Directions / Parking

Directions / Parking

Please use public transport if at all possible. Buses on Banbury Rd stop near the park.

Some parking is in the Pay and Display car park at the end of Harbord Road, Oxford, OX2 8LH.

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory_record/337/cutteslowe_and_sunnymead_park_car_park_harbord_road
1 to 3 hours: £2.10
3 to 24 hours: £3.10
Coins at machines or by phone using RingGo

Terrain Description

Mostly flat city park with numerous man-made features, spread across both sides of the A40. There is also a maturing nature reserve.

The Map

1:5000. Loose control descriptions will be provided on Light Green only.

The map is split by the Oxford Ring-Road.
Yellow and Orange courses stay on one side.
Red and Light Green courses use the southern part of the map, which involves crossing the A40 twice. You MUST use the bridge over the Ring Road.

There is a pond in the competition area passed by all courses. Please instruct any juniors you bring not to go near the pond.

Start Times

You must pre-enter via SIEntries - see link at the top of this page.

Starts will be from 10.15 to 11.45am. The Start and Finish are adjacent to the Harbord Rd entrance to the park, close to the pavilion.

IMPORTANT: Courses close at 1pm. You must report to the download tent by 1pm latest, even if you retire or have not finished. The controls will be collected from 1pm onwards

Courses

YELLOW: 1.6km. Suitable for juniors with some experience or for supervised newcomers, and for family groups.
ORANGE: 2.8km. Suitable for adult beginners and experienced juniors.
RED: 4.0km (expect to run about 5km). Longer, but no more challenging navigationally. Ideal for runners new to orienteering. You still need to be able to read a map, but it is more like an unmarked trail race.
LIGHT GREEN: 4.4km. More challenging; for improvers and those with a bit of experience. Most controls away from paths and more route choices.

If you're a runner trying orienteering for the first time, the Red course is ideal - you will probably run 5km doing it; if that is too much, then Orange might be more suitable.
For family groups, we recommend the Orange course, or Yellow if you want something shorter.
For juniors, Yellow is a good course, though juniors new to the sport should be accompanied.

Course lengths are straight line distances between the control points. You can expect to run at least 20% more than the stated distances!

YOU MUST REPORT TO THE DOWNLOAD TENT BY 1PM LATEST AS CONTROLS WILL BE COLLECTED IN AT 1PM.

Control descriptions will be on the map only.

The THAMES VALLEY JUNIOR ORIENTEERING LEAGUE runs in conjunction with TVOC’s Saturday Series. Any junior aged 18 or under who enters this event as an individual and who successfully completes a course on their own (or in a junior pair on the Yellow course only, or who is shadowed by a parent/carer on the Yellow or Orange courses only) will be automatically included in the Junior League standings. Please note that any junior who enters and participates as part of a family group, or other group, will not be eligible for the Junior League. More League details and full rules can be found at https://tvoc.org.uk/junior-league/

How To Enter

All entries are through SiEntries online only. Click on the link at the top of the page.
Entry to the event will be available up to 11am on the day of the event, Saturday 6th May. However entries after Sun 30th April will be subject to map availability, so we advise earlier entry.

You don't have to be a member of an orienteering club to enter this event. On SiEntries, just show your club name as IND (for Independent)

Small family or other groups are welcome, but please enter only the Yellow, Orange or Red courses. You just need a single entry. Enter as a Senior. If you enter as a group, SiEntries will ask you for the name of your group to appear in results - eg Jones family.

Entry Cost

Early entries up to and including Sunday 30th April
- Red and Light Green - BOF members £6, non-members and family groups £8, Juniors & Students £2
- Yellow and Orange - BOF members £5, non-members and family groups £7, Juniors & Students £2
Later entries from Mon 1st May through to 11am Sat 6th May (assuming spaces and maps are still available) - £1 extra

Timing chip hire £1 (essential if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65.

Facilities

Toilets and café in the park.

Further Information

Cancellation
As set out in clause 7.3 of our Entry Terms & Conditions, we will provide a full refund if you have to cancel because you test positive for COVID in the seven days leading up to the event.

Junior League
More detailed information about the Junior League that runs in conjunction with the Saturday Series can be found here.

Officials

Organiser: Ben Green    email organiser      07515452355
Planner: Ben Green
Controller: Mark Thompson, TVOC

Helping

TVOC members, PLEASE sign up to help.

Helpers