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TAY Christmas Score Event 2011, Kinnoull Hill, 11th December

It's that time of year again!

Tayside Orienteers announce the return of the annual Christmas Score event, held this year at Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park.

Results

Apologies for the delay - results are now available.

Routegadget may follow - time and technology permitting!

Final Details are below - final details are also available in PDF format to download and print out.

Entry on the Day

Entry on the day is still possible! If you haven't entered and would like to take part, please arrive as early as possible - registration will open at 0945 and close at 1045, 15 minutes before the Mass Start.

Entry Fees: Seniors £5/Juniors (16-) and Students £2. Please have the correct change, if possible.

Pre-entries are now closed - see the list of competitors who have pre-entered.

Car Park and Assembly

Parking will be at/around the Lower Quarry Car Park (NOT the Jubilee Car Park) on Corsie Hill Road, OS Grid Ref NO135235:

View Larger Map on Google Maps.

Directions:

Toilets

Sorry, there are no toilets available at the car park/registration area. The nearest one is at 'The Shed' beside Kinnoull's Jubilee car park, but you will have to drive to this.

Electronic Punching

SportIdent electronic punching will be used.

If you have pre entered online and have your own SI card/dibber, thankyou - just be at the start for a short briefing at 1055.

If you are entering on the day, or have pre-entered and need to hire an SI card/dibber, you can collect hire SI cards/dibbers from registration before 1045. Hire is free, but there is a £30 payment required if you lose it.

Start

There will be one mass start at 1100 (a punching start, but everyone starting as close as possible together).

Map/Terrain/Safety

Map scale 1:10000. Updated for the 2009 Six Days, and a few minor revisions for this event.

There is a lot of recent windfall, but this is generally easy to bypass.

Please note that there are large crags along the south edge of the map. These are obvious and have warning signs, but are not fenced off.

There is 1 potential fence crossing at the lowest area of the hill. It can be crossed at any point but some sections have a barbed wire top strand, so take care and report any damage.

The car parking area is in an old quarry. Parents should ensure that children do not venture onto the quarry walls.

The area is very popular. We have no priority over other users, so please be polite.

If lost, there are frequent signposts on the main paths - follow to Corsiehill Car Park.

Loose control descriptions will be available at registration and will also be on the map.

The Event

This is a Novelty score event. There is plenty of scope for a hard run but the aim is to provide a fun rather than a serious day out! You either have 45 minutes (Short) or 60 minutes (Long) to collect as many points as you can. You will be heavily penalised if you are late, as the event is followed by a meal and we would like to get to it on time - see penalties below.

There are several bonuses to be gained from a variety of activities, so some advance planning will be beneficial before you charge off. Control descriptions and a blank map are available at registration and provide a few clues.

Juniors, novices or walkers

There will be 2 highlighted 'Santa routes' on the map. Combined, in either direction, these form a recommended route for adult novices or juniors competent at orange standard. The actual routes shown are all on a good track, but note that most of the controls are slightly off the track, so may not be obvious and the approaches may be muddy and slippy. Competent juniors will be able to race round this in 45 minutes collecting the adjacent controls, but if you are slower or want to enjoy the view, you should choose the 60 minute option.

A map showing the Santa routes will be on display at registration.

Maps will be issued to novices/juniors before the start and advice will be available if required.

Activity bonuses

  1. At 2 controls identified on the control description you will have to carry out additional activities to gain your points. These are orienteering based and should not take more than a couple of minutes each. (Being able to use a compass will be very helpful - if you cannot set and follow a bearing, please ask before the start).
  2. At a further 2 locations, again identified on your control description, there will be optional bonus activities. These will take a little longer, so you will have to decide if you have time.
  3. We have arranged a visit, not just from Santa, but also from his brother Santa Too. Both Santas will leave the top of the hill just after everyone has started and walk down the routes highlighted on the map to the finish at a leisurely pace. Find Santa (or both!) before he finishes to get a 30 point bonus per Santa (They will have SI stations) and, if you talk nicely to them, you may get a sweet and even a further activity worth another 20 points. But...
  4. There is a final activity just before the finish involving a map exchange and a mini grid. This is compulsory for all and shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. You must visit the controls in the correct order - the controls will not be numbered and there will be different courses, so take care and don't follow the person in front! There will be a box to leave your main map which you can collect after downloading.
  5. Optional Balloon bonus - collect a balloon at registration and blow it up before the start - 30 points for taking it round with you and finishing with it still fully inflated - self regulated, so dont cheat. Under 16's can try for 2 balloons for double points. The balloons must be attached to you - string will be available. Please bring back any burst ones - dont discard on the hill.

Penalties

Please do not take longer than 70 minutes as we have to dismantle everything and get to dinner!

Officials

Organiser: Elaine Gillies (2egillies@gmail.com)

Planner: Davie Frame (davieframe@yahoo.com)

Christmas Meal

As is our tradition, we invite you to jopins us for Christmas lunch after the event!

This year, we will be having our Christmas Meal after the event at in the glorious surroundings of the Clubhouse at the 4* Murrayshall House Hotel near Scone ('..one of Scotland's leading Country House Hotels...').

Showers and changing facilities will be available in the clubhouse, there is a full bar service available, and we should have our own room.

We are eating from the Festive Clubhouse Lunch menu. Prices are £15.95/£9.50 for 3 courses and £12.95/£7.50 for 2 courses including coffee and mince pies.

All welcome - there is space for up to 120!, but pre booking by December 8th is required by email to Elaine (2egillies@gmail.com). If you miss this deadline, you may still be able to have a meal at the clubhouse, but not in the same room as the rest of us :(

Getting to the Hotel from Kinnoull

Details - Murrayshall House Hotel - Clubhouse. Postcode PH2 7PH Grid Ref NO156261.

Directions to Murrayshall from the event (Allow 10 minutes driving time):

The meal is booked for 1400 and will be in a room adjacent to the bar. Make yourself comfy in the clubhouse bar till this is ready.

Please pay for your own meal(s) at the bar, and pay for all drinks when ordered to avoid any confusion. We will ask you to fill in a list of how many courses you have to help the bar staff.


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