Limitation of team numbers : due to environmental protection and fluidity
The Corsica Raid organization is an association with strong ecological values and a pragmatic initiative, which is to limit the registrations. It is the only way to invite competitors to a fragile environment by managing their ecological impact.
The heart and soul of the Corsica Raid is embodied in its unique technical sections, passing through canyons, using ropes, or doing a section in the snow, these can only remain fluid for each competitor if the organisers restrict the number of teams.

Race Principles :

• 48 hours before the start: You will receive road books and map extracts by email.
• Saturday morning: The welcome, briefing and equipment checks
• 4 ½ days of adventure racing on the island of Corsica
• The Corsica Raid Aventure 2012’s official arrival day is Wednesday afternoon

Disciplines :

Canyoning Coasteering Mountain Biking Snow sections Night Section

Rope Sections Mountain Trail Orienteering Sea Kayaking Corsica Raid Environment

Team Composition : At start line this year... 2 possibilities :

Corsica Raid 3 :

• A team composed of two competitors and an assistant competitor. Each competitor is the team’s assistant when he is not on the race ground.

• Each team is a 3competitor team. But during the race sections, only two competitors are on the ground racing at one time. At each assistance point, and only here, you can change one competitor without receiving penalties.

• Each team must have an assistance vehicle. The competitor who is not on the ground is the assistant with the vehicle. You may have one or several extra team assistants.

Corsica Raid 5 :

• A team is composed of five people, four racers (with at least one female) and one assistant.

• The team of 4 racers do the entire race, without rotating team members.

• Every team must have a vehicle for the assistance crew. You may have one or several extra team assistants.

For both :

• Team Reporter : Any teams wishing to have media coverage are advised to have several team reporters following them during the race. In this way they will have an insider’s view and can communicate more realistically to their sponsors and partners. 

• Accompanying people: Teams may have additional people who want to follow their team in the race, (family, friends, sponsors, partners) but these accompanying people can in no way participate in assisting the team.

The race step by step :

The next Corsica Raid Aventure starts on Saturday with a welcome, briefing and equipment checks. After coffee, you will need to get into Corsica Competition mode.

Early afternoon, it’s time to get serious with the official start of the Corsica Raid Aventure 2012, the first section... Early evening, we all gather for a drink for the yellow shirts’ ceremony and publication of the ranking.
From Sunday, start of a daily section (early morning), the race consists of a chain of sections (see Course and Progress) adventure sections and discovery sections. The assistance points and opening schedules to every section enable recovery and opportunities for meals.
Every evening, conviviality is the order of the day when everyone meets up for the yellow shirts’ ceremony and publication of the day’s ranking enjoyed with an aperitif.
There will of course be a night section. Group departure in the middle of the night for a long non-stop race with orienteering sections in the famous Corsican “maquis”…

Corsica Raid Aventure this year consists of a chain of sections offering our competitors of the First Adventure Race in Europe a genuine week of Adventure... Everybody should be back to base by Wednesday afternoon, for prize giving on Wednesday evening. There is no prize money on offer at the Corsica Raid, its philosophy is not racing for money but for enjoyment, satisfaction of being first over the line, or immortalizing images and experiencing vivid sensations. It is pure and simply experiencing strong emotions from an exceptional experience. Prizes are generally Corsican local produce so you can take a taste of our island home with you.
After the prize giving, it is Corsica Raid party time !!

Race Course and Progression :

Every year the racecourse is completely redesigned. It is kept secret and only revealed the week before the start when we deliver the road-books.
The Corsica Raid Aventure is a sequence of race sections of varying lengths and difficulties: the shortest sections last up to an hour whilst the longest can take up to twelve hours. Naturally, it depends on the type of activity and on the profile of the terrain.
Every day there are several assistance points, at least one at each new section.
All sections include control points (CP) and marker points (CB) as indicated in the road-books. It is mandatory to go through all these points with the whole team at the same time, in the order stated in the road-book. Some CPs can also be assistance points (CA). Throughout the entire race, all competitors must stay together in their individual teams. They must remain within each other’s voice range at all times.
The trails won’t always be well marked or well used during the Corsica Raid Aventure. The famous Corsican 'maquis' (bush) has been known to swallow-up more than one well placed team, creating big gaps in the ranking! To reach a control point there are often a number of ways of getting there. It's up to each team to choose their route, whilst taking into account their physical abilities and their navigator’s orienteering skills.
Every team must have an experienced navigator to rely on, a skilled map-reader who decides on the correct routes to follow using the information in the road book and a compass and altimeter.

Timing Windows :

Some of the CPs and CBs have time barriers. The time barriers are indicated in the road book or given directly out in the field by the organisation when necessary.
A neutralised team must be picked up by its assistance and after a road transfer, can re-enter the race again a little further on.
Time will be calculated for the non-raced section. This calculated time is the slowest forecasted race time on the non-raced section with a 30% mark up.
This time barrier system is set up to enable less trained teams a chance to fully enjoy the Corsica Raid Aventure, so they can do the most amazing and exciting race sections and not lose their motivation on some race sections where they would have spent too much time.

Ranking :

The Corsica Raid ranking is calculated in time. The team who finishes the race in the shortest time is declared the winner.
The stopwatch begins at every section or at every group of sections and stops on arrival.
Ranking is calculated by adding the time statements from the passage of the last team member, which have been noted by the timekeepers.
The ranking takes into account :

• possible technical neutralizations by the organization’s technical team that could occur during the race to ensure the safety and the fluidity of the race.
• possible penalties and\or bonuses that could be attributed.
• possible specifications written in the road book or during briefing.

The rope sections, canyoning and those in the environment are not timed. They can produce a compulsory maximal time.
The ranking for each section is calculated from the time the last team member crosses the finish line.
Only complete teams on arrival are eligible for ranking.

Hiking sections :

The hiking sections of the Corsica Raid Aventure are divided into the following:

1. Trails for routes that use globally marked paths
2. Coasteering for routes that follow the seashore with or without paths
3. Mountain Trail, for a route leading up to the Corsican summits
4. Snow sections, for a route in the snow.
5. Adventure section for a route without marked paths
6. Possible Orienteering race

Required sports level: each competitor must be capable of running at a minimal average speed of 8 km/h on the flat and of running uphill at a minimal average speed of 450m/h

Mountain Biking sections :

Mountain bike races usually take place on accessible tracks but there are some path sections and sometimes areas where you will need to carry your bikes, or some very technical sections.
Required sports level: each competitor must be capable of riding at a minimal average speed of 20 km/h on the flat and going uphill at a minimal average speed of 600 m/h and be capable of biking down very steep descents.

Sea Kayaking sections :

The sea kayaking section must be done by following the seashore within a 100metre zone, unless otherwise specified by the organization for safety reasons.
Every team chooses their type of kayak which the team brings with them and uses on the Corsica Raid, within the team’s own technical capacities: with or without kayak auto-bouncer. Paddles are the only means of propulsion allowed, no sails, kites.
Required sports level: the participants must be capable of progressing at a minimal average speed of 6 km/h.

Canyoning Sections :

Canyoning sections include climbing down from the rivers’ highest points, using this activity’s traditional techniques: fixed rope, abseiling, Tyrolean, climbing down, swimming… 
The canyoning sections are not timed, respecting the maximal time stated by the person in charge of the canyoning.
Required sports level: competitors must be capable of assuming the descent safely, and using the various canyoning techniques.

Rope Sections, Via ferrata… :

Rope sections include wall progression, using fixed ropes, abseiling, Tyroleans, climbing down, …  Rope sections are not timed, but must respect the maximal time stated by the person in charge of these rope sections.
Required sports level: competitors must be capable of assuming a descent safely, using the various rope techniques.

Marine and Submarine Sections :

Marine and submarine challenges take place in the sea, on the edge and/or near the coast.
These challenges can vary: routes between two fixed points, orienteering, or a route on a mapped or marked zone. These sections can be autonomous or linked to a Corsica Raid Environment section.
Competitors are equipped with mask and snorkel and (depending on organization guidelines) may use their fins and must swim, with potential dives sites less than 5 metres deep.
Required sports level: each participant must be able to swim at a minimal average speed of 17 minutes per km.

Corsica Raid Environment Challenges:
The Corsica Raid Environment challenges will take place in the sea and\or on the ground, in a zone defined by the organization. These sections will be linked to one or several sporting challenges on the race program.
On the ground, during the coasteering, trail running, mountain biking, mountain racing, canyoning, rope techniques, or in the sea during the swimming, submarine, sea kayaking, teams have to show their aptitude at identifying a number of botanical, animal and mineral species.
At the end of a ground section, teams will have to answer organizers’ questions on how to recognize the species. Every species identified correctly will be valued as bonus minutes for the ranking.

Identity Discovery Sections :
This is a special section for discovering Corsican products, culture, history, heritage and the Corsican language.
These sections can be autonomous (tastings, questionnaire, workshops…) or linked to one or several sporting sections on the race program.
Clear instructions for each of these sections are clarified in the road-book.

Safety :

Safety, or rather your safety, is our primary concern at every moment. Therefore we try to ensure a race where “dangerous points” are secure.
Using specialised staff in charge for the mountain sections, technical equipment in the canyons and pre-equipped rope sections (ropes included); regularly race representatives and medical staff are present on the spot, our main aim is to keep risk to a minimum!
Safety is paramount and it starts with personal responsibility, as well as our organisation. Taking part in the Corsica Raid Aventure necessitates perfect autonomy and self-control in extreme and varied conditions. Orienteering with few or no mistakes, anticipating difficult moments, always having the compulsory material with you, and managing yourself within your team – it is all important.
On Saturday, all competitors will have to do a rope test to ensure that every team’s competitors master rope techniques for abseiling, Tyrolean, rope bridges…with the correct equipment to be autonomous and safe during the ropes sections. So, to participate in the Corsica Raid Aventure, every competitor must be proficient in all areas.

 Motivation :

There is no magic formula. The Corsica Raid is an adventure that needs motivation but also courage and self-sacrifice both before and during the raid. Dreams are realised when you know how to push your limits and conquer them..