What is hunt start?

A chase start is a type of start used on the final stage of a stage race to determine the overall winner. It ensures that the first runner to finish on the final stage is the overall winner of the entire race.

How does it work?

• Stage course. The race consists of five stages. The time from the first four stages is added together for each participant to find their overall position and time difference.

• Age categories. Participants are divided into different age groups.

• Start of the final stage

  • First start. The leading participant in each age category starts at exactly 10:00.

  • Chase start. After this, the other competitors in each age group start with a time interval that corresponds to their accumulated time difference to the leader in their class after the first four stages.

    • Example: If a competitor is 2 minutes and 30 seconds behind the leader in their age group, they start at 10:02:30.

  • Last start. Participants who are more than 30 minutes behind the leader in their age group (based on the overall times after the four stages) will start together at 10:30. They are thus out of the direct "hunt" for the overall victory, but can still compete for the stage win of the day.

• First across the finish line wins. Due to this staggered start, the competitor who crosses the finish line first on the final stage is the overall winner of the entire race within their age category.

• Objective. Jagtstart creates an exciting and easy-to-understand final race where the runners compete directly against each other for the overall victory, without the need for further time calculation after the finish. Whoever finishes first on the 5th stage, in each age group, has won the Kongernes 5-Days, regardless of when you start on the last stage. 

Further example:

Runner 1 uses the following times on the first four stages: 

E1: 10 minutes

E2: 40 minutes

E3: 40 minutes

E4: 30 minutes

Total time: 120 minutes

Runner 2 uses the following times on the first four stages: 

E1: 11 minutes

E2: 41 minutes

E3: 41 minutes

E4: 31 minutes

Total time: 124 minutes

In this example, runner 2 starts out 4 minutes after runner 1 on the last stage.

How does the hunt start work?

• When do I start?

  • If you are among the fastest 30 minutes after the leader in your class, you get a very specific start time - down to the second! You can find your exact start time on the start list.

  • If you're more than 30 minutes behind the leader, you start at exactly 10:30. It's a normal start, just like the other stages.

• How do I start?

  • There is one long queue, called a lock

  • Important, enter the lock 10 minutes before your own start time.

  • When standing in the lock, it is important that you stand in the right order. Check with the person in front and behind that you are standing correctly in relation to them. The crew will also check that everyone is standing as they should.

  • There will be a start clock so you can see what time it is and track your own start time.

  • When it's your turn, a crew member will put a hand on your shoulder. At the exact second you're about to start, they'll release you. Then it's off you go!

• Your responsibility:

  • It's your responsibility to be ready and at the gate on time. Make a plan so you won't be late for your start.

Remember: The purpose of the chase start is that the first person to cross the finish line wins the entire race!