Senior Home Intl, IndividualSat 08 September, 2018

National level event

Report

Results

Congratulations to England.

Results and splits
Winsplits
Summary of results for the individual and relay events.
RouteGadget

England Team Manager's report detailing the competition from the competitor's point of view, and the overall team result, can be found here.

Planner's Notes:

Hurstwood is a complex area, intricate spoil heaps separated by rough moorland, awkward to maintain quality of planning throughout. The M21E course was designed and test run in Sept 2017, and used all sections of the area. Any longer course would not have improved the quality. ELT looked to be 85-88 mins, though the course was shortened slightly in final planning. The actual winning time of 82 mins was very impressive indeed. The top women also finished well inside their ELT, their course could have been longer but was set to the correct M21E ratio. Feedback from download was that SHI finishers were completely exhausted, and had found the courses very tough going. The final loop on M21E appeared to really stretch tiring minds and bodies. I suspect the courses were tough enough for everyone.

The trickiest section was probably 1-2 (2-3 on W20E), a long leg in the ‘dunes’, coming early in the race, very hard to maintain map contact at any speed; I saw plenty of re-location happening here. The Cant Clough area to the east gave lovely control sites and intricate micro-routing (and an amazing viewing platform from the track to the N!). Shedden Ridge, the big hill leading to the S section, was always going to be rough and tough, with one or other of the two small tracks helping those who found them. I wonder if anyone on M21E tried the E route to the edge of the map: it looks a credible least-climb option for a strong hill runner.

I tried to provide challenge on every leg, even if parts included some unavoidable dead running. I hope the technical sections N, E and S gave everyone some high quality and intricate contoured O – and a few headaches!

Lastly, I’d like to thank NWOA and PFO for giving me the rare chance to plan the SHI Individual and Relays. Huge thanks also to George C-S and Tony Thornley for their help and advice with the courses and Helen Ashton and her team for delivering the event. I hope you all enjoyed competing as much as I did planning the event.

Martin Wilson (BKO) – Planner.

Organisers comments:

I would like to thank the following people, without whom the event would not have been a success.

Firstly Martin Wilson who planned, in conjunction with Tony Thornley (controller), the SHI Individual and National courses, all of them very testing. Also thanks goes to Martin for planning the SHI relay and L'Etape du SHI relay courses, which were controlled by Steve Wilson. Also thanks goes to Judith Wood for planning the Yellow and Orange courses. Many comments I heard mentioned, on both days, was that the area was tough - but that is the nature of the area and terrain.

This event could not have occurred without permission from Micheal Holmes (tenant farmer), United Utilities, the landowner, and the blessing of Natural England. Also thanks to Neil Worswick for the use of his field for car parking, which stood up to the task despite the heavy rain on the Saturday.

I am also indebted to the volunteer helpers who have given up their time to make the event happen on the day.
This took a lot of teamwork and included helpers not only from PFO but our neighbouring club SELOC. I am personally extremely grateful for all of the people who helped. I cannot list you all, but we couldn’t have put on this event without your unfailing enthusiasm and efforts. This is especially so in the awful Saturday weather conditions.

Helen Ashton - Organiser

Pre-event information below here:
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SHI = Senior Home International

This is a closed event for teams representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

See also Hurstwood National Event, classic long distance, following the SHI. Open to all.

RouteGadget

Is a web browser app for sharing and comparing orienteering routes. You can draw your own route or upload a GPS track from your watch. It also allows you to watch an animated replay with a simulated mass start.

Go to the Pendle Forest Routegadget now

Last updated: Sat 02 February, 2019

Location Info

Near: Hurstwood, Burnley
Lat,Lng: 53.78132,-2.18561
OS Grid Ref: SD881313
Postcode: BB10 3LF

Open an interactive map in:
GoogleMap - Streetmap (OS 50k)
OpenStreetMap - BingMap (OS 50k)

Directions / Parking

Parking field on the RIGHT of the approach road to Hurstwood village. There is a tight turn into the field gate but wide enough for larger vehicles. Please follow marshal's instructions.

Please make a parking donation, which will be passed on to a local charity.

Registration and Start times

Starts: 10:00 to 11:30

Courses close 13:30

Course Information

Provisional course information (subject to controlling):

North Start is 10 minutes easy walk from Assembly.

Entry Details

Via Team captains.

Dog restrictions

This is sheep country. Absolutely no dogs in the competition area.

Facilities

Toilets. Traders.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Martin Wilson BKO, Controller: Tony Thornley AIRE, Organiser: Helen Ashton PFO