Great first start to the new Saturday Series.  I did wonder if the event would go ahead at all when I arrived as a car had just gone up in flames...

Hope you all Enjoyed Colin Lynch's courses, the vegetation at this time of year makes it difficult to plan courses that keep you out of the worst affected places.  Thank you as always to our merry bad of helpers, there is always room for a few more if anyone would like to help!  Thank you also to the friends of Shirebrook Valley for making us so welcome.

Results are below, as inter-school competitions are currently suspended we have been asked to remove the school from the results. Schools year results are available on the other link above (or here).  Splits are available on the link above.  Hopefully normal life will resume at some point...

Luckily you won't have to wait long for the next Saturday League event as it is next Saturday at Norfolk Park so hope to see you all there.

Results

Information

Great news! Our successful Saturday Series resumes on Saturday 26^th September at Shirebrook Country Park. We have chosen to hold the first one at Shirebrook rather than Endcliffe because it is much quieter with members of the public.

Due to Covid regualtions, the big change is that everyone must pre-enter on the SYO entries system. There is absolutely no entry on the day. Second runs are still permitted but you must still pre-enter.

Entry list now available here.

Schools Event

Unfortunately the SFSS and National PE Association have decided that no inter-school competitions can currently take place. As a result pupils will run individually in their school years. Results will be published but no schools' names will be listed. As soon as the SFSS allow competitions to restart we will reinstate the schools' league.

Timings

Starts for white and yellow will be open from 12.30 to 3pm.
Starts for orange and light green will be open from 12.30pm to 2.45pm
Starts for green and blue will be open from 12.30 to 2.30pm.

All courses close at 3.30pm.

When you enter you will be asked to select a 15 minute start block. Please make sure you only turn up at the start during the start block you have chosen. Parents/carers are welcome to accompany their children on the course.

How to enter

You must pre-enter on the SYO entries system. Entries are open now and close on Thursday 24th September. If you have any problems with regards to entries, please email the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Status 13:30 24/9:  Entries available on all courses.  First start block sold out ("out of stock" at end of page) on green and blue.

Enter early to guarantee your entry and ensure you get the best choice of start times.

If you are a school pupil, you will need your 4 digit school's ID to enter. There is a 'lookup' function on the entries site. If you don't have an ID number, please email the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To complete your entry you will need to agree to "abide by the Participant Code of Conduct".  This can be found here.

COVID Guidance for competitors & volunteers

Some key points from the code of conduct:

• You must not take part in any form of orienteering if you or any member of your household have had recent Covid-19 symptoms.
• Minimise contact with people from outside your household before, during and after your run.  Practice social distancing at all times, including before and after your run as well as when you are out on your course.  Take particular care to keep the required distance from other people in the vicinity of the Start, at download and when passing other competitors or members of the public on narrow paths, going through gates, etc.
• Do not congregate in groups greater than 6 at the event.
• Sanitise your hands before and after your run.
• Do not touch the controls. If using a SIAC dibber hover your hand above the SI unit. If dibbing, just place the dibber in the hole, without touching the box.
• Please be super courteous to any members of the public that you come across before, during or after the event.

Costs

Adults £5, British Orienteering / SYO members £4
Children / Students £2 (Free for the first run if you are in Y3 or above and your schools is in the SFSS)
Any additional courses will cost  £2 

50% discount for helpers. Please use code HERE2HELP. Offers of help to Pauline please.

 Travel and parking

Parking is available by the visitor's centre. Nearest postcode: S13 7BP. What3words: curving.finely.little (car park entrance).

Take the A57 towards Worksop from the Parkway and at the first big island take the first left, B6064 towards Woodhouse. Immediately after the roundabout, take the first right into Stone Lane. The car park is on the right. Drive carefully as you will meet people walking along the road. The car park has a height barrier which is 1.8 metres.

If getting there by public transport it is about 20 minutes by bus from the centre of Sheffield, there are several options use the Yorkshire Travel Planner to get to Coisley Hill from where it is a 5 minute walk down Stone Lane.

Terrain

Shire Brook Valley reserve is mostly wooded, with open areas and a good path network. 

Map

1:7500. Peel Land Surveys 2017

Courses

See below for details on the courses on offer. Course lengths are indicative and may well change subject to final planning and controlling.

Course	School Years	Distance	Technical Level	Who is it for?
White	Y3/4 Y5	1km 20m Climb	1	The easiest course and a great place for children to start.  The course is entirely on paths and each time you have to make a decision - which path to take, there will be a control point. Year 3 pupils can compete with Y4s.
Yellow	Y6,7	1.9km 30m Climb	2	The next step up and a good place for teenagers etc. to start.  The course will use paths but also other line features - Fences, streams etc. It will also no longer have a control every time you need to decide where you are going. For example you may need to make a couple of turns on paths between controls.
Orange	Y8,9	2.7km 65m Climb	3	Harder still, the Orange course introduces: Choosing routes - e.g. should I go round the paths to the left or right Using 'Point Features' as control sites Those doing either of the Orange courses need to be able to judge distances, orientate the map using surrounding features and a compass, use attack points and be bold enough to venture off paths for up to 30 metres
Light Green	Y10  Y11	3.8km 80m Climb	4	Ideal for improvers or confident adult beginners. The navigation difficulty increases - you will be using simple contours and point features. There's often a catching feature beyond the control to stop you going to far wrong.
Green		4.4km 110m climb	5	As technically difficult as the area will allow.
Blue		5.6km 120m climb	5	As per the green course but further in distance.

 

Officials

Organiser Pauline Tryner. pauline'at'southyorkshireorienteers.org.uk
Planner Colin Lynch
Controller Pete Tryner