Rules and Regulations - Rhino Charge

A. Definition

The thirty-eighth 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

Monday 29th June 2026 – Start of Automatic entry process for RC 2027

Monday 6th July 2026 – Start of Entry process for 2027

Saturday 1st May 2027 – 10:00 – 13:00hrs

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 700,000 (2m. pledge)
  - KES 600,000 (1.75m. pledge)
  - 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”)
- Announcement of commencement of route notes

Monday 3rd – Friday 7th May 2027

Mandatory GPS antennas / harness testing for all charge competitor vehicles (all blue boxes and antennas must be mounted and connected in the vehicle for the harness test to be valid – more details to follow).

Monday 17th May 2027 – 17:00 hrs

Deadline for self-scrutineering forms to be complete (mandatory for all confirmed entries).
Deadline for submission of funds to qualify for entry to venue.

Friday 21st May 2027 – 23:59 hrs

Rhino Charge Ticketing Portal closes.
Deadline for teams to submit payment for full pledges.

Tuesday 25th May 2027

06:00 hrs – Route notes to venue will be released.
12:00 hrs – Early Entry to venue for qualifying teams only.

Wednesday 26th May 2027

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

Thursday 27th May 2027

08:00 – 18:00 hrs Venue Check-in opens for 3 Night Spectators
14:00 – 16:30 hrs Early registration for qualified teams at HQ

Friday 28th May 2027

08:00 – 18:00 hrs    Venue Check-in opens for 2 Night Spectators
08:00 – 14:00 hrs    Registration of competitors and submission of finance
08:00 – 17:00 hrs    Scrutineering and sealing of the DMD units. Cars go into Parc Fermé at 16:00 hrs
17:00 hrs                Drivers’ Briefing at Event Bar and issuance of competition maps.

Saturday 29th May 2027

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

05:45 hrs                Assemble at Collection Point for convoy to Start Checkpoints.
05:50 hrs onwards    Depart for Start Checkpoints.
07:30 hrs                START of the event.
15:00 hrs                Final Control opens.
15:30 hrs SHARP      End of Classic Charge.
17:30 hrs SHARP      Checkpoints CLOSE.
20:30 hrs                Latest time by which ALL vehicles MUST be in FINAL CONTROL.

Sunday 30th May 2027

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

Monday 31st May 2027

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

Tuesday 1st June 2027

10:00 hrs All camp operators must have left the venue.

Saturday 3rd July 2027

17:00 hrs Spirit of the Charge Event in Nairobi; Prize-giving II, announcement of additional awards.

C. Rhino Charge Organising Committee

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

Clerk of the Course D. White

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

Event Stewards A. Levitan / K. Phull / F. Gitau

Official Distancekeeper P. Walton

Results Committee D. Gachuche / L. Levitan / N. Joshi / P. Walton

Rhino Charge Event Administrator

Leah Levitan
Mobile: 0701 376960 – Email: admin@rhinocharge.or.ke

D. Entry Process to the Competition

1. Agreement to Rules and Regulations

By applying to enter the 2027 Rhino Charge, Competitors agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations in place in full, including all additional supplementary regulations (ASR) and bulletins.

2. Right of Entry to the Event

The Rhino Charge Committee reserves the right to accept or reject entries to the 2027 Rhino Charge, including for teams or entrants who would qualify by virtue of fundraising from a previous year’s event. Anyone deemed to be acting not in the spirit of the charge may be restricted from entry.

3. Rhino Charge and Classic Charge

65 places are available, of which up to 10 places are available for the Classic Charge.

The Rhino Charge and Classic Charge have different competition rules, fees, and pledges.

Participants in both events are subject to the same safety, camping and venue rules.

4. 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 Event 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 of 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 acquired from the Rhino Charge Event Administrator.

5. Donations Qualifying for Pledges

Donations that qualify for the pledge are only those that are cash or cash equivalents that meet Rhino Ark’s core running budget needs. In-kind donations do not qualify unless they are a direct cash equivalent or substitute. Decisions on qualifying donations will be made by the Rhino Charge Committee.

6. Ways to enter the Rhino Charge

There are several ways to enter the Rhino Charge.

Automatic Entry.
Participants who have raised more than KES 2.2 million in the 2026 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.

Notwithstanding the above, clause 8d below overrides these rights if invoked by the Rhino Charge Committee.

7. Rhino Charge Competition Entry Windows

Date from	Minimum Pledge for Full Charge	Entry Window Open to:	Entry Method
9am Monday 6^th July 2026	KES 2 m	All Classes	Digital or in Person
9am Monday 27^th July 2026	KES 1.75 m	All Classes	Digital or in Person
9am Monday 10^th August 2026	KES 1.5 m	All Classes	Digital or in Person
9am Monday 24^th August 2026	KES 1.25 m	All Classes	Digital or in Person
9am Monday 7^th September 2026	KES 1 m	Modified, Unmodified*	In Person Only at the Rhino Ark Offices
9am Monday 21^st September 2026	KES 0.75 m	Modified, Unmodified*	In Person Only at the Rhino Ark Offices
9am Monday 28^th September 2026	As per waiting list amount	All Classes, including Classic Charge	In Person Only at the Rhino Ark Offices

*Super-modified teams who wish to pledge below 1.25m will go onto the waiting list, in order of pledged amount (highest first).

8. Rhino Charge Entry Requirements and Conditions

a. Number of places

A total of 65 Entry places are available for the event. Up to 10 places are available for the Classic Charge. Competitors in the unmodified class, meeting the Rhino Charge pledge, have the option to compete in either event.

Once the first 55 places for the Rhino Charge are filled any remaining places unclaimed for the Classic Charge will be released on a first come first served basis at the end of the entry window process, in person only at the Rhino Ark offices.

b. Early sponsorship

All entries must be accompanied by “Early sponsorship” of KES 100,000 which is payable to Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust and non-refundable, even if a team withdraws.

c. Entry Documentation Required

1. Payment of the Early Sponsorship.
2. A completed entry and pledge form.
3. Submission of team details using the online/in-person 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.

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. Anyone deemed to be acting not in the spirit of the charge may be restricted from entry at the sole discretion of the Rhino Charge Committee.

A competitor who did fulfil his pledge obligation made during his entry, but did not remit the total amount he raised (pledge obligation + funds raised above his pledge obligation), as confirmed at registration during Scrutineering Day and announced during the Prize-giving ceremony, will be required to remit the balance of his total fundraise before the Pre-event briefing of the next Charge event to retain his entry.

9. Ways to enter the Classic Charge

a. New Entrants (“Greenhorns”)

Limited Entry Window to Encourage New Rhino Charge Entrants who have done less than 3 charges.

b. The Classic Charge is also open to:

1. (“Under 28”) Classic Charge entrants who exceed the experience threshold but whose average age is below 28 years.
2. Experienced Classic Chargers. Experienced Rhino Chargers who exceed the average age and new entry criteria.

10. Classic Charge Competition Entry Windows

All digital entrants for the Classic Charge must visit the Rhino Ark offices within one week of submitting the online form.

Date entries are open from:	Minimum Pledge for Classic Charge	Condition	Entry Method
Monday 6^th July 2026 9:00 hrs	KES 350,000	New Entrants – less than 3 charges or average team age less than 28 years old	Digital or in person
Monday 6^th July 2026 9:00 hrs	KES 450,000	Classic Charge Entrants who do not qualify as New Entrants, but whose average is below 28 years old	Digital or in person
Monday 21^st September 2026 9:00 hrs	KES 750,000	Classic Charge Entrants who do not qualify as New Entrants and whose average age is over 28 years old	In person at Rhino Ark offices

11. Classic Charge Entry Requirements and Conditions

a. Competition Class

The Classic Charge is Open to teams participating in The Unmodified Class Only.

b. Number of places

Up to 10 entry places are available for the Classic Charge.

c. Early sponsorship

All entries must be accompanied by an “Early sponsorship” of KES 100,000 which is payable to Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust and is non-refundable, even if a team withdraws.

d. Entry Documentation Required

1. Payment of the Early Sponsorship.
2. A completed entry and pledge form.
3. Submission of team details using the in-person 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.

e. Participation in the Classic Charge by Rhino Charge Teams

Teams who have entered the Rhino Charge may voluntarily change to participate only in the Classic Charge by notifying the organisers at scrutineering. This does not change a team’s obligations to the fundraising pledge they have made.

12. Support for Greenhorns and the Under 28s entering the Classic Charge

To encourage new entries the following additional measures will be taken.

a. Mentoring

A New team may be paired with an Experienced Team who volunteers to offer support and advice in the lead up to the event if the new team would like it. Mentor teams are, however, to be aware of clause N.9.b.v – they may not pair up with a new team on the competition day to give an unfair advantage.

b. Navigation

New Teams will be offered navigation and map reading support after the maps have been distributed at Driver’s briefing which will be offered at the HQ area.

13. Proof of Age

Teams applying for the Under 28 Category must be under the average age of 28 years old on the day of the event. All team members must show a valid ID or Passport to verify their identity and date of birth.

14. Withdrawal of Entries

All Entrants who wish to withdraw their entry must do so before 1st February 2027. 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. Team Leader’s Responsibilities

Every group coming to the event will appoint a team leader.

The team leader, whether an official, a sponsor, a competitor, or a spectator, is responsible for ALL people who enter the Rhino Charge venue under their auspices. This is managed through the Ticketing Portal.

The team leader is responsible for all aspects of their visitor’s behaviour within the Rhino Charge venue.

3. Camping Area

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

4. Rubbish

- a. All campers MUST TIDY UP their camp before departing and leave the area perfectly clean.
- b. All campers should pre-sort all their waste at camp before bringing it to the Waste Sorting Station by 17:00 hrs Monday 31^st May 2027.
- 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 BY 17:00 HRS MONDAY 31^st MAY 2027.
- 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 Rhino Charge 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 disallowing 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 all their rubbish to the Waste Sorting Station by 17:00 hrs Monday 31^st May 2027.
- g. Plastic waste, particularly confetti or similar, which is difficult to collect, is not permitted.

5. 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 26^th May 2027	24:00 hrs (midnight)
Thursday 27^th May 2027	24:00 hrs (midnight)
Friday 28^th May 2027	22:00 hrs
Saturday 29^th May 2027	1:00 hrs

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Pets

Pets are not permitted unless they are licensed service animals.

9. Motorbikes, Bicycles and Quad bikes

Buggies, motorcycles, bicycles, 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.

10. Good conduct

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

11. Drones

No drones are permitted to be flown except by members of the Official Drone Provider team and the Official Film Crew, who have been appointed and approved by the Rhino Charge Committee.

Drones may only be flown at the Rhino Charge venue with the express permission, for every single flight, of the Clerk of the Course or their designated representative.

Unauthorised flights are a safety risk to the aviation team at the event.

Requests must be routed via Official Channel 2 and must be assumed to be denied unless specifically granted. The procedure is as follows:

- Request to be made via Channel 2 stating pilot, location and estimated duration of flight.
- Request will be either denied, delayed or granted with a specific timescale.
- At the conclusion of the flight, pilot must report via Channel 2 that the flight has been completed.

12. Leaving the venue

All participants (and their camp operators) must leave the venue by the deadlines defined in the event program.

13. 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 Rhino Charge 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 a Rhino Charge 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 http://www.rhino-charge.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
Tuesday 25^th May 2027	12:00 – 18:00 hrs for those qualifying for early entry only (see below)
Wednesday 26^th May 2027	08:00 – 18:00 hrs
Thursday 27^th May 2027	08:00 – 18:00 hrs
Friday 28^th May 2027	08:00 – 18:00 hrs
Saturday 29^th May 2027	No entry is permitted to the venue. There is no exception to this rule.

- a. Route notes to get to the venue will be sent out to all Competitors, Officials and Sponsors at 6:00 hrs Tuesday 25^th May 2027.
- b. Early entry to the venue will be applied as below:
  - i. Competitors that raised more than KES 2.75 million for the 2026 Rhino Charge will qualify for early entry to the Rhino Charge venue.
  - ii. Competitors that raise more than KES 3 million for the 2027 event, providing their funds have cleared into the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust accounts by 17th May 2027, will qualify for early entry to the Rhino Charge venue.
  - iii. Qualifying teams will be granted early entry to the venue at 12:00 hrs (midday) – 18:00 hrs Tuesday 25^th May 2027. This will be restricted to a maximum of 3 vehicles and 12 people per team, except for the Top Five fundraisers from the 2026 event who are permitted 8 vehicles and 35 people. Additional personnel or vehicles will not be allowed access until 08:00 hrs on Wednesday 26^th May 2027.
  - iv. The Top Five fundraisers will be the first groups allowed into the venue during the early access window.
  - v. Competitors that meet the criteria for early entry must provide the following details by 17:00 hrs Monday 24^th May 2027 via email to admin@rhinocharge.or.ke:
    - 1. Registration number for the allowed vehicles.
    - 2. Name and ID number for the allowed people that must have completed their registration through the Rhino Charge ticketing portal.
  - vi. All vehicles and personnel with a qualifying team for early entry must not reach the venue before 10:00 hrs Tuesday 25^th May 2027. All extra vehicles and personnel with a non-qualifying team must not reach the venue before Wednesday 26^th May 2027. Teams breaching this requirement may be fined or excluded from the event.

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

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 Registration, 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.
- e. Teams may not change team members after registration without the permission of the Clerk of Course. No team changes are permitted after the start of the event.
- f. Teams may not seek advice from non-competitors including their own support crews and may be penalised if they do so.

2. Medical Condition of Competitors

- a. The Rhino Charge Organising Committee engages a Medical Provider (Response Med) to provide professional medical care to all participants.
- b. All Competitors MUST have valid Amref Maisha Cover or an approved alternative to participate.
- c. The medical opinion offered by the Medical Provider on site is final and non-negotiable.
- d. 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/she is satisfied that all competitors’ details have been provided may a competitor proceed to Scrutineering.
- e. 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 will 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 door number stickers and painted roof number with the line in the correct place are mandatory for scrutineering 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. Suitable full metal roll cage protecting all seats within the vehicle (recommended professionally specified & in compliance with motorsport regulations).
- b. Each vehicle must have within the vehicle 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 ECE 22.4 standard, which is the minimum UN Standard. The recommended standard is full FIA certified motorsport rally helmets. The safety helmets should be labelled with the car number.
- e. Functional 4-point full safety belt 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, functional, master electrical ignition “kill” switch; as Mandatory and MUST BE reachable by the driver and navigator while seated and belted in the vehicle.
- h. A 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. Mandatory Window guards to all windows which should be openable from both internal and external and the access / opening mechanism shall be easy and quick to use in an emergency.
- j. Competitors must demonstrate that they can promptly exit the vehicle via the windscreen or rear if the windows or doors are jammed. This will be tested at scrutineering.
- k. A full bee suit is mandatory equipment and must be carried on board the car.
- l. All equipment in the vehicle such as Tanganyika jacks, tools, and any metal rods or bars, spades or spare wheels will not be stored loosely in the cabin. They must be secured outside the cab or in an enclosed boot or box within the vehicle.
- m. Further to the above, this includes electrical batteries within the competition vehicle that are highly dangerous if not well secured, connected with good quality battery connectors and clamps, as well as covered to prevent damage to them even during a roll over. The positive battery terminals MUST be completely covered with rubber or similar materials to reduce chances of short circuit.
- n. MANDATORY: all competition vehicles shall use MF – Maintenance free sealed batteries across the full vehicle (engine, winching, GPS and any spares), use of non-maintenance free batteries that are non-leak proof or have filler caps for acid topping up shall NOT BE PERMITTED.
- o. 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.
- p. Each vehicle must carry at least ten (10) litres of emergency drinking water and a thermal blanket.

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 is recommended but is mandatory for electric vehicles.
- b. Safety helmets for other team members are recommended.
- c. Power-driven winches are permitted as per the class regulations. Winch and winching safety within the
  team and correct safe use is required at all times during the event.

3. Other Permitted Equipment

- a. 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.
- b. Personal Global Positioning System units are permitted.
- c. 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.
- d. 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 at any point including overhang; the chassis dimensions must meet the standard OEM dimensions of the original vehicle.
- 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 bead locks and is on standard rims; aftermarket rims are allowed if 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, if 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 except where the vehicle’s original OEM shock absorbers are no longer manufactured or available, in which case equivalent replacement shocks are 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 is free if 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 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. Electric or Hybrid Vehicles

a. Electric and hybrid vehicles can compete in the event in one of the three existing classes as defined below.

- i. Conventional vehicles that have been modified to electric or hybrid drive will be permitted to enter the Modified or Super-Modified categories. Aside from the safety regulations, all other regulations remain the same.
- ii. EV/H vehicles that are production manufactured and which are unmodified, except for body work, from the factory specification may be entered as an Unmodified vehicle, providing they meet all other Unmodified regulations.
- iii. All rules are similar except that similar additional safety requirements will be mandated. While the organisers will insist on some safety measures, the overall obligation is on the participants to prove that the vehicle can safely participate without unnecessary risk to competitors or bystanders.

b. Specific mandatory safety requirements:

- i. Double safety quick disconnect isolator system for the energy power pack that is accessible within the vehicle as well as outside the vehicle.
- ii. Sufficient electrical protection to completely cut out the energy pack in case of an electrical fault.
- iii. An in-built fire suppression system is mandatory, with at least six spray nozzles directed at the occupants / seating position of competitors; this system must be activatable from within the vehicle, or outside the vehicle in a well-marked location near the windshield.
- iv. Additional external handheld fire extinguishers (2pcs) of an appropriate type will be required.
- v. The EV must have suitable warning signs around the vehicle, alerting the public of where the fire suppression system is activated, where the power cut off isolator is mounted, as well as suitable warning signs to keep away in case of a fire on the vehicle.
- vi. The energy power pack must be in a fully covered and contained box that is not flammable, is securely fastened and is well protected.
- vii. At least one person on the team must have undergone a specific first aid and safety course related to electric or hybrid vehicles which provides understanding of all safety risks and mitigating actions.
- viii. The EV/H vehicle must have highly designed and finished window guards that are big enough to allow all vehicle occupants escape with ease. These guards’ regulations are already within this document however for the EV class these will be scrutinised further including the type of locks used, and quick accessibility from both within and outside the vehicle, and the speed of persons ability to escape the vehicle within 20–30 seconds.
- ix. The EV/H may have one pit stop for energy change, to be conducted in a designated area only, and will be done with additional health and safety processes and guidelines. The handling, removal, and replacement of the energy pack, done either on a trolley system or a lifting hoist system with a maximum of 3 additional qualified team member / personnel support. The energy pack shall not be fully handled, carried, moved by persons alone without the use of additional mechanical equipment to support the pack.
- x. Any team willing to enter the event using an EV/H, must communicate to the organisers at least 6 months prior to the start date, and share with the organisers all safety measures, training, risk mitigation and insurance provisions to ensure absolute safety during participation. The obligation is on the participant to prove they have sufficient safety measures in place and that there is no risk to participants, bystanders, or officials in the conduct of participation to the event.

c. Any additional costs that may be incurred by the organisers to support the EV/H competitor may be passed on to the competitor at the sole discretion of the Rhino Charge Committee.

N. Running of the event

1. Communication with Competitors

- a. The organisers shall communicate any and all communication through either the online Rules and Regulations, the driver’s Briefing, the driver’s Briefing notes, the Competition Map and the Team Leaders WhatsApp group as the official channels of communication.
- b. Prior to Friday 21st May 2027, rules amendments will be communicated by means of an ASR (alternative supplementary regulation) which may be circulated electronically via the channels provided above. After this date, the Team Leaders WhatsApp group is the official bulletin board for the event. Any posts, communication or clarification from the RC Committee on this group will be deemed to have been communicated effectively.
- c. Failure to read or understand any Communication from the organisers irrespective of the time the information was sent does not constitute grounds for the removal of that information from the events rules and regulations.
- d. Any additional Communication channels may be added and will be communicated to the Competitors accordingly.

2. 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 17:00 hrs on the day of Scrutineering may be excluded.
- b. Competitors who complete self-scrutineering and have paid in their full 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. DMD’S (data monitoring devices) or GPS trackers that track each competitor’s tracks for the duration of the Rhino Charge event are an essential component for the safe and successful running of the event. They offer the ability to send a Panic/SOS alert to HQ in the event of an emergency, as well as providing the data to calculate the competition results.
- g. From 16:00 hrs onwards, all cars must be in Parc Fermé until after the driver’s briefing.

3. Main GPS (Primary DMD) and Backup GPS (Secondary DMD)

These units will have an inbuilt antenna that requires sky facing with no metallic objects or plate / sheet covering the antenna.

MANDATORY: BOTH GPS / DMD units shall receive 12 volts stable power via the developed wiring harness that is segregated from other vehicle wiring. It is the responsibility of the entrant to fit and connect up the provided wiring harness, make slight adjustments to the harness if required, and ensure the harness meets the requirements of the GPS / DMD service provider.

The entrant must test and check their wiring and GPS battery setup carefully and in compliance of the Rhino Charge DMD / GPS service provider’s instructions.

There are two options for the main GPS mounting, either on the dashboard of the vehicle with the windscreen offering decent sky view, or on the roof of the vehicle with sufficient spacing around the antenna. If space is limiting, the backup GPS antenna may be mounted anywhere on the dashboard area within the interior of the vehicle.

However, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that the main and backup GPS / DMD units are mounted in the same way. Competitors should be aware that in the event of a GPS failure on the Main Device, the backup device may be used to calculate results. A dashboard mounted backup antenna is likely to give a lower quality of GPS signal than a properly mounted roof antenna.

It is highly recommended to mount the main GPS / DMD close to the backup GPS / DMD so as to ease fitting, monitoring and operation.

Current competitor mounting: (Recommended Solution)
400 x 400mm roof cut, with a thin fibreglass sheet above, a small aluminium bracket holding the GPS antenna in place below the roof line for protection.

4. GPS Tracking Accuracy & Results Precision

BACKGROUND

The Rhino Charge is a distance-based competition in which the result for each competing vehicle is determined by the total distance driven. Because of the remote terrain, the physical risks inherent in the event, and the regulatory requirement to locate each vehicle at all times, the Rhino Charge uses GPS-based tracking devices as the sole means of recording competitor distances and positions.

CURRENT TRACKING TECHNOLOGY

For a number of years, the Rhino Charge has used IDP devices supplied by Rivercross as the primary results and tracking system. The FTC961 was used for the 2026 charge and will be used going forward as either primary or secondary tracking device.

Under optimal conditions these new devices operate to a stated accuracy of ±1.8 metres. Whilst that figure may appear modest, it represents instantaneous positional accuracy — not accumulated distance accuracy over a full day’s competition.

Additionally, all GPS receivers – regardless of manufacturer or specification – are subject to positional jitter caused by multipath interference, satellite geometry variation, and atmospheric conditions. These effects are transient and unpredictable, and cannot be eliminated entirely by hardware improvements alone.

DATA PROCESSING & FILTERING

Raw GPS logs are not used directly for results computation. All data collected during the competition is subjected to a filtering and smoothing process to reduce noise and anomalous readings. Critically, these filters are applied identically to every competing vehicle without exception. No manual adjustment is applied to any individual vehicle’s data.

Whilst this process resolves most anomalies present in the raw data, it cannot improve the underlying positional accuracy of the GPS hardware itself. The practical effect is a maximum accuracy tolerance on final recorded distance of:

± 100 metres on overall recorded distance

This tolerance represents the practical limit of what the current technology, combined with best-practice data processing, can reliably achieve.

POLICY ON DISTANCE DISPUTES

In light of the above, and to maintain a fair and efficient results process, the following policy applies to all distance disputes:

- The Stewards and Clerk of the Course will not consider any distance dispute where the claimed discrepancy is less than 100 metres.
- This threshold applies equally to all secondary results categories, including but not limited to Tiger Lines and the Gauntlet.
- Any dispute that does not meet this threshold will be dismissed at first instance and will not proceed to a formal hearing.
- The Organiser acknowledges that differences below this threshold may have implications for competitive bragging rights; however, they cannot be reliably attributed to anything other than normal measurement variation.
- In the event that a primary result (e.g. Overall, Victor Ludorum) is decided by less than the maximum accuracy threshold of 100 metres, the Organiser will make reasonable efforts to cross-reference both primary and backup GPS data before finalising the result. In such cases the Stewards retain sole discretion over how to apply this data.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

- The Organising Committee recognises that the ±100 metre tolerance is a significant limitation and is actively developing plans to deploy improved GPS tracking hardware in future events.
- As improved devices are introduced and validated, this Statement will be revised to reflect the best accuracy that the Organiser can guarantee at that time.

5. Competition Day Start Procedure

- a. Competitors must start as close as possible to their assigned start control, with the position at the direction of the “Red Hat” Checkpoint Officer. This is normally in a circle with the control point in the centre of the circle. Competitors must follow the instructions of the Checkpoint Officer.
- b. No car may move away from the assigned starting position after the Checkpoint Officer has placed them.
- c. The event start is at 07:30 hrs and they may move immediately after the start is announced at 07:30 hrs.

6. Competition Day – Full Charge

- 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 CPs 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 CPs, 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 GPS / DMD units 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 20:30hrs 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 their Route Card is correctly completed and signed at each Checkpoint by the CP Official. The competitor must park their 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 full event stops at 17:30 hrs, 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 aid with 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.

7. Competition Day – Classic Charge

a. All competition criteria remain the same for the Classic Charge as the Full Charge except that:

- i. Several checkpoints will be visited, limited to a list defined in the briefing notes. The checkpoints will vary in number according to the estimated difficulty of completion of the specific course and venue and will be calibrated to be completed within the allocated time limit.
- ii. The time limit for the Last Checkpoint in the Classic Charge will be 15:30 hrs.

8. Cancellation of Sections

The Clerk of the Course may, if required, cancel, close or nullify a competitive section or sections on grounds of safety.

9. Support Cars, their occupants and followers

A team may have a support car. In certain locations this will have access to restricted zones.

- a. The support car may carry extra fuel, registered & marked spare tyres, tools and spare parts for the competition cars.
- b. The support car, its occupants and followers, may not:
  - i. Drive offroad outside of roads marked on the map.
  - ii. Provide mechanical support for the competition car. The competitors alone are permitted to handle fuel, tyres, tools, and spare parts including lifting onto/off the support car.
  - iii. Provide advice to the competitors, whether this is mechanical, tactical or map reading etc.
  - iv. “Scout” routes for the competition car.
  - v. Provide any other external advice or support that gives an advantage to the competition car beyond carrying fuel, tyres, tools, or parts.
- c. The penalty for any support car or individual found to be guilty of contravening the above may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course.

10. Fuel Tank Systems Requirements and Competitor Vehicle Refuelling

Fuel Caps & Location

Sealing: All vehicles (Petrol and Diesel) MUST feature a fully sealing fuel cap that prevents fuel or vapour leaks, including when the vehicle is overturned or subjected to significant impact.

Placement & Protection: Fuel filler caps and their surrounding mechanisms must not protrude from the vehicle body. They should be recessed or flush, and clearly protected against impact damage during off-road use.

Cabin Safety: Filler caps MUST NOT be located inside the seating cabin. They must be positioned on either side of the vehicle or on the exterior bodywork only.

Tank Breather Systems

Vehicles must utilise one of the following breather configurations:

Closed System: A robust, recirculating loop using high-quality, fuel-safe lines and secure connector clips.

Open System: A non-recirculating line that MUST include:

- High-quality, fuel-safe pipes and connectors.
- A clearly marked, functional Non-Return Valve (NRV) / Roll Over Valve fitted at the end of the line.
- NRV routing that points away from the cabin, occupants, and any heat or electrical sources (e.g., exhaust, batteries, wiring loom).

Fuel Lines, Pumps, and Extra Storage

Segregation: All fuel lines and pumps must be strictly segregated from heat and electrical components.

Fuel Line Integrity: High-quality, appropriate hoses and connectors must protect the fuel path continuously from the tank to the engine.

Multiple Tanks / Jerricans: Competitors using dual tanks or carrying fuel in jerricans/containers on event day MUST declare these at scrutineering. All fuel containers must be mounted outside the seating cabin and secured in a dedicated, protected location.

Teams may refuel during the event. This must be done outside of the close proximity of any Checkpoint area and away from other competitors and spectators.

11. Vehicle Retrieval from Rhino Charge Venue

If a charge vehicle has been left in the venue on charge day due to a breakdown or similar, it is solely the responsibility of the team to ensure the vehicle is retrieved from the venue by end of Prize Giving Day (6pm) or the earliest thereafter. Failure to do so may result in penalties or disqualification from future events.

12. Penalties

- a. There will be 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 sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course. Further any entrant adjudged to have contravened the rules or the spirit of the event from the time of arrival at the venue up to the time of departure from the venue may be penalised or disqualified at the sole 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. An Official can help with prior approval from the Clerk of Course.
  - ii. Adjustment of team members during the day, without permission and/or use of or communication with support team members to scout the course or gain an unfair advantage.
  - iii. Tampering in any way with the proper operation of the DMD(s); or failure to return DMDs to final control in a timely manner.
  - iv. Deliberately blocking the passage of other competing cars or behaving in an unsporting manner.
  - v. 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.
  - vi. Wanton destruction of the environment.
  - vii. 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, 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.

13. 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.

14. 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 (07:30hrs) until the official end of the Charge (17:30hrs for the Full Charge, 15:30hrs for the Classic 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. 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, super-modified, modified, or unmodified:
    - 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 – 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.

15. 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 of 1km. Any no-go zone incursion will be identified in the official results software.

16. Additional Zone

a. The organisers may designate an additional zone on the Map. The additional zone is an optional zone for competitors to pass through. The centre of the zone will be a coordinate given to all competitors in the briefing notes. There is no checkpoint officer at the point, but a competition car that passes through a circle of 10m radius from the specified coordinate will have 500m distance removed from their total event distance.

17. Summary Table of Penalties

Below is a summary table of the penalties that could be applied to competition teams.

Infringement	Penalty
External assistance of any sort, other than from another Competitor or an Official with prior approval from the Clerk of Course.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Abusive or threatening language or behaviour.	may be penalised or disqualified, or removed from the Rhino Charge venue at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Adjustment of team members during the day, without permission and/or use of or communication with support team members to scout the course or gain an unfair advantage.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course.
Tampering with, removal of, destruction of official sponsorship stickers.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Tampering in any way with the proper operation of the DMD(s); or failure to return DMDs to final control in a timely manner.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Deliberately blocking the passage of other competing cars or behaving in an unsporting manner.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
The formation of teams of two or more vehicles as a means of enabling one vehicle to gain a competitive advantage.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Wanton destruction of the environment.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Unsafe or reckless driving and/or failure to carry or use mandatory safety equipment.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course
Oversized tyres (including spares) determined by the Scrutineer’s calliper	Deduction of one (1) checkpoint
Contravention of the weight restrictions of the event	Deduction of one (1) checkpoint
Speed Violation	Each Violation = 100 metres added to the final overall distance. Every 10 Violations = 1 Checkpoint deducted from the final score, in addition to the 100m penalty per violation
Road Use Penalty	Between 0 – 4,999m of road use – NO distance penalty and NO Checkpoint (CP) Penalty – FREE. Between 5,000 – 9,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty. At 10,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) CP. Between 10,000 – 14,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty. At 15,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP. Between 15,000 – 19,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty. At 20,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP. Between 20,000 – 24,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty. At 25,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP. Between 25,000 – 29,999m of road use – a distance penalty is applied (100%) but NO CP Penalty. At 30,000m of road use – Checkpoint penalty is applied – deduction of one (1) further CP. After 30,000m of road use – distance penalty is applied (100%) for the remainder of the distance.
No Go Zone(s)	Addition of 1km to the overall distance recorded per no-go-zone incursion.
Other infringements of the camping rules.	may be penalised or disqualified at the sole discretion of the Clerk of the Course.

18. Non-GPS-Data Protests, Affecting Results

A competitor may submit a protest [excluding GPS/Tracking matters as defined in Section P] in writing to the Clerk of the Course prior to prize-giving.

A fee of KES 30,000/= per submission will be required, which is refundable in the event of a successful protest.

Written submissions must include:

- The competitor’s team name and car number.
- A clear and specific description of the alleged incident and rules broken.
- Any supporting evidence.

Competitors doing so must be present at HQ tent in person between 8am and 10am for questioning by Event Stewards.

Event Stewards will review information and may issue rulings prior to prize-giving.

19. Penalty Appeal Post Prize-Giving

Participants may appeal any penalties [excluding GPS/Tracking matters as defined in Section P] issued after prize giving by submitting a written appeal to the Clerk of the Course.

The FIA regulations on appeals apply for further dispute resolution.

O. Announcement of Results

The results announced at Prize-Giving are Final.

P. Dispute Resolution of Results

1. Distribution of Results Data

At the completion of the Charge, and following the provisional results tabulations, all competitors will be provided with their individual GPS/DMD data in a format to be defined by the Results Committee, to allow each team to verify their own data.

2. Submission of Disputes

Any dispute must be submitted in writing to the Clerk of the Course (exclusively via email to management@rhinocharge.or.ke) by the deadline to be specified at prize-giving.

A fee of KES 30,000/= per submission will be required, which is refundable in the event of a successful protest.

Written submissions must include:

- The competitor’s team name and car number.
- A clear and specific description of the alleged error.
- Reference to the relevant official data provided by the Rhino Charge organisers under clause P.1 above.

3. Prohibited Channels and Penalties

Strict adherence to the dispute process defined in Clause P.2 is a mandatory requirement for all competitors. The Committee will not engage with disputes raised through any other channel.

The following actions are prohibited and may result in penalties:

Enquiry on team leaders WhatsApp group about results	Will result in no response.
Direct message to Clerk of Course without formal dispute submission	Will result in no response.
Direct message to any other member of the Rhino Charge Committee without formal dispute submission	May result in a penalty.
Abusive behaviour to any member of the Rhino Charge Committee over results	May result in a penalty.
Soliciting or inciting other teams to dispute their results or procedure at large	Will result in a penalty.
Social media or public channel dispute of results	Will result in a penalty.

Each violation occurring prior to the dispute deadline may result in a penalty of 500 metres added to that competitor’s final distance. Each violation occurring after the dispute deadline may result in a penalty of 500 metres added to that competitor’s final distance.

4. Adjudication

The Clerk of Course will refer all disputes received by the deadline to be reviewed and adjudicated by the Event Stewards.

All disputes may only be evaluated on the basis of official data provided by the Rhino Charge organisers as defined in clause P.1 above.

The decision(s) of the Event Stewards on any dispute submitted under this regulation are final. The results of the event cannot be altered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

A Competitor who believes that those processes were not correctly followed may seek judicial review of the process in a court of competent jurisdiction.

5. Communication of Outcomes

All dispute outcomes will be communicated to the relevant competitors at least 30 minutes prior to the Prize-Giving Ceremony.

All dispute outcomes will be made publicly available, after Prize-Giving, and will be posted on the results board.

Over time, an anonymized summary of disputes may be gathered to assist building a body of precedent to aid future adjudication.

6. Agreement to this procedure as a pre-condition for event participation

All competitor Team Leaders will be required to sign a document acknowledging agreement to these new procedures, as a pre-condition for entry to scrutineering.

Q. Prizes and Awards

a. All competition prizes and awards, where awarded, will be presented at the Rhino Charge venue except the Spirit of the Charge award (The Rob Combes Trophy (Perpetual)).

i. 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.
ii. 2nd VICTOR LUDORUM	Trophy
iii. 3rd VICTOR LUDORUM	Trophy
iv. HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP	David Schaefer Trophy (Perpetual)
v. 2nd HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP	Diamond Trust Trophy (Perpetual)
vi. 3rd HIGHEST CASH SPONSORSHIP	Trophy
vii. OVERALL WINNER	Duncan Mitchell Trophy (Perpetual)
viii. 2nd OVERALL WINNER	Trophy
ix. 3rd OVERALL WINNER	Trophy
x. CLASS “M” – OVERALL WINNER	Trophy
xi. 2nd CLASS “M”	Trophy
xii. 3rd CLASS “M”	Trophy
xiii. CLASS “U” – OVERALL WINNER	Trophy
xiv. 2nd CLASS “U”	Trophy
xv. 3rd CLASS “U”	Trophy
xvi. Classic Charge – OVERALL WINNER	Trophy
xvii. 2nd – Classic Charge	Trophy
xviii. 3rd – Classic Charge	Trophy
xix. COUPES DES DAMES	Tim Nicklin Trophy (Perpetual)
xx. HIGHEST PLACED 1st TIME ENTRANT	The Kijabe Award (Perpetual)
xxi. GAUNTLET WINNER	Tim Samuels Trophy (Perpetual)
xxii. 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. The maximum age of eligibility will be 25 (i.e., the crew member must not yet have had his/her 25th 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 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.
xxiii. NJIA YA NDUME AWARDS (Tiger Lines)	Trophy
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.

b. The Spirit of the Charge (The Rob Combes Trophy (Perpetual)) award will be awarded at the “Spirit of the Charge” event.

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.