We’re delighted to announce the first Urban Series of events. The first one happens at Jeppe High School for Boys on Sunday, 2 February 2014 – the series continues with nine events over February, March and April.
Information on the series with dates, entry fees and details can be found here.
We hope to see you there.
Our 2014 Urban Series brings together a variety of urban environments for a series of nine navigation-based events on school and university properties, in parks, on a golf course and at interesting venues like the Jo’burg Zoo. From the very young to the very old, there’s a course for you. Explore and discover the adventurous side of our cities through our Urban Series and learn to navigate using a map.
Dates & venues
| Day | Date | Location | Pre-register online | Event information |
| Sunday | 2 February | Jeppe Boys High | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 9 February | Jo’burg Zoo | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 23 February | Wits Ed. Campus | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 9 March | Golden Harvest Park | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Saturday | 22 March | Houghton Golf Estate | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 6 April | Nirox Foundation | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 11 May | St Albans (Pretoria) | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 18 May | Heronbridge College | Event completed | Here are the results |
| Sunday | 8 June | The Wilds | Event completed | Here are the results |
Detailed event information
Event information sheets are published about two weeks before each event. These give directions and parking information in addition to brief details about the terrain (grassy, paved, buildings, vegetation) and any special entry information. Please check the calendar above to download relevant event information sheets.
Pre-registration online
One of the most challenging aspects of organising orienteering events is knowing how many people are going to show up and how many are doing which course. We encourage you to pre-register before each event so that we can ensure that we have sufficient maps – this really aids our planning. All pre-entrants receive a discount on their entry fee.
Courses and distances
Each event offers four courses to cater for all ages and abilities.
*** URBAN SERIES CHALLENGE ***
We’ve put a challenge out to newcomers… if you complete the men’s / women’s course in less than 25 minutes / 30 minutes respectively, we’ll give you R200. Read more about this…
Times
Participants are set off at intervals – not a mass start – and there’s no need to be up at the crack of dawn.
Please ensure that you register and start within these defined time periods.
Entry fees
|
Member of SAOF Club |
Non-Member |
|||
|
Pre-entry |
On the Day |
Pre-entry |
On the Day |
|
| Seniors (+21) |
R50 |
R60 |
R60 |
R70 |
| Juniors (<21) |
R30 |
R40 |
R40 |
R50 |
| Groups (max 4) |
R60 |
R70 |
R70 |
R80 |
| EMIT Hire* | Included in entry fee | |||
| Extra Maps | R10 per extra map | |||
Note that there are entry fee discounts for orienteering club members (-R10), pre-entered participants (-R10) and for those who own their own EMIT cards (-R10). Pre-entries can be submitted online. Each event will specify pre-entry details in their event information sheet. Entry fees may differ slightly according to the setup at each event. Please check the event information sheets.
* EMIT is an electronic punching and timing system used at all events.
Prizes
Prize giving takes place by 12h00. Course winners receive prizes. Lucky draw follows. Additional prizes will be awarded to top ranked participants at the end of the Series.
Log rankings
Results are compiled from each event and participants are ranked. Your best six (6) results from the nine (9) events count towards your final ranking. It’s good fun to see how you rank compared to other participants on your course – especially for the more competitive among us.
Contact
Lisa, our friendly and helpful person, will gladly answer your questions about fitness, terrain, navigation, children’s courses and anything else that comes to mind. Contact her on 082 936 2509.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens when I get there? Where do I go and what must I do?
Follow the signs to the registration tables. At registration pay the entry fee and receive your electronic timing card. Helpful people are on hand to explain about the maps and how to use the timing card. When you’re ready, walk to the start area where helpers there will show you what to do. You’ll only receive your course map at the start. Take your time – there’s definitely no rush. Work your way around the course, visiting the locations (we call them ‘controls’) in number order – #1, #2, #3… until you arrive at the finish.
You’re not going to be a superstar on your first outing – it takes a while to get used to concentrating on running/walking and reading a map and looking for controls (and trying to ignore other people on different courses). You’ll most definitely improve your skills and fitness with each event.
I’ve never read a map before. Can I still come along?
Of course! This is the best place to learn. And navigating is so much fun and the skills learned here can be applied to hiking and sports like adventure racing. We’ve got friendly people around who will show you the basics. The rest comes with practice and experience.
Is my child too young?
We don’t think that any age is too young. Moms and dads take part with babies in backpacks and the little ones quickly learn how to spot a control flag – it is quite incredible! Once they’re a bit bigger, todders do the kiddies courses accompanied by their folks. The very young ones don’t entirely get it but certainly from the time children are about 4yrs old, they can hold a map and turn it in the right direction to look for the control. Children can read maps before they can read sentences properly. Amazing! Children thrive on being outdoors and as they acquire navigation skills they develop confidence outdoors too.
All areas used for this Urban Series are fenced and safe. Even if your child is over 7yrs, definitely accompany them for their first few events. We then recommend ‘shadowing’ once they get the hang of it – this is where you follow a distance behind without interfering – and thereafter they can go off on their own.
Thank You
The following website have been wonderfully supportive in passing on word of these events to their communities.
Our thanks to:
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Pingback: Urban Series 2014 : Orienteering Federation of South Africa
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