The Sun Trip is a unique event. It does not comply with the rules of any federation. The rules of the game are inspired by the Vendée Globe and have been fine-tuned over the course of the editions, thanks to the views of former participants.
Instructions for suntrippers
THE FULL NOTICE OF THE ADVENTURE : here
Information on registration fees : here
THE FULL TECHNICAL REGULATIONS : here
Summary of the main rules below.
Solar bikes
Participants must set off with a solar-powered electric bicycle and recharge their batteries solely with solar energy. For single-person vehicles, the surface area of the cells visible when the vehicle is in motion must be between 0.75 m² minimum and 2.50 m² maximum. If a participant uses another charging mode, he is eliminated from the solar challenge.
No assistance
Like a boat race on the high seas, the adventurers of the Sun Trip are not followed by assistance vehicles. They can ask for help from people they meet and have material sent to them on the course. They are all provided with a safety balise tag, to be permanently geolocated and to give the alert in case of need. As in the Vendée Globe, the organisers can ask a participant to go to the aid of a team in difficulty.
A free route
After the actual departure, there is no more imposed itinerary between the 5 checkpoints! Adventurers decide which countries they will cross and which route they want to follow to the finish! They must leave with the necessary visas in their passports and not go to geographical areas forbidden by the organisation (war zones for example).
5 checkpoints
All participants will have to pass through.
- Stockholm
- Constanta (romania
- Passo stelvio (Italy)
- Pico Veleta (spain)
- Porto
A mid-term possibility
New in 2021: the creation of a route avoiding Spain and Portugal.
Forbidden to drive at night
The precise times will be given in the adventure rules.
Several challenges
As for each edition, several challenges will be proposed to the participants of the SUN TRIP 2021 adventure. These challenges are not obligatory as the SUN TRIP is not a competition.
In 2021: Solar Challenge (for speed), Jury Prize (for versatility), Public Prize (for communication), Best Route Prize (for audacity), Favourite Prize.
More details here : ici
An arbitration committee
In order to ensure the proper application of the rules laid down by the organiser, an Arbitration Committee will be set up. Composed of at least three trustworthy persons from several countries and appointed by the organiser obligatorily before the start, this committee will be responsible for ensuring that all participants have equal and fair opportunities to be heard and listened to in the event of a complaint or dispute.
The General Manager of the Sun Trip Company, the organiser of the event, will act as moderator of the Committee, without the right to vote.
The time limit of the adventure
To be considered as finishing participants of SUN TRIP 2021, participants must have reached the finish within 100 days from the actual departure date of the adventure.
Means of travel in case of emergency
In the event of an emergency (accident, illness, mechanical breakdown, etc.), participants will be asked to inform the organiser as soon as possible of the need to use a means of transport other than their solar-powered vehicle. In the event of a breakdown, damage or health problem, the participant or team using a motorised means of transport to reach a repair or treatment site must imperatively resume their journey from the place where the problem occurred in order to remain eligible for the various challenges.
In the event that the participant is forced by the local authorities to travel, with or without his bicycle, he must also attempt to resume from that location. If this has been prohibited and the bike has been thrown forward, the arbitration committee will decide on the time penalty to be applied according to the circumstances. The penalty must be carried out as soon as it is published.
