Planner – Neill Dobbs (SEVO)
Organiser – Paula Rice & Rosemary Greene (CNOC)
Controller – Angus Tyner (SET)
Mappers – Angus Tyner/Neil Dobbs/Pat Healy
Thank you to the Tottenham Family for allowing us to use their lands.
Embargoed Area
The relay event takes place on the Tottenham Estate 53°02'08.7"N 6°07'57.0"W. Tottenham Estate is a mature, mixed coniferous woodland lying Northeast of the famous Devil's Glen, a 3km long ravine which channels the Vartry River eastwards towards the Irish Sea. The hillside rises 160m in 700m and is traversed by a network of forest roads, tracks and extraction rides. There are swathes of brambles and areas of beautiful, runnable forest. There are many rock features, from isolated crags to rocky spurs and outcroppings rich in detail. PLEASE NOTE – NO ACCESS IS ALLOWED TO THE SANDPIT / QUARRY AREA IN THE ARENA
Team Declaration: Final time for teams to declare runners is at 16.00 on Sunday 30th April. Completed forms must be handed into registration upon which you will receive your pack (bibs and safety pins).
All teams will need to complete a Relay Declaration Form even if they filled in the details on the entry’s website. They will be available from the Registration tent on Friday and Saturday. The individual Names and SI cards will need to be filled in.
NOTE: In the Handicap classes you must declare which entrant will run which leg length the order is decided by this.
SPORTident Cards: Each runner must use their own SPORTident Cards.
Relay Bibs:
Each Class has its own specific colour with the last leg (3) containing an added red diagonal stripe.
Bibs must be worn on the chest, highly visible and not covered by any other items of clothing.
Map Issue
Maps will be issued from 9.15am to the first leg runners who will enter the waiting pen. Maps must remain unopened until in the start pen and instructed to open them. Once the first leg have started maps can then be issued to the second and third leg runners who must remain in the waiting pen with their unopened maps.
ANYONE WHOSE MAP IS NOT INTACT AT THE START WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
Start Pen:
The start pen will open at 09.15. First leg runners must be in the pen before 09.45.
Map.
The map of The Tottenham Estate was mapped in 2022 and updated in 2023 by Angus Tyner and Neil Dobbs. The map scale is 1:7500 with 5m contour intervals.
All maps are A4 landscape printed on high quality waterproof Antius paper. Size SRA4(24cm x 33 cm)
There are many controls in a very small area so please check your control numbers very carefully before punching.
Team captains should ensure that junior competitors understand that this is vital to avoid disqualification.
There is a purple OOB line highlighting a fence that is forbidden to cross (except through the gates at the indicated mandatory crossing points) near the first control on some courses.
Rootstocks (represented by a green X) range from 1.5m to 4m in size.
Large zones of brambles are usually represented by vertical green lines, representing the visibility. They are typically effectively imassable. Some smaller areas of brambles have been mapped as Forest Fight to emphasise impassability, where relevant.
Not all vegetation detail is mapped; some is schematic. We have endeavoured to ensure that relevant details are correct.
There are some large slanted rock faces which are unmapped, not meeting the threshold to be classified as crags.
Mapped rides are mostly large and distinct. They are frequently grassy and sometimes resemble forest tracks (in having a nice, level surface). Two rides approaching the last control are a little less remarkable. There are further less distinct unmapped extraction rides in the terrain, farther from the Arena.
Control Descriptions.
Symbolic control descriptions are printed on the front of the maps for all courses.
Control codes will be beside the control numbers.
Junior classes have combined text and pictorial description
Course notes:
There will be about 80 controls in the terrain, some close (while respecting the 30/60m rules). The Premier courses are fully gaffled; others will have overlaps. Please ensure you check your codes carefully.
The courses are routed through the more pleasant and, where appropriate, technically challenging areas of the terrain. Due to the nature of the terrain, some compromises were necessary; the courses are (mostly) a little shorter and a little steeper than usual. The Premier courses and Handicap 18 will enjoy a spectator control. Please cheer them on!
From the Start, one can choose between two gates to leave the Arena; Junior36 and Handicap 24 courses should leave via the upper gate, other courses via the lower gate.
The courses avoid the brambles as much as possible. On the longer courses, you are still likely to get a few scratches. If you are a gaiter person, wear gaiters (the planner would not).
There are steep areas and areas of rock covered with a thin layer of moss. Take care. If you are a dobbs person, wear dobbs (not the planner).
Courses & Categories:
Championship Categories: Open Premier; Women’s Premier; junior 48; Junior 36
Non- Championship Categories: Handicap 6; Handicap 12; Handicap 18 Handicap 24
Teams shall consist of three competitors from the same OI, NIOA, or IOF affiliated club in the Open Premier, Women’s Premier, Junior 48, and Junior 36 classes.
Combined teams of men and women may compete in the Open Premier, Handicap, and Junior classes.
The total orienteering age of the three club members shall be 48 years or less in the Junior 48 class, and 36 or less in the Junior 36 class.
The total handicap points for teams entering the Handicap competitions are: -
Handicap Class Total points
Handicap 6 - 6 to 11
Handicap 12 - 12 to 17
Handicap 18 - 18 and over
Handicap 24 - 24 and over
The Handicap 6, 12, 18 & 24 classes have no requirement for all their members to be from the same club, and as a result no teams in these classes shall be declared as Irish Champion.
Start:
The first mass start will be at 10.00. This will consist of all teams apart from J36 and H24. There will be a second mass start 5mins later for those two classes.
There will be a demonstration of the run-in / handover. It is the teams responsibility to be ready for the handover. Do not depend on hearing announcements.
Once you have entered the start pen, the only exit is to start your course.
Mini mass-starts will be organised at the Organiser’s discretion. It is your responsibility to be in the vicinity of the start so that you can hear the mini mass-start being announced. If you are started in a mini mass-start your team is still competitive and your times will be calculated as if you had completed normal runner handovers.
Handover:
Runners must make physical contact on handover otherwise your team will be disqualified. After the handover the incoming runner should immediately punch the finish control, place their map in their club bag and promptly proceed to the download tent.
In the event of a head-to-head sprint finish please note that it is the first third-lap runner to cross the finish line (not necessarily the first to punch the finish control) that wins.
Map Reclaim:
The map reclaim will be immediately after the last mini mass-start.
SPORTident SIAC Air+ touch-free punching will be used. It is the competitor’s responsibility to ensure they register at their correct controls.
Out-of-Bounds:
The competition area is out-of-bounds. Competitors should not leave the arena area apart from going to and from the car parking. NO ACCESS IS ALLOWED TO THE SANDPIT / QUARRY AREA IN THE ARENA
Directions and traffic information:
This event is quite close to that on Sunday. Allow sufficient time to reach the car park to allow ample opportunity to prepare for the event and walk to the Arena.
Parking:
Location Gate lodge: Lat Lon: 692734E 587930N Eircode A67Y367. Google Maps Link
The carpark is 1 kilometre from the Assembly / Start / Finish areas.
As the event is on a working sheep farm dogs are only permitted in the parking area on a lead, and owners must clean up after them.
No Dogs apart from Assistance Dogs are allowed in the Arena.
Results/ Prize Giving:
Prize giving will take place immediately after the completion of the event.
Clothing:
It is a forest so full cover is required. The courses avoid the brambles as much as possible. On the longer courses, you are still likely to get a few scratches. If you are a gaiter person, wear gaiters (the planner would not). Orienteering shoes are advised if it is dry and essential if wet. Running shoes with no grip are not suitable.
Toilets:
Toilets will be available close to the Assembly area. These are limited and may have delays. There will not be any toilets in the parking area.
First Aid:
There will be a first aid station at the assembly area.
Refreshments:
There will be water available at the finish area in the Arena
Tea/Coffee/cold drinks/ cakes and snacks will be available North West of ancient ash tree in the Relay Arena from Alec's Horse Box Cafe
Link to forum on the Irish Orienteering Site for people looking for a team
https://www.orienteering.ie/community/events/irish-relay-champs-team-formation-thread/