Rules of the Mountaineering Marathon on Fruška gora

1. Marathon is a sporting and recreational event of an international character, which takes place on the 19 trails of different lengths and different altitude differences. It includes sports and recreation lovers in the natural environment (recreational), as well as professional trail runners. The marathon is a two-day event, designed to show all the beauty of the National Park “Fruška gora” with its trails, to promote natural, cultural and historical heritage.

2. The marathon is of a competitive character, only on trails certified by the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).

3.The marathon is open to all participants who consider themselves to have psychological and psycho-physical readiness for participation in the marathon, and previously sign the Application for participation in the marathon and the Statement of the declared participant, in accordance with these Rules. Every participant who applies to take part in the marathon must know that they participate in a sporting event held in a mountainous environment, sometimes in very extreme circumstances. Marathon participants must be fully aware that the role of the organizer is not to help each participant in solving their problems and for such an activity in the mountain, the safety of the participants depends on their ability to adapt to the problems they encounter and to anticipate the difficulties they can encounter.

• Participants in the long marathon trails must be fully aware of the specific nature of the event they are taking, starting from the length of the trail, ascents, descents, weather conditions. In particular, they need to know how to face, without outside help, the difficulties they are facing, starting with physical or mental problems caused by fatigue, muscle pain, joints and other problems or the resulting climatic conditions, sudden coming of dark clouds, heavy rain , wind, cold, night mist, etc.

These marathon participants are expected to have full capacity and be fully prepared to overcome all the difficulties they face.

4. The Rules of the Mountaineering Marathon on Fruška Gora are made to ensure the duration and development of the event, but also to prevent the risk of damage to all participants of the event, the organizer of the event and other persons.

5. The marathon is held on Mount Fruška Gora. The greatest part (over 97% of 212 km) is traced through mountain and forest roads and the trails in the area of ​​the National Park “Fruška Gora” in the Republic of Serbia.

6. The symbol of the Marathon is the eastern imperial eagle, as a symbol of the mountain Fruška gora and mountaineering marathon achievement.

7. The marathon is held annually in the period from April 24th to May 1 (except on the day of the religious holiday of Easter – Easter in both Gregorian and Julian calendar, the 1st of May  and the 2nd of May  and Đurđevdan – the 6th of May), regardless of meteorological conditions during the two consecutive days (Saturdays and Sundays) in accordance with these Rules, whose appointments are set by the organizer and published no later than 6 months prior to the marathon date.

8. Marathon trails

Marathon trails

On the map that is attached to these Rules and makes it an integral part, a detailed overview of all 19 marathon trails is given.

Recommendation for participation

9. In order to participate in the races, participants should have experience in trekking in a mountainous environment, depending on the trail they choose, they must be in good condition, and have suitable footwear and clothing for moving along forest land routes or hiking trails, as well as additional equipment on races which the organizer arranged as obligatory.

10. The philosophy of the participants of the long marathon trails is based on the principles of autonomy, independence, loneliness, psycho-physical endurance and good orientation in all weather conditions in time and space, both day and night. Those taking the shorter trails should learn, what they do not know, create experience and work on themselves in order to attain the life characteristics of the marathon philosophy, which will be extremely useful in everyday life.

11. Marathon trails are marked by a mark consisting of a white circle with a red heart in the middle or in red and white stripes, in places unfit to set the circle. Most markings are made on trees. Marathon participants are obliged to move only along such a marked trail. If you accidentally do not see the mark in front of you, go back to the place where you last saw it and continue moving on along the marked trail. At the points of separation, during the days of marathon maintenance, large panels and wooden road signs are placed with all necessary information, while on other days only wooden signs are placed.

How to apply

12. Participants apply for participation by electronic means (online application) or at the start of the marathon on the day of the event. The application is considered complete only after the participant pays the specific amount of the start-up fee to the organizer’s account.

13. The pre-application begins on Octobar 1st, 2020 and ends on Octobar 31th, 2020. The next round of applications opens on Novembar 1st, 2020 and lasts until April 10th,  2021, i.e. up to the maximum number of participants allowed.  Applications are made online, except on the day of the race, when they are filled out in a written form.

14. Each marathon participant must submit a clearly filled in Application – Statement and then take over the control marathon booklet.

By signing the Application – Statement, each participant accepts unconditionally the Marathon Rules.

15. Form of the Application Form – Statement

a) Individual “Sport” application

The application-statement reads as follows:

a) Individual “Fun” application

b) Group application

By signing the group application, students from primary and secondary schools who come to the marathon in the organization of the school and other minors or who come to the marathon in the organization of a sports club or some other club, can apply for their participation in the marathon.

These marathon participants must be accompanied by the leader of the group.

The group application contains information for the school-club from which marathon participants come and submit in the form containing the columns: ordinal number, first and last name, date of birth and start number, data on the leader of the group and the leader’s statement.

This application must be certified by the institution to which the participants belong.

The leader of the group signs a statement that reads as follows:

c) Application for minors

Minors who do not come to the marathon with an organized group can take part in the marathon accompanied by a person authorized for their supervision and care for them, parent, adult brother, sister and the other authorized adult, while for these minors a special APPLICATION—STATEMENT that reads is required:

16.  The amount of the fee shall be determined by the director of marathon. The price list will be published as a separate document on the official website.

17. Categories

Participants compete only on trails that are certified by ITRA in the absolute category, in female and male categories.

Start and aim of the marathon

18. The start of all marathons is on Saturday at 9 a.m. on the slopes of Fruška Gora, on Popovica, in front of the hut of the Mountaineering Skiing Association “Železničar” (10 km south of Novi Sad, 5 km south of the town of Sremska Kamenica)

• In addition to the start of Small Marathon West-West, which starts at 10.30 a.m. at Jazak Monastery in Jazački Prnjavor (checkpoint 12). Start of this marathon is aligned with the opening according to the arranged timetable of the next checkpoints on this trail and
• Except for the start of Trainee West—West Marathon which starts at 1 p.m. on Letenka 1, checkpoint 14.

19. The goal of all marathon trails is on Popovica.

• In addition to the goal of Small Marathon West-West, which is at CKPT Brankovac, checkpoint 21.
• And apart from the goal of Trainee Marathon West-West, which takes place on Letenka 1, checkpoint 14.

Maximum time for finishing the race

20. Trekking pace

• Trekking pace is determined by the marathon participants themselves, but they are obliged to reach the destination before the expiration of the arranged time for the marathon in which they participate, while taking care of the time until the checkpoints are open. Participants in the marathon must leave the checkpoint before the time runs out until the point is open. The time when the checkpoint is open is printed in the control marathon booklet, which each participant receives after the Application.

21. The closing time of the marathon goal depends on the arranged duration of the marathon on each trail.

On Saturday, for marathon participants:

• Joy and Pleasure trail is open until 12 a.m.
• Trainee Mini Marathon trail is open until 1 p.m.
• Trainee West-West Marathon trail is open until 8 p.m.
• On other Trainee Marathons the trail is open until 4 p.m.
• Eastern and Western Small Extreme Marathon trail is open until 9 p.m.
• Small Marathon West-West trail is open until 8.30 p.m.
• On other Small Marathons the trail is open until 7 p.m.

On Sunday, for marathon participants on:

• Medium Marathons, the trail is open until 2 a.m.
• Great Marathons, the trail is open until 12 a.m.
• Ultra and Ultra Extreme Marathon, the trails are open until 8 p.m.

The final closure of the Marathon Goal is on Sunday at 8 p.m.

Specificity

22. Specificity of some trails:

• Marathon participants who choose Ultra Extreme Marathon trail have their own separate control marathon booklet and are required to keep to the appropriate time, from what time to what time the checkpoint is open and until the GOAL is open, which is entered in the control marathon booklet.
• Marathon participants who choose Ultra Marathon trail have their own separate control marathon booklet and are required to keep to the appropriate time, from what time to what time the checkpoint is open and until the GOAL is open, which is entered in the control marathon booklet.
• Marathon participants who chose Great Marathon trails have their collective control marathon booklet containing three Great Marathons.
• Marathon participants who choose the Medium Marathon trails have their own collective control marathon booklet containing three Medium Marathons.
• Marathon participants who choose the trails of Small Extreme, Small and Trainee Marathons have their own collective marathon booklet.
• On the front page of the marathon booklet there is a map of Marathons, and on the inside there are checkpoints with the indicated time, from what time until what time the checkpoints are open.

In collective control marathon booklets (collective control marathon booklets of Great, Medium, Small Extreme, Small and Trainee Marathons) there is:

The registered time of the opening of the checkpoint is assumed to be the shortest time for which marathon participants can reach this checkpoint.

The closing time of the checkpoint is the time arranged in these Rules at which the checkpoint is closed.

Every participant of the Great, Medium, Small Extreme, Small and Trainee Marathons, regardless of the time arranged in the control marathon booklet, is obliged to surmount their trail in the time specified for this trail by the Rules.

• The trail of Small Marathon West-West is accessible only to those participants who can organize their transportation to Jazak Monastery (CKPT-12), where there is the START of Small Marathon West-West on Saturday, at 10.30 a.m. and return from Brankovac, where there is the GOAL of this marathon. At Jazak Monastery there is also an application for this marathon, and on CKPT-21 Brankovac the GOAL is authenticated.
• The trail of the Trainee Marathon West-West is accessible only to those participants who can organize their own transport to Letenka (CKPT -14), where there is the START of the Trainee Marathon West-West, on Saturday at 1 p.m. and return from Letenka, where there is the goal of this marathon. An application is made at Letenka and the GOAL for this marathon is certified there, as well.

Security and control

23. All participants should keep in mind that no regulation can foresee all the situations that can happen during the marathon, and they should always act in such a way so as not to endanger their own or general safety.

24. Prior to entering the marathon, we recommend that people experiencing health problems and elderly people consult a physician.

25. Persons under the age of 18 on the marathon trail must be accompanied by an older adult, parent, elder brother, sister, professor, mountain guide, etc.

26. Only children of preschool age, accompanied by their parents or the other authorized adult, can take part in the Joy and Pleasure trail.

27. Each participant in the marathon participates on their own responsibility.

Participation in the hiking marathon is an activity at increased risk, so every marathon participant is responsible for their personal existence and safety, and is expected to contribute to the safety of other participants in the Marathon.

The organizer will not bear any responsibility in case of any damage or endangering physical integrity (injury, death, etc.) resulting from marathon participation.

Each marathon participant is personally responsible for their behavior and possible endangerment or damage to other persons during the marathon

Marathon participants must not be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, other narcotics, or unauthorized stimulants.

28. Due to the safety of marathon participants, it is strictly forbidden to depart from START before 9 a.m., because immediately after the start, on Eastern Marathon trails one must cross a very frequent regional road. The passage through this road is provided by the traffic police only at the time in accordance with the START at 9 a.m.

FOR THOSE WHO START BEFORE 9 a.m., THE ORGANIZER DOES NOT BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY !!!

29. Marathon participants are obliged, when walking on the roads and crossing over the roads, to comply with traffic regulations and to be very careful.

30. Marathon participants are obliged to keep the necessary distance between themselves, not to push each other, not to create opportunities that are or are threatened to become a mass movement, a general mess or any situation that can be brought under extraordinary circumstances in the gathering of a large number of people.

31. Each marathon participant must move exclusively, at an arranged time, along a marked trail. They must remain on a marked trail even in the event of an injury, rest or sleep. Anyone who voluntarily leaves the marked trail or goes out of the arranged timetable, is no longer under the supervision of the marathon organization and the organizer is not responsible for them.

32. Checkpoints

In order to control trekking, provide emergency medical and other assistance, provide refreshments and various notifications, marathon trails are “covered” by checkpoints (CKPT). The checkpoints are controlled by supervisors, officials whose instructions must be followed. Supervisors at checkpoints are authorized to control compliance with marathon rules and, in the event of breaking the rules, they are authorized to apply the on-the-spot measures, as well as to exclude marathon participants from this event. Passing through the checkpoint, the marathon participant has the control marathon booklet certified, at a certain place, and those who go on trails longer than 43 km (if technical support is thus provided) must pass through the electronic measuring system at checkpoints, which are in this way specified as checkpoints.

33. First aid

First aid is provided at Popovica, START and GOAL of the marathon and at checkpoints:

• CKPT 7 – Paragovo
• CKPT 9 – Kraljeva stolica
• CKPT 14 – Letenka1 and CKPT 17 Letenka 2
• CKPT 16 – Šuljamska glavica
• CKPT 18 – Andrevlje 2
• CKPT 21 – Brankovac

34. In the event of an accident:

• Immediately inform the supervisor at the checkpoint
• Provide security next to an injured person
• Provide first aid, and if you are not sure, do not touch the injured until the arrival of the rescuer, so that in the case of an unprofessional first aid, the injury would not worsen.
• Give the correct information about the part of the trail where the injured is.

35. Control marathon booklet

Each marathon participant receives a control marathon booklet, which is also the start number, upon the application, on the day of the marathon start. The control marathon booklet contains the map of the marathon trail with all the necessary data for each and every trail. Passage through checkpoints is done by means of a perforator or seal on the control marathon booklet for the marathon trail you have selected.

36. Marathon participants going to the trails certified by ITRA, must wear on the chest, in a visible place, their start number.

37. In case someone is lost:

• Immediately inform the supervisor or those on duty at the goal.
• Provide all notifications and information about the lost.
• Inform those on duty where they have last seen the lost and at what time.
• Provide other important information.

38. Unexpected controls are placed on the marathon or at their checkpoints. Their position is not communicated to marathon participants. For competitors on Ultra Extreme and Ultra Marathon trails, special records will be kept at some checkpoints.

39. The closing of the checkpoints on Ultra Extreme Marathon is done by officials, “cleaners” who are the last to follow this marathon. Marathon participants must absolutely follow the instructions and orders of these officials. Whoever refuses to follow the orders of these persons, is not any more considered a marathon participant and the organizer is not responsible for them.

40. Permanent control marathon booklet

Upon reaching the goal in a permanent control marathon booklet, the passage through a certain marathon trail will be marked by the stamp, with the indication of kilometers traveled. Every participant of the marathon gets a permanent control marathon booklet, after the first successfully surmounted marathon trail. The booklet must be kept in order to ensure the participation in some future marathons. A marathon participant who has lost a control marathon booklet and asks for a new one, can receive a new one with a compensation equal to the amount of 10 € when converted to RSD.

Prizes and categories

41. Awards and recognitions

Each contestant who surmounts one of the trails certified by ITRA will receive finisher medals at the goal. No prize money is awarded. The commodity awards and trophies are aimed at the three first-ranked men and women in the following categories:

• Women—absolute category  (in all 5 races)
• Men—absolute category (in all 5 races)
• For the surmounted Ultra Extreme Marathon, Ultra Marathon and all Great Marathons, one receives a marathon diploma
• For the surmounted Joy and Pleasure trail, every child of preschool age gets a symbolic award (in the shape of a leaf)
• For the surmounted 560 km of any trails combined together in Fruška gora Marathon, which gives a total of 560 kilometers and more, a silver badge “Lala Planinar” is given.
• For the surmounted 1,200 km of any trails combined together in Fruška gora Marathon, which gives a total of 1,200 kilometers and more, the gold badge “Lala Planinar” is given.
• For the surmounted 2,000 km of any trails combined together in Fruška gora Marathon, which gives a total of 2,000 kilometers and more, a plaque is given.
• For the surmounted 3,000 km of any trails combined together in Fruška gora Marathon, which gives a total of 3,000 kilometers and more, the “Golden Heart” is given.
• A total mileage consists of all kilometers surmounted in all marathon trails, starting in 1978 (as evidenced by a certified control marathon or a permanent booklet).

Required equipment

42. Clothing – footwear – backpack – miscellaneous

One participates in the marathon in an equipment suitable for long-lasting efforts in the mountainous environment, at any time.

• Clothes should be light, comfortable, sporty, adapted to all weather conditions.
• Shoes should be comfortable and loose, with patterned soles, and on the legs there should be some thicker socks; we recommend either woolen or special ones (designed for sports, hiking, etc.) for these occasions.
• It is mandatory to take a backpack to the marathon, and inside there should be: water, juice, tea, sandwich, fruit, spare clothes (a T-shirt, underwear, a cap, etc.) and necessarily some waterproof jacket with a hood or a raincoat for protection against probable rainfall.
• For participants of Small Extreme Marathons, Medium, Great, Ultra and Ultra Extreme Marathon, for practical reasons we recommend that it would be good to have trekking poles.

This is an essential minimum of equipment that each participant needs to adapt to their own needs, and they depend on the trail chosen.

• Long-distance marathon participants (Medium, Great, Ultra marathons and Ultra extreme) must have: minimum 1L bottled water, a start number displayed in a visible place, a roadmap (provided by the organizer), a flashlight (we recommend the headlamp) with spare batteries, long trousers or tights completely covering legs, a whistle, a mobile phone (fully charged), bandage, elastic bandage, band-aid, rash ointment, etc.
• Use of trekking poles is allowed. If a participant decides to use them, they must take care of them from the start to the end of the race. The organizer during the race at the refreshment stands, or at any other place on the trail, will not take on watching over additional equipment that the participants estimate it to be superfluous.

43. Food – drinks

The organizer provides:

• Drinking water/ tea at individual checkpoints, fruit, isotonic drinks

For participants of the Medium, Great, Ultra and Ultra Extreme Marathons:

• Lunch in Vrdnik at checkpoint CKPT 11
• Dinner on Letenka at checkpoint CKPT 14 or CKPT 17

Disqualification

44. Failure to comply with the rules:

• Failure to comply with the rules, recommendations and ban on the marathon trails may impose a very serious obligation.
• All these notices and instructions are the safety rules for marathon participants. By following them participants will find great pleasure in the marathon.
• The one who violates the rules will be excluded from the marathon.
• Any behavior outside the rules and their failure to comply with, frees the organizer of any responsibility.

Persons who do not follow the rules of marathon, especially those related to the responsibility and safety of marathon participants, shall not be considered conscientious, good-natured and proper marathon participants.

45. The participant will be disqualified, with the cancellation of the start number if:

• They do not go through one of the checkpoints
• They use shortcuts i.e.  do not go along the marked trails
• They throw trash along the trail during the race
• They insult or threaten staff / volunteers
• They use a means of transport during a race
• They refuse the check by the medical staff on the trail
• The penalty will apply on the spot

Environmental Protection

46. ​​Ecological responsibility

Marathon participants, let’s take care of nature, do not throw away the trash along the trail, because you are polluting the environment in which you are. Carry your waste in your bags or backpacks up to specially marked places at checkpoints or the goal. Each participant is obliged to keep the forest away from fire; so it is strictly prohibited to light the fire in the forest. It is forbidden to destroy trees, benches, tables, pick rare and protected types of plants, mushrooms, excessively pick flowers, etc.

47. It is forbidden to move and destroy markings and notices on the trails.

48. When passing through monastery gates, please respect the order and peace that governs the monastery.

Rights of Multimedia Content Usage

49. The organization of the marathon is run by the Marathon Organization Board.

50. Upon applying for the race, all marathon participants transfer the rights to use digital records showing the participant (photos, videos and the like) to the organizer of the race.

51. The organizer reserves the copyright to the full project and the realization of the marathon, which cannot be used in public without the consent of the organizer, as well as to photographs, videos and other footage of the marathon. Marathon participants are not entitled to seek compensation from the organizer for any published material of the marathon.

Disclaimer

52. By registration and participation payment, the participant frees the organizer of any responsibility, either civil or criminal ones, for the damage to persons and / or their property caused by the activities of the participants.

 53. These rules are publicly published on website frm-dev.vagrant.fsd.com Novi Sad and are pointed out prior to the start of the marathon at “Železničar” mountain hut in Popovica, as well as start points at Jazak and Letenka monasteries in order for the participants to familiarize with them and use them on the marathon.

54. Regarding the issues not regulated by these rules, the applicable legal and subordinate regulations in the field of sports and social organizations, including the Rulebook on the Use of Public Sports Facilities and Performing Sports Activities in Public Sports Facilities (Official Gazette of RS, no. 55/13).

Director of Fruška gora Marathon

Dr. Nenad Sudarov