III. Round and Long Distance Walks
A. Introduction
Round and Long Distance Walks (RLDW) can only be held under strict adherence to the IVV Statutes and Bylaws. The following regulations must be observed:
B. General Principles
1. RLDW may only be established and run by member clubs of National Volkssport Federations or single member clubs in the IVV.
A sanction will be given after careful checking of all necessary conditions by the Presidium in charge.
2. The organizer must have liability insurance against third party claims.
3. For all RLDW the IVV Rules are obligatory.
C. Special Regulations
1. The layout of the walking program must be clear, containing exact route sketches and road systems.
The program must show the IVV logo, the sanction number of the Presidium in charge and must bear the remark: "This event is valid for achievement of the International Volkssport Award".
2. Necessary control measures must be established to guarantee the correct completion of the RLDW and the honest gain of the IVV stamp:
a) A sufficient number of unchangeable checkpoints marked in the route sketches must be established and manned by reliable IVV officials.
b) Additional unknown and variable checkpoints with code words or numbers (stamps) must be established. The code words and numbers must be changed at least twice a year at unknown and unequal intervals.
3. The unvariable checkpoints must be established at reasonable intervals in restaurants or chalets and must be clearly marked with signs. Food and lodging must be available.
During holidays or closing times of the invariable checkpoints, additional checkpoints must be offered and shown in the walking program.
4. The RLDW can be started and finished at any invariable checkpoint. In case of walk interruption, the last control stamp must appear twice.
5. The control stamps of the invariable checkpoints are only valid when they show date, time, and signature of the responsible IVV official.
6. The distances stated in the program must be accurate. The total distance must not be shorter than 80 km.
Exceptions must be approved by the Presidium in charge.
The organizer is obliged to permanently control the route markings and to replace them as necessary.
7. After completion of the RLDW, the participant will receive the IVV stamp at the exact place stated in the walking program. The stamp may only be given by reliable IVV officials. Substitutes must be available.
D. Bestowal of IVV stamps
1. The reliable IVV official who is responsible for bestowal of the IVV stamp must carefully check whether the RLDW has been properly completed. This must be proved by control stamps (date, time and signature) in the walking program.
2. The IVV stamp may only be given when
a) the participant personally presents the completed walking program and his IVV record book or he mails them to the IVV, and
b) the names on the walking program and IVV record book are identical.
3. In case a participant does not finish the RLDW, his already completed and IVV stamp-confirmed kilometers will be listed in his IVV record book for distance.
4. Validation must be given only with the IVV stamp showing a "W" before the given number.
The IVV stamp must be changed every year.
5. The walking program must be validated with a special stamp "IVV stamp given" to excluding duplicate credit.
6. For IVV record books, participants are given:
a) one event stamp for each 40 km completed will be placed in the IVV record book for events, and
b) the distance record for the actually completed kilometers will be placed in the IVV record book for distance
7. The IVV checkpoints on every RLDW ( see C,7) must have a stock IVV record books for sale to participants.
8. The Volkssport award provided for completion of a RLDW may only and without exception be given to those participants who actually complete the entire RLDW. The following award gradations are possible:
a) bronze for walking the RLDW once
b) silver for walking it twice
c) gold for walking it several times
d) an additional patch may be offered.