Updated:

08/07/2022 – Summer Relay – Chestnuts Hill

08/07/2022 – Summer Relay – Chestnuts Hill
Updated:
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Our Summer 2 x 2 Relay is in the Forest of Dean this year, using Chestnuts Hill, which is part of the Lightning Tree Hill map. Chestnuts is a single almost wholly wooded summit, very largely hardwood and runnable, though bracken is developing, and dominates the open areas. If you came to our 2022 New Year's Day race you will know the area!

Please note that the reference to a buffet was incorrect; there is no buffet this year, but the NGOC cafe will be present, and there is pleanty of spce for a picnic while watching the runners come through the changeover.

Entries are now open at:

Enter Online

Officials

Organiser/Planner: Pat Macleod, NGOC. Queries? Email: Pat Macleod

Biosecurity

Biosecurity is of great concern to the Forestry Commission in the Forest of Dean, in this area in particular the problem being Chronic Oak Decline disease. British Orienteering has issued the following advice to all clubs on the biosecurity measures that should be taken by all orienteers (i.e. Planners, Controllers and control hangers, as well as competitors) when holding or participating in an area suspected to contain any bio-threat. This includes all of the competition area, so please do what you can to comply with these instructions.

  • Thoroughly wash all footwear before leaving the area, ensuring that all mud, soil and leaf litter is removed.
  • On returning home, rinse all boots and shoes in a chlorine based cleaner or garden fungicide and allow them to dry thoroughly. N.B. please read the manufacturer's label and follow their instructions on use and disposal of the product.
  • Thoroughly wash and dry all kit and any other clothing that may potentially have been contaminated with fungal spores.
  • Clothing and footwear should not be reused for at least 48 hours after drying.
  • Please do what you can to help prevent the spread of these diseases.

Directions and Parking

Parking is on a forest track on Chestnuts Hill. The courses cross this track at various points, though mainly towards the further end of the likely parking zone, and as we have a mass start there should be very little vehicle movement once everyone has arrived. Nevertheless drivers should keep a sharp lookout for runners if leaving the event early. The track will be signed from the Littledean - Flaxley Road at:
What 3 words: ///mailers.hats.prongs
Grid Ref: SO671145
Post Code: GL14 3JL

The parking track is narrow in places, with stacked timber alongside on an early stretch, but there is adequate trackside parking beyond that. You may have a walk of up to 300m to assembly from wherever you are parked.

Note that there is a mass start at 11:00, so make sure you allow plenty of time to park, walk to the assembly field, collect your map and get ready to run

Click on the parking icon on the map below, and then the Direction icon icon to get directions to the course.

The Area

Largely runnable deciduous woodland over a single rounded hill. It is a compact area, with plenty of of controls out, so checking control numbers will be a significant aid to avoiding mis-punches! There has been recent forestry activity, with large timber stacks along the access road, and some brashings in places, but overall the going in the wood is either very good, or may have some undergrowth, but this is generally fairly thin and straightforward to run through. Going is, however, hard work due to bracken in the open areas, which are scattered about the hill. There is quite a lot of loose rock, and of course masses of boar gardening, so the going underfoot can be tricky.

Assembly and the relay changeover are in a field towards the middle of the map. This has been well 'ploughed' by boar, and so is a little rough underfoot, but otherwise is primarily long grass.

The Map

A4, 1:7,500 with 5m contours. Updated selectively for this event. A light vegetation screen is used where the going in runnable forest looks a little trickier than elsewhere; where there is no vegetation screen there may be long grass and/or bracken, but this is generally passable at normal running speed. beware, though of uneven ground beneath it, caused by boar.

Start and Finish

The Assembly, Start and Finish are in a small field roughly in the middle of the map. There will be a walk from parking, a few metres for very early arrivals, maybe 300m for later ones, so remember the mass start time - 11:00!

Format

It is a 2x2 relay, with two runners of any age or gender forming a team. Each runner will run 2 completely different courses, with a rest period in between while their team-mate runs their course.

On arrival, everybody should first collect their bib and pins and fix it to their front. First leg runners will have a Red bib; second leg runners will have a Blue bib. Next, everybody should collect their first map, which will be pre-folded and sealed. These can only be opened once it’s their time to run. Everybody must clear their dibbers before each run.

Anybody who does not already know their team mate should hang around the registration tent, which can act as a meeting point.

It is a mass start at 11am (DO NOT BE LATE), and there will be a taped out Waiting pen, with a clock showing the current time. The first leg runner from each team should enter the Waiting pen in good time for the mass-start.

The second leg runners should enter the Waiting pen in good time before their partner returns. They will then wait there for them to arrive.

In-coming runners will first dib the Finish control and then proceed to tag their partner. They will then go to download, receive their second sealed map, then clear ready for their next leg.

Note that there will be no Start control to dib, as start times for each leg are determined by the mass-start time for the first leg and team-mates' finish times for subsequent legs.

Mass Start: 11:00
Courses close: 14:00

Courses

Courses are subject to final vegetation checks and controlling.

Course lengh(Km) Climb(m) Controls Intended for
Brown 3.0 + 3.6 120 + 135 14 + 13 M18, M20, M21, M35, M40, M45
Blue 2.4 + 2.4 90 + 110 10 + 9 M50, M55, M60, M16 and under, W18, W20, W21, W35, W40
Green 2.0 + 2.0 85 + 55 9 + 8 M65, M70, W16 and under, W45, W50, W55
Short Green 1.5 + 1.5 55 + 55 7 + 8 M75 and older, W60 and older
Orange 1.6 + 1.4 65 + 80 6 + 7 Adult beginners
Older children or inexperienced adults who normally run Orange
Yellow 1.4 + 1.4 55 + 70 8 + 8 Children who normally run Yellow

We will use SI Timing, in contact and touch free modes. All runners must however punch the Finish control at the end of each leg.

Entries

Sorry, NO entries on the day. This is due to the extra complexities of organising a relay.

Teams are made up of 2 people of any age/course.

If you have a team-mate, one of you should enter the team as one entry on Fabian4 and pay for both of you. When completing your entry, set your team size to 2. Note that the order that you input the people in your team will be the running order. In other words, the first named person will run the first leg in the mass-start and the 3rd leg, while the second named person will run the second and fourth legs.

If you do not have a teammate, just enter as an individual, setting your team size to 1, and we will randomly assign you a partner. Where possible, your will be paired with somebody from the same club.

So, in Fabian4, there is a three step entry process:

  1. Step 1 - enter your contact details as team leader or individual entrant
  2. Step 2 - enter your competitor details, and those of your team mate if you have one - click the Add another competitor button at the bottom of the form
  3. Step 3 - Enter your actual team size - 1 or 2. Note that there is only one class - we will assign you to courses according to your age class, unless you ask to run up.

By default, you will automatically be assigned the course associated with your age group unless you request otherwise on the entry form. Note that if you wish to be competitive in the relay you can only substitute your default course with a longer one, not a shorter one, unless you are young or inexperienced, in which case you are allowed to do yellow or orange. Any experienced orienteers choosing to run a shorter course will be made non-competitive for the Relay.

Unlike last year this race is not part of the NGOC 2023 league, so you do not need to be concerned about league points.

Fees Pre-entry Entry on the Day Non-member Supplement
Adults £7 N/A £2
Juniors £3 N/A £1
Family (2 adults + their children) £16 N/A As above for any non-members

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

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 5 July

Hired dibbers may be picked up registration.


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Dogs

Allowed, under control, in Parking, Assembly and on courses

Facilities

Regrettably there are no toilets.

In case of poor weather, a shelter will be provided for runners waiting between legs. Bags with extra clothing and so on can be left in the field, close to the download tent.

The NGOC cafe will be present, and there is plenty of room in the field for watching the run in and having a picnic, so bring your own chairs etc if you wish.

Safety

  • Whilst the area is generally quite runnable, in some parts the ground has been churned by wild boar, and the going underfoot is uneven. Take care particularly in areas of light bracken, which might also hide trip hazards such as fallen branches.
  • It is highly unlikely that you will encounter any wild boar, despite the massive evidence of their overnight presence, as the area is generally too open for them, but you may come across them - by smell and sound if not sight - if you venture into any of the thickly vegetated open areas. They will try to avoid encounters with people, so give them space and let them run away!
  • The area is used by horse riders, to whom you should give way on the narrow paths.
  • Ticks are an ever present but usually rare occurrence. You are advised to wear full leg cover, and to check yourselves for ticks after your second run. They carry a small threat of Lyme Disease, which alough rare can be very unpleasant. For more information about it, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ or https://lymediseaseuk.com/
  • Orienteering is an adventure sport. All runners take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.
  • A risk assessment has been completed, and a copy will be held at Registration in case competitors wish to consult it before their run.
  • A first aid kit and trained first aiders will be available at Registration.