30/04/2023 – League 4, SWOA League and YBTS heat – Newent Woods

Gently undulating and mainly runnable varied woodland below iconic May Hill. A different part of Newent Woods from that used last year for our May Day on May Hill event.

Brand new, 1:10,000 scale, 5m contours. 

Based upon Lidar, surveyed and cartography by Greg Best, early 2022 and updated 2023 for this event.

To aid clarity, the Brown course will be printed in two parts on a double-sided map, which should be turned over at the appropriate control.

The start is 400m from the registration tent on the track opposite the parking entrance, but depending upon where along the track you park, additional distance will be required. 

The finish is a similar distance from the registration tent. You may warm-up in the registration area before the start. 

From pre-start / first start box, the start lanes split into two with Brown, Yellow and White using the East (Left) start and all other courses using the South (Right) start. Ensure that you check the layout plan at prestart to ensure that you get into the correct lane. There is a normal queueing start, and you can move into the first box where Clear and Check are located when a slot becomes available.

YBTS runners, although entered in YBTS classes, will nevertheless run the same Green, Light Green, Orange and Yellow courses as non-YBTS runners, so they should queue with everyone else in the appropriate lane for their course. Note that it is up to YBTS team managers to ensure the YBTS minimum start separation between runners in their team.

Touch Free punching is enabled, but all runners must punch both Start and Finish.

Course details subject to final controlling.

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

In order to minimise demands on scarce volunteer resources we operate a 2 hour 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 10:30 and the published 11:00 start time, so aim to be there soon after 10:30. 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.

Owing to the short day we will also start taking in controls as soon as courses close, so again, if you feel you may be out some time, come early.

Entry Details

Non-YBTS runners should enter the colour coded course which best suits their preference for NGOC or SWOA league points. In most cases the NGOC and SW league courses match and you can earn points in both competitions. However, if you run Light Green you will only earn points in the SW league, and not the NGOC league (though all qualifying runners can earn BO ranking points).

YBTS competitors must enter the YBTS class for the course they will run in the YBTS competition. So as well as the normal colour classes, there are in Fabian4 YBTS Green, Light Green, Orange and Yellow classes, and all YBTS runners must be entered in one of these four classes.

Starts: 11:00 - 13:00
Courses close: 14:30, meaning that you must report to download before 14:45, or risk disqualification.

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

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

Enter via Fabian4.co.uk by midnight on Thursday 27th April.

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 day or so before the event, so you can delay entry if unsure whether you can run, until very close to event day.

Permitted on leads in the car park and assembly and under close control on courses.

The NGOC cafe will be present, together with toilets, in the assembly area.

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

In the event of adverse weather, you may be required to carry a waterproof.

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

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

There are no actual road crossing on the course although there is one marshalled road to be crossed from car parking to registration / start, but competitors are forbidden from running along any of the adjacent public roads which will be marked on the map with crosses.

Both the Yellow and Orange courses will use the access track and small parking area for a ‘glamping site’ for a very small section – there may be slow moving vehicles – PLEASE TAKE CARE. Runners on other courses may also encounter vehicles using this access track in the SE part of the area.

A landslip has occurred in one place creating a very steep drop which will be mapped with the impassable crag symbol and will be taped with yellow and black tape on the day.

Living with COVID

As from 24 February 2022:

• You are not legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19. You should, however, stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people.
• You do not have to take daily tests, nor are you legally required to self-isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Nevertheless, although all legal restrictions have ceased, you should NOT attend if you are Covid positive, or suspect you are, and everyone attending should continue taking sensible precautions, such as avoiding close contact, particularly around the Start, Finish, and Assembly.