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Regional Event & Yvette Baker Trophy Heat - Philips Park

Regional event, incorporating the Yvette Baker Trophy and Shield, junior inter-club competition, NW heats.

Sun 23rd Apr 2023

Type of event: Regional
Type of terrain: Woodland
Info updated: 24th Apr

Results

Event Report

Planner's Comments

Thanks to everyone that came along today.  As a planner you want to see the hours that you’ve invested in an event rewarded by a few smiles and happily sweaty bodies.  I was warmed by those smiles, smelled lots of sweat and saw less mud than I was expecting.  Success!  On the day, the slopes were wetter than the seasonal norm, but the undergrowth was still waiting for spring.  I won’t apologise to anyone that came home muddy- but I will take credit from anyone offering praise for the terrain.  Thank you.

Compared to many urban parks, Philips Park and the adjacent bits of the Irwell Valley provide options for the longer routes but provide a challenge for the shorter courses.  Pre-booked park users defined the finish areas- so the largely green areas South of the two finishes and the steep bits on the South side of the stream needed to be used.  Lots of thought went into using the limited control sites in these areas, minimising use of the path along the valley and avoiding the worst of the brash- without generating a conga line of orienteers.  The feedback I received suggest that was largely successful, even if everyone had to visit one or more short sections of soft or rough ground.

I apologise for the penultimate control on short green.  I should have recognised that the climb out of the control was sadistic – even in drier conditions.  I had looked for a higher control: on reflection should possibly have looked harder.

Many thanks to John Britton for advice, assistance, mentoring and a focus on the YBT courses, and to Julie Brook for the enthusiasm and professionalism of her organisation.  Thank you both.

Jim Trueman

Pre Event Info

Philips Park, Park Lane, Whitefield, Greater Manchester M45 7QJ

What3Words:  ///marble.loves.hint

Event centre: The Countryside Barn, 200m to 300m from parking.

  • Final Details (v2 with minor changes to course lengths/climb, dated 17/04/2023)

Yvette Baker Trophy and Shield 

Rules for the Yvette Baker Trophy and Shield are on the British Orienteering website. 

Location

map

Nearest town: Prestwich, N. Manchester

Directions / Parking

Travelling from east or west leave the M60 at Junction 17. Travel north on the A56 keeping in the left hand lane and turn left onto Higher Lane A665. At the next traffic lights by Philips Park High School turn left onto Park Lane. The event will be signposted at this junction. Keep on this lane and go straight on at the mini roundabout. The entrance to the park is by Sedgley Park Rugby Club.

Anyone bringing a large minibus or coach to the event should contact the Organiser Julie Brook in advance for details of alternative parking.

Registration & Start Times

Starts from 10:30-12:30. Courses close at 14:00.

Course Information

White, Yellow, Orange, Light Green, VS Green, Short Green, Green, Blue, Short Brown.

Explanation of colour courses

  • White are very easy with all controls on paths. They are mainly used by 6-10 year olds and family groups.
  • Yellow use simple linear features like paths, walls and streams. They are mainly used by under 12’s and family groups.
  • Orange progress to basic use of the compass and route choice. They are ideal for novice adults or experienced youngsters.
  • Light Green are ideal for improvers as the navigational difficulty begins to increase and uses simple contours and point features.
  • Green are used mostly by experienced under 18’s and adults wanting a short but challenging course with a very hard navigational difficulty.
  • Blue are a longer, more physically demanding course in comparison to the green. The distances are more varied between controls and the course attracts experienced orienteers.
  • Brown & Black are very physically demanding and have a very hard navigational difficulty. They are for experienced orienteers only.
  • Score means visiting as many controls as possible in any order in a specific time, like 45mins.

Entry Details

Please pre-enter via SiEntries.

Seniors £6 (non-BOF members +£2), Juniors £3.

Terrain Description

Facilities

Enquires, Toilets, First Aid, Key drop, Dibber hire and Download will be in the Barn (signed from car park). There will be a clothing drop in the Barn.

Dogs allowed?

No dogs in the Barn or on courses.

Contacts / Officials

Organiser: Julie Brook

Enquiries to 

Safety and Risk

A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.

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