SATURDAY 17 AUGUST
Online entry will close at 11:59pm on Sunday 11 August 2024.
Venue: Howson Oval, Howson Ave, Turramurra, NSW
Thanks to Ku-ring-gai Council for access to Howson Oval and Twin
Creeks Reserve for this event.
Event Format: Middle Distance Event
Saturday will be a bush event with the opportunity for off-track navigation increasing as courses are progressively harder for older age classes.
Expect changes of direction and challenging navigation.
Courses have been set with a target winning time of 30-35 minutes. Less experienced or slower runners could expect to take at least twice as long to complete their course.
Event Timing
Students will start their race between 12:30pm and 2:30pm.
Start times for all students will be allocated and published on Tuesday 13 August.
Course closure is 4pm.
The Map
Map scale 1:5000 Contour interval 5m
The area has been remapped for this event. It has been mapped to ISOM 2017-2 standards.
A previous version of the map is available here.
No training on the event area is allowed as the map area is embargoed for all competitors.
Key Event Team Members
| Course Setter | Alastair George, Big Foot Orienteers |
| Event Organiser | Barbara Hill (barbara@boldhorizons.com.au, mobile 0418 270 476) |
| Event Controller | Tony Hill, Garingal Orienteers |
| Event entries | Miriam Meischke (miriam.meischke@gmail.com) |
Event Terrain
Along the ridge top, some rare species of Eucalyptus can be found, characteristic of dry Sydney sandstone with significant rock detail. The area can be steep either side of the ridge line. On lower slopes moist terrain features Blackbutts. Creek lines in the Reserve wind through a beautiful rainforest community to tall Eucalypt forest. Vegetation is growing back following a controlled burn in the area a few years ago. Some areas have thickened up but courses have been set to make the most of rock detail and runnable terrain.
Ku-ring-gai Council information on the area can be found here.
Access and Parking
There is limited parking at Howson Oval. Please obey parking marshal directions.
Street parking is available on Howson Avenue however this is also limited. Please be mindful of residents and be sure to not block any driveways.
If arriving late, parking on the northern side of the Reserve on Mitchell Crescent or Rothwell Rd is recommended. From there, it is an easy, level 750m walk through the Reserve to Howson Oval.
Student Entry Fees
Secondary Students – Non orienteering club members $30
Primary Students – Non orienteering club members $25
Orienteering club members receive a discount of 20% by using the promo code “ONSW” at the entry platform checkout.
Student orienteering club membership is $10pa and is recommended.
Orienteering club membership information is available here.
Timing card hire (one fee for all three w/e events) $4
All participants will require a SPORTident timing card for each event.
If students do not already own one, a card can be hired for $4 for the weekend or purchased online during the entry process.
Student Entry Classes
Age is as at 31/12/2024.
Very Easy =navigable without a compass, and following “handrails”, which are linear features such as tracks, fences, well-defined watercourses and vegetation boundaries.
Easy = these courses encourage simple distance estimation and basic corner cutting without a compass. Control sites should be on large visible features within 10m of linear features such as tracks, fences or a creek line.
Moderate = courses will include some cross-country routes where a compass can be helpful. There may be a choice of tracks on some legs. Control sites are near obvious “attack points” or may have “catching features” behind them.
Hard = courses will be difficult, requiring contour interpretation, close map reading and careful navigation. There may be no “handrails” or large “attack points” near controls and route choice decisions will be required. For experienced bush orienteers only.
Entry
Individual entry can be made online. There is no qualification required. This event is open to all school students.
Schools may complete a group entry for all students from their school. Please contact the event organisers to arrange this (miriam.meischke@gmail.com).
Online entry will close at 11:59pm on Sunday 11 August 2024. Entries beyond this date will only be accepted at the organiser’s discretion and will be subject to map availability.
Punching System
SPORTident timing will be used with field controls in beacon (contactless) mode. Manual punches will also be at controls as a backup option should a SPORTident card or unit fail.
A punching start will be used.
The finish control will be punch only.
Start Procedure
The start is located approximately 100m from the assembly area.
Plan to be at the start well ahead of your allocated start time.
The start procedure will take 3 minutes.
Start – 3 minutes: report to starter and have timing card checked
Start – 2 minutes: collect control descriptions
Start – 1 minute: move to map box
Safety
- The area is well bounded with multiple tracks that can be used for relocation and creeks either side of the central ridgeline.
- A safety check on all runners will be completed at the end of the event to confirm each person’s safe return to the finish.
- If runners are unable to relocate, the safety direction to return to the assembly location is uphill to the top of the central ridge and then follow the trail south to Howson Oval.
- Wearing a safety whistle is recommended for all participants.
- An emergency mobile number to contact event organisers will be included on maps.
- There will be a limited number of live GPS trackers that can be hired. Event organisers expect to have a live feed on the location of runners wearing trackers.
Results
Provisional results will be available live during the event on the Bold Horizons website.
Final results will be published to both the Bold Horizons and Orienteering NSW websites.
Provisional results will be available live during the event on the Bold Horizons website.
Final results will be published to both the Bold Horizons and Orienteering NSW websites.
Awards
The Champion Secondary School, Champion Primary School and Champion School Region will be awarded perpetual trophies.
The Champion School and Champion Region are determined by allocating points as follows:
A classes: 6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, 4 for 3rd, 3 for 4th, 2 for 5th, 1 for finishing
B classes: 4 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd, 1 for finishing.
School Age class placegetters will also be recognised.
Refreshments
There are no public shops in the vicinity of the event.
The NSW Junior Squad will conduct a fundraising stall offering drinks and snacks only.
All competitors should bring their own water to the event.
Poor Weather
In case of rain, the event is expected to still be conducted unless permission is withdrawn by the landholder. There is limited shelter available at the venue.
Orienteering clubs are welcome to bring a club gazebo however note that no spikes or pegs are allowed on the oval.
First Aid
First aid will be available at the event.
ONSW Competitor Code of Conduct
Kindly note the Orienteering NSW Code of Conduct which applies to all participants and spectators.
Dogs and other Pets
No dogs or other pets, please.
