The Fanal Vertical Kilometer is organized by the Funchal Mountain Club in close collaboration with the Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation. It also has the significant support of the Porto Moniz Municipal Council and other public and private institutions. The Fanal Vertical Kilometer will take place on October 26, 2023, with the first participant’s departure scheduled for 9:00 AM.

Vertical Kilometer (Vertical Kilometer®) – It is a discipline within the sport of Skyrunning, consisting of an ascent of 1000 meters with a significant incline and not exceeding 5 kilometers in linear distance. The Vertical Kilometer is divided into three altitude levels (variation of ± 200 meters), namely 0-1000 meters, 1000-2000 meters, and 2000-3000 meters, with a 5% tolerance.

The Fanal Vertical Kilometer is a competition primarily held on an uphill course, with a positive elevation gain of 1,000 meters and an approximate distance of 3,980 meters from the starting point to the finish line. It begins in the town of Ribeira Funda, at an altitude of about 78 meters, and ends at the Fanal Lagoon, at an altitude of 1,078 meters.

The Fanal Vertical Kilometer contributes to the National Vertical Championship, National Club Vertical Championship, Madeira Vertical Championship, Madeira Club Championship, and National Youth Championship in the following age categories: Cadets, Juveniles, Juniors, and Sub-23.

The top three male and female athletes overall will receive awards, as well as athletes in the following age groups:

• Cadets M/F (ages 15-16)
• Juveniles M/F (ages 17-18)
• Juniors M/F (ages 19-20)
• Sub-23 M/F (ages 21-23)
• Seniors M/F (ages 24-39)
• Masters M40/F40 (ages 40-49)
• Masters M50/F50 (ages 50-59)
• Masters M60/F60 (ages 60-69)
• Masters M70/F70 (70 and older)
  
  According to the Skyrunning competition regulations of the FCMP, athletes’ age groups are determined by their year of birth and the calendar year of the sports season. Therefore, the age considered for the classification of each athlete will be their age on December 31, 2023.

There will be monetary prizes for the top 3 male and female overall finishers:

1st place – €125.00

2nd place – €75.00

3rd place – €50.00

The Fanal Vertical Kilometer is celebrated with absolute respect for the environment. Participants who engage in violent or xenophobic behavior, harm competitors, or litter anywhere along the course will be disqualified.

Participants must also respect the surrounding areas and private properties. Participants will be responsible for any resulting indemnifications attributed to them.

• Registrations are made exclusively on the event’s website, kvfanal.com, and are considered complete only after the payment of the registration fee.
• Each participant must correctly fill out all their personal information.
• For logistical reasons, the organization limits the number of participants to 200, with an additional 10 places reserved by the organizing entity.
• Registration fee: €12.00.

• Personal accident insurance
• Transportation from the gathering area to the starting area;
• Participation kit (chip, bib, and a gift);
  
  
• Water and an energy bar after the finish line;
  
  
• Meal after the Awards Ceremony.

• Must be 16 years old on the date of the event (only FCMP federated athletes in the Cadet category may be younger);
• Must be familiar with and accept the conditions of this regulation;
• Must correctly complete the registration.

Participation in the race is entirely the responsibility and risk of the participants. Participants, upon registration, declare that they are physically prepared to complete the course.

After the payment of the registration fee, it is considered final. Therefore, in case of non-participation, the registration fee will not be refunded. Registrations are personal and non-transferable, and they cannot be used by anyone other than the registered participant. If, due to force majeure, a participant cannot attend and knows someone who wants to take their place, they must contact the organization up to 8 days before the race date.

Participants registered for the Fanal Vertical Kilometer, at the time of registration, must acknowledge that they have read this regulation and agree to it without exception. Thus, they declare their voluntary participation and assume full responsibility for their participation in the competition. Therefore, they agree not to hold the authorities, collaborators, sponsors, and other participants responsible for any liability beyond the coverage of the insurance policy. This action replaces the usual paper document. In the case of underage athletes, a Liability Waiver must be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian and submitted to the organization when collecting the participation kit.

The organizing entity reserves exclusive rights to the image of the Fanal Vertical Kilometer and the use of audiovisual, photographic, and journalistic materials related to the event.

Any advertising projects or materials must receive prior consent from the organization.

The registration desk for the race will be open on October 12th, Thursday, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM in Funchal, at the Agricultural Cooperative of Funchal Building, Block D, 2nd Floor, Room E.

Participants must bring identification, and minors must provide a signed Liability Waiver from their parent or guardian. It is possible to collect another participant’s bib if the collector presents their identity card or a copy of the participant’s identity card.

An authorized representative from the club can collect bibs for the club’s athletes with prior notification to the organization.

The Funchal Mountain Club’s timing system, “CMoF Timing System,” will be used. Times will be recorded at each kilometer along the course, and the athlete’s finishing time will be recorded at the finish line.

The clock starts at the established time, whether or not participants are present. Participants who are not present 15 minutes after their scheduled start time will be disqualified. Participants start the race in groups of up to 4 individuals, with a 60-second interval between each group. Athletes cannot congregate at the starting line.

After the departure of 50 athletes, there will be a 10-minute interval to reduce the number of athletes on the course. The use of the bib provided by the organization, which must always be visible, is mandatory throughout the race. The starting order of all participants, with their respective hours and minutes, will be announced up to 48 hours before the competition date.

The starting order of Fanal Vertical Kilometer participants will be entirely random.

Bib numbers will be assigned based on the order of athlete registrations, with only bib numbers 1 and 2 reserved for the previous year’s winners in the Men’s and Women’s categories, respectively. After assigning bib numbers to each athlete, the starting order will be determined by a random draw using the “random.org” application, which utilizes “atmospheric noise instead of a pseudo-random algorithm for a truly random list of results.” Depending on the number of participants, starts will occur in groups of 4 athletes, always with a 1-minute gap between each start. When 42 runners have started we will have a short break to allow the initial part of the course from becoming overcrowded.

By FCMP recommendation, two drawings will be held, one for federated athletes and one for non-federated athletes.

The draw will be recorded and published on the event’s website and social media channels as proof.

Walking is the only means of progression allowed throughout the course. Any form of assistance other than one’s own physical abilities and walking poles is prohibited.

Participants must be adequately trained to complete a continuous physical activity over a course with a significant positive elevation gain and must have the ability to recover without problems after completing the race.

Participants must yield to faster athletes when they approach. Athletes wishing to overtake a slower athlete must, when sufficiently close, inform them of their intention to do so.

The use of headphones during the race is strictly prohibited to ensure good communication between faster and slower athletes.

Participants must assist another participant in need. In the event of an accident during the race, and if unable to continue, the participant must immediately contact the organization or ask someone to inform the organization of their situation; otherwise, they should attempt to reach the finish line, where they will be assisted.

• Finish beyond the time limit for completing the race (2 hours) – disqualification;
• Cause damage to the course – between 3 minutes and disqualification;
• Disregard general forest protection rules – disqualification;
• Litter on the course – disqualification;
• Violate other rules established by the organization – between 3 minutes and disqualification;
• Do not assist a participant in need – between 3 minutes and disqualification;
• Request assistance unnecessarily – disqualification;
• Deliberately do not wear the bib or it is not visible (worn in front) – disqualification;
• Do not wear appropriate footwear and minimal clothing for a mountain race – disqualification;
• Do not have the chip with them until the end of their race – disqualification;
• Do not follow the marked course – disqualification;
• Do not yield to a faster athlete – between 3 minutes and disqualification;
• Receive personal assistance during the race – between 3 minutes and disqualification;
• Use headphones during the race – disqualification.

Participants must wear the bib and chip provided by the organization and be visible at all times. They must also wear appropriate footwear and minimal clothing for a mountain race.

There will be no aid stations along the course. A personal water bottle and an energy bar will be provided at the finish line.

The competition jury consists of the Race Director and the referees, with one of them serving as the President of the Jury. The President of the Jury and the referees are appointed by the Arbitration Council of the FCMP.

Participants in the Fanal Vertical Kilometer will be covered by personal accident insurance with the following coverage:

• Death or Permanent Disability: €30,363.38
• Funeral Expenses: €2,429.08
• Treatment Expenses, Medical Transportation, and Repatriation: €4,858.14;

In case of an accident, the participant must first contact the organization, which will arrange for their transfer to the most suitable medical institution based on their health condition, along with a copy of the accident report. Sometimes, due to the urgency or severity of some accidents, it may be impossible to complete the accident report immediately. In these circumstances, the accident report can be processed after the participant has received initial medical care. Regardless, the accident report must always go through the organization, which is responsible for sending it to the insurance company. The organization will not cover the expenses of accidents of which it is not informed in a timely manner for insurance activation.

The participant data provided in the registration form will be recorded by the organizing entity for event-related processing, including insurance, participant lists, news, and rankings. All participants can exercise their right to access, rectify, or delete their personal data by sending an email to cmofunchal@gmail.com. If the participant is federated with the FCMP – Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation, registration implies authorization for their data to be transmitted for the purpose of preparing the rankings and various cup competitions, processes under the responsibility of the Federation.

The race organization may suspend, reduce, or stop the race due to safety reasons or force majeure beyond its control. The race will not be suspended if the intensity of rain and wind is considered low or moderate and does not pose a significant risk.

Any complaint must be submitted in writing, using a form provided by the Competition Jury, along with a deposit of €50.00 (which will not be refunded if the complaint is dismissed), and delivered to the Jury President within 15 minutes after the official publication of the results, starting from the last participant’s race time limit.

The Competition Jury, which will review the complaint, is composed of the Jury President, the Race Director, and the present referees. Decisions made by the Jury can be appealed according to the Skyrunning Competition Regulations.

Unforeseen cases in this regulation will be resolved by the Competition Jury. These decisions may be subject to appeal according to the Skyrunning Competition Regulations of the Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation.