a printable (.pdf) version of this document can be found here.
Version 3 - 14/04/2009
Holder ITOC – Cian O'Reilly (Ajax)
Holder Visitor – Christine Roberts (Ebor – UK)
Holder NITOC – Ernie Wilson (LVO)
Participation in the event is open to all. In particular there is no disability criterion. The event also incorporates the Northern Ireland Trail Orienteering Championship and the Irish TrailO 2-Day Challenge.
The event takes place on 25th and 26th April 2008 at the National Trust property of Castleward Estate, Co. Down. On the Saturday the competition is for the Irish TrailO Championship and, on the Sunday, for the Northern Ireland TrailO Championship. The 2-Day Challenge combines the results from both days of competition. The entrance to Castleward Estate is signposted from the A25 Downpatrick to Strangford road, approximately 7 miles from Downpatrick and 2 miles from Strangford.
In this form of orienteering, competitors visit designated decision points along the “trail” – they don’t visit the control sites – and using the detail from the map, the control description and the placement of the control circle decide which of the visible markers is correctly placed (bearing in mind that none of them may be correct). The markers are designated alphabetically as viewed from the decision point with the left-most being “A”, the second-left being “B” and so on – the angle of view of the markers from the decision point is always less than 180°. There are lettered boxes on the control card – the competitor punches the box corresponding to their decision. There is also a box lettered “Z” (zero) to be punched if the decision is that none of the markers are correct. For each correct answer a score of one point is given and, as tiebreaker, some of the controls are timed. It is the length of time taken to reach a decision which is measured; the clock starts when the map is placed in front of the competitor and stops when they give their answer. There is a 1 minute time limit after which a wrong answer is assumed; there is a warning given after 50secs.
This event is being used to further “road test” a draft set of competition rules for Trail Orienteering events prepared for the Irish Orienteering Association (there have been no adverse comments to date). Note that, as the event is being staged in Northern Ireland, any references to the “Irish Orienteering Association”, “IOA” or “IOA-specific text” should be taken as the equivalent British Orienteering Federation references. Copies of these rules will be available for viewing at registration and can be found on the event web site.
Course planning has been undertaken using the “Technical Guidelines for Elite Trail Orienteering 2009” which can be found in the Document Library on the IOF web site at www.orienteering.org.
Further information on TrailO can be found at www.trailo.org.
The terrain is a mixture of formal garden, formal parkland and pasture land. The trail is along metalled roadways and well-compacted gravel vehicle tracks except for 200metres of marked route along flat, grassed (near lawn quality) areas. Except for the marked routes the trail is represented on the map by double black lines with brown infill; these are the only tracks which competitors may use. Tracks with steps or red and white tape are out of bounds to competitors.
Scale 1:4,000 with 2.5metre contour interval, drawn in accordance with the IOF International Specification for Sprint Orienteering Maps (version 2006) incorporating the Section 7 guidelines for TrailO from the IOF International Specification for Orienteering Maps (version 2000). A TrailO map differs from a FootO map in that the representation of vegetation relates to its effect on visibility, not runnability. Thus white areas are wooded with good visibility, green (60%) are wooded with reduced visibility and green (100%) are wooded with restricted visibility. Vertical green stripes indicate areas where undergrowth interferes with the definition of the land form.
The map is based on that first used for the 2003 Irish Relay Orienteering Championships, updated for any changes to vegetation and man-made features. A copy of the 2003 map is available for download on the web site.
The area has a number of sign posts and picnic tables scattered across it. These have not been mapped.
In the pasture land some isolate trees are individually fenced to protect them from livestock; these fences have not been mapped.
Symbol 539 (black “O”) has been used for any statuary placed in the terrain.
Symbol 540 (black “X”) has been used for the hardware in the children's play areas.
Symbol 418 (green circle) and 419 (green dot) have been used for isolate trees and bushes. Where trees or bushes are touching their canopy is shown in plan form in white (copse) or green (thicket).
Because of the complexity of the area the maps for the Day 1 timed controls will be printed at a scale of 1:2000.
A full control description list is given on the map.
Where the “between features” construct is used in column G of the control description the only features to be considered are those within or being touched by the control circle on the map.
Courses
Day1 – single course of 1.6Km and 20m climb with 19 controls of which 2 are timed.
Day2 – single course of 1.8Km and 35m climb with 20 controls of which 2 are timed.
Day1 - there are two championship classes:
ITOC open to Irish Nationals and those resident in Ireland.
Visitor
“National” is taken to describe the eligibility to hold an Irish passport.
It should be noted that there is no disability criterion for becoming Champion. There are perpetual trophies for each class.
Day2 – there is one championship class:
NITOC open to members of the Northern Ireland Orienteering Association.
The results of both days' competitions are combined to find the winner of the Irish TrailO 2-Day Challenge.
Entry fee is £6 per day. Payment is on the day but pre-registration would be much appreciated. There are National Trust admission charges (£5.00 for an adult) but those pre-registering by email will receive vouchers which provide reduced entrance charges (£2.00 collectable at TrailO registration) to the estate.
The registration details required are name, club, day 1 class (ITOC/Visitor), day 2 class (NITOC/Visitor) and whether or not a member of the National Trust.
Decision points will be indicated by mini-markers on low stakes. These markers will be numbered and, along with the relevant kites for that control, will be on the same side of the trail in the terrain as the control circle is on the map.
Farther along the trail but before the next highest-numbered decision point is reached will be found, on a stake, the punch to be used to privately record the decision for that control. This stake will be on the same side of the trail as the decision point marker and will have a tag showing the number of the control to which it relates.
From some of the decision points it will be possible to see markers belonging to other control clusters. These will be eliminated by use of the direction of view symbol in column H of the control description; if that is insufficiently clear there will be restricted sectors of view, indicated by tapes radiating from the decision point marker. If further clarification is required there will be tapes between the clusters in the terrain.
Copies of these notes will be available at registration.
Pre-registered competitors bring their entry fee (£8.00 for non-members of the National Trust) to TrailO registration where they will be given their control card. Entry-on-the-day competitors will pay their £6.00 entry fee, fill in their registration slip and be given their control card.
There are no pre-assigned start times. Day 1 registration opens at 11:00hrs and closes at 13:30hrs, the start closes at 14:00hrs and the course closes at 16:00hrs. Day 2 registration opens at 09:30hrs and closes at 11:30hrs, the start closes at 12:00hrs and the course closes at 14:00hrs.
Competitors, when ready, make their way to Pre-Start from where they will be called forward to the timed controls. After completion of the timed controls they will be issued with their map and have their start time recorded on the control card.
Competitors have 99mins to complete the Day 1 and 115mins for the Day 2 courses (excluding time taken at the timed controls); one point is deducted from their score for each 5mins, or part thereof, over the time limit.
At the finish competitors will have the time of arrival recorded on their control card.
At the timed controls competitors are asked to confirm that they can see all the markers and are given a copy of the competition map from which has been removed the detail (except the magnetic north lines) and control description information. This shows the orientation of the map and the position of the control circle. The time starts when this map is turned over to reveal another containing the full detail and stops when the answer is given. Only the first answer can be accepted.
Toilets, including disabled facilities, are available in the Stableyard which is adjacent to Day1 pre-start, Day1/Day2 finish and 200metres from Day2 parking and in the Farmyard which is on the Day2 course.
Day 1 Controller – Gordon Stephens
Day 2 Controller – Stephen Gilmore
Planner/Organiser - Alan Gartside
Helpers – Ormiston Leisure Support Services (friends and relatives!)