

The formation of new teams can only be done at the end of a stage, and by the latest at 5am in the morning before the start of the following stage.

Single riders will not be allowed to begin any stage on their own.

Newly formed teams will not qualify for team ranking, but individual riders will qualify as race finishers, on condition that they ride as a team with the newly formed team.

ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

No littering or unnecessary damage to the environment will be tolerated.

Litter, relating to sports nutrition and feeding stations, will be tolerated within the direct area of the feed stations.

PROTESTS

Any protests must be submitted in writing, to the Chief Commissaries after the rider has crossed the finish line, within the allocated time period.

Race Protests must be submitted within 15 minutes of the rider crossing the finish line.

DOPING

Sani Seeker reserves the right to take doping tests on all riders.

Positive results will lead to disqualification from Sani Seeker, and those results will be forwarded to the national cycling federations.

Any rider caught doping and has already entered Sani Seeker will not be refunded their entry fee

DISQUALIFICATION AND PENALTIES

Teams may be disqualified at the discretion of Chief Commissaries / Race Office for any one or more of the following reasons including, but not limited to:

Riding at any point on any stage without a helmet.

Excessive littering.

Disrespect or damage to the environment.

Bad sportsmanship.

Abuse of Race Officials and Landowners.

Traffic Rule violations.

Breaking of Sani Seeker Race Rules as described above

Time penalties will be applied to Stage results, as well as to Overall Race results or General Classification

No earphones/headsets/loud speakers allowed to be used during the event on the route.

GoPro’s etc are not allowed to be mounted anywhere on your bike besides on your bike handle bars.

BASIC MOUNTAIN BIKE RACING RULES AND ETIQUETTE

Riders must complete the entire distance of the race, and the responsibility for following the official route lies with the rider.

A rider is not permitted to take any shortcuts or to omit a circuit, or take other advantage of a similar nature against opponents.

Riders, who exit the route of the course for any reason, must return to the course at the exact same point from which they exited.

Any walking, running or riding by a rider, which is carried out without the intention of directly re-joining the course, or other activity in breach of the regulations, which takes place outside of the marked course area, can result in disqualification.

A rider cannot receive any technical assistance along the course from anybody, other than from their own Sani Seeker team partner, a local farmer or another official Sani Seeker rider.

Riders must act in a polite manner at all times, and permit any faster rider to overtake without obstructing.

Riders must respect the countryside and ride only on the official route. Riders must avoid polluting the area, and not leave any waste or litter.

No glass containers of any kind are permitted on or near the course.

Riders must not use offensive or abusive language during the race, act in an unsporting manner, be disrespectful to the officials, landowners or ignore the race regulations.

DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF COMMISSAIRES

Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where specific provision for any incident has not been made in these rules, the decision of the Chief Commissaire will be final.

Rule and/or Offence

First Offence

Second Offence

Third Offence

Remarks

Bicycles and Equipment

Disqualification

Not wearing helmet

Disqualification

Separation Time Penalties

1 Hour TP

Additional 1 Hour Time Penalty

Disqualification

Rider Identification

Verbal Warning

10 Minute TP

30 Minute TP

Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

Obligatory Equipment

Verbal Warning

20 Minute TP

1 Hour TP

Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

Route and Stages

Disqualification

Traffic Regulations

Verbal Warning

30 Minute TP

1 Hour TP

Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

Seconding and Support

1 Hour TP and warning

Disqualification

Ethical and Environmental

1 Hour TP

Additional 1 Hour TP

A serious offence can also result in Disqualification.

Doping

Disqualification

Disqualification Categories

Minimum Verbal Warning

Minimum 1 Hour TP

Minimum additional 1 Hour TP

Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ

CANCELLATION DUE TO FORCE MAJEURE AND SEVERE WEATHER

If Sani Seeker is forced to cancel a stage (or stages) due to severe weather conditions or fires that puts riders’ safety at risk, the riders will not have any claim against the organisers or any of their sponsors of whatsoever nature in these circumstances.

Sani Seeker reserves the right to change the route for inter alia, safety and security reasons without notice.

If Sani Seeker is canceled in toto as a last resort due to events beyond our control (force majeure) – relating to, inter alia, political turmoil, natural disasters, strikes, protest action or any other major disturbance beyond our control, riders will have no claim whatsoever including but not limited to a refund against the organisers or any of their sponsors. This will include entry fees and or flights and other expenses.

Sani Seeker will do everything in our power to reroute and to run the event in a safe and secure manner should any event of force majeure arise.

We welcome all E-bikes to our event, we will ensure you are well catered for, and feel welcomed by all. Please take note of the following rules.

E-bikes can be in any team with one, or both, teammates on an e-bike. Or a solo rider.

Due to the short distance of the day there will be no official battery changes

E-bikes will start in D batch.

There will be no e-bike racing categories or prizes at the event.

Battery Charging - We will supply bike racks with power points at the race village. After your bike has been washed you will need to rack your bike and assure that it is charging. Once it is charged you will be required to remove it from the charging racks and rack it in the bike park. Charging of extra batteries will be catered for at the official bike battery charging room. Please bring your own battery chargers and adaptors compatible with SA 3-prong plugs. Please make sure these are clearly labeled.