As well as the British Sprint Championships, this event is a round of the UK Orienteering League.
Download the Event Programme here
The event will take place at Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG The University is situated two miles (3.2km) west of Newcastle-under-Lyme on the A525 road to Whitchurch, Nantwich and Crewe. If you are bringing a coach, please let the organiser know by email at least 5 days before the event.
PLEASE DO NOT ENTER THE UNIVERSITY FROM KEELE VILLAGE. Thank you.
Leave the M6 motorway at Junction 16, signed A500/Alton Towers. At the motorway roundabout turn right onto the A500 for Crewe and Nantwich. The University is signed from here. At the next roundabout, go straight on the A500 (A531) and at the next one turn left onto the A531 (A525) for Keele. After approximately 7 miles, turn right at the roundabout onto campus. From the motorway junction to Keele the journey time is about 20-25 minutes.
Leave the M6 at Junction 15 and follow the signs for the A519 into Newcastle-under-Lyme. The University is signed from the first roundabout. Two miles out of Newcastle, turn left at the roundabout onto campus. From the motorway junction to Keele the journey time is about 15-20 minutes.
If you are travelling on the A53 follow signs to Newcastle-under-Lyme. If you are using the A50, join the A500 and then turn off on the A53 to Newcastle. Travel from the M1 is easiest using Junction 23A onto the Derby bypass and following signs for the A50.
Follow signs for the A525 then see direction above (from the North).
There is no charge for Car Parking for which our thanks to Keele University. Once on site, there are signs for 3 special orienteering car parks:-
One for helpers
One for coaches, minibuses and motorhomes and cars if space
One for cars.
PLEASE follow directions given by the car park marshalls who will be wearing white hi-viz jackets.
Any competitor with a known medical condition that could give rise to a safety risk may leave information at the Information Desk in a sealed envelope marked with their name and should make sure that they complete the medical information on the back of their race number bib.
The campus will be open as normal on the day of the competition and there will be other events taking place, including a wedding. Please observe the campus speed limit of 20 mph. There are rumble strips, humps and bumps as traffic calming measures.Traffic on this access road is very light although there will be a public bus passing through the site every 10 minutes. Please use a manned crossing whenever possible.
In the Heats Courses 1-3 cross this road twice at various points over a 150m stretch.There will be highly visible marshals and prominent notices at either end of this stretch requesting drivers to slow down and give priority to runners crossing.
In the Finals the road crossings are marked on the map at explicit points, with a control on the approach side for most courses. These points will have prominent notices and highly visible marshals who will slow down or stop any approaching traffic. 2 of these crossings are on zebra crossings, on which runners should have priority.
PLEASE TAKE DUE CARE WHEN CROSSING ANY ROAD.
For safety reasons, competitors must not move their vehicles for the duration of the Finals,13:30 - 16:00.
The area has been CAT Scanned and it is clear that it is NOT possible to pitch any tents. Much of the area is concrete so bring chairs! To avoid underground cables, you MUST only put Club Banners in the areas which will be marked with a white cross and a bamboo cane, near areas for you to sit.
First Aid points One at the start, one at the Finish and one at the Information Desk.
From the car park please use the official crossing to go to the Main Plaza where you will find:-
Race Number Bibs - please complete the medical information on the back.
Start times on boards round the sculpture in the middle of the Plaza,
Toilets (in the Students' Union but acessible from outside)
Download (in the Students' Union).
Information Desk (in the Students' Union)
Ultrasport
A parade of shops (Martins Newsagents, Blackwells Books, Supermarket) and cafes (Costa Coffee, ST5 Takeaway, Students Union Cafeteria) and cashpoints.
Please observe all Out Of Bounds Notices
Shorts are permitted. Spiked shoes MUST NOT be worn. Whistles are recommended.
To be eligible to be a British Champion, an individual competitor must on the day immediately preceding the day of competition in question be a member of British Orienteering and: either be a British citizen; or have been a member of British Orienteering in each of the three membership years preceding the year of the competition.
For Juniors who are not British citizens, the membership criteria will be as specified below:
|
Age on 31st December in year of competition |
British Orienteering membership criterion |
|
10 or under |
Member on day before the day of competition |
|
11 |
Member on day before the day of competition and in previous year |
|
12 |
Member on day before the day of competition and in previous two years |
|
13 and over |
As in rule 2.1.2 |
Course summary for Prologue:-
|
Course |
Controls |
Length (km) |
Climb (m) |
|
1.1 |
21 |
2.5 |
50 |
|
1.2 |
20 |
2.5 |
55 |
|
1.3 |
20 |
2.5 |
50 |
|
2.1 |
19 |
2.2 |
40 |
|
2.2 |
21 |
2.2 |
40 |
|
2.3 |
21 |
2.2 |
40 |
|
3.1 |
20 |
1.9 |
35 |
|
3.2 |
20 |
1.9 |
25 |
|
3-3 |
20 |
1.9 |
30 |
|
4.1 |
18 |
1.6 |
25 |
|
4.2 |
18 |
1.5 |
25 |
|
4.3 |
19 |
1.6 |
20 |
|
5.1 |
20 |
1.2 |
20 |
Course summary for Final:-
|
Course |
Controls |
Length (km) |
Climb (m) |
|
A1 |
29 |
2.9 |
55 |
|
B1 |
26 |
2.6 |
45 |
|
C1 |
21 |
2.3 |
40 |
|
A2 |
23 |
2.4 |
50 |
|
B2 |
25 |
2.2 |
45 |
|
C2 |
21 |
1.9 |
40 |
|
A3 |
22 |
2.0 |
35 |
|
B3 |
21 |
1.8 |
35 |
|
C3 |
17 |
1.6 |
35 |
|
A4 |
22 |
1.9 |
35 |
|
B4 |
20 |
1.7 |
25 |
|
C4 |
22 |
1.5 |
30 |
|
A5 |
20 |
1.3 |
20 |
Due to a wedding on site, we have had to change around the Prologue area and Final area, hence we have had to change the course summary of the Final since we first published Final Details.
The map scale is 1:4000. Course descriptions will be on the map and loose in the start boxes.
These are to be worn on the front by all competitors and must be collected from the Plaza before the qualifyiing heats. The same number is to be used for Heats and Finals. If you have entered for the Middle Distance Championships your number must be worn at that event as well, except for the Open Classes which will be issued with new numbers on the Sunday. Please remember to complete the medical information on the back of your bib.
If you have hired a dibber this can be collected from Reception in the Students' Union Building.
Start times will be allocated according to ranking positions, and this is the reason why start time requests are not possible. The Sprint Championshiips will consist of quallifying heats and finals for all age classes. Competitors from each age class will be split between a number of parallel heats according to ranking position (or seeding for juniors) The top runners from each heat will then qualify for the A Final in the afternoon.
DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF CLASSES ON COURSE 4 (14) AND BECAUSE OF THE SHEER NUMBERS, IN THE TIME, WE HAVE HAD TO PUT THE FOLLOWING 6 CLASSES IN THE B4 (RUNNING THE FINAL B4 COURSE) AS THEIR FINAL:-
M12
W12
W14
W70
W75
W80
Therefore there will only be B4 and C4 finals for the above 6 classes, but the download will know that B4 is their final and will choose the medal recipient from this course.
THE M14, FOR THE SAME REASONS, WILL HAVE B3 AS THEIR FINAL. Again download will know and will choose the medal recipients from this course.
Hopefully, in future years, the competitions group at British Orienteering will split course 4 into 2, so making 6 courses instead of 5 to avoid this problem.
Those who do not qualify for their respective A Final will run in further finals, according to entry numbers. There will be B Finals and C Finals. The start times for the Finals will be published as quickly as possible after the qualifying heats have finished. Please remember to check both start time and the course that you have qualified for.
The morning qualifying heats starts are from 11:00 - 12.19, Courses close at 13.00. Start times are pre allocated and cannot be altered as courses are full so please make sure you allow plenty of time to be at the start in good time and that you know your heat number (e.g. 2.1) . Again, because of sheer numbers and the time allowed,THERE IS NO ALLOCATION FOR LATE STARTERS ie. no punch start for anyone.
The afternoon Finals all start at 14.00. Courses close at 15.50.
There will be a 5 minute call up for Prologue and Finals, so arrive at least 5 minutes early. The start is well signed and within a short distance of the Plaza.
If you fail to start your heat and you want to run in the final non competitively, you must go to download and report this matter to get a start time.
Start Procedure
Pre start Area with Clear Stations and Start Lists.
-5 Call up
-4 Course Descriptions (loose)
-3 Blank Map
-2 Check Box
-1 Final Instrutions
There is a single communal finish which is in front of the Library. No water is provided (cafes are close by) Please go straight to download after finishing. Maps will be collected in named Club bags prior to crossing the Plaza to Download. Once the last starters have gone off, these will be issued to a representative of each club or be available at Enquiries.
Once you have successfully downloaded please move away from the download area to avoid congestion.
If any competitor feels that they have been unfairly treated, then they should register a complaint with the organiser at the Reception Desk in the Students' Union. If they are not satisfied with the organiser's response, a protest should be made, in writing, and handed in to the Reception Desk. It will then be considered by the Event Jury.
This will take place in front of the library as soon as possible after the finals finish, approximately 15:45 Please support the presentation by your presence!
Organiser: Brenda Morgan (POTOC) 07910 859932
Assistant Organiser: Dave Sparks (POTOC)
Planner: Henry Morgan: (POTOC) 07910 859932
Controller: Chris Burden (AIRE)
Safety Officer: John Heaton (POTOC)
Jury: Ray Collins (WCH) Philip Gristwood (MV) Andy Lewsley (BL)