Didcot Urban Race 2014

Transcription

1 Thames Valley Orienteering Club Didcot Urban Race 2014 UK Urban League, Southern England Urban League & British Orienteering Rankings Monday 25 th August 2014 Key Points Race HQ at Willowbrook Leisure Centre, OX11 7AF Didcot Parkway rail station is 1km walk/cycle from Race HQ Car parking adjacent to Race HQ follow signs for Didcot Town FC 1 per vehicle parking fee Entry available on race day, subject to map availability Start 600m from Race HQ, Finish 400m from Race HQ, crossing a road in each direction EMIT electronic timing Shorts and sleeveless tops permitted No water or drinks provided All courses except Course H and the String Course cross roads which will not be closed for the race competitors must give way to other pedestrians and vehicles at all times RACE HQ Race HQ is at Willowbrook Leisure Centre, Bowmont Water, Didcot, OX11 7AF (Ordnance Survey grid reference SU525909). TRANSPORT AND PARKING Didcot Parkway rail station is 1km level walk from Race HQ, and is served by direct trains from London Paddington, Reading, Oxford and the West Country. The route from Didcot Parkway to Race HQ is along a dual-use pedestrian and cycle path. On leaving the station, turn left and head east for about 300m. At the traffic lights, turn left (north) under the railway bridge. Having passed under the railway, turn immediately left (north-west) onto a path parallel with the railway, signed Leisure Centre. Follow the path round the edge of parkland for about 450m before turning right (north-east) at a path junction, again signed Leisure Centre. The entrance to the leisure centre is 150m along this path on the right. If you are driving, please approach from the A4130 bypass on the northern edge of Didcot and follow signs to Didcot Town FC. It is not possible to access the area by car from the south. There will be a 1 per vehicle parking fee please have correct change ready. 1 of 5

2 RACE HQ FACILITIES Race HQ will be open from 10.00, and will be based in a meeting room at the NE corner of the leisure centre building, with direct access from the car park, and not via the main public entrance at the NW corner. Please do not enter the Leisure Centre with muddy/wet shoes. Facilities include: Race entry EMIT electronic timing chip collection Results display Bag storage (unsupervised and at your own risk) Toilets First aid Ultrasport, an orienteering clothing and equipment trader, will be based in the car park adjacent to Race HQ. FOOD & DRINK No water or drinks will be provided. The leisure centre has a small café which should be open, although this may only be able to provide drinks. Alternatively, there is small shopping complex 450m from Race HQ (and close to the Start) which includes a Co-op food store and the Ladygrove pub, which will be serving food all day. RACE ENTRY Entry will be available on the day of the race, subject to map availability. Entry will be open at Race HQ from to 12.00, with start times from to Entry Fees Aged 21 and over (British Orienteering members) Aged 21 and over (unaffiliated) Aged under 21 + full-time students Timing chip rental fee 1.50 String Course FREE START TIMES Competitors who have entered in advance will be allocated to a 20-minute start block. You may start at any time within your allocated block. The start of your allocated 20-minute block is shown at 2 of 5

3 COURSE DETAILS Course Straight-line distance Height gain Map size Men Urban League Classes Women A 6.9km 0m A3 Open B 6.1km 0m A3 Age 40+ Open C 4.8km 0m A3 Age 55+ Age 40+ D 4.1km 0m A3 Age 65+ Age 55+ E 3.2km 0m A3 Age 65+ F 2.9km 12m A4 Age under 16 Age under 16 G 1.3km 12m A4 Age under 12 Age under 12 H 0.9km 12m A4 Junior beginners String 0.5km 7m A4 Toddlers and above Please note: Competitors can expect to run approximately 50% farther than the quoted straight-line distance. If you are aged 16 or over on the day of the event you can enter any course. However, competitors wishing to score points in the UK Urban League or Southern England Urban League must enter the appropriate course for their class. If you are aged under 16 on the day of the race you can enter Courses F, G, H and String: o String Course: follow the string all the way. No roads are crossed. o Course H: controls are close together, and streamers will be used to help guide competitors around the course. No roads are crossed. o Course G: controls are further apart than on H, so more map reading is needed. Minor roads are crossed. o Course F: reliable map reading is needed. Minor roads are crossed. TIMING The EMIT electronic timing system will be used. Competitors renting a timing chip should collect these from Race HQ before going to the Start. Rented timing chips must be returned to Race HQ once you have completed your race or retired there will be a 45 charge for any chips not returned. START The Start is 600m from the event centre. The route will be well signed and will go via the Finish. The route crosses one of the larger estate roads. You will enter the Start system 4 minutes before you start your race. Loose control description sheets will be available 3 minutes before you start, and blank maps will be displayed 2 minutes before. FINISH The Finish will be about 400m from Race HQ, on the way to/from the Start. Once you have finished your run, follow the signed route back to Race HQ to download your timing chip. The route crosses one of the larger estate roads. Everyone must return to Race HQ and download their timing chip no later than 14.00, whether they finish the course or retire before the end, so we know they are back safely. 3 of 5

4 CONTROL POINTS Control points will be marked on the ground with a standard orange and white orienteering kite. You must record your visit to each control by placing your timing chip in the timing unit located at each point. An example control point will be set up at Race HQ please ask if you are unsure! Some controls are attached to lamp posts or fences, and in one case a street name sign. CONTROL DESCRIPTIONS Descriptions of the features on which the control points are located will be printed on the map, and loose descriptions will be available in the start lanes for you to take with you. For Courses G and H the descriptions available in the start lanes will be text. For all other courses, the descriptions will use the standard IOF symbols see MAP The map scale is 1:5000 with 2.5m contour interval, and maps will be printed using waterproof paper. A previous version of the map is available at The map uses standard ISSOM 2007 symbols. There will be a legend on the map, but please familiarise yourself with the symbols in advance at Low crash-barrier fences alongside the major road are not marked on the map. Special symbols used are: FORBIDDEN AREAS & UNCROSSABLE FEATURES Features and areas mapped using the following features must not be crossed or entered by competitors: 4 of 5

5 Any competitor seen entering a forbidden area or crossing/attempting to cross an uncrossable feature will be disqualified. These rules are necessary to ensure we are able to use the estate again for future events. There will be two forbidden areas marked using the purple stripe out of bounds symbol near to the Start and Finish. These two areas are only forbidden during the race, and may be entered after completing the race, or if you decide to retire back to Race HQ without finishing. SAFETY Please remember that you do not have right of way anywhere! You will encounter traffic on the roads, and may meet cyclists, runners, walkers, or even horse-riders on the paths. All courses except Course H and the String Course cross roads which will not be closed for the race competitors must give way to other pedestrians and vehicles at all times. Some of the control points are in parking areas take care not to bump into or scratch any parked cars. The stream on the map must not be crossed except via one of the bridges. CLOTHING Shorts and running vests are permitted. More than 95% of the courses will be on tarmac or other hard surfaces, so shoes with metal spikes or dobs will not be suitable. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to Didcot Town Council for access to the area the residents of the Ladygrove Estate for accommodating us Willowbrook Leisure Centre for hosting Race HQ and for the use of their facilities Didcot Town Football Club for use of their car park RACE OFFICIALS Race Organiser Anne Edwards TVOC anneedwards23@gmail.com Course Planner Carol Edwards TVOC Controller Geoff Ellis RAFO 5 of 5