FEI Marathon Penalty Calculator
Log obstacle times, calculate time faults and HAZ penalties in real time, and produce printable roadmaps for drivers, coaches, and officials.
What Is the FEI Combined Driving Marathon Phase?
The marathon phase is the cross-country element of FEI Combined Driving, typically run on Saturday. Drivers complete a course divided into sections — a warm-up Section A and a timed Section B — that includes a series of numbered hazard obstacles (HAZ). Each hazard contains lettered gates (A, B, C and beyond) that must be navigated in the correct sequence. Time faults, obstacle penalties, and navigational errors all contribute to the competitor's score, making the marathon the phase with the highest potential for score variation.
Time Allowed, Time Limit, and Obstacle Timing
Section B has a prescribed Time Allowed calculated from the section distance and class speed. Competitors who finish Section B within the Time Allowed receive no time faults; those who exceed it receive 0.25 penalty points for each second over the Time Allowed. The Time Limit (typically double the Time Allowed) triggers elimination if exceeded. Each hazard obstacle also has its own maximum time — under FEI 2026 rules, 5 minutes per obstacle; exceeding it results in elimination. Easy Marathon tracks all three time boundaries simultaneously so nothing is missed.
How the Marathon Penalty System Works
Obstacle penalties in the marathon are known as HAZ penalties. Each second over the obstacle time target accrues 0.25 penalty points. Additional fixed penalties apply for specific incidents: prevention of a fall (10 pts), a groom dismounting (5 pts), route corrections inside the obstacle (20 pts), and others defined in the FEI Driving Rules. Easy Marathon calculates the time-based component automatically and lets officials record fixed-penalty incidents against the correct obstacle.
Sections A and B of the Marathon
A modern FEI marathon is driven in two parts. Section A is a longer transfer at a controlled speed with no hazard obstacles, used to bring the horses to the timed work; finishing outside its own time window carries penalties. Between the sections there is a compulsory halt with a veterinary check, where horses must present within acceptable recovery limits before continuing. Section B is the decisive part — a shorter, faster section containing all the numbered hazard obstacles, where most of the phase's score is won or lost. Knowing which time boundaries apply to which section is essential for pacing, and Easy Marathon keeps each section's Time Allowed, Time Limit, and per-obstacle clocks separate so nothing gets confused on course.
Marathon Phase Glossary
Key terms used in the FEI Combined Driving marathon phase and throughout Easy Marathon.
- Hazard obstacle (HAZ)
- A numbered obstacle in Section B, built from natural or artificial features, containing lettered gates that must be driven in sequence within a time limit.
- Gate (A, B, C…)
- A lettered passage inside a hazard obstacle. Gates must be taken in alphabetical order; taking them out of sequence adds penalties or causes elimination.
- Section A
- The transfer section driven at a controlled speed with no obstacles, bringing the horses to the start of the timed work.
- Section B
- The shorter, faster timed section that contains all the hazard obstacles, where the bulk of the marathon score is decided.
- Time Allowed
- The target completion time for a section, calculated from its distance and the prescribed class speed. Finishing within it incurs no time faults.
- Time Limit
- Usually twice the Time Allowed; exceeding it results in elimination from the phase.
- Obstacle time limit
- The maximum time permitted inside a single hazard — 5 minutes per obstacle under FEI 2026 rules. Exceeding it results in elimination.
- HAZ penalty
- The obstacle penalty: 0.25 penalty points for each second over the obstacle time target, plus any fixed-value incident penalties.
- Groom
- The crew member(s) required on the carriage during the marathon, who help balance the vehicle and may dismount to assist — with penalties for certain actions.
- Compulsory turning point
- A marked flag on course that must be passed on the correct side; missing it is a navigational error that adds penalties or causes elimination.
Frequently Asked Questions — Marathon Phase
What counts as a HAZ penalty in the marathon?
HAZ penalties apply inside each numbered hazard obstacle. Time penalties accrue at 0.25 points for each second over the obstacle time target. Fixed-value penalties — for incidents such as prevention of a fall, a groom leaving the vehicle, route corrections, or a trace touching a leg — are defined in the FEI Driving Rules and are added separately to the time-based component.
What is the difference between Time Allowed and Time Limit in the marathon?
The Time Allowed is the target completion time for Section B, calculated from the distance and prescribed class speed. Finishing within the Time Allowed incurs no time faults. The Time Limit is typically twice the Time Allowed; exceeding it results in elimination. The obstacle time limit (5 minutes per HAZ under FEI 2026 rules) is a separate, per-obstacle boundary that also triggers elimination if exceeded.
Can I use Easy Marathon during competition day?
Yes — that is exactly what it is built for. Easy Marathon recalculates penalties as you enter times, works fully offline, and the screen layout is designed for use at the obstacle or in the timing booth rather than at a desk. Sessions are saved automatically so a phone restart or signal loss does not lose your data.
How long can you spend in a marathon obstacle?
Under FEI 2026 rules the maximum time inside a single hazard obstacle is 5 minutes. Exceeding it results in elimination, so watching the per-obstacle clock matters as much as the section time. Easy Marathon tracks each obstacle's elapsed time alongside the section Time Allowed and Time Limit.
What is the role of the groom in the marathon phase?
Grooms ride on the carriage during the marathon to help balance the vehicle through the hazards, and may dismount to assist in specific situations. Some actions carry fixed penalties — for example a groom dismounting, or preventing a fall — which are recorded per obstacle. Easy Marathon lets officials log these fixed-penalty incidents against the correct hazard.
How is the marathon Time Allowed calculated?
Each section's Time Allowed is its distance divided by the prescribed class speed for the competition level. Finishing within the Time Allowed incurs no time faults; every second over adds 0.25 penalty points, and exceeding the Time Limit (usually double the Time Allowed) causes elimination. Enter your distance and speed and Easy Marathon computes all three boundaries for you.
FEI Marathon Penalty Calculator
Log obstacle times, calculate time faults and HAZ penalties in real time, and produce printable roadmaps for drivers, coaches, and officials.
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