Contingency Plan

Given the health situation we live in, where Covid-19 has conditioned many of the habits we had before, it requires each of us to take exceptional measures in order to mitigate the effects that a possible case may have. 

It is therefore important to take attention to a number of considerations and measures that may be fundamental in order to avoid contagion situations in the context of the trail running race Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira 2020. 

This document has been prepared attending the guidelines of the Institute of Health Administration of Madeira (IASAUDE), whose president assumes the functions of regional public health authority, as well as the recommendations of the Athletics Association of Madeira (AARAM), regional entity that defines the rules of trail running. 

The guidelines of the DGS and the World Health Organisation have also been taken into account. Particularly with regard to the trail running, the recommendations of the entities to which the race Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira, in some way, is linked, namely the Association of Trail Running of Portugal (ATRP), whose championships are part of some races, the ITRA - International Trail Running Association and, of course, EcoTrail International were observed. 

Despite all the measures implemented by the Organisation, all participants should bear in mind that the risk of contagion exists and should take all measures to avoid situations of increased risk. 

Although trail running is an individual sport and practically without physical contact, even if the Organisation complies with all the prevention procedures in order to reduce this possibility, it is not possible to guarantee its total absence, so participants must know and take on this risk which is inherent to any sporting practice.

In deciding to participate in this competition, the athletes do so of their own free will and by taking the risks inherent in the race itself.

 

BASIC HEALTH AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS APPLICABLE AT ANY TIME OR CIRCUMSTANCE OF THE RACE

• Wash your hands with soap and water (or, alternatively, an alcoholic gel solution) frequently and properly;
• Take breath tag measures, such as covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough (with a tissue or arm/eye area). Avoid covering your mouth with hands in these situations. After sneezing or coughing, throw the tissue in the trash;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands;
• Wear a mask as indicated by regional health authorities; 
• Keep a social distance of 2 metres; 
• If you have symptoms of infection, stay at home and isolate yourself from the rest of your family. If you have travelled in the last 14 days and have any of the symptoms associated with Covid-19, stay alert and contact the SRS Madeira line on 800 24 24 20.

 

PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO BE OBSERVED BY ATHLETES

• Athletes diagnosed with Covid-19, even if asymptomatic, cannot participate in the race Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira without the necessary medical discharge;
• The participation of non-resident athletes will not be allowed without the presentation of a negative test performed in the last 72 hours, whose test must be presented at check-in;
• Being non-resident and planning to arrive in Madeira Island in the days before the race, it is recommended that you come with the PCR diagnostic test to Covid-19 done. If you choose to take the test on arrival at Madeira Airport, you will have to wait for the result in confinement for 12 hours, maximum estimated period. You should take this waiting period into account when preparing for your participation in the race, namely when performing the Check-in;
• Athletes are recommended to self-monitor daily symptoms (namely the daily control of their body temperature), refraining from participating in any action within the scope of the race in case of suspicion of infection or having been in contact with a person suspected of infection. In these cases, you should call the SRS Madeira line: 800 24 20. You should not move from your residence;
• In order to protect the population groups considered to be at risk, it is recommended that athletes over 65 years of age or with basic illnesses considered to be at risk by the health authorities, which may aggravate the consequences of infection by SARS-CoV-2, should not participate.  It should be noted that this is only a recommendation. 
• All persons connected in any way to the Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira event, namely athletes, members of the organisation, volunteers or support staff of the athletes, should maintain an appropriate conduct of personal hygiene, namely frequent hand washing and respect the respiratory label;
• According to the recommendations of the various health entities, the recommended safety distance between athletes must be maintained; 
• During the race, the sharing of materials and equipment for common use without prior disinfection is forbidden;
• During the race, athletes must not share personal material, drinks, food or any other products (including water bottles, sticks, among others). 
• All members of the organisation, including volunteers, when in contact with the athletes must adopt the necessary personal protection measures, namely the use of masks and visors, as well as ensure the reinforcement of the cleaning and hygiene of spaces and equipment. 
• Athletes must respect their training, warm-up and competition times and spaces, maintaining safety distances.
• There will be a strict control of the flow of athletes in the different places, with the constraints and limitations duly marked. 
• There will be a control/tracking of the body temperature in the access to the competition area.
• There will be no changing rooms or showers. 
• Sanitary facilities will be disinfected according to the recommendations in force. 
• Presentation, briefing and prize giving ceremonies will be cancelled or reduced to the minimum essential. In the case of the briefing, it will be done on line. 
• Athletes must not greet or embrace each other.
• All participants will be informed, by email and through information boards in the race venues, about the protocols and prevention measures to be followed.

 

PREVENTIVE MEASURES IMPLEMENTED BY THE ORGANISATION AT THE VARIOUS TIMES OF THE RACE

CHECK-IN

The check-in period will be extended, not only temporally, but also by using other spaces, in order to avoid the concentration of athletes. 

We recommend that resident athletes try to check-in in advance and in the alternative places to be indicated by the Organization in due time. 

There will be more check-in posts, than usual, in the Largo da Restauração. In case the athletes don't have availability, another person may pick up the mentioned material as long as it is accompanied by a copy of the athlete's citizen card duly signed.

The Organization will appeal to the athletes to only go to one of the posts when the same is not occupied by another participant, and the defined social distance must be respected. 

This place will comply with all safety measures in force when attending to the public, namely disinfection and protection of the employee with the recommended equipment (mask and visor). 

Contrary to the usual, the terms of responsibility will be made available by filling out an online form, in order to eliminate the use of paper (it should always be filled out before check-in).

An epidemiological survey will be made to each athlete, on line, on the eve of the race (which should always be filled in before the moment of check-in).

 

DEPARTURE

Departure times will be scrupulously adhered to. 

Three 'departure boxes' will be created: two pre-departure boxes, where in one of them, at the entrance, all the mandatory material is checked and the temperature is measured (which, if higher than normal, will prevent the athlete from participating), and one box already in the departure zone.

Segmented departures will be carried out and up to a maximum of 20 athletes per time, grouping the athletes by their ITRA ranking, programming departure of a number of athletes that according to the starting space allow a distance of 2m between each athlete. 

The spacing between departures can be from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

It is mandatory that all athletes wear a mask up to a minimum distance of 200 meters after the departure (it will be duly marked when it is no longer mandatory).

Any athlete who abandons his or her mask unduly will be automatically excluded.

 

DURING THE RACE

The Organization will alert athletes to the need to maintain social distance. Whenever necessary, volunteers or any element of the Organisation will monitor the situations and places that prove necessary, warning the athletes in case of non-compliance with previously defined measures. 

The Organisation will recommend to the athletes to warn them in advance of any overshoot, and to always facilitate it.

 

SUPPLY ZONES 

All races of Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira are carried out in a regime of partial self-sufficiency. Even so, the Organization will try to maintain the majority of the supply zones, taking into account the demand of the itinerary in each race. 

However, depending on the health situation, supply zones may be eliminated. If there are any changes to the Regulation, the Organisation will inform the athletes at least one week before the race takes place. 

At supply zones, it is mandatory for athletes to wear masks, except when they are feeding. On arrival at the supply zone, the athlete enters a restricted area where a volunteer, duly equipped and prepared for this purpose, will serve him/her what the athlete wants to eat or drink, and will then be sent to another area (preferably open) where he/she can feed.

In the liquid-only posts there will be no specific area for the athlete to feed. 

Self-service will not be allowed.

Each athlete must have his or her own glass, as stipulated in the regulations, as well as a container to receive the solid food. 

The consumption of food or drinks at the supply zones must take place in the spaces duly marked for that purpose and complying with the limitations imposed. 

The athlete should, whenever possible, opt for personal assistance, which should comply with the rules established for this purpose, namely the use of a mask, respecting the maximum capacity of the enclosures. In this case, the personal assistant will provide him/her with the supply, not passing in the restricted area of distribution, going directly to the feeding area (which does not invalidate the passage of the athlete through the control, when existing).

The personal assistants, in case of a limited number of people in the feeding area, must give the place to the athletes who may be waiting. 

Volunteers in the feeding area will wear a mask and visor and will be careful to wash or disinfect their hands regularly. The use of gloves is not allowed.

 

FINNISH LINE / PRIZE GIVING

Athletes and spectators are not allowed to crowd on arrival, and the Organisation will assess, according to the space available, how many people can stay at each location.

There will be no showers at the end of the race.

Depending on the health situation at the moment, the prize giving will take place on the day after the race, in an open place, next to the race secretariat (Avenida Arriaga), in order to ensure proper distance. 

The use of a mask is mandatory for everyone, even for the athletes when they cut the finish line.

 

STRONG COMMITMENTS

Our main ambition is to make our event compatible with the rules designed to fight the virus. Here are the adjustments we are already committed to:

• Creation of one way circuits to avoid congestion on courses
• Optimized management of the flows of runners to guarantee social distancing and the application of protective measures
• Adaptation and limitation of the number of runners according to the race areas and courses
• Consistent cleaning of courses by teams carrying specific equipment
• Installation of additional signage to make sure rules are respected and to remind runners of safety precautions
• Volunteers helping the organization will be provided with specific equipment and protection
• Application of the measures implemented by local authorities to protect the runners, the spectators, our partners and the members of our organization

We are all involved in this historic battle and we will do our very best to help win it

Do you have any questions? Don't hesitate to write to the organisation which is at your disposal and ready to listen to you: info@ecotrailmadeira.com!