Catterline Cartie Competition Rules

1. No practice is permitted on the course on the day of the time trials.

2. Each cartie will be allowed up to three timed runs on the course. Teams will be allocated a start number before the event and must be ready to begin their timed run when called by the Start Marshal. Any undue delay may result in that run being voided.

3. The organisers reserve the right to eliminate the slower carties from the event after the second run if the event is running significantly behind schedule. Please note that this is only a contingency plan and it is hoped that it will not be necessary to invoke this rule.

4. Each cartie will start from behind a marked start line, and will be timed from the start signal to when the front of the cartie crosses the finish line. Running push starts by up to two people are permitted.  There is no limit on how far the cartie can be pushed.

5. The start area is relatively steep and rough. If the pushers intend to do a running push they must wear adequate protective clothing – gloves, cycle helmet, full length sleeves and trousers at the very least.

6. The start procedure is as follows;

• Cartie lines up behind start line. The Start Marshal will perform a brake function test and satisfy him/herself that the driver and pushers are suitably attired and ready to go. When all is ready, the Start Marshall will signal the Timekeeper.

• The Timekeeper will start the timer, which will cause the red start light to come on. After 5 seconds the green light will come on and the clock will start. The green light is the signal for the cartie to go.

• The cartie will proceed down the course, and the timer will automatically stop when the cartie breaks the infra red beam at the finish line. Any penalties, such as false starts and slalom cone hits, will be signalled to the Timekeeper and added on to the time for the run to produce the final time for the run.

7. A false start is where the cartie crosses the start line before the start signal goes to green. There is a detector on the start line that will sound an alarm if the line is crossed while the start signal is still on red.

8. The driver must be in the cartie when it crosses both the start and the finish line.

9. The driver of the cartie must not intentionally touch the ground or get out of the cartie during the run, excepting if the cartie has come to a complete stop. If the cartie has come to a complete stop, the driver may get out of the cartie and/or touch the ground only for the purpose of getting the cartie moving in the right direction again.

10. In the event of the cartie coming to a stop because of an accident, the run may not be restarted until a marshal has confirmed that the driver is fit to continue.

11. Team members may follow their cartie down the course. If the cartie comes to a complete stop they may assist in getting the cartie moving again. Team members may push to get the cartie moving again after it has stopped. Team members must either return to the start or move to the end of the course as quickly as possible after their run is complete.

12. Cartie drivers will stop their carts as quickly as is safe if any race official gives them a stop signal. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification, and all previous runs will be deemed void.

1. The course runs down the brae, starting at the top of the track up to The Reath and running down to the first white line adjacent to the pier (see map). The track that goes down the side of the boat house to the car park by The Green is the braking area.

2. The course will be laid out on the morning of the time trials. It will include several features to test the skill of the driver and the handling of the cartie. These features may include any or all of the following; chicanes made of tyres and/or bales, ramps, humps, water splashes, slalom sections, large piles of cardboard boxes, barrels of toxic waste, rotating blades, and anything else we think of between now and the day of the event.

3. The course will be no less than 4 feet wide at its narrowest.

1. The cartie may be repaired and adjusted but it may not be significantly modified after it has passed scrutineering, except that temporary decorations may be added to the cartie for the Gala Display. The cartie must be returned to the state in which it was when scrutineered before the start of the time trials on Sunday.

2. Parts may be replaced on a like-for-like basis, but no parts may be added to or removed from the cartie. For National Class carties only, ballast may be added or removed as specified in the rules governing that class in effect at the time of event.

3. Any replacements made during the time trials must be indicated to the pit lane marshal prior to being carried out and must be inspected and approved on completion.

4. Carties may be inspected at any time to ensure continued compliance with the rules throughout the event. National Class carties should be prepared to be weighed immediately after completing each run.

1. Certain rule infringements will incur time penalties, which will be added to the overall time for the run in which the rule infringement occurred. For the purpose of determining which run a penalty applies to, a run is deemed to start at the point at which the cartie crossed the finish line of the previous run, or the start for the event for the first run. The following penalties are defined;

Infringement	Penalty (seconds)
False start	5
Hit slalom cone	1
Unapproved modification (see rule 6)	5
Failure to stop	Disqualification

 

Other penalties may be applied at the discretion of the event officials.

1. The Connons Shield. The team that makes the single fastest run down the brae, including any time penalties for that run, will be awarded the Connons Shield. In the event that more than one team has the same fastest time, their respective second fastest times will be considered, followed by the third fastest times. If the times are all equal, then the team with the fewer or fewest time penalties will be adjudged the winner. If, after all that, there is still no way to differentiate the teams, then the result will stand as a tie. The shield will be engraved with the cartie’s name and the year, and displayed in The Creel Inn. You don't get to keep it - sorry.

2. Constructors Championship. Awarded to the team with the lowest aggregate time for all three runs. In the event of a tie on aggregate time, the team with the fewer or fewest time penalties will be adjudged the winner. If, after all that, there is still no way to differentiate the teams, then the result will stand as a tie.

3. Best Engineered. Each team will pick the three carties that they think are best engineered, ranked in order of merit. Three points will be awarded for each first place vote, two for each second and one for each third place vote. The cartie with the highest number of points will be declared the “Best Engineered”. In the event of a tie on points, the cartie with the most first place votes will be the winner, followed by second place votes if it is still a tie. If the carties are still equal after that, then the result will stand as a tie. National Class entries are not eligible for this prize.

4. Best Decorated. This is voted for by the general public at the Catterline Gala on Saturday.

5. Champagne Moment. This is voted for by the marshals and helpers at the Cartie Challenge. It is awarded to the team responsible for the most memorable or most sporting moment of the day. If nothing warrants such a description, then the most spectacular crash will probably do.

1. Any team may present an appeal regarding the actions of another team or teams, or regarding any adjudication, except that they may not appeal against a adjudication that is itself the result of an appeal.

2. All appeals must be received by the Chief Marshal within 15 minutes of the completion of the last run of the day.

3. There will be a fee of £10 per team for each appeal. This fee will be refunded if the appeal is upheld.

4. The team(s) that raise(s) the appeal will be bound to accept the decision. Multiple appeals on the same issue will not be entertained.