Saturday 28/09/2024 – 2024 League 9 – Mallards Pike

Largely runnable broadleaf and conifer woodland. The area is largely flat with an intricate network of drainage ditches and some earth features which are a remnant of mining activity.

Bracken is widespread throughout the forest at this time of year. The worst areas of summer vegetation, mainly bracken, are highlighted with green stripes. This tends to be particularly fierce in the open areas and on the verges of forest tracks, but courses have been designed to avoid these where possible.

1:10,000, 5m contours, printed on waterproof paper, with control descriptions on the map. All maps will be A4.

Control descriptions will be text for Yellow, pictorial for all other courses, except Orange which will have both. Loose control descriptions will be available in the start lanes.

The map was totally refreshed for last year's Caddihoe event by Greg Best and has been selectively updated for this event.

Note that JIRCS rules stipulate that all maps must be collected in at the finish for this pre-event. You will be asked to write your name and club on the map after downloading before handing it in. Maps will be available for collection after the last JIRCS runner has started at 3pm. Alternatively, maps will be available for collection at the next couple of NGOC League events. We apologise for this inconvenience, but at least Routegadget will allow you to look at the map afterwards.

Start and Finish are adjacent to Assembly.

The String course will be close to Assembly.

Provisional course details

Course details subject to final controlling. Course distances are straight line.

We will use SI Timing, in contact and touch free modes. All runners must however punch the Start and Finish controls.

You MUST go to Download even if you do not complete your course – we need to confirm that you are back safely!

Whistles must be carried by juniors running on their own and are highly recommended for all competitors. If you hear a distress whistle, please go to assist.

There is a String Course for young children and this will be located close to Assembly.

In order to minimise demands on scarce volunteer resources we operate a 90 minute start window for this event, and we recognise that this can be a challenge for parents seeking split starts. We are happy to accommodate split starts provided:

• You let us know in advance that you need a split start. Do this by emailing the organiser, address in the introduction above
• You come early; the start team will normally be ready to allow very early starts sometime between 9:00 and the published 9:30 start time, so aim to be there soon after 9:00. We do not offer starts later than the published end of the start window.
• The shorter course runner goes first. We will not turn you away if you can't manage this, but it gives you both a better chance of beating the course closure time.

Entry Details

You should enter the course appropriate to your involvement in the NGOC league, if relevant, or whichever course you choose otherwise.

Please note the earlier than usual start window.

Starts: 09:15 - 10:45
Courses close: 12:45, meaning that you must report to download before 12:55, or risk disqualification.

Note that there is a Parkrun at Mallards Pike that begins at 9am. They congregate on the route to our arena and then run past the arena entrance (about 150m after their start line). We need to wait until they have started and cleared the area before we can open starts. It is advisable to avoid approaching our Arena between about 8.55 and 9.05, so you don't get in their way. If you do arrive there around that time, please wait until the Parkrun has begun before proceeding to the arena.

Make sure you start early enough to give yourself enough time, as anybody finishing after course closing will be disqualified. The JIRCS rules are very strict that everybody must be out of the forest by the time they start at 13.00.

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

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

Entries will open soon, and will close at midnight on Wednesday 25th September.

Entry on the day is possible only while maps last, but note the premium price to discourage this. We should 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 day or so 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 at Assembly.

The Arena will have plenty of space and there will be a tent for leaving bags and clothing while you run (at your own risk). The NGOC cafe tent is likely to be present. After your run, you may stay to watch the JIRCs race when the assembly will offer good viewing of the spectator control and the run-in to the finish. This starts at 1pm.

There are public toilets and a cafe at Mallards Pike, which is 600m from assembly. This will be signposted from the walk between parking and assembly and involves a detour of 200m each way from that point.

Competitors take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety. Whistles compulsory for Juniors and strongly advised for all. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for terrain and weather.

There are wild boar in the forest. They generally avoid people but it is advisable to keep a safe distance from them.

Orienteering is an adventure sport. All runners take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

Some competitors could pass close to zip-wires associated with Go Ape. These are marked on the map as Out of Bounds. Yellow and black hazard tape will be positioned close to the landing zone of one zip-wire, and this tape shall not be crossed; the tape is shown as a solid purple line on competition maps.

Competitors on all courses are likely to encounter fences of varying height and condition. When crossing ruined fences, competitors must be particularly mindful of single strands of wire at either at foot (tripping hazard) or chest height. The Planner is unaware of any barbed wire in the forest.

There are some timber stacks, particularly along the parking track. These are potentially very dangerous and MUST not be climbed on.

The Forest of Dean is popular with walkers, runners, dog owners and mountain bikers. Please be courteous and respect their right to a safe and peaceful day.

A risk assessment has been completed, and a copy will be held at Enquiries in case competitors wish to consult it before their run.

A first aid kit and trained first aiders will be available at Enquiries.