ESOC Ultrasprint 2019, Beeslack

Beeslack School grounds and adjoining wood

Sun 25th Aug 2019

Info updated: 27th Aug
Type of event: Local, Other
Type of terrain: Parkland

Results

The results are here

The combined results are here

ORGANISER'S COMMENTS: This event is fun; no other word for it; specially on the most beautiful summer day like today.   Running about in lovely parkland; just enough complexity to keep it interesting, the fun of the Maze - what could be better?    Did anyone notice that the courses were exactly the same as two years ago here at Beeslack?  if you were there and want to compare your times, have a look at the 2017 Ultrasprint Results. 

Lost property:  I have a white plastic hand-held  water bottle left behind . 

Thanks to everyone involved with today; the School, the ESOC volunteers, and all the participants.
Janet Clark     Organiser   0131 225 7771        janetcrl@'aol.com 
 

General Information

ADDITIONAL REASONS TO COME TO THIS EVENT:
Coaching Corner - There will be a coaching corner at the Ultrasprint with orienteering coaches available to help give pointers and advice. This is aimed primarily at  club members of  all ages and abilities. Stop and say "Hello" between courses and discuss how you are getting on and pick up some tips to help on your next course. 
Brand-new stock of ESOC O-tops available for sale - All sizes available; same prices as last year; £35 adult/£25 Junior
 

EVENT FORMAT: Controls in a Maze combined with some park orienteering. The challenge is to navigate around the controls in the Maze quickly and cleanly. The fastest runner may not be the most accurate. It is entertaining for the spectators and makes a very welcoming, sociable, fun event which everyone can enjoy.

TOILETS: Toilets in Beeslack School very close to Registration and Download.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS: You have the option of downloading and completing this Medical Form. It could be life saving if the organisers are aware of any existing medical conditions in the event of an incident. You can leave it at registration/enquires in a sealed envelope that will only be opened if required and destroyed or handed back to you after the event.

Location

Nearest town: Penicuik

• Grid Ref: NT241615
• Postcode: EH26 0QF
• Latitude: 55.84039
• Longitude: -3.21162
• Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

The event will be based at Beeslack High School (postcode is given for Beeslack High School) which is in Penicuik, Midlothian.  Beeslack High School is about 5 miles south of the Edinburgh City Bypass on A701.

Beeslack is a community school and is oftern busy on Sundays. This means there may be members of the public sharing parking in the school car park and on the road through the school grounds.  Please use public transport if possible.  Lothian buses 37 and 47 stop outside the school (use the underpass if you need to cross the road). The 47 calls at Straiton P&R.  DO NOT PARK ON THE A701. 

NOTE: Competitors travelling northbound through Penicuik on A701 might be affected by temporary traffic lights on the A701 in the town but on a Sunday the delay will only be a couple of minutes.  Most people will be coming from Edinburgh direction and will not be affected.

Registration & Start Times

REGISTRATION AND DOWNLOAD: We will have the use of the community lounge in Beeslack School for the event. Registration will be here along with download which you need to do after each race. You may leave bags here but accept it is at your own risk. 

Registration:  13.00 – 14.00

Starts: 1st race:  13.30 – 14.30      2nd race:  up to 15.00      3rd race:  up to 15.30

Courses close:  16.30

DOWNLOAD: You must download immediately after you complete each course. You are then free to clear your SI dibber and start your next course.

STARTS: Close to Registration.  There are no allocated start times.  Starts open from 13.30 and the start procedure is described below under 'Course Information'.

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE: You are only covered by our public liability insurance if you have joined an orienteering club, or are competing in one of your first 3 events. If you would like to join ESOC you can find out how to do this here.  

Course Information

There will be 4 separate courses. Courses 1,2 and 3 will each be around 1.3km in length and all visit the maze at some point.  These courses will not have control codes in the second column of the control descriptions.  It is up to you to make sure, by accurate map reading, that you are at the right control. The winner's time is the combined time for Courses 1, 2 and 3. A penalty of 2 minutes will be added to your time for each control wrongly punched. 

You will be allocated to a course for your 1st run at 'check' then join the other queues when you come back for your 2nd and 3rd runs.

The maze only course will have control codes in the usual way. 

There is a road within the school grounds, between the parkland area and the school, which has to be crossed during the event - to get to and from Registration and Download and also on one of the courses.  It is usually a quiet road but there could be cars travelling along it at any time.  Also, there will be parked cars, potentially hindering visibility. Please therefore take great care crossing the road at all times. There will be 'runners on the road' signs' but it remains your responsibility to cross safely and to ensure that any junior in your care crosses safely. 

Members of the public also use this area. Please be considerate to them and also to other runners, particularly in the maze.

The courses are planned to avoid running across the sport pitches. If games are on there may be spectators so be careful and slow down.

At the finish you will be asked to hand in your map after your first and second run and will be able to keep your third map.

Explanation of colour courses

• White are very easy with all controls on paths. They are mainly used by 6-10 year olds and family groups.
• Yellow use simple linear features like paths, walls and streams. They are mainly used by under 12’s and family groups.
• Orange progress to basic use of the compass and route choice. They are ideal for novice adults or experienced youngsters.
• Light Green are ideal for improvers as the navigational difficulty begins to increase and uses simple contours and point features.
• Green are used mostly by experienced under 18’s and adults wanting a short but challenging course with a very hard navigational difficulty.
• Blue are a longer, more physically demanding course in comparison to the green. The distances are more varied between controls and the course attracts experienced orienteers.
• Brown & Black are very physically demanding and have a very hard navigational difficulty. They are for experienced orienteers only.
• Score means visiting as many controls as possible in any order in a specific time, like 45mins.

Entry Details

Advance entry via Fabian4 is preferred however entry on the day (EOD) is possible at extra cost - see below. Advance entries opened on 1st August.  Entry fees are shown below.

ENTRY FEES:  

Free SIcard hire, if required, but £30.00 charge will be made if lost.   NOTE that SI air will not be used. This would not work because of the maze.

Entry on the day (EOD) will be subject to map availability.

This entry fee covers all four courses.

MAZE ONLY OPTION: There will be a Maze Only option available for £2.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Jim Martin (ESOC)

Organiser: Janet Clark (ESOC)

Controller on the day: Roger Scrutton (ESOC)

Safety and Risk

A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.

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