Saturday 07/09/2024 – 2024 Chairman’s Challenge – Nottingham Nooks ‘N Knolls

Very much an area of two halves - the top half very runnable gently sloping short grass with scattered trees and as the name suggests plenty of small contour features; the lower half 'wilded' grassland, steeper and much more naturalised (aka long!) grass and undergrowth but with a network of small paths, and contour features somewhat less distinct thanks to the seasonal vegetation. Full leg cover and studded footwear are highly recommended.

1:1,500, 1.5m contours, printed on waterproof paper. Part of the map was drawn by Tom Cochrane during Lockdown, to provide something for people to do. It has since been extended and updated for this event by Greg Best.

There is one fence crossing which can be negotiated reasonably easily by stepping over (or sneaking under) a single strand of non-barbed wire and then squeezing between a wall corner and the end of the main fence.

There will be no control descriptions, and no control codes on the map. Competitors run to the dot in the middle of the control circle. Mis-punches receive a time penalty rather than disqualification.

The Start is about 150m away, in the parking and assembly field. There will be punching starts with no start times allocated. Once you have finished your first course, downloaded and recovered (or at least caught your breath), please return to the start to complete your next course and so on until you have completed all three courses. Don’t forget to download between courses! The Finish is remote, located about 200m from assembly. Follow the taped route back to Assembly.

Everyone will run the same three short (approx 1km) courses, in any order. As mentioned above, there are no control descriptions, and no control codes on the map. Mispunches incur a time penalty rather than disqualification, and your result is the aggregate of all three run times plus any penalties picked up en route! Note that this event will not meet rule 19.4 of IOF standards for control separation, as controls will be as close as 10m from each other, very occasionally on similar features. Course leg lengths may be as short as 20m. Accurate navigation will be helpful!

We will use SI Timing, in contact mode only. All runners must punch all controls.

Entry Details

There is one entry class - The Challenge.

Starts: 11:00 - 13:00, which should allow ample time to complete all three courses.
Courses close: 14:00, meaning that you must report to download before 14:15, or risk disqualification.

SI dibber hire: Standard dibber £1 Adults, Juniors free

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

You can order meal tickets at £5/ticket when you enter; under 12s eat free, but please remember to register them for meals, if applicable, so that we can calculate numbers. You'll take a chance on food being available if entering on the day.

Entries are now open, and will close at midnight on Wednesday 4th September.

Entry on the day is possible only while maps last, but note the premium price to discourage this. We should by then be able to accept credit/debit card payments, but this is not guaranteed so bring cash just in case.

A helper discount is available for those offering to help on the day. These events don't happen without volunteers willing to help out on the day, so if you are able to do so, before signing up to enter, email Ian Prowse, Volunteer Coordinator, to let us know if you can help, and ask for the helper discount code that you can apply when entering. You don't have to be a NGOC member to help, but you do need to be a BOF member to be covered insurance wise.

As the Government has removed all restrictions on events and activities, COVID related refunds are no longer available. The standard Fabian4 terms and conditions offer an automatic refund up to 2 months before the event date, and we do not normally vary this specification. That means that in most cases no refunds are possible, as we do not publish details until less than 2 months before the date of the event.

However, for all except large events we hold entries open until only a few days before the event, so you can delay entry if unsure whether you can run, until very close to event day.

Dogs are permitted under control on courses and in the parking field.

A toilet will be available in the parking field, subject to confirmation.

Competitors take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for terrain and weather.

The area is steep in places, so care and grippy shoes are required.

A risk assessment has been carried out and will be available to view at assembly.

A First Aid kit will be available at Assembly, together with qualified first aiders.