A massive cycling event featuring a famous expressway and spectacular islands

• The “Event Rules” are defined as the rules that people participating (herein “participants”) in Setouchi Shimanami Kaido International Cycling Meeting, ‘CYCLING Shimanami 2020’ (herein “the event”) must observe or take note of. .

1 General Notes

• 1. This event is not a race measuring rank or time. Participants will give first priority to safety and enjoy cycling across the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido. Participants will cooperate in the smooth operation of the event.
• 2. Participants must agree and fully understand the rules defined by the organizer and other rules and important regulations Pledges(herein “Event Rules”) when participating in this event.
• 3. Participants should pay attention to the announcements and mailed materials from the event organizer and make efforts to obtain the latest information on this event through the official web site and other media channels.
• 4. Participants not in compliance with the “Event Rules”, may have their right to participate revoked.
• 5. Participants are responsible for their own safety and health.
• 6. Riders need to understand that courses are the community roads for local residents and keep good manners for them.

2 Participant Eligibility

(1) To the participants for all courses

• ①　Participants must judge themselves to be in good health and possessing the ability to complete their selected course within the time limit.

Course	Express way	All sections
A	About23km（Mukaishima IC －Omishima IC）Within 1 hours 5 minutes	About70km Within 5 hours
B	About17km（Mukaishima IC － Management road leading to Ikuchijima minami IC）Within 55 minutes	About70km Within 5 hours 45 minutes
C	About30km（Imabari IC－Omishima IC）Within 1 hours 35 minutes	About100km Within 7 hours 45 minutes
D	About43km（Imabari IC－Innoshima Minami IC）Within 2 hours 20 minutes	About140km Within 8 hours 15 minutes
E	About43km（Imabari IC－Innoshima Minami IC）Within 2 hours 20 minutes	About70km Within 4 hours 30 minutes
F	About35km（Imabari IC－Innoshima Minami IC）Within 1 hours 50 minutes	About110km Within 7 hours 30 minutes
G	About35km（Imabari IC－Innoshima Minami IC）Within 1 hours 50 minutes	About80km Within 5 hours 45 minutes
H	About12km（Kurushima Kaikyo SA－Oshima BS）Within 1 hours 5 minutes	About30km Within 4 hours

• * Time spent at Aid Stations, on a ship, etc. is included.
• ②　Participants agree to the “Event Rules”.

(2)Course A-G

Participants must be in their first year of high school and 15 years of age or older and have completed the same distance as the course to which they are applying in a previous cycling event.

(3)Course H

①General Division
Participants must be in the 4th grade of elementary school and 9 years of age or older and able to ride on their own.Children in elementary school or junior high school must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.(Written permission from a parent or guardian will be required in advance.)
② E-BIKE Guide Tour Division
Participants must be in their first year of high school and 15 years of age or older.

3 Bicycle Class Rules

(1)　Allowable Bicycle Class

• ①　Bicycles must be equipped and fully featured for road-cycling, complying with laws and regulations.
• ②　Bicycles shall be freewheel with gears and both front and rear brakes in perfect working condition.
• ③　Electric bicycles which fit into the types exemplified above are allowed. However, we will not charge your battery on the day of the event. We recommend that you apply to the appropriate course to its travel range and to bring an extra battery on the day of the event.

*There are no restrictions to tire type or width, but please note that tubular tires are unable to repair.

(2)　Handlebar shape

• 1)Handlebars without a quick brake operation and/or are unfit for controlling on steep roads are prohibited.
• 2)Handlebars differing from the original equipment and are considered dangerous for travel are prohibited.

(3)　Accessories　・　Equipment

• 1)All participants are required to wear a helmet and recommended to wear gloves, and their bicycles must have a headlight, tail light or reflector, and a bell.
• 2)Accessories which are not necessary for the ride and prevent safe riding are prohibited.

4 Bicycle Inspection and Supervision, Clothing, Accessories

(1)　Bicycle Inspection

• ①　Participants are responsible for preparing and maintaining their bicycles in accordance with the rules and regulations. All bicycles must be equipped with a headlight, taillight or light reflectors, and a bell.
• ②　Participants are encouraged to undergo inspections and maintenance of their bicycles in advance at a bicycle shop or elsewhere.
• ③　Participants are required to submit a self-conducted bicycle inspection report at the reception on the day before the event.
• ④　On the day of the event, event staff will conduct visual inspections of bicycles.
• ⑤　If the organizer finds bicycles with safety problems, such as not being properly equipped, having forbidden decorations attached, or not being well-maintained, the rider will not be allowed to participate.

(2)　Bicycle supervision, theft and damage

• ①　The organizer does not take responsibility for theft, damage, loss, etc. of bicycles.
• ②　Participants are responsible for basic precautions such as locking their bicycles, and are encouraged to insure their bicycles.

(3)　Clothing

• ①　Participants should wear clothing that is suitable for exercise and highly visible.
• ②　Costumes and fur suits are not allowed.
• ③　Participants must wear helmets while riding and are encouraged to wear gloves to protect themselves from injury in case of a fall.

(4)　Accessories

• ①　Participants must attach their number to their clothing, as the registration numbers are used by the organizer to identify individual participants.
• ②　 Participants who lose or forget to bring their helmets, numbers (with passage check chip), number plate or helmet sticker are not allowed to participate.
• ③　Participants are in principal required to repair flat tires on their own. Please carry the necessary tools, an air pump and a spare inner tube.
• ④　Please carry gear appropriate for the weather (rain gear, wind breakers, etc).
• ⑤　Participants should carry their health insurance, cell phone and money in case of emergency.
• ⑥　Participants are encouraged to bring food and drinks or a water bottle.
• ⑦　Participants are not allowed to carry items in the basket of their bicycles when riding because of the danger falling items could pose to others.

5 During the Event

(1)　General riding rules

• ①　Participants must obey the rules and regulations as well as directions and guidance given by event staff (hereby “staff”), police officers, and security staff in each course.
• ②　Participants must obey all traffic regulations and ride safely. Participants must mind traffic manners and not pose any harm or danger to traffic.
• ③　 If a participant’s riding is judged to be dangerous, or does not obey the directions given by event staff, they will be given a warning. If their behavior is not changed or is judged to be malicious, they may be disqualified.
• ④　Participants should check their running course in advance, such as the route, forks in the road, aid stations, checkpoints, time limit, precaution statements and so on.
• ⑤　Participants involved in or witnessing an accident or injured should alert staff immediately. If there is no staff available, participants should contact the event headquarters directly.

(2) Traffic regulations applicable to both the highway and regular roads

• ①　 Participants must ride in a speed and manner that does not pose any harm or danger to others, changing their pace in accordance to road conditions.
• ②　Participants on each course must stay behind the staff guide.
• ③　Participants must run forward direction.
• ④　Participants must maintain a distance from each other sufficient to prevent accidents due to sudden braking.
• ⑤　Do not undertake dangerous riding, such as unnecessary turns or sudden stops.
• ⑥　When passing other participants is unavoidable, participants should give physical and verbal signals. Participants must ride safely and make mutual concessions.
• ⑦　If event staff judge a participant unable to finish within the time limit or unable to continue riding, they will be picked up in a vehicle. Participants must accept the judgments made by event staff.
• ⑧　Participants are prohibited to use earphones with the exception of necessary hearing aid equipment.
• ⑨　Riding your bicycle with one hand holding a camera, smartphone or other device and the other on the handlebar is prohibited.
• ⑩　Participants must turn on their lights during inclement weather, at sunset, and in tunnels.
• ⑪　One rider per bicycle with the exception of tandem bicycles.

(3) Traffic regulations for the highway

• ①　Highways were not originally designed for bicycle traffic. The organizer will take measures to provide a safe environment, but participants are also responsible for riding safely.
• ②　Walls to prevent falling and guard rails on the main highway are lower than on regular roads, so participants should ride in the left car lane between the white lines and median zone (nobori shasen bound for Onomichi) rather than keeping to the shoulder.
• ③　On one lane sections, participants should ride in two lines in the center of the lane.
• ④　The right car lane (lane for traffic coming from the opposite direction) (kudari shasen bound for Imabari) is reserved for emergency vehicles. Participants are not allowed to enter.
• ⑤　When emergency vehicles use the main lane of the highway, all traffic must stop.
• ⑥　Participants are not allowed to stop on the highway except in case of accidents or other unavoidable circumstance like the above.
• ⑦　Participants are not allowed to stop on the expressway to take pictures or videos.

(4)　Traffic regulations for regular roads and bicycle and pedestrian areas

• ①　As a general rule, the participants should endeavor to ride single file and left side of road.
• ②　Ride in single file. Dangerous riding, such as erratic lane changing, cutting in front of others or unsafe passing are prohibited.
• ③　On narrow roads, rampways, or bridge sections, where extra attention is required, passing is banned.
• ④　When riding on curved and other roads with poor visibility, participants should expect oncoming cars and keep left.
• ⑤　Participants are not allowed to stray from the course. If this is done intentionally, the offending riders will be disqualified.
• ⑥　Use basic hand-signals for safety when turning right or left.
• ⑦　When stopping for unavoidable reasons, riders should check back and front, give a sign to the riders behind them, stop slowly and move to a safer area such as a sidewalk.
• ⑧　The participants should always remain aware of all other road users (e.g. pedestrians and vehicles).
• ⑨　Family and friends are not allowed to drive parallel to your bicycle. This is dangerous and an obstruction to traffic.

(5)　Bicycle Repaire

• ①　 If your bicycle breaks down, move your bicycle to a safe place like the emergency parking area on the side of the highway or the sidewalk before doing repairs.
• ②　If you cannot fix the problem by yourself, please seek help from the nearest staff member.
• ③　Participants should learn to do simple repairs like changing a flat tire before participating in this event.
• ④　We offer mechanical service at the starting point and aid stations. If replacement parts are needed, the participant is responsible for any resulting costs.

6 Checkpoints and retirement

(1)　Checkpoints

• ①　Checkpoints are set up as shown in the charts below on the main lane of the highway, regular roads (aid station) and at the finish. Each checkpoint has a closing time, and all participants except for those wishing to quit must pass through before then. The closing times may be changed.
• ②　Participants should understand the closing times of each checkpoint to manage their riding time and pace.
• ③　If time runs out while a participant is between checkpoints on the highway, or aid station on the general road, they will be boarded onto an event vehicle and driven to the finish line. Follow the instructions of event staff in that case.
• ④　Participants unable to reach the next checkpoint by the closing time will be directed by event staff to board an event vehicle. Follow the instructions of event staff in that case.
• ⑤　On the highway, if a participant is judged as being unable to finish within the allotted closing times, they will be directed to board an event vehicle regardless of the closing time of the next checkpoint. Follow the instruction by the staff in that case.

【Express way】

• *1 Closing time: The time a participant will be required to retire.If a rider cannot pass each point within the time limit, they will be unable to continue riding.
• *2 Format barrier time …Time to use as a guide for cycling（Not retired）
• *3 Participants who arrive at Ikuchishima-Minami interchange/exit after 8:35 A.M. are possible to return to race if they get off from highway roads and run the local road. They need to follow instructions from the staff on the day of event.
  Participants who arrive at Ikuchishima-Minami interchange/exit after 9:00 A.M. are unable to return to race.

【General road Aid Station/ finish】

• *1 Closing time: The time a participant will be required to retire..
  If a rider cannot pass each point within the time limit, they will be unable to continue riding.
  　Riders who do not make it to the finish by the allotted time will not be certified as having completed the course.
• *2 Nominal checkpoint closing times: Times as cycling pace guides (Not recorded as DNF even if you fail to meet the time limit.)
  Participants who haven’t left the Aid Station after the closing time will be directed by event staff to leave immediately.
• *3 Separate closing times are set for Courses B and G at Iwagi Port, which the two courses pass through, as there is no possibility of Course B and G participants arriving there at the same time.

(2)　Retirement

• ①　Do not retire without first speaking to staff.
• ②　Participants who retire should obey the direction of event staff and remove their numbers from their clothing and bicycles.
• ③　The participants who retire will be taken by an event vehicle or ambulance to the finishing point.
• ④　Participants must speak with event staff if they wish to retire from the event because of equipment failure or adverse physical condition.

7 Reception and Starting Points

(1)　Reception

• ①　Check in at the reception desk at the location selected at the time of application on the day before the event (October 29).
• ②　Participants must go to the reception desk selected at the time of registration. No changes are allowed.
• ③　If you fail to check in during reception hours, you will not be allowed to participate.
• ④　Reception will not be held on the day of the event.

(2)　Starting Points

• ①　Parts of the Shimanami Kaido highway will be closed from 6:00am on the day of the event (October 30) along with some roads near the designated starting points of Course A-G at the Mukaishima IC、Imabari IC. Please consider your traveling time and come to the directed starting point on time.
• ②　Participants who apply for parking can park their car in a designated parking area.
• ③　Participants are responsible for their transportation from parking areas to the starting points.
• ④　Participants who do not arrive at the starting point by the designated time will be disqualified and are not entitled to refunds.

8 Regarding measures against the spread of COVID-19

(1)　Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

• 　　We have separately put in place the “Cycling Shimanami 2022 Special COVID-19 Rules,” stipulate rules that participants should observe and things that they should keep in mind to prevent the spread of COVID-19. All participants are required to carefully read, understand, and agree to the rules before applying for the event.
  At the same time, please note that the information indicated here may change depending on the spread of COVID-19 or other circumstances.

(2)　Criteria for holding the event due to COVID-19

• ①　Criteria for holding the event
  ・ Neither Hiroshima Prefecture nor Ehime Prefecture has been under a state of emergency, a quasi-state of emergency or other state of exception at any point in the month prior to the event or on the day of the event.
  ・ Holding the event has been approved by Hiroshima Prefecture, Ehime Prefecture, Onomichi, Imabari, and Kamijima.
  ・ The health care system is not overwhelmed, for example by the spread of COVID-19.
  ・ Circumstances allow the event organizer to seek cooperation from life-saving and first-aid staff or volunteers, such as doctors and nurses, while assuring their safety.
  ・ There are no factors other than the above that make it unable to hold the event safely and securely.
• ②　Due date for holding the event
  The Cycling Shimanami 2022 Executive Committee will decide whether the event should go ahead before beginning to accept entries. After that, the committee will make decisions as needed and make them known as soon as they make them.

9 Exemption of Liability

(1)　Cancellation or suspension of the event

• ①　The organizer will may cancel or suspend the event due to earthquake, flood, windstorm, snow, struck by lightning, criminal cases, accidents, diseases, or expected danger by J-Alert (disaster warning system).
• ②　Entry fees will not be returned in the case that the event is cancelled due to events such as inclement weather or unsafe road conditions beyond the organizer’s control.

(2)　Event Insurance

• ①　The event organizer may cancel or suspend the event when the safety of participants cannot be guaranteed due to hazards such as earthquakes, storm and flood damage, strong winds, snow, lightening, incidents, accidents, outbreaks of an infectious disease, J-Alert warnings or terrorism.
• ②　If the event is canceled or suspended due to reasons not attributable to the event organizer, including bad weather conditions, poor road environment or spread of COVID-19, the entry fee and other expenses will not be refunded.

[Contents of accident insurance (could change)]

Coverage Period: Event start to finish

* Not applicable to COVID-19 (as of now)