Reasonable accommodation for any aspects of the Race Bible can be requested by contacting us in advance of the event. Please contact us sooner than later.
ABOUT THE 2024 RACE
Actif Epica Ltd is a self supported winter endurance event. Participants choose to either cycle or run the event. Actif Epica Ltd promotes health benefits associated with outdoor activity in icy temperatures, snowy and/or windswept trails and paths, and Celebrates Human Resilience.
There are electronic CheckPoints along the route that participants scan themselves through using their smartphones that help us keep track of progress, and there are volunteers roving the course and a medic on standby, but participants should consider the event largely unsupported. You need to be able to take care of yourself during this event, making it through the race without assistance.
More race info found on our About the Race page.
General Description
Cyclists and runners are treated to a mostly rural course as we are returning to the Crow Wing Trail this year. The routes will start/finish in the town of St. Pierre-Jolys, MB and depending on the selected distance will traverse the trail to the towns of St. Malo, Niverville and the Crystal Spring colony.
Our goal is to offer a safe race course that exposes participants to South-Eastern Manitoba and some of the communities along the Crow Wing Trail.
Weather Expectations
Typical winter weather in this part of Manitoba is frigid with subzero air temperatures that can dip to -30° Celsius (-22° F) or colder; however, windchill can result in effective temperatures of -50° C (-58° F) or colder. Weather conditions are likely to vary considerably during the race. Past races have seen weather conditions range anywhere from an effective windchill of -40° C in one year to an early thaw (near 0 C or 32 F) in another year.
Be ready for anything. Proper winter survival gear is critical. Racers must plan to be self-sufficient and be prepared in case of mechanical or physical breakdown.
GENERAL 2024 INFO
Registration Deadline
Registration for 2024 opens on October 10th. Online entry form and waiver, along with entry fee, must be received by 11:59PM CST, February 5, 2024. Registration fees are non-refundable.
Early-Bird Registration Deadline is December 31, 2023, after that there is a price increase.
TBD Pre-Race Check-In / Meeting
Start Times
100 Mile Run – 2024-02-16 @22:00
240km Bike – 2024-02-17 @06:00
120km Run – 2024-02-17 @07:00
120km Bike – 2024-02-17 @08:00
50km Bike/Run – 2024-02-17 @10:00
Official Maps, GPS Info, and Cue Sheets
We use ridewithGPS.com to map our courses. You can follow these links to view the preliminary course and get an idea of what the planned route might look like on race weekend (these loop format routes are subject to change depending on weather, construction projects, etc.):
Medium Bike and Run Course Loop, Short Bike and Run Course Loop,
Email us at actifepica@gmail.com if you have any issues with accessing the routes and we’ll do what we can to help.
These are example Cue Sheet PDF’s formatted to be cut and fit into 7” x 8” zip lock bags from last year. These are the cue sheets for Actif Epica 2023, we are following the same route for 2024:
Actif Epica Mid Distance Bike/Run and Long Distance Bike 114/228 km 2023 Cue Sheets*
Actif Epica Long Distance Run 100 mile 2023 Cue Sheets*
Actif Epica Short Distance Bike/Run 50 km 2023 Cue Sheets*
*Cue Sheets above DO NOT have Race Day Emergency #’s. All participants will receive Cue Sheets at the pre-race check-in and it is mandatory to carry those pre-printed Cue Sheets during the race, even if you plan to use a GPS device with our Course files downloaded and even if you print out the Cue Sheet above, to insure that you have our HQ and Medic Emergency #’s.
Please be mindful of other members of the public on paths and roads.
This obviously isn’t a ‘closed’ course.
***OBEY ALL TRAFFIC LAWS AND SIGNS***
A description of the course is posted to our Course Guide.
Spectators
Spectators are encouraged to visit points along the route to cheer on competitors. Check out our Course Guide for a full route description to determine where you can best spectate.
Spectators may not provide assistance to participants at any point during the event.
2024 RACE RULES
Failure to follow any of the rules is grounds for disqualification. Accommodations or modifications of the Race Rules may be made at any time and for any reason at the sole discretion of the Race Directors.
Modes of propulsion
Only human-powered modes of propulsion may be used. Any use of or support from motorized transportation will result in a disqualification.
Eligibility
Participants must be 18 or older and be capable of completing the race in order to register. This means participants should have many prior hours of experience riding or running in the cold conditions described here.
If participants are unsure of the experience necessary to safely complete the event they are encouraged to contact us at actifepica@gmail.com before registering.
Race Directors have the sole discretion to determine who is eligible to participate in the race.
Sign-in and waiver are mandatory
Participants who do not sign-in and complete the waiver will not be allowed to compete in the race.
Pre-race meeting is mandatory
Participants must attend our pre-race meeting. Note that last minute changes are often included in this meeting due to things like unforeseen last minute construction along the race route, changing weather conditions, and much more.
We have moved to a virtual pre-race meeting that is pre-recorded and can be viewed at your convenience. Usually we release the meeting mid-week leading up to race weekend. We ask that you view the presentation prior to attending the race and in the event you have any questions, please send us an email or bring the questions with you to race packet pick-up on the Friday before the race.
Participants are responsible for their own navigation
Although some trails are marked and most roads have signs, the course is not marked. Participants must carry with them a GPS and/or a compass (see mandatory gear requirements; a phone can be used as a GPS if it has enough battery life to last the entire event), and know how to use them in order to navigate the course. Detailed cue sheets will be provided ahead of the race. GPS tracks will be posted on this site before the race.
Start times
Participants must depart their starting point on time or they will be marked as DNS (Did Not Start) and they will not be allowed to compete in the race.
Cut-off times and slow pace projections (pulling racers from the event)
Cut Off Times for all racers are approx a half hour after the last racer of each distance and discipline is projected to finish each lap. HOWEVER, we reserve the right to pull racers from the course mid-lap if their pace tells us that it’s unlikely they’ll complete the lap before the cut-off. We try to be as generous with this as we can be. We don’t like pulling people from the event and so long as you look healthy and safe we really want you to be able to reach your goal.
Here are our slow pace projections and end of lap cut-offs for each distance and discipline based on actual data from the last 3 years of the event along course sections similar to what the race route should look like in 2023:
Please note that the CP’s listed correspond to distances on course for each race route and considering we have six different categories to contend with they are all a little bit different. These are an approximate guideline, as mentioned, we don’t like to pull racers unless they are very unlikely to make it to the next check point/finish close to the cut-off times.
To help explain the checkpoints (CP) above, the short course and the long run both have a checkpoint at a turn-around point just between Crystal Spring and Niverville. After that, both routes proceed to Crystal Spring and then St. Pierre-Jolys. The short course finishes there and the long run continues on, following the same checkpoints as the mid-distance route from then on. The mid-distance event sees CP1 – St. Pierre-Jolys, CP2 – Niverville, CP3 – Crystal Spring and CP4 – St. Pierre-Jolys (finish). The long distance ride sees all the mid distance checkpoints and then does them again for the second lap.
DNF / Dropping distance and Dropping out
In the event that a participant decides to drop out of the race they MUST notify Race Directors, CheckPoint Volunteers, or Rovers immediately (contact numbers will be provided at the pre-race meeting). We need to know you’ve dropped out to ensure that you’re safe. If we don’t hear from you we’ll be searching the course day and night and eventually calling the authorities for help and your next of kin, so PLEASE let us know if you drop out.
If you make it to the end of a lap and have another lap to go but feel you can’t carry on you can declare at the end of that lap that you’re done and we’ll credit you with having finished the shorter distance event (ie. you won’t receive a DNF). We want to encourage you to reach your goal, but we don’t want to encourage you to push yourself past your limits and put yourself in danger so if you think you shouldn’t carry on past the lap you’ve just completed that’s cool. This also means that if you make it part way through an additional lap but decide to call it quits you’ll be credited with finishing the shorter distance race too, but WE NEED YOU TO INFORM US IMMEDIATELY THAT YOU’RE PULLING OUT so we know that you’re safe and accounted for.
So, basically if you’ve completed at least 1 lap you’ll get credit for having completed the event in some form (and you’ll get a medal), so long as you notify us immediately of your intentions.
Time Credits for helping others / train crossings
If you come across another competitor in any form of distress you’re welcome to help them as needed. When you reach the start/finish area you can tell us how long your assistance took and we’ll credit you that time against your overall race time.
The course has train crossings, though in the over half a dozen rides of the entire course we’ve done so far we’ve never been stopped by a train at any of the crossings, so their traffic appears light. Obviously though it is imperative that you yield to all approaching trains. Please err on the side of caution and stop earlier than you think you may need to. Make note of how much time you waited at a crossing, let us know when you reach the start/finish area, and we’ll credit you with that time against your overall finish time. View waiting for a train as a ‘free’ rest stop.
No external support
No support crews, and no pacing or rides/tows accepted from motorized transport. Spectators may not provide assistance at any time (on course or at checkpoints), participants should plan to be self-sufficient. Spectators may not accompany participants along the course (you can stop at various points to cheer on your racer if you would like to tour the race route during the event but not following along on course for road sections).
Participants are permitted to help each other. This includes riding in small groups, (the buddy system is good way to do the race, especially in the dark and cold), drafting, or providing assistance (e.g. helping to change a flat tire).
As noted above, Race Directors may provide a time credit to a participant who provides assistance to another.
Participants may accept help or emergency support from volunteers/race-officials.
CheckPoint amenities
This year the race has three checkpoint locations, depending on the selected distance you might be visiting all three. They include St.Pierre-Jolys (start/finish/checkpoint), Niverville (checkpoint), Crystal Spring Colony (checkpoint). Each of these spaces will have warm indoor space available with washrooms, water, and likely some sort of staple food. We recommend bringing the food that you need to complete the race, but there will be something available at checkpoints for you.
No littering or caching of supplies
Littering or caching of supplies along the route are not permitted and will result in a disqualification. Leave no trace. You may purchase supplies from businesses along the route when passing through or near small towns.
Mandatory checkpoints
Participants must check in and out of each checkpoint. Our volunteers maintain manual timing sheets so it is important that you announce your number when you arrive and are leaving a checkpoint (please make sure that the volunteers are aware of your arrival/departure from each checkpoint). Each missed checkpoint will result in a minimum 30 minute time penalty and may result in disqualification.
Stay on Course
Participants must complete the race using the route provided. If the participant leaves the race course for any reason (including getting lost), they should re-enter where they left or they may either be disqualified or assessed a time penalty at the discretion of the Race Directors. We don’t like disqualifying participants though and if it’s evident that you didn’t gain an advantage by unintentionally going off course even if you didn’t rejoin at the same place we’ll try to be as lenient as possible.
Sheltering
Indoor space is available at our checkpoint locations this year, although we have required gear for participants that includes carrying a spare wind-proof layer that is intended to be used in an emergency situation where you need to survive for approximately 1h to give us time to reach and rescue you.
Obey all traffic laws / be courteous to others on course
This is an open course with motor vehicles on some sections. Motor vehicles have absolute right of way. Stop at all intersections and obey all traffic rules and signals/signs on all roads, paths, trails, etc. Anyone caught disobeying traffic laws will be disqualified and asked to leave the course. Be courteous to public users on the roads, trails, and paths and yield the right of way whenever necessary. Please always be polite.
Authority of Race Directors, race officials, checkpoint directors, and medics
Participants must obey the direction of Race Directors, CheckPoint Volunteers, Rovers, and Medics at all times. They may delay or pull racers from the course at any point at their discretion.
Failure to obey the direction of Race Directors, CheckPoint Volunteers, Rovers, or Medics is grounds for disqualification and may affect your eligibility to participate in future events.
Weather-related race delay or cancellation
In case of extreme weather conditions, the Race Directors may delay, cancel or modify the race. As a general guideline a sustained effective windchill in excess of -40°C and/or visibility of less than 200m will be grounds for delaying, canceling or modifying the race.
Mandatory gear must be carried at all times
Participants must carry the required gear (see list below) at all times while on the course. Additional gear may be carried, however, participants must finish with all the gear they started with.
Participants may assist each other, however each participant must have their own mandatory gear at all times.
Race Directors reserve the right to check a participant’s gear at any time during the race (including at the start/finish). Compensation for lost time during a random gear check will be made. Any gear-check failures or arrival at finish line without mandatory gear are subject to disqualification or time penalties at the sole discretion of Race Directors.
Lights
Front and rear blinking lights must be active and worn while the participant is on the race course (they can be turned off at checkpoints).
The participant’s main light is required for navigation in the dark.
Dimmed or failed lights are grounds for disqualification.
2024 MANDATORY AND RECOMMENDED GEAR CHART:
(If chart doesn’t load well on your device click here to go directly to GoogleSheets)
Gear Check
We have reduced our required gear for our event, focusing primarily on visibility and survival so it’s easier for us to see that you have all of your mandatory gear, so we don’t need to check your gear in advance of the race. We may however still check your gear any time during the event, at the start line, etc, so be sure to have all of your mandatory gear or you risk disqualification.
Drop Bags
There will be enough space available at HQ for us to keep racer drop bags, so if racers want us to hold on to drop bags with food, dry clothing, etc for you we can do that, and we can retrieve stuff from your bags for you in between laps. There are also lots of close by, free parking spots so you can store stuff in your car if you prefer.
2024 POLICIES
Registration and payment deadline
Participants must register and pay by the posted deadline in order to race in the event. Registrations without payment are not considered complete. Entry into the race after the deadline is at the sole discretion of the Race Directors.
Early bird pricing (prior to January 1, 2024)
Participants must register and pay by the posted early bird deadline in order to qualify for the early bird rate. Early bird registrations without payment are not considered complete and subject to regular pricing.
Non-refundable and not deferrable
Registration fees are non-refundable and not deferrable to subsequent years. Registration fees cannot be refunded if the race is cancelled, delayed, or rescheduled due to hazardous weather.
If you have registered for the race but are unable to participate in the race due to an emergency that causes financial hardship please contact us for for accommodation.
Complimentary Registrations
Complimentary registrations are only valid for the race(s) that they are issued for (i.e., a complimentary registration to Actif Epica for 2024 is not valid in 2025). We will consider a deferral if needed, please reach out to us for that case and we will make the necessary arrangements.
Actif Epica 