1. The Sierre-Zinal Race, date and route (art. 1-8)
All figures or amounts appearing in brackets in these Regulations ([...]) may vary from one edition to another. However, such figures or amounts shall be deemed final as of the opening of registrations for the relevant edition of the same year.
For the sake of conciseness, the masculine form used throughout these Regulations shall be deemed to include the feminine form. Likewise, words expressed in the singular may be understood to include the plural, and vice versa.
These Regulations are issued in several languages. In the event of any discrepancy, ambiguity or inconsistency between the different language versions, the French version shall prevail and be binding.
Art. 1 Organization
The Sierre-Zinal Race is organized by the Sierre-Zinal Association (the "Organizers").
Art. 2 Acceptance of the Rules
Registration for and/or participation in the Sierre-Zinal Race implies express and unreserved acceptance of these Rules, of the event’s ethical principles and of any instructions issued by the Organizer to participants.
The same shall apply to representatives, agents, team managers or any other private person representing athletes, as well as to athletes’ teams possessing legal personality, who have negotiated the participation of such athletes in the Sierre-Zinal Race. These Rules shall also be binding upon them.
Art. 3 Sierre-Zinal Race
The “Sierre-Zinal Race” consists of several events:
- an adult race from Sierre to Zinal also called the “Race of the Five Four Thousand Meter Peaks”,
- a junior race from Chandolin to Zinal called the “Junior Race”,
- a children's race held in Sierre, called the “Race of the Five Obstacles".
Together these various events make up the "Sierre-Zinal Race".
Art. 4 Race Date
The Sierre-Zinal Adult Race and the Chandolin-Zinal Junior Race are, in principle, held each year on the second Saturday of August.
The Children's Race generally takes place at the end of the afternoon on the eve of the Sierre-Zinal and Chandolin Zinal Races.
Art. 5 Categories according to start time
Entrants in the Sierre-Zinal Race can choose to run either in the ”Tourist” category or in the “Runner” category, depending on their estimated running time.
- "Tourist" category: the participant registered in this category does more than [4:30].
- "Runner" category: the participant registered in this category does less than [4:30].
Participants in the "Tourist" category will receive an official time, but no ranking and will be awarded no qualifying points for other competitions. In addition, participants in the "Tourist” category cannot include Sierre- Zinal in the calculation of their ITRA or UTMB indexes.
In these Rules the collective plural refers to both the masculine and feminine genders and is used for conciseness purposes only. Similarly, the singular can have a plural meaning and vice versa.
Art. 6 “Runners’” Subcategories
Participants in the "Runner” category shall be grouped according to their age and gender in the following sub-categories:
- Elite Women and Men : [18-39] years old
- Women I : [40-49] years old
- Women II : [50] years and over
- Veterans I : [40-49] years old
- Veterans II : [50-59] years old
- Veterans III : [60] years and over
Art. 7 Adult Race
Unless modified due to weather conditions (See Art. 12 Reservations for Weather Conditions) the Sierre-Zinal Adult Race follows a [31] km mountain trail involving a [2200] meter elevation gain and a [1100] meter vertical drop. The course of the Sierre-Zinal Adult Race is not quite identical for the "Tourist" and "Runner" categories:
- Athletes in the "Tourist” category can choose between two departure options: either via Niouc or via the Chapelle Saint-Antoine (Race Profil).
- For athletes in the “Runner” category, only the route via Niouc applies (Race Profil).
Art. 8 Junior and Children's Courses
Unless modified due to weather conditions (See Art. 12 Reservations for Weather Conditions) The Chandolin-Zinal Junior Race is a [19] km trail involving a [800] meter elevation gain and a [1100] meter vertical drop.
The Children's Race takes place in the town of Sierre.