Rules and Regulations - Rhino Charge

A. Definition

The thirty-fourth Rhino Charge is a fund-raising off-road event. Competitors must visit several checkpoints while travelling the shortest possible distance across difficult, trackless terrain. Speed is not a necessity.

The event is organised to raise funds to support the activities of the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust.

The event is organised with the knowledge of the area Office of the County Commissioner, Office of the County Governor, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Governing Body of Motorsport in Kenya and with the written agreement of the Landowner(s).

These Rules & Regulations apply not only to competitors but ALL persons that enter the Rhino Charge venue, whether they be an official, sponsor, service provider or spectator.

B. Event Programme

Saturday 2^nd July 2022 Start of Automatic entry process for RC 2023.

Monday 1^st August 2022 Start of New Entry process for 2023. (See Section D)

Saturday 06 May 2023 – 10:00 am – 1am

Pre-Event Briefing at Braeburn School Gitanga Road Nairobi (unless notified otherwise)

- - issue of safety equipment
  - submission of sponsorship pre-event down payment: (inclusive of the advance sponsorship paid with the entry): –
    KES 500,000 (1.5m. pledge)
    KES 400,000 (1.25m. pledge)
    KES 300,000 (1m & 0.75m. pledges)
    KES 300,000 (“New Charge Teams”) – see section D.

- - Announcement of commencement of route notes

Monday 22 May 2023 5pm

Deadline for self-scrutineering forms to be complete (mandatory for all confirmed entries)

Friday 26 May 2023 11.59pm

Rhino Charge Ticketing Portal closes

Deadline for teams to submit payment for full pledges is Friday 27 May 2023.

Tuesday 30th May 2023

18:00 Route notes to venue will be released

Wednesday 31 May 2023

08:00 – 18:00 Venue Check-in opens for Camp Operators, Competitors, Checkpoint Officers & Checkpoint Sponsors

Thursday 01 June 2023

08:00 – 18:00 Venue Check-in opens for 3 Night Spectators

Friday 02 June 2023

08:00 – 18:00 Venue Check-in opens for 2 Night Spectators

08:00 – 14:00 Registration of competitors and submission of finance

08:00 – 17:00 Scrutineering and sealing of the DMD units. Cars go into Parc Fermé 4pm

17:00 Drivers’ Briefing at Event Bar and issuance of competition maps

Saturday 03 June 2023

Venue check-in is SHUT all day. There are no exceptions to this rule.

05:45 Assemble at Collection Point for the convoy to Start Checkpoints

05:50 onwards Depart for Start Checkpoints

07:30 START of the event

15:00 Final Control opens until ALL vehicles & DMDs returned

17:30 SHARP Checkpoints CLOSE

19:00 Latest time by which ALL vehicles MUST be in FINAL CONTROL

Sunday 04 June 2023

10:30 Prize-giving, announcement of funds raised and main competition awards.

Monday 05 June 2023

12:00 All Competitors, Spectators, Checkpoint Officers & Checkpoint Sponsors + Checkpoint Operators, must have left the venue

Tuesday 06 June 2023

10:00 All camp operators must have left the venue

Saturday 01 July 2023

17:00 Spirit of the Charge Event in Nairobi; Prize-giving II, announcement of additional awards and entries for next Rhino Charge

C. Rhino Charge Organising Committee

D. White C. Lambrechts A. Shah
A. Desai V. Gunputrav S. Grant
J. Andrade P.N.Gethi T. Joshi

Clerk of the Course D. White

Deputy Clerks of the Course A. Desai/S. Grant

Rhino Charge Event Administrator

Leah Levitan

Mobile: 0701 376960 Email: admin@rhinocharge.or.ke

D. Entry Process to the Competition

1. Fees, Sponsorship and Pledges

To participate in the Rhino Charge, Entrants are required to make a fundraising pledge. This is a core pillar of the competitive event.

The pledges are a commitment to Rhino Ark to raise funds to at least the level pledged. It has also become common practice for Rhino Charge entrants to raise above and beyond their pledges in support of the objectives of Rhino Ark.

Funds raised contribute towards various competitive prizes, including the Victor Ludorum and the Highest Cash Sponsorship.

a. Victor Ludorum Fundraising

Funds submitted towards the Victor Ludorum total may include cash, online fundraising, current valid cheques, and bank transfers which must have been paid by the time deadline.

The sponsorship time deadline for the Victor Ludorum Prize is extended to 17.00 hrs on the day of Scrutineering.

b. The Highest Cash Sponsorship Award (The David Schaeffer Trophy) Fundraising

Suitable funds submitted towards the Highest Cash Sponsorship total may include cash, online fundraising, valid cheques, and bank transfers.

Additionally, funds pledged by submission of a fully completed Donation Bond Form (please contact the Rhino Charge Administrator for a copy) and submitted to the Rhino Charge Committee in time may contribute to the Highest Cash Sponsorship Award.

The Bond has a maximum due date of 60 days after the Rhino Charge event.

The time deadline for submission sponsorship or bond forms to be considered for the Highest Cash Sponsorship is extended to 17.00 hrs on the Competition Day.

All entrants must include the Rhino Charge and Rhino Ark logos in their fund-raising material, whether printed or in other media. High-resolution versions of the logos can be obtained from the Rhino Charge Event Administrator.

2. Ways to enter the Rhino Charge.

There are several ways to enter the Rhino Charge.

Automatic Entry. Participants who have raised more than 2m in the previous year’s event, will be invited to enter the event.

Entry by Pledge Auction. Entrants can enter at different pledge levels, starting with those willing to pledge the highest.

New Entrants. Limited Entry Window to Encourage New Rhino Charge Entrants

3. Entry Windows

Date from	Minimum Pledge	Entry Method
2^nd July 2022	1.5m shillings	Automatic Entry by Invitation
9am Monday 1^st August 2022	1.5m shillings	Digital or in Person
9am Thursday 1^st September 2022	1.25m shillings	Digital or in Person
9am Thursday 15^th September 2022	1m shillings	Digital or in Person
9am Monday 3^rd October 2022	750,000 shillings	In Person Only
9am Monday 3^rd October 2022	300,000 shillings	In Person Only for those qualifying as New Charge Teams

4. Entry Requirements and Conditions

a. Number of places

There are a maximum of 65 entry places to the Rhino Charge.

b. Entry fee and Early sponsorship

The entrance fee is 60,000 shillings and is non-refundable. This amount contributes towards the fundraising pledge.

c. Entry Documentation Required

- 1. Payment of the entry fee
  2. A completed entry and pledge form
  3. Submission of Team details using the online form.
  4. Copies of vehicle documents, or an undertaking to provide vehicle documents prior to the event including:
    - Vehicle Insurance
    - Vehicle Logbook

The entry is not complete until items 1-4 above have been completed and submitted either digitally via the Rhino Charge entry website or in person at Rhino Ark.

Entry to the event is first come, first served.

d. Restrictions to Entry

A competitor from a previous year who did not fulfil their pledge obligation or any other fee payable is not eligible to enter.

5. Withdrawal of Entries

All Entrants who wish to withdraw their entry must do so before 1st February 2023. If they do so after this date, the full pledge remains valid and payable.

E. Camping Rules

1. Overall Principle

All participants in the Rhino Charge, whether an official, a sponsor, a competitor or a spectator, undertake to abide by the same camping and behaviour rules.

2. Camping Area

A designated camping area will be provided. Only camping within this area is permitted.

3. Rubbish

a. All campers MUST TIDY UP their camp before departing and leave the area perfectly clean.

b. All campers should pre-sort waste at camp before bringing it to the Waste Sorting Station.

c. DO NOT LEAVE THE BAGS OF RUBBISH AT YOUR CAMPSITES. TAKE THEM WITH YOU, OR PRE-SORTED RUBBISH CAN BE TAKEN TO THE WASTE SORTING STATION.

d. The organisers will hold TEAM LEADERS OF COMPETITORS SPONSORS/ OFFICIALS AND SPECTATORS responsible for the behaviour of their friends, camping providers, assistants and any other persons who have shared their campsite.

e. If in the opinion of the RC Organising Committee the behaviour of the people within a camp is unacceptable or if the campsite is not cleaned and left in a satisfactory state, the RC Organising Committee shall be at liberty to take disciplinary measures against the entrant including, but not limited to, the payment of a penalty of up to KES 100,000/- for each offence and/or disallow the entrant/team leader and his/her camping provider (if any) from participating in or attending future Rhino Charge events.

f. All participants agree to take any litter they generate away with them and leave the venue in the same or better condition than they found it. A waste sorting station is provided on-site. It is every participant’s responsibility to bring rubbish to the waste sorting station.

g. Plastic waste, particularly confetti or similar, which is difficult to collect, is not permitted.

4. Noise

Participants are requested to avoid loud noise or music that is inconsiderate to other participants. There will be a noise curfew applied as detailed below. Music systems and generators must be switched off at these times in consideration of other campers:

Date	Curfew time
Wednesday 31^st May 2023	12 am
Thursday 1^st June 2023	12 am
Friday 2^nd June 2023	10 pm
Saturday 3^rd June 2023	1 am

5. Respect of the Local Community

The Rhino Charge is held at the invitation of the local community who often have traditional lifestyles that may differ substantially from modern lifestyles. Consideration, respect and good manners are essential.

It is expected that participants will endeavour to support the local community during the Rhino Charge by employment and trade.

6. Vehicles on Venue

Only licensed and insured four-wheeled cars are permitted at the venue. Buggies, motorbikes, bicycles, quad bikes or similar are not permitted.

A 40km/h speed limit is in place across the entire venue for all vehicles.

7. Pets

Pets are not permitted unless they are licensed service animals.

8. Motorbikes, Bicycles and Quad bikes

Buggies, motorcycles, bikes, quad bikes or anything similar are not permitted, except for those used by the organising committee. Any that arrive at the venue must be parked at Headquarters until the end of the event.

9. Good conduct

Participants must be always considerate of other participants and the local community.

10. Fines and Penalties for Camping Rules Infringements

Any participant may be fined, at the discretion of the Committee, for failure to adhere to the camping rules.

Additionally, participants may be asked to leave the venue if they do not adhere to the camping rules.

There will be RC Officials who will be responsible for monitoring camp behaviour and cleanliness. Their instructions must be followed. Failure to take reasonable and prompt action to comply with the instructions of an RC Official may result in the person(s) being asked to leave the event location.

F. Entry to the Venue

1. Rhino Charge Ticketing Portal

Entrance to the Rhino Charge will only be permitted using tickets generated through the official ticketing portal on www.rhinocharge.org.

Other entry conditions may apply and will be communicated publicly in advance.

2. Entry Times to the Venue

Date	Entry times to the venue
Wednesday 31^st May 2023	8 am – 6 pm
Thursday 1^st June 2023	8 am – 6 pm
Friday 2^nd June 2023	8 am – 6 pm
Saturday 3^rd June 2023	No entry is permitted to the venue. There is no exception to this rule.

No person, other than those expressly authorised in writing, is permitted to arrive at the venue of the event prior to 08:00hrs on the day of Venue Check-In as defined previously in these regulations.

G. Eligible Competitors

1. Crew

a. Any person licensed to drive on the roads of Kenya is eligible to be nominated as a DRIVER (you will be required to show your license at Scrutineering). The choice of the crew is entirely at the discretion of the Entrant (except that the minimum age of any crew member is 18).

b. If a team wish to have a crew member who is less than 18 but over 16 (on the day of the charge), an application in writing accompanied with the indemnity form as issued at Check-in, signed by the crew member’s parent or legal guardian must be submitted to the Organisers before that entry is scrutineered for consideration. In no case can a crew member be less than 16.

c. A crew must consist of not less than 2 (TWO) and not more than 6 (SIX) persons including the driver.

d. All entries must be in the name of an individual and not a company. Commercial entries are not permitted.

2. Medical Condition of Competitors

a. The Rhino Charge Organising Committee engages a Medical Provider (ResponseMed) to provide professional medical care to all participants.

b. The medical opinion offered by the Medical Provider on site is final and non-negotiable.

c. Forms detailing the medical condition of all competitors will be issued by the Medical Officer (MO), before the event. These MUST be completed in full for ALL competitors and either given to the MO in advance or handed into the Medical desk at HQ during the Registration process. Only after the MO has signed and stamped the route card that he is satisfied that all competitors’ details have been provided may a competitor proceed to Scrutineering.

d. A Competitor who is not in a fit medical condition to participate may be excluded from the event,

i. Prior to the event, after a medical examination; or

ii. During the event, if, in the opinion of the Medical Provider, the competitor may be endangering himself/herself by continuing to participate.

H. Eligible Vehicles

a. The event is only open to a vehicle with four (4) wheels which must be registered, and insured (no “KG” plates allowed) 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 work.

b. The Organisers decision on the eligibility of any vehicle will be final.
– The minimum kerb weight of a vehicle is 1000kg.
– The maximum kerb weight of a vehicle is 3500kg.

c. Vehicles may be weighed at the venue during Scrutineering and the organisers may or may not decide to weigh certain vehicles on completion of the Rhino Charge at Final Control. Kerb weight for the purposes of Rhino Charge is defined as the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment (including but not limited to bull bars, winches, roll cages, sump guards, fuel tank guards, seats etc. i.e. items which cannot be removed). Spare parts, toolboxes, jacks, spare wheels or any loose items in the vehicle which can be removed are not included in the kerb weight. BUT all necessary operating consumables e.g., all oils (engine/differential etc.) power steering fluid, coolants fuel etc. must be in the vehicle, i.e. the vehicle MUST be driveable. The fuel tank may be almost empty, but the car MUST be able to drive into and out of Scrutineering under its own drive. The vehicle should not be loaded with passengers or cargo but the kerb weight defined above includes the weight of a licensed driver.

I. Advertising and Roof Numbers

a. While entrants are encouraged to find and advertise their own sponsors, they MUST carry any advertising provided by the Organisers.

b. Entrants’ sponsors are prohibited from selling or promoting their products/services on the venue without being approved by the Organisers PRIOR to the event.

c. The entrants will be provided with two (2) official competition numbers in the form of adhesive stickers which must be attached as follows: One on each FRONT DOOR or the SIDE BODY clearly visible.

d. The ENTIRE roof of the car & any parts of the roll cage over the roof MUST be painted WHITE with NO stickers/roof racks/spare tyres or sand ladders obscuring it so as to aid with visibility to the patrol/safety aircraft; the competition number must be painted on the ROOF of the vehicle (not on the bonnet) in black paint using CALIBRI bold and underlined font with the scale proportions (Scale Height 205% and Scale Width 167%) – overall size 1m x 1m for double-digit numbers and 1m x 0.5m for single-digit numbers – see examples below – for single-digit numbers please DO NOT put a “0” in front of the number;

e. The stickers and painted roof number are mandatory and must be displayed, the roof number in the prescribed configuration below, even if additional backing boards/plates must be attached to the vehicle to conform and in the below orientation.

f. 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 an additional lump sum advertising fee of KES 2,000,000/- over and above the pledged amount.

J. Insurance

a. Competitors and any other person on the venue will take part/attend entirely at their own risk. The arrangement of Personal Accident Insurance, Air Ambulance/evacuation, Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance and All Risks Insurance for personal belongings etc. is the responsibility of every individual.

K. Safety Equipment on Competition Cars

1. Mandatory Safety Equipment

It is MANDATORY that all vehicles are fitted with the following safety equipment which must be always carried while competing. These items will all be checked at Scrutineering. Failure to produce them may determine eligibility to start the Event or continue participating.

a. Full metal roll cage protecting all seats in the vehicle (recommended professionally specified & in compliance with motorsport regulations).

b. Each vehicle must carry the First Aid kits and emergency distress flags supplied by the Organisers & comply fully with the roof numbers regulation.

c. Each vehicle must carry its own (two in number) certified and tested dry powder fire extinguishers (each minimum size 2kg i.e., 2 x 2kg dry powder fire extinguishers).

d. Safety helmets for driver & navigator which MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING – the minimum accepted specification of these helmets is EN 12492: 2012 (or equivalent standard) which is for rock climbing/mountaineering helmets – see description of this standard at: (http://www.satrappeguide.com/EN12492.php), the recommended is full FIA certified motorsport rally helmets. The safety helmets should be labelled with the car number.

e. Functional 4-point full harness for the front two seats of the vehicle in use by the driver and navigator. These rally-type 4-point harnesses should be correctly mounted and have a functional locking/quick release buckle.

f. For any rear seats in the vehicle, of any type being a single seat or of a bench type design and mounted in any position (facing direction) shall be fitted with a functioning seat belt per seating position in accordance with the Kenya Traffic Act Caps. 403 section 22.A (revised 2015); Please take careful note that a “lap strap” type seat belt can only be used in very specific conditions as stipulated in the law and therefore most seats will require a “lap & diagonal” type seat belt as the minimum.

g. Easily accessible master electrical ignition “kill” switch;

h. Seat belt cutter is Mandatory and should be within the vehicle-mounted somewhere that is easily accessible/visible to anyone who may need to use it.

i. Window guards to all windows which should be openable from both internal and external in the event of an emergency/extraction (not fixed permanently to the vehicle door and can open independently).

j. Further to this, a vehicle may be held at any point by a nominated red-hat Checkpoint Officer and or an Official wearing a red “Official” shirt if they do not have required safety equipment on board during the event, and if the driver and navigator are not wearing seat belts and helmets. They may be held stationary until the team has satisfactorily proven they are carrying and wearing mandatory safety equipment.

2. Recommended Safety Equipment

a. In-built fire suppression system be installed in the vehicle targeting potential fire hot spots – i.e., engine bay, fuel tanks/pumps etc.

b. Safety helmets for other team members are recommended.

c. Each vehicle must carry at least ten (10) litres of emergency drinking 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.

d. Power-driven winches are permitted as per the class regulations.

3. Other Permitted Equipment

a. Personal Global Positioning System units are permitted.

b. The use of VHF radio equipment is strictly prohibited. Competitors may however use UHF radios or Citizen Band radios with a maximum power output of no more than 4W. It is the responsibility of the entrants to ensure that any licensing required by the Kenyan authorities are fully complied with. Radios will need to be declared, presented and inspected at Scrutineering. Communication with other teams or support vehicles is prohibited. Mobile phone and satellite phone communication are only permitted for emergency use.

L. Vehicle Classes

1. Super Modified Class

a. For Super Modified vehicles, the design of running gear, winches and body work is all free BUT the car MUST be registered and insured.

b. Overall tyre size is restricted to 1016mm (40 inches) with a maximum of 2.5% allowable variation in physically measured overall diameter (OD), known as the “standing height” of the wheel and tyre when jacked off the floor, or measured horizontally if not jacked up. The OD will be measured with the scrutineer’s calliper, and this will be built to accommodate a physical maximum tyre size of 1041mm or 41 inches.

c. No vehicles with four-wheel steer, articulated chassis, hydraulic levelling or pto-driven hydraulic winches are allowed to take part in the event.

d. Only two winch units are permitted per vehicle.

e. For any class studs, chains, spikes and any contraption which is deemed to increase tyre traction are prohibited.

f. Any Entrant who intends to enter a custom-built/modified vehicle for use at the Rhino Charge is advised to seek Rhino Charge Committee advice on its eligibility prior to purchase/modification to avoid exclusion from the event.

g. The Scrutineering Officials decision as to which class each vehicle belongs will be made at Scrutineering and will be final.

h. The Organisers may split the vehicle classes further in the interests of the event, at their sole discretion.

2. Modified Class

a. All criteria for the modified class are the same as the Super Modified except that
i. Modified class vehicles may not have any form of reduction hub/portal axles.
ii. Tyre size is restricted with maximum tyre size of 939.8 mm (37 inches) with a maximum of 2.5% allowable variation in physically measured overall diameter (OD) known as the “standing height” of the wheel & tyre when jacked off the floor or measured horizontally if not jacked up. The OD will be measured with the scrutineer’s calliper, and this will be built to accommodate a physical maximum tyre size of 963.2 mm or 37.9 inches.

b. The Scrutineering Officials may order any or all the top 3 vehicles in this class to be scrutineered after the event to confirm eligibility.

3. Unmodified Class

An Unmodified vehicle will be one that:-

a. Has not had its chassis shortened.

b. Runs on the standard rims that are within the original vehicle’s rim diameter e.g., 15-inch, 16-inch tyres to fit the standard rim, with maximum tyre size of 863.6 mm (34 inches) with a maximum of 2.5% allowable variation in physically measured overall diameter (OD) known as the “standing height” of the wheel & tyre when jacked off the floor or measured horizontally if not jacked up. The OD will be measured with the scrutineer’s calliper, and this will be built to accommodate a physical maximum tyre size of 885.19 mm or 34.85 inches.

c. Wheel spacers of any kind that are fitted between the wheel rim and hub/axle that widen the vehicles axle/track width out of the vehicles original, are NOT PERMITTED on any wheel.

d. Does not use beadlocks and is on standard rims, aftermarket rims are allowed as long as they meet the above category (b) requirement.

e. Diff locks/welded diffs/ and modified internal components are permitted, but the axle housing must remain as per the original vehicle and may not be permanently welded or strengthened. Removable diff guards are permitted.

f. Has original engine and power train, and has no added power enhancing items like turbo chargers or superchargers, that the original vehicle’s OEM specifications did not come with/wasn’t manufactured with at the time of production.

g. Has original suspension system (all suspension mounting points between the axles and vehicle chassis, are in their ORIGINAL location: this could be the spring mountings/sitting points, shock absorber and suspension/axle articulation arms/rods, reinforcing of the ORIGINAL brackets/mounting points is permitted, as long as these reinforcements have NOT ALTERED the mounting point from its original point.

h. Has standard shock absorbers, use of rally/high spec external canister shock absorbers is not permitted.

i. Vehicle must have standard rubber bump stops; use of non-standard hydraulic/air bump stops/dampers is not permitted.

j. Has two single motor low profile low speed electrical winches only; Low speed winches are defined as having an off-load speed of not greater than 15 m/minute and a speed under 10,000 lbs load of not more than 8m/minute. Hydraulic winches are not permitted. Original manufacturer PTO-driven mechanical winches are permitted provided they do not exceed the line speed guidelines.

k. Body work free as long as it retains all body mountings to the chassis as standard, and maintains the front end look of the original vehicle design (bonnet, front end grill, headlights, windscreen and front wings/skins left and right.

l. Does not have any form of reduction hubs/portal axles or independent suspension as standard equipment: such vehicles are not eligible for this class.

m. Any non-existing vehicle make which is intended to be entered in the Unmodified class must be approved by the Scrutineering Officials before entry is permitted.

n. Vehicles may only be classified as Unmodified at Scrutineering. A driver wishing to challenge the classification of their vehicle must do so prior to completion of Scrutineering and the classification may not be changed later.

o. The Scrutineering Officials may order any or all the top 3 vehicles in this class to be scrutineered after the event to confirm eligibility.

M. Running of the event

1. Scrutineering, Registration & Parc Fermé

a. All cars must complete scrutineering and registration. Scrutineering/Registration times will be nominated and adhered to. Any entrant that arrives at the “Scrutineering/Registration” control after 17:00hrs on the day of Scrutineering may be excluded.

b. Competitors who complete self-scrutineering and have paid in their pledge by the self-scrutineering deadline, will be given the opportunity to choose their scrutineering slot. All other times will be assigned by the scrutineer.

c. Each entrant’s starting Checkpoint (Control) will be determined by random draw, conducted upon Registration at HQ.

d. The organisers will scrutineer the vehicle and check and seal each competing vehicle’s DMD(s) in a place and manner to be notified later.

e. It is important that the DMD’S receive a good power supply and good batteries as per the guideline given by the DMD service provider, and the new GPS harness is Mandatory for all entries.

f. From 4pm onwards, all cars must be in Parc Fermé until after the driver’s briefing.

2. Competition Day

a. On the competition 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. They will then proceed in convoy to their respective starting points by following an escort vehicle along a route laid down by the organisers. On arrival at the Checkpoint and before the official start of the event, team members are NOT permitted to leave the Checkpoint to survey the area. Vehicles at each start point will be mass started, and competitors will then choose their own route within the restrictions given elsewhere in the regulations, and may visit Checkpoints in any order, but may not visit the same Checkpoint twice. As a safety precaution only, competitors are required to declare their next intended Checkpoint at the start of each section. However, competitors may divert from this destination if they choose. 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.

b. The overall winner will be the entrant who visits the most Checkpoints in the prescribed manner. Where the number of Checkpoints visited by two or more competitors is equal, the advantage will go to the entrant who has covered the shortest distance. If the distance covered is still equal, the overall time taken to cover the recorded distance will be the tie break.

c. Start, Finish, Last and Final Checkpoints (CP)

i. Start CP – This is the Checkpoint which an Entrant has drawn as the CP from which he/she will start.

ii. Finish CP – This is the same CP as the Start CP; an Entrant should not return to this Checkpoint until he/she has visited all the other CPs indicated on the briefing notes. If he/she does return to this CP before visiting all other CP it will be taken as the end of his/her competing vehicle’s route but will count towards his/her score. i.e., Once a competing vehicle returns to its Start CP it will be deemed to have completed its Charge, and cannot continue visiting subsequent CP’s, apart from the Final CP.

iii. Last CP – This is the last CP visited by a competitor before 17:30hrs or retirement, whichever is the earlier. Once you have cleared procedures at your Last CP, you must proceed directly to the Final CP as soon as possible.

iv. If an entrant arrives at his Last CP after 17:30hrs on the day of the event, it will not be included in the results, but he must still get the route card endorsed by the CP officer, so the Organizers are aware of his whereabouts.

v. The time at Last CP is recorded and determined using Satellite Time – i.e., the time on the official DMD. No other time measurement will be allowed.

vi. Final CP – All competing vehicles and teams MUST proceed to this CP after visiting their last respective CP at the end of the Charge.

vii. The coordinates of the Final CP will be given in the Driver’s Briefing notes. Once a competing vehicle has arrived at its last CP of the day, the vehicle and its crew must proceed to the Final CP along tracks and roads and register with the Final CP. The distance recording will cease from the competitor’s last CP and therefore the distance between the last CP visited and the Final CP will not form part of that vehicle’s competitive distance. All vehicles must have checked into the Final CP by 19:00hrs on the day of the Charge. Failure to check into the Final CP will exclude that Entrant from the results. It will also trigger a search for that vehicle by the organisers if they do not already know of that vehicle’s location. It is therefore very important that Entrants register with the Final CP as soon as they can after completing the event, even in the case of early retirement during the day.

d. It is the Entrant’s responsibility to ensure that his Route Card is correctly completed and signed at each Checkpoint by the CP Official. The competitor must park his vehicle within the designated area at each Checkpoint 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.

e. No section between any two Checkpoints may be attempted more than once.

f. Vehicles may be manhandled across the terrain by any means devised by the crew’s ingenuity, except that no outside assistance is permitted whether it is in verbal, mechanical, human or animal form, except that given by another Competitor or Official with Clerk of the Course’s permission.

g. Competitors must have particular regard for the welfare of the ecological environment in which the event takes place.

h. The event stops at 17:30hrs, but in the interests of safety, the Clerk of the Course may instruct a Checkpoint Officer to hold an Entrant who is intending to commence a section which could not possibly be completed before the end of the Charge. This decision will be made individually for each case by the Clerk of the Course, and his decision will be final.

i. There will be a Compulsory Gauntlet, which must be completed by all entrants. Co-ordinates given at Drivers’ Briefing will specify the Checkpoints which comprise the Gauntlet. At each of the Gauntlet Checkpoints, entrants will be required to pass through a “gate” where Officials will sign the Route Card and record the time. Entrants may traverse the Gauntlet by whichever route they choose but must complete the Gauntlet before proceeding to any other Checkpoint. The Gauntlet Checkpoints may be visited in any order. All competitors MUST attempt this section to be classified in the results. Failure to complete the gauntlet before proceeding on to the next Checkpoint will result in the exclusion of the Gauntlet Checkpoints from 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.

j. Any objections to the results must be brought to the attention of the Clerk of the Course in writing within five (5) calendar days of initial prize giving.

3. Penalties

a. 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 penalised or disqualified at the discretion of the Clerk of the Course.

b. The following are examples of what will constitute an infringement:-

i. External assistance of any sort, other than from another Competitor or Official with prior COC approval.

ii. Tampering in any way with the proper operation of the DMD(s); or failure to return DMDs to final control in a timely manner.

iii. Deliberately blocking the passage of other competing cars or behaving in an unsporting manner.

iv. The formation of teams of two or more vehicles as a means of enabling one vehicle to gain a competitive advantage will be considered against the spirit of the event and will be penalised by the organisers.

v. Wanton destruction of the environment.

vi. Unsafe or reckless driving and/or failure to carry or use mandatory safety equipment.

c. If a vehicle is fitted with oversized tyres (including spares) determined by the Scrutineer’s calliper, the Competitor will be penalised through the deduction of one (1) checkpoint from his final score – i.e., he/she will never be able to be a finisher of the Rhino Charge.

d. If a vehicle is in contravention of the weight restrictions of the event as, the competitor will be penalised through the deduction of one (1) checkpoint from his final score – i.e., he/she will never be able to be a finisher of the Rhino Charge.

4. Speed limits & Penalties

a. The speed limit at any time on the course (or during the event, whether on “the course” or not) will be forty (40) kph (kilometres per hour), any competitor exceeding this limit will be penalised as follows – this speed limit applies to ALL:

i. An Entrant’s speed will be measured according to the same GPS DMD(s) as used to measure competitor distance and is the only device that will be accepted for this purpose.

ii. A single-speed violation is defined as follows: A vehicle that is measured as consistently travelling above 40kph over a period of twelve (12) seconds will be deemed to be speeding and to have committed a “Speed Violation”. Every violation as defined here will be subject to a penalty of 100m added to the entrant’s final distance.

iii. On the 10th penalty violation, in addition to the 100m penalty per violation, one Checkpoint will be deducted from that entrant’s total score. The Checkpoint penalty will be applied for every 10th violation thereafter. The violation count is accumulative over the course of the day and violations DO NOT have to be consecutive to be applied.

iv. This formula will repeat itself throughout the event.

b. In summary:

i. Each Violation = 100 metres added to the final overall distance.

ii. Every 10 Violations = 1 Checkpoint deducted from the final score, in addition to the 100m penalty per violation.

5. Road use Penalty:

a. Any road shown in RED on the competitor map will be subject to road use penalties as defined below.

b. Use of any officially designated road or track (hereafter called a “road”) by a competitor during the event will be measured and recorded by the official GPS DMD(s) results tracking equipment and analysed through the official results software respectively and the following penalties will be applied:

i. The road has been defined in the results software as a 10m wide geofence “corridor” centred on the centre line of the road.

ii. The road use penalty only applies from the official start (0730hrs) until the official end (1730hrs) of the Charge.

iii. A competing vehicle will only begin to accumulate a “road use measurement” when the vehicle is consistently within the geofence for a period of twelve (12) seconds or more. This has the effect of.

1. 1. Allowing a vehicle to cross over the road/geofence, when travelling perpendicular to it, without penalty – provided the geofence is cleared within twelve (12) seconds.
  2. It does however mean that if a vehicle stops on the road for longer than twelve (12) seconds, even if the vehicle is travelling perpendicular to the road, there will be an accumulation of distance measured.

iv. The road use penalty is an accumulator throughout the entire day and road use penalties are applied as follows.

v. For all vehicles and all classes, modified or unmodified:

1. 1. Between 0 – 4,999m of road use – NO distance penalty and NO Checkpoint (CP) Penalty – FREE.
  2. Between 5,000 – 9,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty.
  3. At 10,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) CP.
  4. Between 10,000 – 14,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty.
  5. At 15,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP.
  6. Between 15,000 – 19,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty.
  7. At 20,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP.
  8. Between 20,000 – 24,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty.
  9. At 25,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP.
  10. Between 25,000 – 29,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty.
  11. At 30,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP.
  12. After 30,000m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) for the remainder of the distance.

vi. The maximum number of Checkpoints that a competitor can lose from this rule is capped at five (5).

c. A Competitor may however lose Checkpoints from other penalty rules in addition to this rule.

6. No Go Zones:

a. The organisers may designate no-go zones on the Map. Entry into the no-go zone will trigger a distance penalty.

N. Prizes and Awards

VICTOR LUDORUM Land Rover Trophy (Perpetual)

This award will be made to the entrant who has achieved the shortest discounted distance calculated by discounting the actual corrected distance travelled at the rate of 2 centimetres per Kenya shilling of sponsorship raised.

2^nd VICTOR LUDORUM Trophy

3^rd VICTOR LUDORUM Trophy

HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP The David Schaefer Trophy (Perpetual)

2^nd HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP The Diamond Trust Trophy (Perpetual)

3^rd HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP Trophy

SPIRIT OF THE CHARGE The Rob Combes Trophy (Perpetual)

(To be awarded at the “Spirit of the Charge” Event.)

OVERALL WINNER The Duncan Mitchell Trophy (Perpetual)

2^nd OVERALL WINNER Trophy

3^rdOVERALL WINNER Trophy

CLASS “M” – OVERALL WINNER Trophy

2^nd CLASS “M” Trophy

3^rd CLASS “M” Trophy

CLASS “U” – OVERALL WINNER Trophy

2^nd CLASS “U” Trophy

3^rd CLASS “U” Trophy

COUPES DES DAMES The Tim Nicklin Trophy (Perpetual)

HIGHEST PLACED 1st TIME ENTRANT The Kijabe Award (Perpetual)

GAUNTLET WINNER Tim Samuels Gauntlet Challenge (Perpetual)

KAMRAN FAZAL MEMORIAL TROPHY Perpetual Award

This award will be made to the youngest registered crew member out of the vehicles which complete the Rhino Charge (13 Checkpoints). The maximum age of eligibility will be 25 (i.e., the crew member must not yet have had his/her 25^th birthday by the day of the charge). If two people have their birthday on the same day, the award will be given to the crew member in the highest placed vehicle. If no member of any vehicle which completes the charge (13 Checkpoints) is under 25, the trophy will not be awarded. Only crew members who have registered their date of birth on the “detailed competitor information sheet”, which is filled in at HQ as part of documentation, will be eligible for consideration.

NJIA YA NDUME AWARDS (Tiger Lines)

To encourage “Tiger Lines” between Checkpoints, there will be awards for the shortest distance achieved between certain Checkpoints, which will be designated at the Drivers Briefing. These awards will be made to the vehicle that has achieved the shortest distance between the two designated Checkpoints irrespective of the number of Checkpoints visited by that vehicle.

There may be other prizes at the discretion of the organisers.

Please note that none of the Perpetual Trophies may be taken out of Kenya. All Perpetual Trophies must be returned to Rhino Ark Offices before the date of the Pre-Event Briefing as defined above.

Rhino Charge 2023 - 3rd June 2023