FANS 24hr update

FANS (http://www.fans24hour.org/) will be a Centurion event this year.

The race director has approved adding the Centurion event on these conditions: the entry and race procedures do not change from the point-of-view of the race staff, and that the walking judges communicate only with walkers attempting a centurion. So, here is how it is going to work:

(1) you enter the FANS 24 hour event as a walker.

(2) you send an e-mail to me - racewalk-mn@comcast.net - and tell me you are attempting a centurion. There will be an opportunity to signup for the Centurion prior to the start of the event, but I’d like to know ahead of time so I can make sure that I have enough awards, and so I can keep the race director informed.

(3) USATF/MN and Twin Cities Race Walkers provides walking judges for the 24 hours. The judges will change during the 24 hours, but there will always be one or two on the course.

(4) the judges will only be looking for violations of the continuous contact rule. There will be no judging of race walking’s other form rule - the straight leg rule.

(5) when a judge notices that you are violating the continuous contact rule, or are close enough to violating it that you are making them nervous, they will tell you, giving you an opportunity to correct the situation.

(6) a walker attempting a centurion will be DQed from receiving a centurion award by the judges only if there are significant infractions of the continuous contact rule. Blatant running or jogging is a significant infraction. Slowing down and regaining continuous contact after a judge talks with you about be slightly away from continuous contact is not a significant infraction, though several such events become significant. The judges rule is final, and not appealable. DQed walkers will be told as soon as possible. DQed walkers are still elegible for FANS walking awards, as FANS works on an honor system for the walking division.

(7) Anyone achieving a Centurion will receive an award (a Centurion patch I hope to get from Ulli or Dave Gwyn) at the FANS awards ceremony, shortly after 8am on Sunday.

Hope to see some of you there!

– Bruce