Directions / Parking

Parking/directions: Participants from outside Oxford are strongly encouraged to use the Park and Ride: see www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/park-and-ride. Pear Tree (convenient to the A40 and A34) is recommended, as buses down Banbury Rd stop very near The Parks. Pay & display parking is available on some of the streets to the north of The Parks.

Assembly will be found near the South Lodge, at the South Parks road entrance to the parks. This is in the south-east corner of the area and is a different location to the one we usually use.

Terrain Description

Open parkland adjacent to the River Cherwell, with paths, flowerbeds, rough grass and small wooded areas. There are toilets near Assembly in the centre of the park. The longer courses will also visit the adjacent complex University Science Area for an added urban challenge!

The Map

The map will be at scale 1:4000 and was recently updated for the Oxford City Race.

Start Times

THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY ON THE DAY. You must pre-enter, via Fabian4 see link at the top of this page.

Starts will be from 11:00am to 12:30pm. Note the later than usual first start time.

IMPORTANT: Courses close at 1:30pm. You must report to the download tent by 1:30pm latest, even if you retire or have not finished. The controls will be collected from 1:30pm onwards.

Courses

Courses are still being finalised, so the lengths shown below are only approximate.

YELLOW: around 2k, entirely within the park. Suitable for families and children.
ORANGE: around 3.5k, using the park and adjacent science area. Suitable for adult beginners and experienced juniors.
RED: close to 5k, using the park and adjacent science area. As technical as we can make it on the area.

No course crosses any public road, but there may be slow-moving service vehicles in both the science area and the Parks, as well as bicycles in the science area. Courses do include the pavements of Parks and South Parks Rd, which may be busy with pedestrians, who should be given priority.

Course lengths are straight line distances between the control points. You can expect to run at least 20% more than the stated distances, especially on Orange and Red.

The new THAMES VALLEY JUNIOR ORIENTEERING LEAGUE now runs in conjunction with TVOC’s Saturday Series. University Parks is the third Junior League event of 2022. 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

Pre-entry only through Fabian4, link at top of this page. There will be no entry on the day.

You don't have to be a member of an orienteering club to enter this event. On Fabian4, just show your club name as IND (for Independent)

Small family or other groups are welcome, but please enter only the Yellow or Orange courses. Enter as a Senior. Change your name if you wish, for example to Jones Family

Entry Cost

Pre-entries up to and including Sunday 3rd July
- Red course - 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 (assuming spaces are still available) - £1 extra
Timing chip hire £1 (essential if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65.

Facilities

There are public toilets near the Pavilion, in the middle of the Parks

No drinks or food available, please bring your own

Further Information

If you need advice or help in entering via Fabian4, this document may help. If you do find yourself stuck, then email Janusz, or phone him on 07432 656068

Cancellation
Click here to read our policy on refunds if you have to cancel because you are required to isolate for COVID reasons

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

Planner: Ben Green

Helping

TVOC members, PLEASE sign up to help.

Helpers