Saturday 24th April 2021

Earnscleugh Station, Alexandra

South Island Champs Long Distance event

Planner

Nick Mortimer (Dunedin Orienteering) (ONZ A-grade Controller)

Controller

Jim Cotter (Dunedin Orienteering)

Map

The map, made by L. Earnshaw, is of the northeastern part of Earnscleugh Station. It has previously been used for the 2010 Nationals, 2012 Otago Championships and the 2016 Southern O-week. We thank the owners of Earnscleugh Station, Duncan and Amanda Campbell for permission to hold this event.

Terrain

The mapped area of Earnscleugh Station is fast, runnable, and lightly vegetated. There are numerous schist tors along with lots of active and inactive water races. Contour features are generally reliable; other features are often simplified. Because this lowland part of Earnscleugh Station is actively irrigated with numerous small water races, green grassy areas do not necessarily indicate flowing water. Careful navigation is required. Contour interval on all maps is 5 m; climb on courses is in the range 3.1-3.8%. Spectators will be able to see competitors running in the distance, against a backdrop of the Old Man, Cairnmuir, Dunstan and Hawkdun ranges.

This is a working farm, so no dogs are allowed. Smoking is also forbidden. Creche facilities will not be provided but we will try and be flexible about start times for parents. Portable toilets are available in the assembly area.

All competitors are strongly encouraged to bring their own water. There will be no water at the Finish.

On the courses, water will be available only for the elite courses 1, 2 and 3, not for any other courses. There will be one water station approximately halfway through the course, as marked on the control descriptions. Please observe proper hygiene rules, use the disposable cup provided and after use, put your cup in the rubbish bag supplied.

Competitors on courses other than 1, 2 and 3 are advised to bring and carry their own water if concerned about availability.

Competitors’ information

Pre-entry is required. The event uses the standard ONZ 12 course format, and the SportIdent system. Start times will be pre-allocated beginning at 11.00 am. There will be punching starts with three minutes' interval between competitors. The Start and Finish are close by on the fringes of the assembly area, within one minute's walk from the Caravan. Course closure is 150 minutes after last start (time TBA). Provisional course information is given in the table below.

Hazard and Safety Information

There will be sheep and cattle in some paddocks. It is essential to leave gates as you find them (most are shut). Please report any damage to fences; electric fences are off. The usual orienteering hazards apply e.g., uneven ground (especially in marshy areas), cliffs, briar, and matagouri, tin/iron, barbed wire, and a mine shaft within the boundary of longer courses. Competitors on red and orange courses will get wet feet. Please carry a whistle; three blasts indicate distress.

The safety bearing for most courses is east (sun on your left) uphill to the gravel farm road on the ridge. Follow the road to the assembly area. Even if you do not finish your course you must check in at the yellow Sport Ident tent in the assembly area, so we know you are back safely.

Fire risk in Central Otago in the autumn is low. But, in the event of an emergency evacuation, follow the directions of the Controller and marshals.

Courses

M/W10N grade is also available, for those children who require shadowing.

Directions

The assembly area is in the ‘Flat Top’ paddock on Earnscleugh Station at 45.309°S, 169.321°E. Access is via a gravel farm road off the west side of Alexandra-Fruitlands Road (State Highway 8). The farm road turnoff will be marked. The assembly area is 900 m along the farm road. Please park in a line, side by side with other vehicles.

From Dunedin the farm road junction is approximately 27 km north of Roxburgh and 4.8 km north of Symes Road. Roadworks is scheduled to be occurring at Coal Creek, Roxburgh, so please allow an extra 5 min to bypass using the diversion via Roxburgh east.

From Queenstown the farm road junction is approximately 8 km south of Alexandra and 700 m south of Lye Bow Road. Take special care if you are approaching from this direction because there is no right turn lane or shoulder: if you have traffic behind you it is best to continue on, turn around when you can, approach from the south and turn left into the farm road.

Long Distance Information

SIC 2021-Long Event Specific lnformation.pdf

Start Procedure

Runners will be required to report to the Start Area at least six minutes before their start time. For simplicity, all clocks will show the actual time (not countdown time). At six minutes prior to start, runners will be called into the first pen where their names and SI sticks will be checked and extra control descriptions can be picked up. At three minutes prior to start, runners will move into the second pen where they will get a short course briefing, write their names on their maps and await the clock beep countdown.

At zero minutes, runners will punch one of the start boxes with their SI card at which point their timed course will begin. The Start Triangle is a few metres from the map pickup. It is indicated by a triangle on the competition map, and by a control with a flag (but without an SI punching unit) in the terrain.

Runners who arrive to the start late must report to the late start lane, and will be started at the earliest reasonable convenience of the starting officials. This will likely be after the last competitor on their course.

Finish Procedure

All runners, including those runners who do not complete the whole course, are required to pass and/or punch one of the SI units on the Finish line. Runners who do not register at the Finish line will be considered as missing in the terrain, which may cause a search for the missing person.

After punching a finish control, competitors must not return to their cars but walk straight along the tape to the download station in the Yellow SI tent in ’Flat Top’ paddock. Each runner must download their SI-card there. Retain your hired SI card if you are participating in other weekend events, otherwise return it.

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