Bison Ultra is a tough trail & road run and offers various challenges and medical risks to the participating runners. We are bound by the guidelines and restrictions surrounding this event by the police, local administrators, and the owners of the private coffee plantation where the event is held. Our primary goal is to provide the most memorable, safe, and beautiful ultramarathon experience for all runners across all ages.

We, therefore, request every runner to carefully follow and understand the event rules, medical warnings and risks, and the terms and conditions for your memorable experience, comfort, and safety.

On behalf of the Bison Ultra team, we request your cooperation in making Bison Ultra a safe, memorable, and beautiful experience for everyone.

In case of any event day issues, the decision taken by the race director will be final, and you agree to cooperate with the crew and volunteers to serve us one of the best racing experiences.

Kannan Sundararajan (Coach Kay), Race Director

LEASE READ THE REGISTRATION RULES CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING YOUR ENTRY TICKET FOR THE EVENT

Event Rules, Terms, and Conditions

Force Majeure

The event may be canceled or postponed for reasons beyond the organizer’s control due to force majeure or restrictions by the government authority.  Your entry ticket is non-refundable.

Race categories, entry qualification & cut-off

Qualification

Qualification Window (QW) & Ticket Transfer Window (TTW)

• The Qualification Window (QW) is a period within which all runners must submit their qualification race records.  The QW for the 4th edition of Bison Ultra ends on 31-Dec-2023.
• The Ticket Transfer Window (TTW) is a period during which you can transfer your ticket to another qualified runner identified by you in any category (subject to meeting the qualification requirements). In addition, you can make corrections to your personal information and upgrade or downgrade your race category.  Transfers and corrections of your ticket will be allowed only if the tickets are purchased before 31-Dec-2023.   TTW ends on 10-Feb-2024.
• We may allow transfers after  TTW with a transfer fee.  The custom finisher medal will be sent to the person receiving the transfer only after one month of completing the event.

Manual verification of qualification run

Suppose you have not participated in any official races; we may allow you to consider your entry based on your running history and a self-supported qualification run recorded on a valid GPS device with your Heart Rate captured.

• Email coachkay@kfita.in with links to your Strava or Garmin online profile and the following qualification run history.
  • You must submit a link to your running record, with your Heart Rate information, to a half marathon distance completed within 3 hours to qualify for 25k.
  • You must submit a link to your running record, with your Heart Rate information, to a total marathon distance completed within 5 hrs 50 min to qualify for 50k.
• Your qualification run must have been completed after 1-Jul-2023
• We may consider giving you entry if your records are satisfactory.  You will have to pay an additional fee of Rs. 500 + 18% GST for the manual review efforts if we agree to provide you with an entry.
• We suggest you submit the manual review application and receive our confirmation before you buy the entry ticket.

Your registration money will not be refunded if you do not qualify, or your category will be downgraded to 15k without any refund.

Cut-off time & Finisher Medal

The Bison Ultra is a road race that follows Gun Time, which means the race time will start ticking after the official start of your race category.

• All the runners found to be on the course after the cut-off is declared as Did Not Finish (DNF) and swept away by the race crew in a sweeper vehicle.
• All the runners reaching the finish line after the cut-off timing or reaching the finish line in an ambulance, a sweeper vehicle or any other means of transportation will not be eligible to get the finisher medal.
• All the DNF runners are not eligible to receive the finisher medal and timing certificate.

You must participate only in your registered category to earn your custom finisher medal.

• All runners must cross all the checkpoints and finish and complete this within the specified cut-off time.

Accommodation rules

Your entry ticket, race category, upgrade, downgrade, transfers, cancellation

Choose the race category carefully; confirmed registrations are non-refundable

Non-refundable ticket

• You understand and agree that your entry ticket is non-refundable
• Discounted tickets can be transferred to another runner by paying the difference in the full ticket price + applicable taxes & online transaction charges.
• Any amount collected from the “rejected application” alone will be refunded, excluding administrative charges up to Rs. 1000/- per ticket, GST already paid, and bank transaction charges wherever applicable.
• If you cannot participate, your entry will be marked as DNP (did not participate). No refund of any form will be given.

Downgrade/Upgrade

• You can downgrade your race distance category without additional fees within the TTW.
• You can upgrade by paying the difference in the ticket price if you meet the qualification conditions for your desired race category.
• You can change the ticket categories without additional fees if the changes are done before within the TTW.  After this date, there will be an upgrade fee applicable.
• Write to coachkay@kfita.in from your registered email address to request a change of race category.

Registration & entry qualification

• Fill out the registration form fields accurately to help us identify and contact you if necessary.
• If we find that you have submitted the wrong qualification records, your entry may be canceled, or you may be downgraded to a lower-distance category.  No refund will be provided. You will not receive the custom finisher medal. The organizers reserve the right to offer you an entry on race day.
• Please provide us with a secure email ID/mobile number that you can regularly access since this will be our primary means of communication during the run-up to the event.
• Users of email services that offer filtering/blocking of messages from an unknown email address should add this email id coachkay@kfita.in.

Course distance and accuracy

The course is measured using multiple GPS devices with approximate distances. There will be an error in the actual course distance. Please read the individual distance category pages to understand this. No additional time will be awarded for any variations in your GPS devices.

BIB & race kit collection

• You are not allowed to transfer or sell your BIB to another runner. If you wish to transfer your ticket to another runner, write to coachkay@kfita.in. Transferring your ticket without a transfer fee will be allowed before the Ticket Transfer Window (see below sections); a transfer fee will be applied after the TTW ends. The runner receiving the ticket transfer must meet the entry qualification conditions.
• Photo identification card – Non-Indian citizens must provide a photocopy of their passport’s front and back pages showing their photo identity and passport details and a valid visa before receiving your BIB.
• All Indian citizens must show a copy of their government-issued ID card for verification before collecting their BIB/race kit.
• Do not negotiate with the organizers & BIB counter volunteers during the bib collection if you do not have any identification to show.
• You can authorize another runner to collect your race kit with a T-shirt on your behalf by showing an authorization email sent to coachkay@kfita.in (the BIB will not be given)
• Bison Ultra race BIB will be given only to the registered runners appearing in person and not to the person collecting your race kit.

Your identification on the race day

• You will wear only the BIB allocated to you with your name. You will not give your BIB to another runner to participate if you cannot run the Bison Ultra or run anytime during the race. The race director or the run managers can stop any runners wearing proxy bibs.
• You must wear your BIB on the front/chest side during the race and be visible until you complete your run.

Cheating and impersonating

• Cheating or impersonating any other runner in any form will not be allowed.
• Cutting the course, hitchhiking on motorized or non-motorized vehicles, or any transportation violates race rules.
• If found cheating, you will be disqualified from the event, and an announcement with the name will be posted on our website and social media pages. You will also be blacklisted from entering any events organized by KaysFIT Academy in the future.
• Registering for one category and running the higher category is also considered cheating – your finish timing will not be recognized, and you will be marked DNF.

Race start and grace time, valid finish.

• There will be no electronic timing mat for tracking and multiple manual checkpoints to track runners.  All runners must respect the flag-off time.

You will be marked DNF and will not be eligible to receive a finisher medal if you skip any manual checkpoints.

The organizers will have the right to change the start point, endpoint, or race route depending on permission from the local authorities.

You can quit the race anytime due to injury, sickness, fatigue, or reasons not listed here. Your health and safety are essential and critical. You are requested not to feel shy to approach our race director, run managers, medical and security team members, or the lead volunteers in the aid stations in case of any support. You will be marked DNF.

Recognition of even top finishers and course records

Runners achieving podium position (1st place, 2nd place, or 3rd place) in each distance category or setting a course record MUST submit their GPS device statistics to coachkay@kfita.in for the race technical team to review and accept them as course records. Only such records will be published on the “#ultramalaivasi hall of Fame”& the results summary page

Conduct & respecting other runners

• Respect other runners and the race volunteers, and do not enter into any quarrel or dispute with anyone on the course. If there are issues, you must report the matter to the run managers or the race director.
• Dress appropriately, and no nudity / partial nudity is allowed.
• Do not run under the influence of severe medications, drugs, narcotics, or other banned substances. Drinking alcohol is not allowed during the event.

Communication & updates from the organizers

• We will send regular updates to the registered email address you provided while completing your registration. If your email system inadvertently treats these updates as spam, you shall not act against the organizers or service providers.
• Any notice sent to the email address registered with the organizers shall be deemed received by the runners.
• You agree to abide by the instructions provided by the organizers from time to time in the best interest of your health and event safety.
• You also agree to stop running if instructed by the Race Director, run managers, and the Medical Staff for any reasons not described or announced before. Please note the race must abide by the rules set by the local administration, authorities, and police team.
• Considering the operational reasons, safety, and health of the runners, you will not be allowed to stay on the course beyond the cut-off time. You will be taken to the finish line in rescue vehicles and considered a DNF.
• Should you decide to quit during the race, you are encouraged to reach the nearest aid station and are expected to wait for the recovery vehicle to come and pick you up.

Medical warnings & risks

Understand the Physical Activities Readiness Questionnaire by following this link –> PAR-Q

Bison Ultra is a road cum trail run with light vehicular traffic (bikes, estate vehicles, trucks, or buses) on the road sections. Yercaud is in the forest area, and wild animals, including Wild Guars, may be present, and you may encounter stray dogs. Please do not attempt to provoke the animals or go near them on the pretext of taking pictures or selfies. You are expected to run in the company of other runners and follow the safety guidelines published by the race director. You are aware of the dangers and take full responsibility for being safe.

You know that running/long-distance running is an extreme sport and can be dangerous to the body and health. You take full responsibility for participating in the Bison Ultra event and do not hold the organizing committee or its members or entities responsible for any injury or accident.

• You shall consult your physician and undergo a complete medical examination to assess your suitability to participate in the event.
• You also assume all risks associated with participating in this event, including, but not limited to, falls & fractures and colliding with other runners or pedestrians on the road. You may also get affected by cold/changing weather conditions, including high heat or humidity, traffic and the poor state of the streets, arson or terrorist threats, and all other risks associated with a public event. You may experience some of the most common conditions, like simple to severe muscle cramps, dehydration, and hypoglycemia.
• Severe medical conditions such as cardiac arrest (or Sudden Cardiac Arrest, SCD) or brain stroke are rare. Still, they are considered possible emergencies in an endurance event, and you are aware of its consequences.
• Our team of volunteers / first responders and the medical crew will provide you with first-aid and basic life support. Our team will take the victims to the nearest available hospital for advanced medical support in a medical emergency. The nearest hospital is in Yercaud, with basic facilities approximately 22 km away.  Advanced life support & modern hospitals are available in Salem.
• If you are a minor running the Bison Ultra, you must always be accompanied by one of your parents or the designated guardian. You must never run alone on the Bison Ultra course.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY & WAIVER OF CLAIMS & INDEMNITY AGREEMENT

I agree that Bison Ultra shall not be liable for any loss, damage, illness, or injury resulting from my participation in Bison Ultra.

I confirm that, in the event of adverse weather conditions, major incidents, or threats on the day, pandemic, and the force majeure or restriction by authority, the organizers reserve the right to stop or cancel, or even postpone the event to a suitable future date convenient for organizing the event in Yercaud.

I’m aware that my entry ticket is non-refundable.

I acknowledge and agree that my personal information, including the event day photos and images, will be stored and used by Bison Ultra, KaysFIT Academy, or any other company concerning the organization, promotion, and administration of the event & compilation of statistical information.

I understand that Ultra Running is a potentially dangerous activity that demands high physical and mental abilities. I agree to participate in my responsibility and of my own accord.

I acknowledge that for the organizers to accept my request to participate in this event, I agree to all the conditions listed in this page/waiver document. I further acknowledge that neither members of the organization nor other event participants are responsible for my safety.

I agree to accompany my minor son or daughter running the Bison Ultra or assign a guardian (>18 years old) to accompany him/her.

Understanding the risk assumption, I willingly and voluntarily participate in the event and, hereby, agree to assume and accept any risks of injury or death. I hereby release the organizers from any responsibility.

I hereby consent to receive medical treatment, which may be deemed advisable in the event of injury, accident, or illness during the event. If I should suffer injury or illness, I authorize the organizers, its officers, agents, employees, interns, volunteers, representatives, sponsors, and all others associated with the Organization to use their discretion to administer first-aid and transportation to a medical facility at my responsibility and cost.

I agree to assume all injury and life-threatening risks that may occur while I am en route to and from the activity locations and while involved in the event, whether or not under the direct supervision of the organizers and its officers, agents, employees, interns, volunteers, representatives, sponsors, and all others associated with the organization.

I acknowledge that the organizers do not carry any liability, accident, or health insurance responsibility for the runner.

I acknowledge that I have sole responsibility for my possessions and athletic equipment during the event, even when the organizer’s staff and associates transport those items.

I agree to release the organizers, its officers, agents, employees, interns, volunteers, representatives, sponsors, and all others associated with the organizers from any liability and do not hold them accountable for any property damage or personal injury to any third party that may result from my activities and participation in the event.

I agree that this release shall be effective immediately upon my ticket registration, binding upon the undersigned, and extends to my heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators, personal representatives, and assigns.

By my signature below, I warrant that,

• I have read and understood the event rules, medical warning & risks, terms & conditions, and all its provisions.
• I understand the risks associated with participation in the event
• I assume all risks and full responsibility that may occur by participating in the event
• Hereby knowingly and intentionally release the organizers, its officers, agents, employees, interns, volunteers, representatives, sponsors, and all other parties involved from any claims, demands, injuries, actions (including third-party claims), and damage of any kind, including from nature, that may arise out of, or in connection with, participating in the organizers, regardless of whether such claims are based upon negligence or other grounds.
• I am of the full age of 18 years old.
• Speak and understand English and follow the rules, terms & conditions, and medical warnings.

Signed by the runner (YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST NAME)