KNC 22 - Tunbridge WellsThu 20 Mar

Kent Night Cup

Local level event

Explanation of event levels

Local events are usually low key and in the 'localised' area, ideal for newcomers to try the sport and Training events are non competitive and used for training and coaching, aimed at members of the club, but they can attract people from neighbouring clubs, and are often ideal for newcomers to try the sport. Regional events attract participants from around the local Region, National events are high quality competitions that will attract people from far away, Major events are Major Events such as a British Championships. Virtual events are where there are no physical controls being used. Your presence at a control is registered using an App on your mobile phone, normally the free MapRun App.

Terrain type: Urban & Woodland

Results

KNC 22 - Results

FINAL Series Scores after KNC 22

Report

The Kent Night Cup for 2024/25 finished on an enjoyable evening in Tunbridge Wells.

Hybrid events (woodland & streets combination) allow some of our less frenetic competitors to concentrate on their more favoured discipline. For example, Graham Thomas cleared the controls and the dumbell on the Common, whilst Andrea and Eloise Pauling gave themselves enough time to visit all the controls in the Town.

Conditions were warm and dry for just about everybody, although one competitor did manage to imitate a hippopotamus and come back absolutely caked in mud. Ahem!

Starting in the top corner of the map, meant that there was a not ideal procession to control 105. A couple of weeks ago, the subsequent direct route from 105 to 103 was impenetrable, and so there were only 2 possible routes - left or right. But the rangers had been very kind recently and cleared the lower part of the bank, making the orienteer's favourite route (straight ahead) another possibility - which a few took.

The timed out road crossing (maximum of 2 minutes) between the Common and Town enabled a few to use this as recovery time for the second half of the course. The extra time calculation did though affect one or two brains, with one competitor admitting that in his tired out state, he thought that he didn't have enough time to visit control 97 near the finish, when it fact he had more than enough time to do so. The time out (after the initial Mass Start) also created added intrigue for our fastest pair of Mark Ford and Alan Velecky, as they raced round the second half of the course together - to see who had actually won.

Apologies from the Organiser for having SIAC enabled control 93 in his back-pack at the start, so that 5 competitors seemingly dibbed it straight after the Start, and thus received a very messy printout at download. As the control was on the route to the Start, the plan was to keep it out of sight until everybody was off into the depths of the Common. Simon B skilfully removed the unwanted dibs in Si Timing, so the splits show a lot cleaner in the published Results.

Thanks to the Conservators of the Common for allowing us to use the Common again. One of their officers, Martin Brice, came along especially to wish us well for the event,

Thanks also to the control collectors - Sean, Mark G, Mark F, Brendon, Graham T, and Alan - for swiftly tidying up afterwards.

With the event finished, the majority of the competitors adjourned to the excellent TN1 Bar & Kitchen, where we were well looked after. The conclusion of the evening was to award the series prizes - a door/car/changing mat. Award Winners were:

1st Overall : Brendon Howe (SAX)

2nd Overall: Mark Ford (SAX)

3rd Overall: Peter Dobra (SAX)

1st Woman: Alison Howe (SAX)

M60: Ian Ditchfield (MV)

W60: Sarah Howes (SAX)

M70: Simon Blanchflower (SAX)

W70: Heather Brown (SAX)

Nick Hope Cup: David Float (HAVOC)

Thanks to all the Event Organisers and volunteers (from SAX, DFOK, SO, and MV) who have helped put on the 22 events. Great effort from all of you. More than 150 people (including those in groups who don't show in the Series stats) have enjoyed participating in the series this season. Many have got addicted to the format. David Float (our best attendee - hence him being awarded the Nick Hope Cup) would have got to all the events if he hadn't been injured for a couple of weeks. Quite a few others managed 16 or 17 events. We hope you are all looking forward to the return of the KNC in October 2025 already !

JC

Last updated: Fri 21 March, 2025

Overview

The final event of the 2024/25 KNC Series is a Hybrid event on Tunbridge Wells Common and around Tunbridge Wells Town itself. There will be the Series Prizegiving afterwards.


Location Info

Location map

Near: Tunbridge Wells
Lat,Lng: 51.13163,0.25748

Open an interactive map in:
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Directions / Parking

Parking at council owned Crescent Road Car Park, Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2LU. RingGo location code 28507. Night rate £2.00 (6pm to 5am). Crescent Road is the A264. Limited free parking on Monson Road (and probably other nearby roads) after 6pm.

Meeting Point: just outside the North-East pedestrian exit of Level G of the Car Park. Just off Monson Road if you are coming by foot. This will also be where the Finish Kite will be.

Public Transport Options

Tunbridge Wells Central Railway Station is approx 1/3 of a mile - 500 metres from the Meeting Point

Various bus stops at the War Memorial on Mount Pleasant Road, 200 metres from the Meeting Point

Pre-event Details

Map / Terrain

Maps will be printed on double-sided A4 waterproof paper. The Common map is 1:4,000 scale with 2m contours, whilst the Urban map is 1:4,000 scale with 5m contours.

Tunbridge Wells Common is a small area of mixed woodland and open spaces covered by a dense network of paths and a few roads. Some of the paths are paved, some are likely to be muddy but most areas should be fairly firm underfoot. White forest is generally exceptionally smooth underfoot but the green areas can be very variable. Undergrowth markings represent extensive brambles or, occasionally, young gorse.

Tunbridge Wells Town (Urban) - usual mix of roads, footpaths, and grassland in three town parks: Calverley Grounds, Calverley Park and The Grove.

Course Information

Start on the Common for the first set of controls, transition to streets/parks for the other set of controls, and finish back at the original Meeting Point

60 minute score suitable for all abilities. 22 controls. Find as many as you can in the allotted time.

Part 1: 12 controls on the Common map, numbered 100 to 111. 10 points per control. Controls in Part 1 will have the orange kite.

Part 2: 10 controls on the Town/Urban map, numbered 90 to 99. 10 points per control. Controls in Part 2 will NOT have the orange kite - just some red/white tape, as they will be grippled to lampposts etc

Timed out road-crossing (A26) for 2 minutes from Control 111 (last on Part 1) to Control 99 (first on Part 2). Both are scoring controls.

Paired Controls (aka Dumbells) Bonus points: Controls 100 & 101 are paired together (in Part 1), as are controls 90 & 91 (in Part 2). Visiting both controls in the pair together in either sequence (without any other controls in between), will earn a bonus of 10 points per pair. Paired controls will be shown on the map joined by a line.

Max score 240 points.

Controls will be collected 70 minutes after the last start (course closing time).

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

After your run please Download as normal. 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. The more helpers that we have for this task, the quicker it gets done, and the quicker the prizes get given out in the pub afterwards.

Read more about Course lengths and Difficulty here

Entry Details

Pre-entry only via https://racesignup.co.uk/knc-22-tunbridge-wells-common-and-town

Entering as an Individual (take part on your own):

Seniors (British Orienteering members) £7, Non-members of BO £10.

Juniors & students £4 (BO or non-BO).

Entering a Group (going round together):

1 dibber. Includes a map for each person in the Group:

£12 (British Orienteering members), £15 (non-BO), covers all in the Group

Dibber loan (non SIAC): Free.

Juniors (age 15 or younger) are welcome to take part but must be accompanied by an adult (condition of British Orienteering insurance), as there are road sections/crossings as part of the course.

Registration and Start times

Pre-entry only via https://racesignup.co.uk/knc-22-tunbridge-wells-common-and-town

Meet at 7:15pm, just outside the North-East foot exit of Level G of the Car Park, just off Monson Road.

We will then walk to the Start on the Common, where there will be a safety briefing. Mass start at 7:30pm.

Finish is located back at the Meeting Point.

Facilities

Please join us afterwards, even if you do not wish to eat, at TN1 Restaurant Tunbridge Wells. This venue is just 50 metres from the Finish, on Monson Road.

Pre-ordering for optional food orders will be required via the racesignup form by 4pm on Tuesday 18th March at the latest. Click on https://tn1barkitchen.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Leanne-New-Menu-design1.jpg to view the menu. Late Orders/amendments to be agreed with the Organiser (contact details below).

Novelty prizes for KNC 22 will be awarded to those who make it to TN1.

KNC Season Prizes to be awarded (also at TN1) as follows: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Overall; 1st Woman Overall; 1st M60; 1st W60; 1st M70; 1st W70; Nick Hope Cup (for best attendance).

See https://www.saxons-oc.org/info/kent-night-cup for the various league rules etc

Dog restrictions

Well-behaved dogs on a lead.

Contacts / Officials

Organiser : John Cross. 07594 441089 email hidden; JavaScript is required

Nearest A&E Hospital

Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Tonbridge Road, Pembury TN2 4QJ. 01892 823535
NHS Urgent care search

Safety Notes

Nearest AEDs (Defibrillators) :


There is a timed out road crossing of 2 minutes, when switching between the two Parts/sets. From Control 111 to Control 99 is about 80 metres, across the A26 and up a side street. Please take care when crossing the A26.

Carrying some sort of torch is essential on the Common, and there are areas and alleyways with few or no street lights. Some unmade roads and paths might be muddy. Some pavements or alleyways might have uneven slabs or surfaces.

Wearing High Visibility clothing, or light coloured top - no all black kit please, as you will be crossing roads.

A cagoule may be required in inclement weather.

An Emergency contact number will be printed on the map. Carrying a mobile phone is strongly recommended and mandatory for newcomers. You can let us know if you are lost or late, and we can contact you if you have not returned.


Miscellaneous

Thanks are extended to the Conservators of Tunbridge Wells Common for again allowing us to use the area for one of our events.

For some interesting history of Tunbridge Wells Common, see this link on the Conservators website https://twcommons.org/commons-history/

So, once again, the KNC is offering you a run round a(n old) racecourse!


For those unable to cope without their KNC fix during the summer months, Saxons OC will be organising a 5 week Thursday evening Series from 22nd May through to 19th June - see the Saxons Events page for further details