Moray Schools Orienteering League 2012 - Information for schools and competitors
The Moray Schools Orienteering League is run by Moravian Orienteering Club in conjunction with Active Schools. The aim is to provide school pupils with the opportunity to learn and develop map reading skills while improving their fitness in a fun, competitive and challenging sport. The league runs from January to December 2012, including the summer holiday months.
Events. There will be one event each calendar month. The date and details of each venue will be advertised to schools in advance and will also be available on www.moravianorienteering.org. Venues will be spread throughout Moray and will use a variety of terrain ranging from urban parkland to forests. All events are on Saturday mornings starting with registration at 10.15 am and start times from 10.30 to 11.30 am. Courses close at 12.30.
Cost. Schools are not required to pay any fees to enter the league. Costs will be covered by each individual paying £3 on the day. This will include the cost of event levies to the national governing body, trophies, map production, map printing and equipment costs. The map can be taken away afterwards. Anyone who is already a member of Moravian Orienteering Club, or who joins during the year, will get a £1 discount.
Teams. There’s no need to arrange teams beforehand, or for any form of team co-ordination. All pupils can enter independently, but it will be just the fastest 4 from each school whose results counts for the team score from any event. There’s no limit to the number who can enter.
Entries. Pupils should enter as an individual, but they are welcome to run with a friend. However, both must register separately and the time for each runner will count, even if they stick together throughout the course.
Primary Competition. Most primary children will compete on the short course, normally between 2 and 2.5 Km with straightforward navigation. Children can expect to take between 15 and 40 minutes to complete the course. The course is designed so that it can be completed without the use of a compass. P7 pupils may continue to run the primary course for their old primary school after they have changed schools, or they can choose to run the secondary course for their new school from August onwards. Primary children are also welcome to attempt the long course, but this is only recommended for anyone who has been orienteering for some time. Points will be scored as if they were a secondary school runner.
Secondary Competition. Secondary pupils may compete on either course. Pupils running the short course will score fewer points than those attempting the long course (eg if the last-placed competitor on the long course scores 90 points, the first-placed secondary-school runner on the short course will score 89). The long course is around 4 Km in length and provides a greater navigational challenge. Skilled navigators can risk taking shorter routes away from paths and line features while there will usually be easier, safer but longer routes between controls. Very skilled juniors might complete the course in just over 30 minutes while inexperienced participants can expect to take an hour or more.
Inexperienced participants should therefore arrive early so they can take the earlier start slots. A compass, and knowing how to use one, is recommended. Youngsters tackling the long course with no previous experience of orienteering will find it immensely challenging, and should be prepared to be patient as they develop their skills. Such pupils are recommended to run with a partner for the first event or two until they build up their confidence.
Parents Competition. Orienteering is renowned as a family participation sport. Other family members are welcome to take part. The cost for adults is £4 (£3 for club members for whom the club runs its own league).
Assistance out on the Course. Parents, guardians etc are encouraged to accompany beginners on the course. In orienteering this is called “shadowing”. Anyone shadowing a child should avoid ‘doing it themselves’ with the child in tow in an attempt to get a fast time. This achieves nothing as the child gets no sense of achievement and learns very little. Instead, shadowers should allow the child to do all the navigation themselves, and only help out where a mistake has been made or the child asks for help.
Safety. Seriously lost children are a rarity in orienteering. However, anyone getting disorientated should not wander about aimlessly. Instead, get on to the nearest track or path and remain where you are and you will be found! If you see a control marker not on your course, remain with it and ask another passing competitor for help. Carrying a whistle is recommended.
Timing. Each participant is given an electronic timing chip at registration. This is used to record the time taken and to show that each control has been visited. The chip is downloaded to a computer back at registration after completion of the course.
Scoring. Points will be awarded depending on finish position, with the winner scoring 100, 2nd scoring 99 etc. The best 4 scores from each school will count towards the overall league. Anyone not completing the course correctly will be placed behind the slowest ‘all correct’ runner. Disqualified competitors will be ranked according to how many controls they managed to find in the correct sequence. On the long course, primary and secondary pupils will be lumped together for scoring purposes. On the short course, primary and secondary will be scored separately. Boys and girls are not scored separately. Experience has shown that girls are able to compete on an equal footing to boys – navigation skill is more important than running speed.
League Table. The league table will be updated after each event. Schools will accumulate points from all 12 events and a trophy will be presented to the primary and secondary schools that have accumulated the most points after the last event in December 2012. There will also be an individual league where the best 7 results from each competitor will count to their overall standing. Hence P7 pupils may wish to continue running the primary course after they have moved up to secondary.
Results. Results will be published on the Moravian Orienteers Web Site on the Sunday after each event, along with detailed ’split times’ for each runner showing the time taken for each control. This makes it possible to work out how much time you might have lost through either getting lost or making a bad route choice.
Enquiries. More information can be obtained from your Active Schools Co-ordinator or from the League Organiser Mike Rodgers (01309 641413 or alisonrodgers@supanet.com).
First Few Fixtures for 2012
Sat 14 January– Event 1 – Lossiemouth (Beach Car Park)
Sat 18 February – Event 2 – Fochabers (Milnes High School)
Sat 24 March – Event 3 – Aberlour (Exact Venue still to be decided)
Sat 21 April – Event 4 – Venue still to be decided
Updated 13 January 2012