Disclosure of Risk
The Hillary Challenge 6hr is a non-profit event organised by Hillary Outdoors Education Centres with the help of experienced outdoor staff and volunteers. Hillary Outdoors plans the event course and coordinates the entries from schools then provides event safety information to the registered teams. It also provides the staff and volunteers with generic hazard management and briefing information and the framework for scoring the challenges. Each Hillary Challenge 6hr event is slightly different in terms of its location and exact format, but the students could be involved in some, or all of the following activities – Orienteering/Rogaining, Kayaking and/or Standup paddling
(where appropriate), Mountain biking and Problem Solving. These activities contain some element of risk. This risk is countered by comprehensive safety plans and by supervising the activities with experienced adults. It is important for safety purposes that students follow instructions given to them in any briefings and are aware of the possible risks. It should also be realised that because of the changeable and unpredictable nature of the outdoors, that the risk can never be reduced to zero. Hazards exist in these activities that may result in serious injury or even death. The types of hazards include: slippery conditions, uneven ground, heights, cold and changeable weather, high winds, hypothermia, hyperthermia, sunstroke/sunburn, dehydration, water, moving at speed e.g. when cycling and vehicle travel (to/from and around the event).