Selections for "Expedition-Trophy 2008" ended on November 17th, 2007.

Selection rounds for "Expedition-Trophy 2008" are a one day competition, in which from 30 to 60 previously selected applicants participate. The organizers select applicants from all the volunteers, who have completed application forms in "Expedition" stores.

The purpose of Selection rounds is to help the "Merchants" (mostly veterans of Expedition-Trophy 2005\2006) to gather a TEAM for participation in the Race 2008. The main aim of Applicants is to reveal their best qualities in the course of the competition and to convince the Merchant that they will be the most valuable members for the team in "Expedition-Trophy 2008". Each team, gathered at a Selection, consists of five or six people (apart from the Merchant) and should include at least one woman and only one Veteran of the previous Trophies.

In case the Selection round is successfully passed, the team organized by the Merchant gains the right to participate in "Expedition-Trophy 2008" without paying any entrance fee.

Competitive program of a Selection round consists of up to 15 stages that are situated in different sections of the Selection area and differ in difficulty and character. All the tasks are aimed to check not so much applicants' physical form as their psychological readiness to participate in a not at all easy two-week competition, which truly is "the race of people, not vehicles". That is why a special accent is laid upon revealing applicants' ability to work in a team — to organize teamwork, distribute roles within a team, solve problems quickly and correctly in stressing circumstances.

The formation of teams takes place after the competitive part of Selections is over. The participants give their ID cards to the Merchant whose team they would like to join. From these the Merchant chooses six people, most appealing to him and who will make up his team. According to the Rules, only three fully-completed teams should pass each of Selection rounds.

In case more than three teams get formed up during a Selection round, additional voting sets the winners. Voting authority belongs to the Organizers of the Selections, instructors on the tasks, representatives of the accredited Mass Media and the guests of honor invited to the Selections.

In order to become participant of the Selections and gain a right to participate in the Race without paying the entrance fee, one should fill a special form in any of the "Expedition" stores and give it to the store's employee. You will find detailed information upon the subject in "Participation" section.