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Texas Challenge 2010 Format, Rules and Guidelines
1
Overview
1.1
The 8th
Annual Texas Challenge marks a return to the “classic” Challenges of
years past, with regional teams competing for bragging rights (and the
coveted gold ammo can).
1.2
As with
all previous challenges, key elements of victory will be strategy,
teamwork, cache-finding, and having fun doing it. Our Hide Team is
placing approximately 75 caches, which we think is more than in any
challenge to date. However, San Angelo State Park (SASP) contains 7,677
acres, so there are plenty of places to look.
1.3
The
majority of finds will be recorded by finding a container, and using a
punch within to punch the appropriate block on a laminated scorecard to
be assigned to each player at event registration.
1.3.1
Each of
these “punch-within-container” caches may be found by any number of
players from any team.
1.3.2
In order
to record a score for these caches, the laminated scorecard must be
returned to Texas Challenge Headquarters (TCHQ), or one of the
Medical/Turn-In stations located throughout the park, prior to the
announced finish time for the challenge.
1.3.3
There will
be several challenge caches with different logging requirements, which
will be disclosed to the regional team captains prior to the start of
the challenge. These exceptions will include, but are not limited to,
“token” caches, which may only be found once. To score a token cache,
the container itself must be returned to Texas Challenge Headquarters (TCHQ),
or one of the Medical/Turn-In stations located throughout the park,
prior to the announced finish time for the challenge.
2
Challenge
Rules
2.1
Regional
Affiliation
2.1.1
TC 2010 is
a competition of regional teams. As such, each participant must declare
themself a member of one of the regional teams.
2.1.2
The
classic regions of challenges past will be represented: Central Texas
(CenTex), North Texas (NTX), and Southeast Texas (SETX).
2.1.3
Other
regional teams will be allowed if there is sufficient interest. This
includes an “out of state” team.
2.1.4
There are
no “residency requirements” for eligibility to participate on a regional
team. For example, a Houston-based cacher is welcome to participate on
the NTX team. So may a cacher from New Jersey.
2.1.5
West Texas
(WTX) will not field a team in this competition, both to ensure an
atmosphere of fairness and objectivity in the judging, and so that we
may focus our efforts on being good hosts to our honored guests.
However, any WTX cacher not involved in the planning or execution of the
challenge may compete with any other regional team the wish.
2.1.6
Each
region must declare a team captain, who will act as point of contact for
the event staff, and who will receive and distribute regional event
materials to his/her team.
2.2
Team
Member Requirements
2.2.1
All
participants must be officially registered for the Challenge and be
prepared to show their ID badge and matching scorecard at any time
during the game.
2.2.2
All
participants shall declare a regional team affiliation.
2.2.3
All
participants will attend the Pre-Challenge briefing at approximately
9:15AM. The briefing will include safety information, any last minute
rule changes, and the official end time of the challenge.
2.2.3.1
After
the briefing, the Regional Team Captains will be given the waypoints for
all of the caches in the Challenge, and other crucial items required to
earn points. The cache waypoints will be in the form of a GPX file. It
is up to each regional team to decide how to distribute and load the
waypoints for their team.
2.2.4
The start
of the challenge will be announced at approximately 10:00AM. No
participants may leave the briefing area until the start signal is
given.
2.3
Finish
Lines
2.3.1
The end of
the challenge (tentatively 2:00PM) will be announced at the
Pre-Challenge briefing. Any scoring materials received after the end of
the challenge will not be counted towards that team's score.
2.3.2
Two-tier
finish lines will be established at TCHQ and at the approximately four
Medical Aid/Scoring stations set up throughout the park.
2.3.2.1
The
first tier is an “on-time” line to determine whether the cacher and
his/her scoring materials have arrived at the finish line prior to the
end of the challenge.
2.3.2.2
The
second tier is where the scoring materials will be collected and
returned to the judging area.
2.3.2.3
Each
scorecard, and other associated scoring items, must be submitted at the
finish line by the cacher registered to that scorecard.
2.3.3
Official
event time is Central Daylight Time (CDT), as measured by the GPS
network.
2.4
Hides
2.4.1
The
challenge will consist of approximately 75 hides, distributed as follows
2.4.1.1
Type
2.4.1.1.1
Traditional
(coordinates take you to the container). Most will contain a punch for
scoring; some will contain instructions for you to retrieve the
container and return it to the finish line for scoring.
2.4.1.1.2
Multi-caches
(coordinates take you to redirector(s) & eventually the final
container. Most will contain a punch for scoring; some will contain
instructions for you to retrieve the container and return it to the
finish line for scoring.
2.4.1.1.3
Unknown
Caches. Includes puzzle caches (given coords are bogus or nonexistent;
you must solve the puzzle to find the location of the container), site
puzzles (coordinates take you to a location where you are required to
solve a puzzle/perform and activity to score the cache), or just about
anything else the event staff can come up with to keep things fun.
2.4.1.1.4
High-terrain
caches. Not really a separate category, these may be any of the types
listed above, but will require increased physical effort, endurance,
skill, and/or risk.
2.4.1.1.5
Mobility-Challenged
caches. Designed specifically for the mobility-challenged members of
our geocaching family, these will be either challenges which may be
performed at or near TCHQ, or be traditional 1/1 caches in the immediate
area.
2.4.1.1.6
Evil
caches. Traditional caches, extremely well-hidden and/or camouflaged.
These will all be of the token variety, where the container itself is
returned for score.
2.4.1.2
Size
2.4.1.2.1
Containers
will range from nano to large, and may include virtual caches.
2.4.1.3
Terrain/Difficulty
2.4.1.3.1
Difficulties
will range from 1 to 5.
2.4.1.3.2
Terrains
will range from 1 to 5, but there will be no 5T caches requiring special
equipment.
2.5
Scoring
2.5.1
In
general, the point value for each cache will be the sum of the terrain
and difficulty rating for the cache, multiplied by
10. For example, a 1/1 is worth 20
points, and a 4/4.5 is worth 85 points.
2.5.2
Bonus
points may be assigned for any factor at the discretion of the Hide
Team. Point values will be available at the Pre-Challenge briefing.
2.5.3
No points
will be scored (on an individual cache, or an entire scorecard) for the
following reasons—at the sole discretion of the scoring judges:
2.5.3.1
Caches,
scorecard punches, or elements thereof which have been defaced, are
illegible, or otherwise unidentifiable or unverifiable
2.5.3.2
Caches
which have been removed, altered, or defaced in any way
2.5.3.3
Any
cache in which a punch or redirect has been tampered with or removed
2.5.4
In any
instance of the above rules violations, the scoring judges will notify
the team captain concerned of the specific action taken.
2.5.5
The final
score for each regional team will consist of:
2.5.5.1
The
sum of all scoring items for each validated scorecard and other scoring
items for each registered player for that region,
2.5.5.2
Divided
by the number of validated and registered players for that region.
2.5.5.3 Where ?validated? is
defined as a scorecard or scorecard element delivered to a scoring
station prior to the end of the Challenge, and not in violation of any
rule in 2.5.3; and where ?registered? is defined as a scorecard
purchased by an individual or group, and picked up at the Registration
Table prior to the Challenge.
2.5.6
Disputes
2.5.6.1
If
any problem is discovered with a challenge cache, the scoring judges
will consult with all of the team captains and determine whether that
cache is to be scored for all, some, or none of the finders.
2.5.6.1.1
This
includes malfunction of any mechanical elements, punches, or
pre-challenge disturbance of the cache by any person or critter.
2.5.7
Results
of the challenge will be presented at an awards ceremony at
approximately 5:00PM.
3
Safety
3.1
Participants can expect to encounter difficult terrain, as most trails
are 2+ in terrain difficulty. The vegetation can be prickly and dense in
some areas.
3.2
Opportunities are present to encounter various forms of wildlife. There
are plenty of deer and do not be surprised to encounter poisonous
snakes.
3.3
Weather
conditions can change dramatically and suddenly so participants should
be prepared to deal with these changing conditions.
3.4
Depending
on your team’s strategy, you may hike several miles, some over very
rough terrain. Participants are expected to understand their own
abilities and participate accordingly.
3.5
Participants should plan to carry plenty of water with them and be able
to navigate back to a trailhead.
3.6
Precautions should be taken to ensure participants are able to
communicate with other team members in case of emergencies. Team
captains should ensure all participants are aware of the location of the
Medical aid stations located throughout the park. In addition, the park
rangers are both trained in emergency first aid, and have radio
communications throughout the park.
3.7
Additional
items may be covered at the Pre-Challenge briefing.
4
Regulations and Laws
4.1
State Park
rules must be adhered to, including speed limits, parking restrictions,
tobacco and alcohol prohibitions, etc. No parking on vegetation will be
permitted under any circumstances. Vegetation includes grass on the side
of the roadway.
4.1.1
Texas
State Park rules may be reviewed at
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/parkinfo/rules_and_regulations/
4.1.2
Park
campsites are to be considered “private property,” and as such are out
of bounds for the challenge. No caches will be placed in or near
campsites. In the unlikely event that one is, it should not be
attempted.
4.1.3
Regional
camp decorations are encouraged. Please keep them in good taste, and
avoid destruction of the natural beauty of the park.
4.2
Participants must adhere to all state and federal laws. These include,
but are not limited to, speed limits, trespassing laws (some park areas
border private land), artifact gathering, and wildlife preservation.
4.2.1
No one
under the age of 18 is allowed in the bed of a pickup truck.
5
Disclaimer
5.1
The TC
2010 Staff reserves the right to change/alter/revise any of the above
rules and procedures as needed, up until the official start of the
challenge. Any changes will be communicated to the team captains at the
Pre-Challenge briefing.
5.2
All TC
2010 participants are bound by any late rule changes, regardless of
whether they were notified by their regional captain after the briefing.
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