1. Adventure sport events include any outdoor event in which the participants are engaged in organised adventurous activities where there is an acceptance of risk by both the organiser and participant. Examples include mountain, fell and trail running, mountain biking, orienteering, obstacle course racing, canoe/kayaking and multi-sport events, such as adventure racing.
2. An activity closely supervised by an instructor or guide is not considered an Adventure sport events.
3. Whilst not a focus of this chapter, sports events that take place in remote or austere environments can quickly shift in character and become Adventure sport events.
4. In the last decade there has been significant growth in the number and diversity of Adventure sport events being organised that involve high consequence activity, terrain and situations as well as in the number of participants willing to subject themselves to physically demanding activities which involve inherent risk.
5. Adventure sport events are usually ‘small’, with anything between dozens to a few thousand participants, but they often have unusual and or complex health and safety risks not typically found at mainstream events and festivals. Additionally, they often take place in remote or even austere environments.
5. Most adventure sport events tend to be held ‘under the radar’ of formal licensing and Safety Advisory Groups because of their relatively small size. Additionally, many of these events are not answerable to a governing body or subject to mandated standards but may have the scope of their activities limited by insurance restrictions.
6. Adventure sport events are usually organised by clubs, the charity sector and commercial operators, and there is a wide range of organisational competency from both the professional and amateur organisers. Consequently, there is great variation in standards which results in participants occasionally being exposed to unnecessary and avoidable risk, damage to the natural environment and unacceptable disruption for rural communities.
7. As these events involve risk, it is not acceptable to take the view that, “because we are only a small event”, the event should be exempt from rules, regulations and accepted good practice.
8. A commercial adventure sport event providing activities for young people (anyone aged under 18) may be required by law to hold an Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) licence. However, many adventure sport events have a minimum age limit of 18 and, therefore, are not covered by the AALA rules.
9. Adventure sport events organised by voluntary associations, and those in which under 18-year-old participants are accompanied by a supervising parent or legally appointed guardian, are also likely to be exempt from the AALA regulations.
10. The full scope of the AALA scheme is outside the remit of the Purple Guide and organisers are advised to consult the detailed information on the Health and Safety Executive website. See https://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/