Concorde Chase (Hawley & Hornley) 30-Jan-22 - Final Details

 

Sunday 30 January 2022

Concorde Chase, Hawley and Hornley, Blackwater

 

Final Details

 

Berkshire Orienteers welcome you to the event!

Travel:

From the South, leave the M3 at J.4A. Follow A327 north for 1 km and then turn right towards Hawley sailing club.

From the North, follow A327 south from the junction with the A30. Turn left into minor road towards Hawley sailing club.

Location of turning off A327 (Minley Road): OS grid ref: SU830574. What3words: pinging.zoos.vans   Nearest post code: GU17 9UD

Public Transport: Nearest stations to assembly (by foot/bike) are Blackwater (1 mile) and Fleet (5 miles). If walking Assembly is at OS grid ref: SU844587. What3words: armrests.jiffy.fans

Entry by car to the event parking will be via the gated entrance at the eastern end of the road to Hawley sailing club. This continues from the gate as a firm tarmac 2-lane road leading directly to parking on the old airfield after 1km. However, this road goes through the centre of the used terrain, and is crossed by all courses (except White and Yellow). Runners on courses will be crossing the road between about 10:15 and 12:45. Drivers must maintain low speed (c 15 mph) during both entry and exit, and be prepared to give way to runners. 

To minimise traffic during the main competition period, please try to arrive by 10:30 (though access will remain open throughout). There will be no exit until after 12:00.

Facilities:

The following facilities are available at Assembly to the north of the parking area:

First Aid by the Response Group, Event Medical Services

Tom and Julie's British & Continental Catering

Toilets

EMIT e-TAG collection:

EMIT touch-free eTags on loan from EMIT UK. eTag hire fee is included in your entry fee. The charge for a lost eTag is £50.

All eTags issued on the Saturday urban must be returned at download. A separate clean set of eTags and straps will be issued on Sunday at the Hawley event to avoid cross-contamination.  

Collecton point in Assembly opens at 09:20.

Start times are between 10:00 and 12:00.

Individual start times will be published on Racesignup and displayed at the EMIT eTag collection point, along with your eTag number.

Follow the instructions for eTag collection and use in the PDF version of final details.

Note that it is the competitor's responsibility to check that their emiTag has been correctly activated at the start and a correct punch obtained at each control, by checking that the eTag flashes. There will only be reinstatement for a missing electronic record of visiting a control if the competitor has used the traditional pin-punching device (i.e., the backup pin punch located under the control to punch on the side of your map).

 

EOD

No entry on the day. 

Start

The route to the Start is sign posted from the e-TAG collection point at Assembly. Follow the taped route past the toilets and along the northern edge of the runway (parking area) towards the west. The start is 300m from the western end of the runway. Allow 10 minutes from Assembly. There is no bag drop.

You must swipe the Activate Control in front of the first start box at T-4.

Loose description sheets will be available in the start lanes except for the White and Yellow courses.  

At T-1, competitors on White and Yellow courses will proceed directly into their own start box (heading west). Competitors on all other courses will turn right onto a path heading north to the start line and map boxes.

The Start is a "punching start". Swipe your eTag over the Start control as you start. The eTag should flash (it makes no sound, neither does the control). 

Road Crossings

The orange and light green courses will have one marshalled road crossing.

Please stop at the Marshal and wait to be allowed to cross the road.

White and Yellow courses do not cross any roads.

The other courses cross the tarmac access road, but are not marshalled. Please watch out for vehicles. You must not run along the tarmac road.

Course

Length

Climb

No. controls

Descriptions

White

1.6km

10m

10

Text

Yellow

2.5km

30m

12

Text

Orange

3.7km

50m

13

Text

Light Green

4.0km

80m

15

Pictorial

Very Short Green

3.5km

95m

15

Pictorial

Short Green

4.3km

95m

16

Pictorial

Green

5.3km

105m

16

Pictorial

Short Blue

5.9km

110m

18

Pictorial

Blue

7.7km

120m

22

Pictorial

Short Brown

8.7km

160m

26

Pictorial

Brown

11.4km

150m

29

Pictorial

Black

13.3km

195m

34

Pictorial

Results and course close

Courses closes at 14:30. Results will not be displayed at the Event Centre.

Live results will be online at  race-results.infoResults will follow on Routegadget - please do upload your GPS track on Routegadget if you can so the Planner and other competitors can enjoy seeing what route choices were taken.

Finish

White and Yellow courses have their own Finish near the enquiries tent immediately NW of Assembly. 

All other courses have the same Finish to the east of Assembly. Download is between the Finish and Assembly.

ALL competitors must report to the DOWNLOAD tent  even if they retire.

Map

Scale 1:10,000 (except 1:7500 for Yellow/White), 5m contours. Surveyed in 2017, minor changes in 2021. Courses and control descriptions will be over printed on waterproof paper.

Terrain

Hawley provides runnable, fairly flat forest, with an extensive track and path network that can require intricate navigation at speed. The north of the map is an extensive open heathland section, mainly comprising tussocks and gorse of variable runnability, best at this time of year. Green screens of gorse give slower going. Many tracks and rides here can give fast routing. Bracken throughout the area is receding fast: intermittent brambles make gaiters advisable. 

The map was re-surveyed in 2017, and partially updated in 2021. Some sections have significant trench/pit features, mapped as broken ground when too frequent to itemise. The brown dot screen then used is spread widely but thinly, and can be hard to spot on the map. Pits with dimensions shown on their CD are significant and distinctive: controls for these features may be sited within the pit. The major rhododendron thickets are well mapped, though having expanded slightly since 2017 are often slightly larger and closer together than the map would imply. Only the more significant rhodos and pits are mapped: expect some uncertainty at times. Regrettably, bike tracks are becoming more frequent and wider, some very path-like, and these are not mapped.

COVID-19

Whilst UK Gov Plan B restrictions will be lifted from 27th January, COVID is still in circulation, and we encourage a continued responsible approach at our orienteering events. Entrants have agreed to abide by the British Orienteering Participant Code of Conduct. People have different risk tolerances, please respect other personal choices as normality returns, and in particular, maintain inter-personal distance when at the Assembly, Start and Download. Use the hand sanitisers provided before picking up your EMIT e-TAG, as well as those at the Start, Download and the toilets.

Before attending any sporting activity you should self-assess for symptoms of COVID-19. These are:

•A high temperature;

•A new, continuous cough;

•A loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste.

If you, or anyone you live with, have one or more of these symptoms you should not attend any sporting activity, even if your symptoms are mild. You should follow NHS guidance on testing and self-isolation. 

Note that later strains of COVID-19 may have different symptoms including sore throat and headache and may not involve coughing. If you have any the symptoms above, or similar to a cold, you should conduct a lateral flow test and only come to the event if the result is negative.

If you have been informed that you need to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace (or are required to self-isolate in relation to travel), you must do so. You should not leave your isolation location in order to participate in sport and physical activity.

Bio Security

Please come to the event with clean and dry shoes and clothing. After your run please follow the guidance that helps protect our precious environment:

·         Check

·         Clean

·         Dry

Before leaving the event check your clothing and equipment and remove any mud, soil or leaf litter.

Once home thoroughly clean your footwear and clothing and then leave it to dry for as long as possible. Many invasive non-native species are able to survive in damp corners for very long periods of time, but are less able to survive if the equipment is thoroughly dried.

Photography

The club has designated photographer(s) and details are available from registration. Photographs from the event may be used by the club and made available on the internet in accordance with British Orienteering guidelines. Please speak to a club official at registration if you have any concerns

General

Safety:

- Full leg cover and footwear suitable for the terrain must be worn. Trail shoes or sturdy walking boots are recommended. 

- Whistles must be carried.

- Please report to download even if retiring as this will ensure we can check you have returned safely. Competitors travelling alone are encouraged to leave a set of keys at registration.

- Competitors take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

Accidents:

- First Aid by the Response Group, Event Medical Services in Assembly

- Nearest Accident and Emergency unit :

Frimley Park Hospital (2.2 miles)

Tel: 01276 604604

Portsmouth Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU16 7UJ 

 

Officials

Organisers: John Methven (07964 162949) & Lisa Methven (BKO)

Email: events@bko.org.uk

Planner: Martin Wilson (BKO)

Controller: Chris Huthwaite  (SARUM)

IMPORTANT OFFICIAL NOTICES:

  • Competitors take part at their own risk
  • The personal data you give will be used by the event organisers only for the purpose of processing/publishing entries and results and as required by our insurers. Entry details will be stored in a computer. Submissions of an entry for the event will indicate your acceptance of this procedure.
  • In the event of cancellation of the event, part, or all of your entry fee may be retained.
  • The club has designated photographer(s) and details are available from registration. Photographs from the event may be used by the club and made available on the internet. Please speak to a club official at registration if you have any concerns.