One course for all, of 3.1 Km. It starts off at White Standard (British orienteering Technical Difficulty Level 1) and progresses to Yellow (TD2) about a third of the way in. A small number of the controls are at TD3 but marshals on the course will ensure that no competitors go astray in the more difficult sections. The competiton is for for teams of 8 (with a minimum of 3 of each gender because there are separate boys and girls races). For those who want an extra challenge, we offer a 'Junior Elite' course, 3.2 Km at orange (TD3) standard for children to attempt, either on their own, as a pair, or as a teacher-led group.
Entry is through Active Schools via individual schools, but volunteer helpers are welcome to register on the day to run either of the courses in the 'guests' category.
Here is the definition of technical difficulty levels 1, 2 and 3:
TD1
- Route all along tracks and paths. No route choice, including at the start banner. Controls reasonably
close together (200m maximum). A control at every Decision Point.
Skills required:
- Understand map colours and commonly used
symbols.
- Orient the map.
- Orienteer along tracks and paths.
- Make decisions at ‘Decision Points’ identified
by a control site.
TD2
Route all along obvious line features such as tracks, paths, fences, walls, rivers, large ditches and very distinct
vegetation boundaries. No route choice, including at the start banner. Controls fairly close
together (350m maximum). Leg lengths should not vary greatly. A control is not needed at every Decision
Point, but there should be at most two Decision Points per leg.
Skills required:
- Orienteer along obvious line features (handrails).
- Make decisions at a ‘Decision Point’ without
the assistance of a control to identify it as such.
- Leave a line feature to go to a visible control
site near to it, then return to that line feature.
TD3
For controls not on a line feature then a route along line features to an obvious attack point should be possible.
Simple route choices.
Skills required:
- Corner cutting.
- Basic use of compass to allow short cuts through the terrain between two line features.
- Navigate a short leg on a rough compass bearing to a control on or in front of a collecting feature.
- Simplification of legs with several Decision Points.
- Make simple route choice decisions.
(the junior elite is designed so that compasses are not essential. Orientation can be done by reference to obvious features such as paths, roads, buildings etc)
