25. SUNDAY 1 MAY - LONG DISTANCE

1. Introduction

There will be one Long Distance Race for men and one Race for women. These races will be held in the forests of the Surrey Hills, some 10km to the south-east of Guildford. It is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in forests known to British orienteers as Winterfold, Pitch Hill and Holmbury Hill. It has been used for several major orienteering events in the past 20 years and provides a real challenge to all orienteers. There are several landowners with much of the competition area being managed by Hurtwood Control.

The race arena will be close to the picturesque village of Peaslake. We are indebted to the local residents for providing this arena and car park. We hope you will support them in raising funds during the Event for the village school, which was faced with closure some years back, and is now funded by local residents.

2. The Terrain

The area lies on the east-west Greensand ridge. This generally has a steep southern scarp slope, with gentler gradients to the north. The area is incised by steep sided valleys. The vegetation is generally mature pine and deciduous forest, with undergrowth of heather, bilberry and bracken. Runnability through the forest is generally very fast. There are many paths, including a number of small mountain-bike tracks, and the area is crossed by a number of minor roads.

3. The Map

The map has been produced by Stirling Surveys.

It is approximately A3 size (42 x 30cm), at 1:15,000 scale with 5 metre contour intervals.

4. The Courses (subject to final approval by the Controllers)

Both courses include a splitting system with loops of the following form:

Competitor 1 will take the sequence of controls as A, B, C, D, E, F, G
Competitor 2 will take the sequence of controls as A, D, E, F, B, C, G

For clarity, there will be three maps provided on the men's course, two on the women's. The first part shall show the first part of the course, to a point at one of the controls in the splitting loop. The second part will show the second part of the splitting loop and, for the women, the finish. The men with have an additional short final section of map, with a conventional forest map exchange, to aid clarity. The first two parts of the men's course and both parts of the women's course will be provided at the start, bagged back to back.

Control descriptions for each section will be printed on the front of the appropriate map.

Control descriptions for the entire course will be available in the start lanes and these will be provided as a single strip, with the three separate elements identified by folds and printed cut lines. There will be scissors provided in the start lane for competitors to trim these to suit; the sizes are as follows:

Men: Total size 395x55 mm, comprising three parts measuring 145x55, 155x55 and 95x55.

Women: Total size 320x55 mm, comprising two parts measuring 180x55 and 140x55.

There is a funnelled route between out-of-bounds fields, with a road crossing at the eastern end, that will be used by all competitors in both directions. A drinks point will be provided on this short route.

5. Team travel to and from the race

Journey time from the Event Centre to Peaslake is 30 - 40 minutes. Competitors must go straight to the Start car park. They must not enter the arena car park or arena area before their run. Non-competitors can go to the Race Arena Car Park, a further 600m, but must not then return to the Start car park. Both are close to the village. There are areas for team tents at both the Start and in the Race Arena.

6. Departure Time of Official Transport from The Spectrum

There will be 2 departures from the Spectrum, these will be at 0730 and 0900. Passengers will be dropped in the village of Peaslake and competitors will need to walk some 400m to the start area. Others can walk a further 600m to the Race Arena.

7. Return Time of Official Transport from the Race Arena

Coaches will leave Peaslake Village at 1445 from the same point that passengers were dropped. This point is just under 1km walk from the arena. Passengers are asked to meet at the World Cup Information Centre in the arena at 1430.

8. Other Visitors travel to and from the race

All other visitors should drive straight to the Race Arena Car Park.

9. Travel Directions

Leave Guildford eastwards on the A25, taking care to follow the A25 which turns right at the traffic lights near Clandon, and travel to Gomshall, which is 12km from the Event Centre. In Gomshall village turn south at the JET garage along Queen Street and follow the World Cup Event signs to Peaslake village and the World Cup Start Car Park (OS sheet 187; GR 083445). All other visitors follow the signs to the Race Arena Car Park, which follows the same route from Gomshall for the first 1.6km.

10. Car Parks

There are two car parks, one for competitors next to the Start and the main car park in the Race Arena. Vehicles can be driven to the Race Arena Car Park by non-competitors after dropping competitors at the start car park There will be no exit for vehicles from the Race Arena Car Park until 1400, except by special arrangement with the Organisers. There will be a car park charge of £1, all of which goes to Peaslake School Funds; please have a £1 coin ready on entry.

11. The Race Arena

The Race Arena will be in part of a large flat field and car parking will be in the same field.

12. The Start Location and Procedure

The Start is located close to the Race Arena. Competitors will access the start on foot from the warm-up area at the World Cup Start Car Park, and will at no time enter the Race Arena or the Race Arena Car Park until after their competitive run. Competitors will disembark from their transport within a controlled area to the east, where they will be held prior to starting. This area will have check-in, toilets, drinks and a warm-up area with map and sample controls. Competitors will be called to proceed to the start 8 minutes prior to their start time. They will follow a marked route, including a road crossing, to a pre-start area. Competitors will then enter the start system at 4 minutes prior to their start time. The start line will be visible from a spectator viewing area, accessed from the main field, and competitors will be introduced to the spectators.

For those competitors without team officials, bags can be left at the marked point within the warm-up area. These bags will be taken to the World Cup Team Area in the Arena.

13. Drinks Points

There will be drinks points on both courses. These are as follows:

Men - 3.6km, 8.9km*, 11.9km, 16.1km Women - 3.7km*, 4.8km, 9.1km

The drinks point * will be within the Race Arena. Water will be available and competitors may, at this point, be handed personalised refreshment by their Team Officials. The containers for these must not be removed from the field itself. Only water will be available at all other, remote, drinks points. Competitors will not be able to receive personalised drinks at these locations.

14. Road Crossings

The courses cross a number of minor, unrestricted-speed public roads, which are shown brown on the map. Competitors are allowed to run along roads. These roads are used by small numbers of vehicles. There will be signs along these roads warning motorists of the presence of runners, and visible marshals. However the vehicles will not be stopped or slowed down by Event Officials and it is each competitor's responsibility to cross safely, including stopping if necessary, without impeding the progress of vehicles.

15. Spectator Control

There will be one spectator control per course, located within the Race Arena. Competitors will enter the Race Arena from an adjacent control in the forest, and will then follow a short taped route to the control, then to a drinks point and return to the forest through an exit in the perimeter wall.

16. Finish

See section 21 for details on the Finish.