What is Survival about?
Survival is a physically and also mentally demanding event for pairs. Competitors don't compete amongst themselves because the main factor to beat is time. The aim is to walk around 80 km during 24 hours, complete all given tasks, take only 100gm of food, unlimited amount of water and someone who will walk with you. Survival is open only to pairs.
Conditions of Survival
The first condition is registration and fee payment. Every contender must have compulsory gear. Survival can be attempted by anyone who has got a friend to go with, is at least 18 years old and is in a good physical condition. Everyone considering attending Survival is doing so voluntarily and willing to comply with the published rules. It is not permitted to book in only one person hoping to find another contender to form a pair. It is compulsory to book in and complete the Survival as a pair. We strongly suggest you attend Survival with someone you know well and can depend upon rather than with a complete stranger.
Booking in
Registration is open from 1 of March, 12:00 am until the 27 of April inclusive on our booking in page. Booking will be closed on the 27 of April or earlier if the quota of 30 couples is reached before that date.
After the closing day we will still take bookings in but only for stand in contenders. You will be notified of this fact on your application form. If there is a new place available due to a cancellation you will be notified and upgraded to fully booked contender (you will be notified by e-mail if your status changes). This process works strictly on first come, first served basis. Standing in pairs will always pay basic registration fee (see fee payment).
It is obvious we cannot guarantee entry to standing in pairs even when a place is available. On the other hand there is a possibility you will be notified about a vacant spot shortly before the beginning.
Registration Fee
It is necessary to pay registration fee beforehand in 14 days after confirmation of registration to the following bank code: 212650793/0300.
The price for advanced payment is 549 CZK per person. Confirmation of your payment will be sent to you via e-mail. Payment details can be obtained from the confirmation e-mail after the registration. After the payment is received confirmation e-mail is also sent.
Cancellation
If for any reason you decide to pull out of the Survival please contact us immediately. You will free valuable places for people who want to attend. You can notify us about the cancellation by e-mail or by phone on +420 910 117 300.
If you have already paid your fee and you cancel before the 27th April you will receive all your money back after deduction of any bank fees. Cancellation up to 12 days before the starting date will result in receiving back only 75% of the original payment and up to 6 days before start only 50% will be returned. If you cancel only 5 or fewer days before the starting day unfortunately we will not be able to refund your payment.
If you miss the starting date you will also not receive any of your payment back.
Equipment
Every competitor can take whatever he/she decides will be of use. However keep in mind that the journey will need to be cover on foot. The Compulsory equipment is: 100 gm of food, pencil and paper, change for use of a pay phone or mobile phone, ID card or passport, scarf or similar (to be blindfolded during the transport to the starting point), compass and a swim shorts. Also consider to take with you: torch, bandages, and raincoat.
Itinerary
The start of the Survival is on Friday at 19:30 at the base (The Vicarage, Bratrská street, Jindřichův Hradec). All competitors need to inform the organiser about their arrival. You will be identified by using your identification number, sent to you after filling in the registration form. Make sure you remember the number or make a note of it and take it with you. After checking the compulsory equipment you will be briefed on the events of the next 24 hours.
After that you will be transported to a predetermined starting point. All competitors will reach the above starting point by 10 pm. You will be blind folded during the transport to your starting location. In there you will be given the map of the area, name of the first meeting point and cut off time for reaching the point.
From then on the Survival restrictions apply. The main aim of survival is to walk to the finish point and complete all given tasks. The journey is set by control points that each pair needs to pass within the given time limits. How to get from one control point to the following one is up to each pair. At each of the control points you will be given the name and location of the next point and the time you must reach that point by.
At most of the control points you will be given tasks to complete. You will be informed about your task by a referee or in the form of a note. Each individual performs the task. If you cannot or are unable to complete it you will be given a penalty walk of 5–10km.
It is not recommended to rest for a long period as you could easily run out of time. If you do not make it on time to the next control point you will not be allowed to continue in the Survival.
Every pair can give up at any point during the 24 hour time limit. However you have to inform a referee about your decision to withdraw and confirm you identification number. You will be given a list of referees' phone numbers at the start of Survival. You will then be informed about the time and place of emergency pick up.
It is compulsory to help the injured or exhausted competitors.
Also you can use the supplied numbers to contact a referee if you suspect you were given incorrect information by another referee. If it is confirmed that you were mislead you will be given correct instructions and also additional time allowance for the time lost. If, however the instructions received were correct you won't be allowed to complete the Survival.
Restrictions
The following restrictions apply during the Survival.
Food
You are allowed to take only 100gm of food with you. This will be checked at start. It is not possible to take any performance enhancing supplements e.g. energy drinks, bars, pills or synthetically made products. It is also strictly forbidden to buy or steal additional food. However it is possible to exploit any nature resources for food. (You can eat “everything you find”). There is no limit on amount of water you want to take with you. However only pure drinking water is allowed.
Communication with others
With the exception of control points, start and finish communication between pairs is restricted. You are allowed to communicate with others at the control points however cannot discuss anything regarding the Survival. We would recommend limiting your conversation to greetings and polite phrases only!
1. Pair: Hi, it's a nice day isn't it? Are you having a good time?
2. Pair: Hello, yep but it is a shame it is not raining. It would be even more interesting in the rain. But we are having a good time anyway.
You will be penalised with 10 minutes time penalty for every minute of your conversation.
Communication with passers by
To communicate with passers by is allowed but the same restrictions apply. If you are given any help (even unwanted) it is classified as breaking the rules of Survival.
Competitor: Hello there
Old Lady: Hello there. You are just 1.2km east of Kourim town. Your exact position is 50° 22' 05" latitude and 14° 10' 23" longitude.
You will be penalised with 30 minutes time penalty for every minute of such conversation.
Other restrictions
It is not allowed to use any kind of transport such as hitch hiking, public transport or own transport. You are not allowed to locate your position using GPS system or mobile phone. All control points, start and finish are smoking free zone.
Route of Survival
The straight distance from start to finish is around 50kms. However this in reality means around 80km or more. After additional penalty distances you can easily walk over 100km. You have to visit all given control points to be able to qualify as The Survival.
Appraisal of Survival performance
Each survival pair will complete all tasks', won't breach any rules and will reach the finish point (after adding all the penalty minutes) within 24 hours time limit.