Southern Champs weekend - Forest of Dean

[DJM]

Just a reminder that entries for the next Area Championships on 21st February close on Sunday the 7th. Late entries at a higher price will be accepted until the 14th, subject to map availability.

Entries are via Fabian4 at http://www.fabian4.co.uk/step1/ContactDetails.aspx?EventID=250

Further details are on the NGOC website at http://www.ngoc.org.uk/

Why not make a weekend of it as there's

* a Middle race on the Saturday in the fast and runnable Forest of Dean woodland at Mallards Pike South
* a Night Score Event
* the Southern Championships on Sunday at Lydney Park - runnable woodland with complex areas resulting from old mine workings, as used for JK 2002

[Clive Coles]

Looks great ~ hope it gets the attendance it deserves.

Shame you couldn't set up the weekend on the BOF fixtures database as a multi-day ~ that would link the 3 events together as a package. For some reason BOF designed their data model to assume that events for a multiday were all staged at the same level.

EA circumventied the system restrictions and calling our Midland Championship support event in 2012 a National Event. The Saturday event title carries the regional event designation.

Silly to have to jump through such hoops. if only......

BOF also made a similar mistake by assuming area championship weekends would be staged by clubs in the same associations.

So when EMOA/LEI and EAOA/SMOC wanted to set up a multiday for the Midland Middle Distance/Sprint races they couldn't.

I guess changing the data model at this stage will be possible but expensive.

[Big Jon]

"Lydney Park - runnable woodland with complex areas resulting from old mine workings, as used for JK 2002" and how many times since then?

[ifor]

Well I only remember the one event since 2002 JK but I guess there have been more. I think the access is more difficult than the rest of ther FOD so it's not used often.

If anyone is thinking of doing the Night event that would not normaly do a WNL event then if you email me I can try and judge if I will get a much biger turnout than normal.

ifor at blueyonder.co.uk

[DJM]

Big Jon wrote

and how many times since then?

It was used for the Triple O Severn weekend in 2004 and not, I believe, since then - at least there's no record of anything on the NGOC website results section.

As controller, I do know that access is a major problem and has been the reason why it's so rarely used and that NGOC have pulled out all the stops to make Lydney Park available once again.

[DJM]

Course Details for Sunday 21st February are now available on the Southern Championships page of the NGOC website at http://www.ngoc.org.uk.

Course lengths have been planned to meet the target winning times published on page 8 of the 2010 Area Championship Rules (Rules L). Some course length ratios have been increased to achieve this as those published on page 6 of these Rules have been shown to be out of date. The ratios applied are generally in line with those already published in the 2011 version of Competition Rules L, also available on the British Orienteering website.

The event Final Details will be available shortly and certainly no later than Saturday 13th February.

Entries at the original fees have now closed. However late entries (on line only) are guaranteed until Tuesday 16th February,thereafter subject to map availability.

[DJM]

Last chance to enter!
Late entries to championship courses will be available on-line at http://www.fabian4.co.uk/, subject to map availability, until a final pre-entry deadline of Tuesday 16th February. Pre-entry for colour coded courses will close at the same time.

Entry on the day is available for colour coded courses only

[drobin]

It was used for the Triple O Severn weekend in 2004 and not, I believe, since then - at least there's no record of anything on the NGOC website results section.

NGOC Regional 10 April 2005

[ribbo]

It was used for the Triple O Severn weekend in 2004 and not, I believe, since then - at least there's no record of anything on the NGOC website results section.

NGOC Regional 10 April 2005

Couldn't find my map for this event and then realised why - I was the controller!!

[PhilJ]

The posting on the BO website only applies to the car parking on Day 2 (Sunday) the car park for the Middle Race on Saturday is unaffected.

[DJM]

Snow report

There is little or no snow at lower levels in the Forest of Dean this evening (e.g. in Lydney), but snow is still lying quite thickly at above about 100m and todays' sunshine has done only a little to disperse it. All roads, apart from the most minor at higher levels are currently free of snow however, but snow showers are forecast over the next 36 hours, so this may change.

The Southern Champs car park was drivable today, but only because the snow was still fresh and gave a decent grip (at least for my 4WD). But, with more snow forecast, and a sloping field too, we couldn't risk potential chaos on Sunday, especially as a decision about "plan B" had to be made early this afternoon in order to confirm matters with the toilet and bus people.

I hope that all those coming to the event will appreciate how well the NGOC organisers are coping with this change of plan and also how much this will hit them financially.

[Big Jon]

Get snow tires fitted and you'll cope with a bit of snow.

[King Penguin]

Snow report
I hope that all those coming to the event will appreciate how well the NGOC organisers are coping with this change of plan and also how much this will hit them financially.

All those involved in the organisation of all 3 of the weekend events should be congratulated on their efforts which ensured all could go ahead. An excellent weekend.

[Tatty]

Must reiterate King Penguins comment. Found the Southern Champs a very physical challenge, but well done to NGOC for being able to go ahead

[DJM]

RouteGadget now available at http://www.ngoc.routegadget.co.uk/ngoc/reitti.cgi?act=map&id=19&kieli=

WinSplits at http://www.obasen.nu/winsplits/online/en/default.asp?page=classes&databaseId=13527

Results will be uploaded to the BOF website shortly