KNC 19: Sevenoaks

Thu 3 Feb 2022

With the loss of a forest venue at short notice....

Type of event: Local, Night, Score, Street
Type of terrain: Urban

Info updated: Fri 4 Feb

Results

Event Report

With the loss of a forest venue at short notice it was rather inevitable that only a street event could fill the gap.  We hadn’t been to Sevenoaks for some time and its convenient location, for Sarah at least, made it an easy choice even though the private roads (shown as OOB on the map) do restrict the planning somewhat.  Online resources of Open Orienteering Map and Google Streetview facilitate map making and armchair planning when you’re short of time too! 

Starting near the edge of the map was always going to mean that most people would visit the same first few controls but I wanted to make use of the interesting alleyways around the shops & cafes and hopefully create some navigational challenges. It’s good to see that there was a range of control/route choices thereafter. 

Back to Sevenoaks again next week, but this time to the delights of Knole Park. 

Sarah & Jean

Pre Event Info

Location

map

Nearest town: Sevenoaks

Directions / Parking

Suffolk Way Car Park accessed from Buckhurst Lane, Sevenoaks, nearest postcode TN13 1LW (surface level parking, NOT the new multi-storey car park)

Access to car park: what3words ///title.gained.comb

PAY AND DISPLAY charges apply from 8:30am to 8:30pm

1 hour - £1; 2 hours - £2; 3 hours - £3

Nearest railway station: Sevenoaks 1km. Consider using your own transport and not public transport. Travel alone or with people you have already had close contact with (i.e. family).

Observing British Orienteering and Government guidelines:-

Please be respectful of other people’s wishes to observe social distancing from the time you arrive at the event until you leave.

To minimise the time for interaction with others please arrive in your O gear and depart still wearing it.

Registration & Start Times

Registration: Pre-entry only via http://www.racesignup.co.uk  by midnight Wed 2 February 2022.

This will require details for safety purposes and a declaration about Covid-19.

No Registration on the night.

Start period 7.30pm – 7.45pm.

The start/finish will be on the edge of the car park. Take care when starting and finishing.

Please read the Start briefing displayed (event safety & event details)

Punching start (consider social distancing)

Course Information

60 minute score suitable for all abilities. 20 controls numbered 90 to 109. Visit as many as you can in any order.

Max score 200 points.10 points penalty per minute/part minute beyond 60 minutes. Controls will be collected after 8:55pm (course closing time).

Juniors (age 15 or younger) are welcome to take part but must be accompanied by an adult (condition of British Orienteering insurance for Street events)

You are reminded to maintain 2m distance apart at control sites and, if running close to another competitor, BOF advises that you remain at least 10m apart, ahead or behind, to avoid aerosol inhalation.

Controls will be SIAC enabled. Separate/loose control descriptions will not be provided.

1:10,000 scale Open Orienteering Map, A4 size, waterproof paper.  The map has only been created this week, due to the loss of another area, so there has been insufficient time to check it is completely correct!  Please bear this in mind.

There are a number of private roads in Sevenoaks which we do not have permission to use.  These are marked on the map and are clear on the ground.

After your run, please download as normal, considering social distancing. Timing printouts will be provided and the results will be available on the website.

If you are able to help collect controls in afterwards, please do volunteer.

Explanation of Score courses

You don't have to visit all the controls! There is usually a time limit, instead of a set course. Points are scored for visiting controls, and deducted for finishing over the time limit. You decide which controls to visit, and in which sequence. Sometimes controls have different points values. You will need to carry a watch or phone, so you know how long you have been out.

Entry Details

Pre-entry only via http://www.racesignup.co.uk

Seniors (British Orienteering members) £5, Non-members of BO £7.         

Juniors & students £3 (BO or non-BO).

Group: £10 (1 dibber; map for each participant) (BO or non-BO).   

Dibber loan (non SIAC): Free.

Note: Juniors (age 15 or younger) are welcome to take part but must be accompanied by an adult (condition of British Orienteering insurance for Street events)

Some sort of torch is essential. Wearing High Visibility clothing is strongly advised. You will need to look after your car keys yourself (eg carry in zipped pocket or waist strap).

An Emergency contact number will be printed on the map. 

Terrain Description

Almost entirely hard surfaces. Wearing high visibility clothing is strongly advised.

As this is a night event in a mainly residential area, please:

  • slow down, be courteous, allow 2 metres social distancing space for members of the public and give way at pinch points
  • take care not to shine torches into house windows
  • respect residential areas
  • maintain quietness and move away from checkpoints promptly.

Some sort of torch is recommended plus a small backup/reserve. A waterproof jacket with taped seams and a hood/hat may be required in inclement weather.

You will need to look after your car keys yourself (e.g. carry in zipped pocket or waist strap).

Facilities

Hand sanitiser will be available at the Start/Finish.

Nearest toilets: Bus station (if open) w3w///sake.known.waddle; alternatively in Waitrose - entrance via carpark w3w///entire.yoga.wounds

No après-O is planned for this event although there are nearby eateries in Sevenoaks for those in need of sustenance.

A & E: Tunbridge Wells Hospital

Address: Tonbridge Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4QJ

Phone: 01892 823535

what3words ///landed.share.bunch

Rather than handle hard copies on the night, the Risk Assessments are available here and here 

Contacts / Officials

Planner & Organiser: Sarah Howes

Planner & Organiser: Jean Fitzgerald

Important Information

Health, safety and other important information related to events.

If you have pre-existing helath issues that you feel the organiser should know about please fill in this medical form.

 

Covid-19:

Before travelling to any orienteering event please make sure you are aware of and following British Orienteering guidelines. 

To ensure that we comply with these guidelines and make our events Covid secure and safe for participants and volunteers, all events will be pre-entry and pre-payment only.

During the on-line entry process, you will select your preferred start window from those available for your course. You must then make payment to reserve your start window. Please do not turn up at the event unless you have pre-entered. If you need help with the registration process please contact the event organiser.

On event day turn up for your allocated start slot

Please move away from the map box after collecting your map.

At control sites do not touch the control, and move through quickly.

Do not congregate at the Finish.

At Download please get your breath back and recover before downloading.

Saxons volunteers are very happy to help beginners understand the courses, maps and timing equipment used at our events. To get advice please contact coaching@saxons-oc.org at least 3 days before the event, or go to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/saxons.oc and ask questions there. It may be possible to arrange for somoene to meet you before your start.

For full BO Covid guidance click here

Ticks and Lyme Disease: Ticks are common in areas where we go orienteering, more information about ticks.

Training and help is available from qualified coaches. Please contact the organiser.

Privacy: when entering our events your name may appear in the results section of this website or in newspaper reports. Read our privacy policy to see how we look after your personal data.

Data Protection: Your personal information provided for this event or obtained from registration databases will be used to process your entry, publish results, check for missing runners and trace missing SI cards.