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Rules & Regulations:2010 Derby

Registrations have now CLOSED for ALL grades other than the Nippers (born 2003 to 2008 inclusive)

To apply, you must agree to the 'Rules and Regulations' below.

Please read all of this page - there have been changes since last year

Applications closed: 11:59pm Friday 19 February 2010

First in, first served!


Vacancies

Last Updated: Friday 26 February 2010 @ 08:15am ~ 90 drivers registered in 79 trolleys

     Grades   |     Drivers Born       |      Registrations       |      Waiting List      

Nippers   2003 ~ 2008 10 0

Zoomers   1999 ~ 2002 12 0
Sprinters   1995 ~ 1998 18 0
Rockets   1890 ~ 1994 30 0

Monarchs   1890 ~ 1994 42 0

 

If it works, don't fix it

The rules and regulations have been refined over the years with the simple aim of building on what is already "a totally fun event, creating exciting and colourful racing through ingenious developments of the traditional soapbox trolley or billy cart"

Applying the KISS Principle,KISS:
Keep It Simple, Stupid
it didn't take too long to understand that:

  1. trying to marshal 100-odd adrenalin-fuelled derby enthusiasts is about as easy as herding cats
  2. as the entries vary (wildly!) from one year to the next, it is futile trying to seed the heats (so that the faster driver and trolley combinations do not meet in the early rounds)... so now we don't even try!

Drivers in Control

Each grade has a maximum of 24 trolleys in the heats
The drivers are responsible for positioning themselves into the starting grid in the right grade at the right time
Each race has a maximum of 6 trolleys
Simply because the footpaths (and concrete gutters!) in the starting grid are only 8m apart

Grades

The 2010 derby will be essentially the same as in 2008, with the drivers graded according to their year of birth

Any trolley can be registered in the Nippers
drivers born from 2003 to 2008 inclusive
Each trolley can only be registered in one of the following grades;
Zoomers: for drivers born from 1999 to 2002 inclusive
Sprinters: for drivers born from 1995 to 1998 inclusive
Rockets: for drivers born from 1890 to 1994 inclusive
Any trolley (that passes scrutineering) can have a go in the Grudge Races
If you have a sibling or friend who wants to have a go in your trolley, they are welcome to have a run in a the grudge races
Any trolley can be registered in the Bunnings Monarch of the Hill
Open to all drivers born from 1890 to 1994 inclusive
Unlike the above grades, the Monarchs race two at a time after a 10m push start... it pays to have strong and speedy friends!
The Style Meister Awards
Add glamour to your design, create a matching costume and you might take home the Style Meister trophy, awarded for creative trolley and driver combinations that are originalPlease Note
For the 2010 derby, the original clause does NOT apply to trolleys first registered in the 2009 derby, which was 'rained off'
- i.e. the combination has not been entered in a previous derby

Please Note:

In the heats, trolleys race against the clock, with the 12 fastest trolleys in each grade progressing to the semi finals

In each of the semis, its the first three trolleys that go on to the finals

In the finals of each grade, the first three trolleys win gold, silver and bronze

No guarantee of four runs per trolley in the heats

Although the schedule will show four heats, there might be only three heats in each grade

The deciding factors will be:

  • the number of entries
  • how attentive you are listening to the pit crew
  • how quickly you race down the hill - NB crashes can really slow things down for everyone
  • how helpful you are getting your trolley loaded onto the shuttles at the bottom of the hill and off again at the starting grid

If everyone helps out, then four heats per grade is definitely on the cards

Nippers

2007 Nippers Start Line:  Photo - Evan Barnes Nelson Mail
Nippers
Photo - Evan Barnes
Nelson Mail
Hardly any of the 'rules and regulations' apply to the Nippers

Instead, in the spirit of fun, the parents/guardians of the Nippers get to decide - often at the very last moment - how their kids will race

Rather than expecting such young kids to last from 8am til 4pm, their 'derby day' is condensed as much as possible

Please see the schedule for more info

Lots of Rules Fun

nippers braking

Nippers Braking
Louis Rowell Williams
in the Heart of Gold
with Maneka on the brakes
We know that there's a huge difference between a two-year-old and a six-year-old, yet they're all in the same grade...

So... the rules for the Nippers are rather loose - the aim being that everyone involved has a bit of fun

Some Nippers are too young to...

to race all the way from Bronte Street to the finish line at Manuka Street
So... if some of you want your kids to start from just a few metres above the finish line and others want to start higher up - then fine!
to operate brakes
So... you (or a friend) can run behind them holding onto a rope and/or bungee to act as an 'anchor'
to steer
So... (if the trolley is big enough) an older friend can double-up with them

Some Nippers are old enough to...

be very competitive
So... if you do 'bend' the rules, please be prepared to be out of the running for a place in the finals - unless of course everyone is bending the rules!

nippers-some-too-young-to-race-all-the-way

some too young to race all the way

nippers-some-too-young-to-steer

some too young to steer

nippers-some-too-young-to-operate-brakes

some too young to operate brakes

nippers-some-are-very-competitive

some are very competitive

nippers-fun-first-and-rules-second

fun first and rules second

 


Wheels

Three Wheels Trolleys must have a minimum of three wheels.

That's it.

No fine print.

Plain and simple.

No tricks.


Brakes

Nippers

haybale-braking-tim-bayley-2005.jpg
Despite using the best brakes,
some of the faster trolleys
still hit the hay bales
100m beyond the finish line!
Trolleys that are entered ONLY in the Nippers don't need driver-operated brakes - simply because many of them are unlikely to go all that fast!

It is perfectly OK if you run behind your Nipper with a rope and/or bungee cord attached to the trolley

However, if you have built a particularly fast trolley for a Nipper, please DO fit brakes!


All Other Grades

Brakes are definitely required for the Zoomers, Sprinters, Rockets and (of course) the Bunnings Monarchs


Safety Gear

Safety Gear! Helmets

Drivers must wear an approved safety helmet

Cycle helmets are acceptable

Clothing

It could well be a a very hot day, so consider gear that is quick and easy to put on/take off

Skateboard gear (elbow & knee pads etc) would be ideal

We strongly recommend that all drivers wear long trousers, jackets and gloves



Steering

Pivot Point Steering All trolleys are required to have steering systems capable of manœuvring at speed i.e. good enough to swerve out of the way if/when someone crashes!

Rope Steering

Because trolleys with 'old-fashioned' Rope Steering have proven to be dangerous (especially for younger and/or inexperienced drivers)

Rope steering systems will be looked at very closely during scrutineering

Trolleys deemed by the Scrutineers to be unsafe/uncontrollable will not be allowed to take part in the derby

For further information, see the design page


Trolley Numbers

In the lead-up to the 2009 derby, we devised a better system - one that recognises that, with the old 'split grades malarkey' a thing of the past, we no longer need (or want!) to faff about numbering the trolleys.

Instead, it's now first in, first served

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Corporates

101 102 103 104 105 106 107 109 110 111

If you have a preferred number for your trolley, let us know - via the 'Extra Info' section - on the following page


Big, clear numbers

clearly-displayed-trolley-numbers
When two or more trolleys
hurtle across the line together
reading their numbers ain't easy!
To accurately record the results, the crew at the finish line need to see your trolley number

If you have already painted your trolley with a number, be sure to let us know (in the 'Futher Information' section on the next page) and we will do our best to make sure that your number doesn't change

There will be a pile of paper (recycled, of course!), a thick felt pen and some sticky tape at the Start Line Desk first thing in the morning

We strongly recommend that, as a minimum, your number is clearly displayed on the left and rear of your trolley

Numbers that are as big as a 2-litre ice-cream container lid are recommended

If we can't read your number, you will NOT advance to the semis

 


Shuttles

Shuttle Loading Getting the right trolleys up to to the top of the hill in the right order is not a simple task

You can help the loading and unloading of the shuttles and setting up the starting grid by building a narrow, light trolley

Packed Start Line
Maximum Dimensions

Length
300cm
Width
120cm
If your trolley is   w i d e r   than 100cm you may well get stuck in an outside lane (i.e. in the gutter) for every heat
Weight
40kg
If your trolley weighs more than 30kg please have someone to assist in the loading and unloading

Please Remember

The crew on the results desk ask that everyone (newcomers and old-hands alike) reads and complies with the section on numbers

If you are applying for the first time, please read the schedule: Times for Sign In, Scrutineering, the Drivers Meeting, Grudge Racing, Heats, Nippers Meeting, Semi Finals, Finals, Crazy Runs, Bunnings Monarch of the Hill and Prizegiving

Confirmation by Email

If we have not emailed you within 48 hours of you clicking on the submit button on the application page (next), PLEASE assume that we didn't get it and start hassling us NOW, not on derby day

If you're not in, you can't win...

Hopefully it is all fairly straightforward and easy to both understand and follow.

If you have any questions, please ask them now, before applying

Thank you

Registrations have now CLOSED for ALL grades other than the Nippers (born 2003 to 2008 inclusive)

To apply, you must agree to the 'Rules and Regulations' above.

Please read all of this page - there have been changes since last year

Apply via Snail Mail or Fax

If you can't access the online form, you can try loading the Paper Application Form - designed to be printed directly from your browser's File \ Print menu