This event aims to combine the spirit of adventure in nature, tourism and sport. It will be held from 17 to 21 January 2024.

The Terra de Gigantes is a joint organization between Horizontes Turismo Desportivo e Viagens and the Associação Interior Convida.

The Terra de Gigantes is a recreational/sports event, pedestrian in nature. It develops in routes using footpaths, forest trails, rural paths, footpaths and asphalt roads. The itinerary is done on foot and in the shortest time possible, guided by GPS. In some cases the organisation may use fixed and mobile markings on the terrain in order to facilitate the reading of the route to follow.

The purpose of this regulation is to guarantee equal conditions for all. The guiding principles of the regulation are as simple as: play fair, be safe and respect the space where you are.

Although there are no other requirements, when registering you will have to send an e-mail to geral@horizontes.pt and answer some questions. After analysis, the organization reserves the right not to accept the registration.

Decisions will be sent until 72 hours after registration.

*Participants who have already participated in any edition of the PT281 Ultramarathon do not need to send an email.

The registration fee for the Land of Giants until 30/08/23 is a total of 550€, from 17/12/23

It can be done in installments or in a single payment, always bearing in mind that the down payment of 100€ until 30/04/23 guarantees the value of the 1st period. The remaining 450 € can be paid in installments or as a single payment until 17/12/23.

The payments made in installments should be made by bank transfer, request bank details by email. When making the payments, please send the proof of payment to the email info@horizontes.pt.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

1. The medical document attesting your physical condition must be inserted in the website in a link to be announced soon
   [Português] [Inglês] [Francês] [Espanhol] – Click to download the document
2. Participation is open to any participant over 18 years old 
3. Term of responsibility for all events, should be inserted in the website in a link to be announced soon.
   [Português] [Inglês] [Francês] [Espanhol] – Click to download the document

KIT COLLECTION – CHECK IN

To make the ”Check In” the participants must present the following documents:

• Identification Document or Passport.

1. The athlete’s kit must be collected by the participant himself. Pick up by third parties is only allowed with authorization proof  [Autorização] – Click to download the document

• Souvenir of the Event.
• Assistance and supplies of liquids and solids in all the support bases.
• Protection and assistance service throughout the race by medical team.
• Transfer from Seia to the Tower – Day 18/01/24 at 10:00 o’clock
• Finisher Award
• Personal accident and civil responsability insurance.
• Transfer from Nazaré to Seia – Day 17/01/24 to 14:00 hours.

No changes to the participants’ data are allowed after January 7, 2024.

In case of withdrawal, the amount of this edition will be credited to the same athlete or to another indicated by him/her, exclusively for the 2025 edition of the Land of Giants.

The Fee of 100€ paid is non-refundable and cannot be credited under any circumstances.

There will be no cash refunds.

The course must be run in semi-autonomous and guided by GPS. This means that the course will not be signposted.

The total length of the course is 303 km, 11,220 D+ and with a time limit of 74 hours for completion. These figures can be adjusted. Final figures will be sent out up to eight days before the race.

The course crosses a natural landscape of Serra da Estrela, Schist Villages, Historical Villages, Serra do Açor, Caminhos de Fé towards Nazaré.

The GPS, besides acting as your guide in the terrain, will be through it that will be made the confirmation of your route. You may be required to hand in your equipment at the end of the race to download it.

It is mandatory equipment and must have as its main requirement its autonomy and the possibility to record at least 10.000 points.

The equipment must have the possibility to change batteries at any time during the race.

The GPS is the only guarantee that the route to be followed is the correct one.

The organization will supply the tracks with the necessary time to analyse and enter them into the GPS. If any doubts persist don’t worry that the organization will have a help solution.

INDIVIDUAL

The participation is for one athlete only

Along the course there will be refuelling stations, support bases, with food and drink that must be consumed on site. Each runner must ensure that they have the necessary amount of food and water to be self-sufficient until the next post.

Plastic cups will not be provided, at any of the support points; runners must have their own cup or other personal container suitable for that purpose.

Support on the course, when premeditated, is prohibited and will immediately disqualify the participant.

Each runner is allowed a maximum of two assistants at the support bases. However, the assistants must stay outside the Bases while waiting for the participant, as some of the spaces are small. The assistants must not disturb the other runners or the volunteers working in those places and must bring with them the identifications provided by the organization.

The participant must send the data of the assistance team by email, with name, phone number, model and number plate of the car.

The Organisation may restrict access to certain areas of the support bases.

Assistance teams can not consume the food and drink intended for the runners at the support bases, these bases are only for the athletes in the race.

Attention: In the last stretch between the last Support Base and the Finish Line, anyone is allowed to run with the athlete.

They can only accompany the athlete without, however, help with any other type of aid such as: carry the backpack, push or tow the athlete.

The “pacers” are prohibited in the Terra de Gigantes in other areas of the course other than the last stretch.

Athletes running unidentified next to the participant are not allowed. Whenever this happens, demand that the participant moves away. This is the only way to help you finish the race unscathed. The penalty in these cases is disqualification.

Participants who sign up only to serve as a “hare” to another, whenever they are identified as such, will both be forced to withdraw from the race.

The support team members are only allowed to run in the 200 meters before and after the support bases.

Be aware, respect your condition as a human being who is fallible. Giants are not those who overcome difficulties irresponsibly, but rather all those who prepare for difficulties by equipping themselves with the necessary tools.

Prepare yourself for windy, rainy and very cold days. Your body will thank you, and so will your health. Do not forget that you are not alone, that the result of your decisions involves many people who listen to you, look at you, respect you and may even depend on you.

Respect “Mother Nature” because she will be merciless with all those who doubt her power.

When entering the race, each runner commits to take all the obligatory material. Failure to comply with any of the obligations disqualifies the participant.

• GPS and ways to feed the equipment.
• Identification document. It can be a copy.
• 4 Survival blankets
• Whistle
• Mobile phone (add the organisation’s security numbers.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

• Top quality waterproof jacket and trousers and windbreaker.

You should pay close attention to these items. They are the first and greatest protection for windy, rainy and cold days. Once you get past this layer of insulation, everything becomes more difficult and the possibility of having to leave the race increases significantly.

• Thermal clothing in materials such as Polartec.
• Waterproof backpack
• Waterproof bag for electronic equipment
• Sleeping bag in your race bag
• Change of clothes
• Sun block

Confirmation of the equipment can be made in the following places;

• Along the route and without previous warning
• At the support bases
• At the end of the race.

The organisers reserve the right to withdraw from the race, even before it starts, or at any time during the race, any competitor who does not have the appropriate equipment to face the weather conditions.

Each dorsal / Bib is given individually and upon presentation of identification with photo.

Participation identifications will only be given to the participants themselves.

The support teams will be given identifiers for their own use and in the vehicles.

The athlete’s identifiers must be visible from the front or back.

The support team identifiers must always be legible.

The dorsal is necessary to have access to transport services, refueling, rescue and rest rooms, bags, etc.

The organisation will give to all participants labels and bags, with the respective dorsal number, to identify the bags that will be transported to the defined support bases.

It is up to the athlete to put the number of the support base where he wants that bag.

Fragile or valuable objects must not be placed in bags.

The objects that you need at the end of the race, please do not put them in intermediate support bags. Those should be carried from the start to the finish.

The coaster bags can be delivered only on the last day of the race. Only in exceptional cases will the bags be transported to the finish line before the last participant passes the respective coaster.

The organization declines any responsibility for the loss or damage of any objects during transportation. It assures the greatest care with all the belongings that will be delivered to you.

At all the support bases there are services needed to assist anyone in difficulty.

The doctors, nurses or first-aiders, are authorised to withdraw from the competition any participants they consider unfit to proceed. Rescue teams are authorised to remove from the race, by any means at their disposal, any runners they believe to be in danger.

Any runners who request the services of a doctor or rescuer submit to their authority and undertake to accept any decisions made.

The maximum time to complete the race is 74 hours.

The time barriers, for entering and leaving each of the main support points, will be indicated in the participant’s guide.

These deadlines are calculated in order to allow the participants to reach the finish line within the deadline.

The time barriers take into account the stop times for refuelling and rest.

In order to be allowed to continue with the race, runners must enter and leave the support bases, or checkpoints, within the time set by the organisation.

In case of bad weather conditions and/or for safety reasons, the organisers reserve the right to suspend the race or make changes to the established time limits in order to accommodate everyone’s interests.

At the support bases, indicated in the race guide, runners can stop for a prolonged rest, as long as they leave within the time limit established as a time barrier.

Sleeping is fundamental for your comfort and safety.

Whenever you need to sleep outside the support bases, you must inform the organisation or do it very close to the course line, preferably in a place where passing runners will see you.

In the support bases marked by the organisation you can, besides sleeping, take baths. Some of the places will have showers with hot or cold water, to regain your energy.

Runners who decide not to continue the race should proceed, where possible, to the nearest home base and inform the organisers of their decision.

Along the course, the race judges are authorised to check runners’ compliance with the regulations and immediately inform the race management of any violations that occur. Juries may apply the penalties specified in the table below:

VIOLATIONS and PENALTIES

Absence of obligatory safety material: whistle, 4 survival blanket, mobile phone – 4 Hours time penalty

Refusal to pass a check – Disqualification

Runner or support team throwing rubbish on the ground – Disqualification

Use of means of transport; sharing or exchanging dorsal numbers; not passing a checkpoint; use of doping substances or refusal to take screening tests; failure to help a runner in difficulty; insulting language, bad manners and threats, are grounds for disqualification –Disqualification

Using tracks other than the ones signalled for the race, intentionally short-circuiting the course (decision by the Race Director) – 4 Hours time penalty or Disqualification

Disobey the orders of the Race Director, judges, doctors or other elements identified as organization – Disqualification

Departure from a control post beyond the established time –Disqualification

Disqualification means that the runner must leave the race immediately. The disqualified runner will have his identification number removed. Should the participant decide to continue in the race it will be at their own responsibility bearing all rescue costs where necessary.

Penalties will be applied by adding 4 hours to the final time, thus allowing the runner to finish the race.

Irregularities demonstrated by video footage, photographs sent to the organisers, even after the race, may result in disqualification or penalties.

All complaints must be in writing, signed and delivered before the closing ceremony, with irregularities demonstrated by video footage or photographs or witnesses.

The organisation reserves the right, at any time and without prior warning, to make changes to the route, the location of the support bases or the time barriers.

The organisation, in cases of bad weather and/or for safety reasons, reserves the right to postpone the start of the race by a maximum of 24 hours. After that the race will be cancelled.

It also reserves the possibility to interrupt, change schedules or suspend the race on the scheduled date and place. In these cases, there will be no refund to competitors or sponsors.

In times of a pandemic caused by the contamination of the COVID 19 virus, should the authorities not allow the event to take place, all confirmed registrations will be carried over to the 2025 edition.

• Participants will be automatically insured, in accordance with the Decree Law 10/2009, of 12 January.
• In case of accident, the participant must, in the first place, contact the organization, which will arrange for their referral to the nearest medical institution.
• The payment of the insurance excess, in case of accident, is the exclusive responsibility of the athletes.
• The costs will be borne by the injured person and reimbursed later by the insurance company.
• The organisation declines any kind of payment.
• The organisation will not assume the costs of claims, of which it did not become aware in time to activate the insurance.

The files for GPS, KML or GPX, time barriers and other information will be part of the Participant’s Guide that will be sent by e-mail until 8 days before the race. They will be available, from that moment, for download in the event’s page: https://terradegigantes.com

For the security of the Competitors, the Organisation will provide devices to monitor their geographical positioning, the trackers.

Any damage to or loss of the tracker on its return to the organisers will be the responsibility of the competitor who was carrying it.

The non-return of the equipment or the return of the damaged equipment at the end of the race obliges the competitor who was carrying it to pay for its repair or replacement, which may amount to 150.00 Euros (one hundred and fifty Euros).

Any competitor who refuses to transport the tracker or does not transport it at the place indicated by the Organisation will be automatically disqualified.

The winner of the race will be the runner who needs the shortest time to reach the finish line.

There are no cash prizes.

Each runner who completes the race will be given a “finisher” prize.

An overall ranking will be drawn up of all participants, as well as rankings for men and women.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 men and women in the overall ranking.

The solo winners will be consecrated as absolute winners of the Terra de Gigantes.

The Terra de Gigantes Organisation, sponsors and the entities that collaborate in the organisation of this sporting event reserve the right to use freely in all countries and in all forms, the participation of the competitors, as well as the results obtained by them.

The competition may be videotaped and/or photographed by the event organisers and journalists for later use for publicity purposes.

The participants who have any restrictions concerning the use of their image must notify the Organisation in advance and in writing. Otherwise, they will automatically authorize the use at any time, without the right to receive financial compensation from the Organization.

The Organisation of Terra de Gigantes cannot be held responsible for accidents and their consequences, whether they have been caused by the competitors, whether they have been the victims, whether they come from the race or not. Likewise, it will not be imputed any responsibility, regarding the consequences of the infractions of the laws, regulations and codes in force, which shall be borne by the offenders.

The objective of these regulations is to guarantee equal conditions for all. The guiding principles of the regulation are as simple as: play fair, be safe and respect the space where you are.

Participants will be responsible for all actions susceptible of producing material, moral or health damages to themselves and/or third parties.

The Organisation declines all responsibility in case of accident, negligence, theft, as well as the objects and valuables of each participant.

All questions about the interpretation of the Rules and other cases related to the race will be analyzed and decided by the Event Organization.

It is exclusively up to the Organisation to approve any correction it considers appropriate and at any time, which will be disclosed on the Internet, on the official web page of the event, in the participant’s guide and at the secretariat.

In case this Regulation is published in other languages and in case of doubts regarding its interpretation, the Portuguese text will be the only valid one.

The Land of Giants Organization reserves the right to apply penalties, which may include disqualification or exclusion from the race, to any competitor who does not respect to the letter the spirit of these Rules, or who, in any way, harms the good name, image and prestige of the race or any of its promoters. No responsibility can be attributed to the Organisers for any damage that may result from a decision of this type.

By registering, paying and participating in the Terra de Gigantes, the competitor recognizes that he has read, understood and accepted, without any reservations, the terms and conditions of participation in the event foreseen in the Race Rules.

Any cases not covered by this regulation will be resolved by the organizing committee, whose decisions will not be subject to appeal.

The Justice Forum in Proença a Nova is hereby established.