The AR World Series organisers are bravely tackling the tricky task of establishing a set of common rules for their qualifying races, which is about as hard as nailing a jellyfish to a tree!One rule which is common to pretty much all races is included - that team members must all be within 100m of each other at all times, but maybe now would be a good time to re-assess that?
It is included for safety primarily (and also to stop teams splitting up to gain an advantage) and everyone understands the 'teams must stay together' concept and the ethos behind the rule.
But if rules are going to be defined is the 100m distance really practical or enforceable?
Covering races around the world I have often seen the rule broken, but can't ever recall it being enforced. And if it ever was to be enforced I am not sure the teams would be happy, because in practice everyone pays it lip service, following the spirit behind the rule, but not bothering with the 100m bit.
At the World Champs in Tasmania I watched a top team search for a CP in the dark and they were easily more than 100m apart, but could shout to each other and see each others bike lights. There was no cheating going on and no danger, but if a marshal had decided to follow the rule they'd have been in trouble and there would have been controversy.
Aside from the need to judge what 100 metres looks like and proving team members were too far apart, the current rule takes no account of the varied circumstances team might find themselves in. Being more than 100m apart on a long straight road while cycling on a fine day, is very different to being more than 100m apart at night in a dense forest in bad weather. One might be safe, the other might not.
As an alternative how about saying teams must stay together at all times (meaning members must always be in visual and verbal contact), and should visit all checkpoints together?
