Compass Sport Cup & Trophy – SEOA Heats 2014 – Broxbourne

Event Overview

The CompassSport Cup and CompassSport Trophy events are the premier inter-club competitions for British clubs. This competition is open to members of BOF affiliated orienteering clubs. The 2014 Final is being hosted on Saturday 8 November 2014 by Southern Navigators at Long Valley North between Fleet and Aldershot.

Final Details | Start Times (Fabian4) | Competition Day Updates

Competition Details [Pre-final details]

Level B event with BOF ranking points available. The event is the SEOA regional qualifier for the Compass Sport Cup (large clubs) and Compass Sport Trophy (small clubs) competitions.

Map & Terrain

Broxbourne Woods. 1:10,000. Undulating, mainly runnable deciduous woodland with plenty of navigational challenge.

Broxbourne Wood consists mostly of irregular blocks of young deciduous trees with some interesting stands of mixed conifers, covering the wide gently sloping valley of an eastward-flowing stream. The Wood has slowly become more runnable over the years. Much of the map now looks white or light green, though the distinction is often locally not clear on the ground. The wet bits have much “marsh grass” and elsewhere there is “dead” bracken, neither of which should significantly slow down younger runners, though, where mixed with the occasional brashings, will be more of a hindrance for the more senior competitors. There is one extensive area of recent forest thinning, where many logs litter the floor, which only really affects the two Greens and the Brown course; you should be able to pick your way around or through it without too much difficulty.

All senior course lengths are at the top end of the suggested range; this reflects the challenge to run courageous red-line routes, although Broxbourne has a generous path network. Wormley has rather steeper slopes than Broxbourne, formed from the tributaries of an eastward-flowing stream, but generally fast underfoot under a mature deciduous canopy.

Updated Autumn 2013 by Tom Edelsten.

Courses

Subject to final controlling.

Non competitive courses: White, Yellow, light green (No string course)

Course	CompassSport Course	Eligible Age Classes	Length (km)	Climb (m)	Controls	Map Size	Class Size
1	Brown	Men Open	11.0	180	23	A3	Large
2	Short Brown	M40+ M20-	9.3	175	21	A3	Large
3	Blue Women	Women Open	7.5	155	17	A3	Large
4A	Blue Cup Men	M50+	7.3	130	17	A3	Large
4B	Blue Trophy Men	M50+	7.4	145	18	A3	Large
5	Green Women	W45+ W20-	4.8	90	14	A4	Large
6	Green Men	M60+	5.0	75	14	A4	Large
7	Short Green Veterans	M70+ W60+	3.8	55	11	A4	Large
8A	Green Junior Men	M18-	5.0	75	14	A4	Small
8B	Green Junior Women	W18-	3.8	55	11	A4	Small
9A	Orange Men	M14-	3.2	40	10	A4	Small
9B	Orange Women	W14-	3.2	40	10	A4	Small
Light Green	n/a		3.8	40	9	A4	n/a
Yellow	n/a		2.3	30	9	A4	n/a
White	n/a		1.3	15	9	A4	n/a

IMPORTANT: The three Blue and both Brown courses cross into the nice almost entirely white bits of Wormley Woods. This involves a total of four crossings of minor roads. You must use the marked crossing points. These are not timed out. Though there are nearby controls or gates to slow you down, you will need to concentrate because (a) road traffic is infrequent but can be fast, (b) anyone crossing in the wrong place runs the risk of disqualification – and being photographed! – and (c) care is required not to mispunch. Marshals’ instructions must be adhered to: they are there principally for your safety.

The linking woodland between the Woods contains a large paint-ball activity area surrounded by a high screen. All courses run along the eastern side. The paint-ball area and the western side are clearly marked as out of bounds on the map: if you find yourself running here please retreat, as future use of this woodland depends on not encroaching on this part.

Calculating the Team Score

There are new rules for 2014 – the revised rules of the competition can be found here [PDF].

CompassSport Cup team score

• 25 scores to count
• maximum of 4 counters from any one ‘Large’ CompassSport class
• maximum of 4 counters from each pair of ‘Small’ CompassSport classes. e.g. four from 8A, none from 8B; three from 8A, one from 8B; two from 8A, two from 8B; etc.

CompassSport Trophy team score

• 13 scores to count
• maximum of 2 counters from any one ‘Large’ CompassSport class
• maximum of 2 counters from each pair of ‘Small’ CompassSport classes. e.g. two from 8A, none from 8B; one from 8A, one from 8B; none from 8A, two from 8B; etc.

Times

EOD registration from 9.30 – 11.00 at Broxbourne Lido Car Park for white, yellow and Light green courses only. There is NO ENTRY ON THE DAY for any other courses.

Starts: 10:00-12:30

Entries

Entry to ALL competition courses are via Fabian4, by the [extended] closing date of Tuesday February 4th 2014. All competitors are advised to check with their club captains, which course to enter. Start times will be allocated by Fabian4 according to competition rules and will take into account, as far as possible, individual preferences, such as split times for parents.

Entry Fees

Pre-entry: £12 seniors; £5 juniors/students.

White/yellow/light green EOD: £5 BOF seniors (£7 non-BOF); £5 Juniors/students.

Electronic Punching

The event will be using the Sportident (‘SI’) system. Dibber hire is available (£1), please indicate when entering.

Control Descriptions

Control descriptions will be printed on the map – loose waterproof descriptions will also be available in start lanes at -3min.

Assembly Area

The Assembly Area is predominantly hard standing. Space for club flags / tents .

Facilities

Toilets adjacent to car parks. St Johns Ambulance First Aid.  First aid from qualified CHIG first aiders with Paradise Wildlife Park as a backup provision. Squash and water at finish.

Ultrasport and cake stand (cakes in aid of Epilepsy Society).

Dogs permitted if kept under control.

Enquiries

Hired SI cards can also be collected at Registration.

Please note that control descriptions will be available in the start lanes only.

Public Transport

Regular train service: London Liverpool Street to Cambridge line (note some alterations due to engineering works with trains diverted to Stratford).

There will be a shuttle bus service every 15 minutes from the entrance to Broxbourne railway station to within 5 minutes of the start/finish area and return, from 9.30am.

Car Parking

Car parks at Broxbourne Railway station, EN10 7AW, and Broxbourne Lido (GR TL 373071), 10 mins from Junction 25 on the M25. Car park fee (all day) £1.10, pay and display. Minibuses and coaches park at railway station only.

Competition Rules

For further details of the scoring please refer to the competition rules.

Officials

Planner – Tom Edelsten (CHIG)
Controller – Keith Downing (SMOC), assistant Tony Maycraft (CHIG)
Organiser – Ray Curtis (CHIG)

Safety

Competitors take part in this event at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

CHIG reserve the right to retain all or part of the entry fees to cover costs, should the event be cancelled or postponed for whatever reason.