Introduction

The following rules apply to the XXVII Tabarca to Santa Pola swimming event, organised by the “Club Deportivo Natación Alone-Santa Pola”. In case of any dispute regarding the Rules, the organisation’s opinion and decision/s will be final. All duly registered swimmers must abide by these same Rules. This Swimming event depends on many factors involved out of the Organization, which could lead to the suspension, which would mean a circuit change,  or cancellation of the event on the day of its celebration.

I.DATE AND PLACE

Article 1

The 27th open waters swim from Tabarca to Santa Pola, organised by the “Alone” will take place on Sunday 7th July, 2024. Departure will be at 07:30 hours from the beach on Tabarca Island, thence to the Playa del Varadero Beach, covering a distance of 5900(6,452 yards) metres (in a straight line).

II. PARTICIPATION AND MINIMUM AGE APPLICABLE

Article 2

Participation in the swim is open to anyone from 15 years old and upwards. Minors aged between 15 and 18 years are required to specifically obtain the Organisers´permission to take part, submitting their parents or guardians´specific permission to do so, this should be sent to the Club’s e-mail address: inscripciones.alone@gmail.com

III.  REGISTRATION

Article 3

The pre-registration is free

The registration cost is 70 Euros

Article 4

.The number of competitors for this 27th race is 1400 swimmers From this amount one has to deduct the number backing out / reservations, the First 30 men and 15 women of the general classification from the previous edition and 30 charity entries.

Article 5. Swimming for Charity.

Alone Swimming Club offers 30 charity entries at your disposal; its aim is to help fund the Santa  Pola Red Cross Food Bank.

The fee for each charity registration is 170 euros, of which  100 will be donated to this good cause.

These entries will be allocated by strict order of demand and by sending an e-mail to: inscripciones.alone@gmai.com

Article 6

The pre-registration period starts on 9th February and ends Thursday 22nd February; pre-registration click here, after having complied with all the data required, a serial number will be assigned. On Sunday 25th February at 12:00h, the Draw will be made for the 1400 places available. The Draw will be based on a single random number drawn out from all the pre-registrations; this number will decide the first applicant to be able to take part, and consecutive numbers will then follow on from there up to 1400 other places. The swimmer allocated number 1401 will be the first on the waiting list.

If you’re among the selected ones you can access to the payment system using your passport number.

The time scale for making payment will be from Tuesday  27th February to 20:00h on Tuesday 5th March, and once the payment time limit is reached for the selected ones, the payment password will be blocked and their turn given over to the swimmers on the waiting list. On the 6th March, the spare places will start to be filled by sending out an e-mail  to these reserve swimmers so that they can then proceed with registration payment. These swimmers will then have until Monday 12th  March to make the registration payment.

Registering process is only on line. Payment will be made “on line”, being by electronic transfer

 Article 7. SUBSTITUTION OF SWIMMERS

Any substitution of swimmer is forbidden. Entries are strictly personal and non-transferable and cannot be used by anyone other than the registered competitor.
Any participant who gives a race number over  a third party will be held directly responsible in case of accident occurring to or provoked by this third person during the race. The organizers decline all responsibility in case of accident occurring under these circumstances.

Article  8. CANCELLATION GUARANTEE

There is a cancellation guarantee for reimbursement, the price being 7 euros to be paid with the registration, Backing out will be accepted until 7th June 2024; the swimmer who decides to back out, will be entitled to a refund of €70.

If you do not take up the guarantee, entries will be considered as final, so, if you cannot participate, reimbursement of the registration fee cannot be made. However, anyone backing out before 7th of June, will have their place reserved for the following year, provided they pay again.  Backing out will be accepted until 7th June 2024

In case of one’s definite elimination from the event for reasons not attributable to the organization, the amount paid as a reserve for a subsequent race will not be refunded even in those cases in which the non-participation in the statutory period was reported.

Any new places that become available as a result of participant withdrawals will be granted to the first swimmers on the waiting list

If the organisation detects any fraudulent type of registration whatsoever, that alone will wipe out their chance of participation.

Article 9. WAITING LIST

This comprises all the swimmers who were unsuccessful in the first Draw, the first place will be taken up on the pre-registration list in numerical order following on the last place drawn.          The organisation will use e-mail to contact swimmers so as to fill resultant vacancies; if, after   an e-mail , inviting them to participate there is  no  answer, immediately to the affirmative or within the next 24 hours, the chance will pass to the next one on the waiting list.

Article 10. PREFERENTIAL COMPETITORS

The male and female swimmers, who gained the first 3 places last year in Male or Female Overall Classifications, are invited to take part in this year’s swim. The  male swimmers who finished between 4th and 33rd place and thus not invited, are not obliged to go through the pre-registration process, but merely contact the Organisation and pay, upon which the right to take part will be granted. The same criteria apply to all female swimmers who finished between 4th and 18th place.

IV. THE CHECK IN AND EMBARKING FOR TABARCA (PASSPORT OR IDN MANDATORY)

Article 11

Competitors must report to the check-point located at the harbour, at the Tabarca Ferry boarding point, where the swimming caps will be handed out, and where personal belongings must be deposited, The weight of personal belongings cannot exceed 4 kg under any circumstances.

It must be stressed that swimmers must check-in for the race between 05.40 and 06.30 hours.

It is mandatory that  ID or PASSPORT is presented in order to   cross-check the details provided during registration process.

The Organisers will mark the competitor’s number on the swimmer’s  shoulder, so as to be thus identified at all times.

Transport to Tabarca will take place at 06.00 until  06.40 hrs, this latter being the latest departure time for Tabarca.

V. THE START FROM TABARCA

Article 12

The start on the sand at the waters edge will be organized based on your own personal time; all swimmers must place themselves in their own expected time sector.

There will be loud aural signals on the 5th, 3rd and final minute to go.

The start will be with aural too.

Article 13. USE OF SWIMSUITS

The FINA rules, passed by the Bureau on 16th January 2010, will be applied. The swimsuit for open waters, equally for men and women, should not cover the neck nor go beyond the shoulders, nor go below the heel.

THE CROSSING

Article 14

The time limit for the crossing will be 3 and a half hours (arriving at the finishing point at the very latest at 11.00am, after which time any swimmer still in the water will be picked up by the Organisers.

This same control will be made at every kilometre point. However at the 3 km point  in no way will this stretch exceed 1:45 hours.

The chip, the buoy, the emergency whistle and the cap itself are obligatory and these must be used for the whole duration of the race.

Article 15. SAFETY BUOY

Safety buoy provided by the organization; only this particular buoy can be used, which is mandatory for all participants and also throughout all the swim.   If for any reason any participant loses the buoy, the swimmer must decide to stop immediately and request the assistance of a safety boat. Any participant who swims or reaches the finish line without the buoy will be disqualified.

Article 16

It is stressed that members of the Organisation, responsible for safety in the water, have authority to disqualify or remove from the water any swimmer failing to show signs of alertness (namely, not being fully conscious), shows symptoms of hypothermia or any other signs of presenting a threat to their own safety, or those who stray more than 30 metres from the route marked, or anyone who, in their judgement presents both a threat to themselves and to the conduct of the race itself.

Article 17

Swimmers, who have been removed from the water, must hand the control chip over to the volunteer in the boat, who will then make sure it is handed over to the Race Control.

Article 18

From 1st to 5,5 km point there will be buoys located every 100 metres, approximately, to serve as reference points and for the swimmers’ safety. For ease of visibility and location every 200 metres marked with red balloons, except for the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 km points, these being marked with red buoys and yellow balloons. Once the race has started, if for any reason the Organisers decide to cancel the event, the support vessels will sound their sirens, at which the swimmers must make their way to the nearest available buoy and await rescue.

Article 19

It is absolutely forbidden for any vessel not actually involved in the running of the race, to approach less than 100 metres to Left or Right of the marked out course .

Article 20

Whistles must only be used exclusively for emergency reasons and any swimmer using one inappropriately will be automatically disqualified.

Article 21

Those with any craft, SUP, kayaks or dinghies who will be assisting in the control of the race, should contact the Club, in enough time to allow them to be given the Safety Rules to be followed and to collect their identification items needed for the race, sending an e-mail to: piragua.alone@gmail.com

VII. THE FINISH

Article 22

The end of the swim, the Finishing Line, is reached when the swimmer passes over the computerised check-point at the water’s edge on Varadero Beach (Playa Varadero) .Competitors have to then hand over their chip and buoy. The swimmers then move on to the Village area, specially prepared with food supply, trophies, or just enjoying the rest, collecting their own belongings and free gifts, The loss of the chip means they will have to pay a levy of 20 euros and for the buoy 30 euros.

VIII. REASONS FOR BEING DISQUALIFIED

Article 23

Reasons for being disqualified are:

• Not following the organization’s indications or requirements.
• Shorten the band that joins the swimmer to the buoy.
• Swimming without the corresponding safety buoy.
• Using an underwater mp3 player.
• Identification not meeting the above requirements.
• Setting off before the Referee’s starting signal.
• Being helped by any vessel or using any means of improving performance in the water (flippers, hand flippers, wetsuits, snorkels,
• etc.) or cutting down on the set swimming distance.
• Interfering with the progress of other swimmers, breaking the basic rules of good conduct and Fair Play.
• Reaching the Finish Line by any other point other than the official one.
• Inappropriate use of the emergency whistle, other than for emergencies.
• Any other circumstance not covered by these Rules, but which in the opinion of the Organisers, could merit disqualification.

IX. CATEGORIES

Article 24

The competitors’ categories are all split up into MALE & FEMALE, these being:

A Overall Category
B General Category, split into the following age groups
Youths, from 15 to 20 yrs old
Senior A from 21 to 30 yrs old
Senior B from 31 to 39 yrs old
Veterans A from 40 to 44 yrs old
Veterans B from 45 to 49 yrs old
Veterans C from 50 to 44 yrs old
Veterans D from 55 to 59 yrs old
Veterans E  from 60 to 64 yrs old
Veterans F from 65 to 69 yrs old
Veterans  G 70 yrs and over
C Local Category, same groups as the above.
Local is deemed to be one born in Santa Pola and living in the locality or with proof of residence (empadronado) of at least 3 years standing. These should send an e-mail to the Organisers attaching a copy of the “padron” certificate.
D “Luis Asensi” Trophy for the youngest and oldest male and female swimmers.
E Three categories “Steel Boat” trophy for the top three classified with other disabilities(men and women) of each category.
1 Boat Steel S1, S2, S3, S4, S5,
2 Boat steel S6, S7, S8, S9, S10,
3 Boat Steel S11, S12 and S13.

The category applicable (for awards) will be the one relating to the competitor’s age on the day of the swim.

X. AWARDING TROPHIES

Article 25

A trophy will be awarded to the first 3 classified in each of the Categories. The award of the trophies will be held on the same day and at the Finishing Point. The winners must provide the Organisers with their proof of identity in the form of ID before the actual prize-giving. The categories prizes will not be overlapping. The order in which they will be awarded is as follows; in the first instance, the Trophy for Overall Category. In second instance, the Trophy for the General Category and in the third instance the Trophy gained in the Local Category.

XI. CANCELLATION OF THE CONTEST. ZERO RISK PLAN

Article 26

The Organisers reserve the right to alter the Arrival or Departure Points, delay the start time, reduce the distance, change the date, or cancel it. Once the Start is made, the race will be deemed to have taken place, even in the event of the contest being cancelled while the race is on. ZERO RISK PLAN: if the organisers consider that the race should not proceed in open sea, an alternative one will be held.

If the swim were to be suspended due to force majeure, on no account will there be any reimbursement of the registration fee.

SAFETY REGULATIONS AND CANCELLATION POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH REASONS OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE

From the organization of the Travesía a Nado Tabarca Santa Pola, the necessary measures will be adopted due to any health situation caused or  any  other type of emergency . Following the instructions  of the competent  authorities, to guarantee the maximum possible safety of both the participants such as medical services, volunteers, the public, security forces and all the personnel that make up the event’s and organization

The start devices, finish line, cloakroom service, refreshment points, medical services and public areas may be restricted in use, or modified according to the  situation or protocol determined by the  authorities when the test is held.

If at the time of the event, due to any kind of emergency situation or any other circumstance outside the Organization, it was decided to limit the number of participants to a number less than the number of registered participants, these would be chosen by random, and the organization would offer affected participants the option of postponing their registration to the next edition in the new conditions in which the test will be carried out

In case of SUSPENSION OF THE TEST due to circumstances OUTSIDE the ORGANIZATION,  due to the expenses in the preparation of the event, the participants may request the refund of the amount, proceeding to the refund of the proportional part not used in the organization of the event. Giving them a  preferential placing for the next edition.

 

XII. USAGE OF COMPETITOR´S DETAILS

Article 27

a) Registration assumes that due permission is given for the swimmer’s name and photo to be freely used in type of media(on line or off line) this Authorization is unlimited and may be used the world throughout, duly accredited and connected with the club.

b) In accordance with the terms of the law entitled “Ley Orgánica 3/2018” dated 5th December covering protection fo personal data and guarantee of digital rights, you are hereby informed that your participation in the Event carries with it your implicit agreement for inclusion of your personal details submitted to the automated file created by the organisers. The main purpose of this file is in administration and running of the said Contest purposes. As established by de Data Protection Law the interested party may exersise their rights of access, rectification, deletion, opposition, limitation and portability in the future by writing to Club Natación Alone Santa Pola, C/ Madrid 34, local, cp 03130 Santa Pola.

 XIII. EXTRA ADVICE.

Firstly. The Organisers warn that the contest is a difficult one and brings with it all the inherent risks that swimming in open waters entail, so must only be undertaken by people with adequate proven training and a good state of health; therefore those swimmers who are not suitable prepared are not allowed to take part. The Organisation is exempt from any responsibility for any harm coming to race participant or to third parties, namely these themselves being fully responsible for the same.

Secondly.- Charity Event

All swimmers, merely by paying their entries fee, give one euro to a charity cause, and every year the club will chose the charity to benefit.

Thirdly. Conference and Instructions for the race.

On Saturday 6th July 2024, in the Casa de Cultura in Santa Pola, from 19 to 21 hrs, instructions will be given to the race competitors, including an interactive chat among all those attending. In the Casa de Cultura, as from the 11th June, one can visit a photo Exhibition dealing with the Tabarca to Santa Pola swim 2023