There have several changes in the rules for the Tour du Teche, the 130-mile ultra marathon set for Sept. 17-19, 2010:

Teams will not be required to have a bank-runner, an official member of the team who proceeds ahead of the boat on land from checkpoint to checkpoint. While this is still a good idea, it does seem to pose an undue  hardship on teams traveling long distances to get here.

Note that teams will still be responsible for their own transportation, but paddlers are used to the tricky logistics of shuttling vehicles, and we believe there will be a good deal of cooperation between teams in this regard.

Teams may stop to eat or buy food and drink anyplace they like. They may bring their own food or stop and eat at those checkpoints where local volunteers are making food available. Tour du Teche runs through towns and cities with some of the best eateries  on the planet, and it has been decided it would be inhumanly cruel to make them off-limits for no good reason.

Finally, teams may resupply themselves with equipment such as PFDs, paddles, flashlights, etc., anywhere along the race course, not just at checkpoints as previously ruled.

We hope these changes will make it easier and more enjoyable for everyone.