Event Details
- Date: Sunday 21st July 2024
- Format: Long
- Map: Merthyr Mawr [Old Map]
- Organising Club: North Gloucestershire Orienteering Club (NGOC)
Overview
Day 1 of CROESO 2024 will host a long distance event.
Merthyr Mawr has previously been used for many high-level events including the British Night Championships in 2018. It was re-mapped as a potential area for JK 2022 and will be revised for this event.
Important Information
Please Remember to collect your Bibs from outside Enquiries in the Arena.
Stable Area - The arena and parking are located on an operational stable. Do not approach horses or any operational areas of the stable.
Route to start and return from finish - The route to the start and from the finish passes through an operational waterworks site. Please do not interfere with the waterworks operation or any equipment. Always follow the marshals’ instructions while in the waterworks area.
Remote Parking - The remote parking field is 400m from the arena along a main road. There are no marshals on the road, so care must be taken when crossing the road to the footpath. All under 16’s must be supervised.
Key Officials
- Organiser: Gary Wakerley (NGOC)
- Planner: Andy Stott (NGOC)
- Controller: Charles Daniel (BOK) and Roger Stein (SBOC)
- Map Maker: Peel Land Surveys
Key Timings
Car park opens | 09:00 |
First bus leaves | n/a |
Enquiries open | 09:00 |
First starts | 11.00 |
Last starts | 14.00 |
Courses close | 16.30 |
last bus to car park | n/a |
Directions
- Ogmore Farm, adjacent to Ogmore Castle, Ogmore-by-Sea
- Postcode: CF32 0QP
- w3w: ///vines.riches.slug
- OS Grid: SS883768
- Google Maps
Please can all vehicles approach from Bridgend. When arriving, make a right turn using the second entrance into the parking field. Follow the marshals’ instructions. Competitors will not be able to exit the parking field before 13:00.
Motor homes
Parking for large vehicles is opposite the Watermill pub 400 m from assembly.
- w3w: ///props.stands.shark
- OS Grid: SS809771 Leaving the motorhome parking area, turn left and follow the road for 400m to the main arena.
Distances map
Arena
Enquiries, traders, toilets, first aid and Download. Club tents can be set up in designated areas only.
The arena is adjacent to the car parking.
Start
- Follow the tape route for approximately 2Km with 20m of climb. Access is over the Welsh Water bridge.
- Note: There will be a -4-minute call up. Control descriptions available on the lanes.
- There will be a clothing dump near the start. Please ensure you bring enough hydration for post event.
Finish
There is a remote punching finish. Competitors will follow the route to the start in reverse.
Terrain
Merthyr Mawr is a large area of complex rough open dunes. There are pockets of woodland and areas of dense vegetation. There is an extensive path network and not all minor paths have been mapped.
The area features the “Big Dipper” which is the biggest in Wales and the second-largest in Europe, about 60m high!
Map
The Merthyr Mawr map was updated by Dave Peel in 2024. All courses have a 1:7,500 map
Planner’s notes
There is a short (60m) taped funnel from the punching start to the start kite. All competitors must follow the tapes to the start kite.
The dunes have summer vegetation. Courses offer routes that avoid areas of dense undergrowth and scrub. Course lengths have been adjusted accordingly.
All courses cross a stream near the start and on return to the finish. The stream is generally dry in the summer but may have some flow after heavy rain. There are some deep gullied sections which junior and shorter veteran courses are designed to avoid.
Smiley faces 🙂 😞 will be used on Course 15 (including Yellow) and Course 16 (including White) to indicate a right or wrong route choice. These will be set a short distance from path junctions. Two short sections of these courses between paths will also be marked with tapes (yellow and white), including the stream crossing point.
A non-IOF symbol of a single black bar (see below) has been used to show fence crossing points (small gates or stiles). In the lower dunes fences may be crossed with care – most easily by ducking between the two lower strands of plain wire. Longer senior courses 1-6 will encounter a new fence around the escarpment and upper dunes. Advisory crossing points have been overprinted on the map (see below). Great care should be taken if crossing this fence at any other point.
Natural Resources Wales have very recently issued conditions regarding three small areas in the centre of the dunes. These areas are marked on the map as out of bounds and will be indicated on the ground by signs on likely entry points. They must be avoided by all competitors, including the sections of paths that run through them. Competitors must clean their footwear before entering the competition area.
Merthyr Mawr is popular for dog walking, pony trekking and family outings. Please be respectful of other visitors.
Courses
Course | Classes | Length (km) | Climb (m) | Map Scale |
1 | M21L | 9.0 | 275 | 1:7,500 |
2 | M20L, M35L, W21L | 8.1 | 215 | 1:7,500 |
3 | M40L, M45L, M18L | 7.1 | 165 | 1:7,500 |
4 | M50L, M21S, W20L, W35L | 5.8 | 185 | 1:7,500 |
5 | M55L, W40L, M20S, M35S, M16A, W45L, W21S, W18L | 5.4 | 160 | 1:7,500 |
6 | W50L, M60L, M40S, M45S, M18S | 4.8 | 170 | 1:7,500 |
7 | M65L, M50S W20S, W35S, W55L, W16A | 4.3 | 145 | 1:7,500 |
8 | M70L, W60L, M55S, W40S | 4.3 | 110 | 1:7,500 |
9 | M75L, W45S, W65L, W50S, M60S, W18S | 3.5 | 100 | 1:7,500 |
10 | M65S, W70L, M80L, W55S, M70S, W60S, W75L | 2.8 | 70 | 1:7,500 |
11 | M80S, M75S, W65S, M85, W70S, W75S, W80, W85 | 2.1 | 60 | 1:7,500 |
12 | M14A, M16B, Light Green | 4 | 75 | 1:7,500 |
13 | W14A, W16B | 3.5 | 75 | 1:7,500 |
14 | M12A, M14B, W12A, W14B, Orange | 3.1 | 70 | 1:7,500 |
15 | M10A, W10A, M12B, W12B, Yellow | 2.4 | 50 | 1:7,500 |
16 | M10B, W10B, White | 1.9 | 30 | 1:7,500 |
17 | Long Orange | 4.6 | 85 | 1:7,500 |
Acknowledgments
The organiser would like to thank Rob Williams, the landowner for the arena and parking, Welsh Water, for allowing access to the dunes via the waterworks and CADW for allowing the use of Ogmore Castle, for the string course.
Common Day 1-6 Information
Entries and Changes
Please see the entries page.
Daily Updates
Daily news will be posted on the news page of the website. Fabian4 will be used to email any very urgent messages. Please check daily.
WhatsApp Community Croeso Announcements.
Water
Avoid dehydration: If the weather is hot, drink plenty of fluids. Please bring your own water. Please try and avoid taking disposable water bottles to any of the start locations. On days 1, 2 and 3 there will be clothing dumps at the finish which you will pass on the way to the starts. You can leave water at the clothing dumps for you to use after you have run. It is particularly advisable to take water to the clothing dump on days 1, 2 and 3 as there is still a walk back to the arena.
Rubbish
Please take all rubbish away with you.
Arenas
The Arenas will have enquiries, traders, toilets, first aid and Download. Club tents can be set up in designated areas only.
Club Tents
Club tents can be transported between each location, and this is strongly recommended as it will be a challenge to bring them on the buses of Days 2, 3 & 4. All packed club tents should be left at the drop-off point, which will be marked with "CLUB TENT DROP OFF", near to Enquiries, by 4pm each day (except Day 6). They will be available at the next day's location from 8.30am. Club tents will not be delivered to the rest day Sprint, and those collected on Day 3 will be delivered to Day 4.
Enquiries
Enquiries will be open from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm each day in the Arena for collecting bibs, hired SI dibbers; complaints/protest forms; merchandise collection/purchase; social programme tickets; lost property, colour-coded entries and depositing car keys whilst competitors run.
Bibs
Bibs must be worn on each Day 1-6 race, including by competitors on colour coded courses, and will be available for collection near Enquiries each day, ordered alphabetically by surname then forename. Pins will be available nearby too. Entrants running different classes on different days must collect multiple bibs, one bib for each class entered. Please complete the medical information form on the reverse of the bib as this could be vital in the case of emergency. Bibs must not be folded! Please report to Enquiries if you lose/forget your bib at any stage to get a replacement.
On the rest day sprint bibs are advised but not compulsory.
Colour Coded Course Entries
Entry on the day will be available for colour-coded courses (adults and juniors). These are subject to map availability. If there are still maps available on the morning of a particular day, entry can be made at the Enquiries tent from 9:00 until 12:00.
Age Class Entries
A limited number of age class entries will be available for entry on the day, subject to map availability.
Smileys and Sads
Runners on Long Day Courses 14 ( Orange) , 15 (Yellow) and 16 (White) and Middle Day courses 13 (Orange), 14 (Yellow) and 15(White) might encounter Sad face or Smiley face signs on appropriately coloured paper ( i.e, Orange for Orange courses, Yellow for Yellow courses, White for White courses) used either to indicate they have gone wrong and should turn back (sad face) or to indicate they are going in the right direction and should continue. If they encounter a smiley or sad on paper whose colour which does not match their course they should ignore that sign.
String Courses
Each day will have a string course. As we are required to have details of all participants for insurance purposes you will need to complete a registration form at the string course tent.
Photography
There will be photographers in the area. If you do not want your photograph published, please speak to the officials at enquiries. If you have concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography, please report it to any event official. No drones allowed.
Dogs
Dogs are only permitted in the parking areas, on certain buses (check day details), and in the assembly areas provided they are under control, on a lead and cleared up after. As most of the areas have sheep and horses roaming, no dogs are allowed in the competition areas.
Key timings each day
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | |
Car park opens | 9.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
First bus leaves | n/a | 8.30 | 8.30 | 8.30 | n/a | n/a |
Enquiries open | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 |
First starts | 11.00 | 10.30 | 10.30 | 10.30 | 10.30 | 10.00 |
Last starts | 14.00 | 13.30 | 13.30 | 13.30 | 13.30 | 13.00 |
Courses close | 16.30 | 15.00 | 15.30 | 15.30 | 15.30 | 15.00 |
last bus to car park | n/a | 16.30 | 16.30 | 16.35 | n/a | n/a |
Starts
When you leave the Arena, please ensure you are wearing your bib (no bib, no go), have an SI-card, compass and whistle. (no whistle, no go). If the Organiser has declared waterproof jackets compulsory (through Daily News, notices in Arena) this will also be checked.
It is the competitors' responsibility to start at their allocated times; Latecomers, those with split starts, entries on the day and helpers should speak to the official at the late start lane.
Remember to clear and check (SIAC test also available) before entering the correct lane at the minus 4 box for your course, lane one for odd course numbers and lane two for even.
Start Box procedure
Minus 4 | You will be asked to punch a manually held check box. |
Minus 3 | will have loose control descriptions. |
Minus 2 | will have blank maps. |
Minus 1 | There may be safety information/reminder given. At 10 seconds to go you may step over the line then go on the long beep. Remember to punch the start unit |
Control Descriptions
Control Descriptions will be printed on the map and loose descriptions will be available in the start lanes.
Map Notes
Individual Trees are only shown on the map on Day 2
Safety
Full leg and body cover must be worn on Day 1.
Shorts are permitted on Days 2-6.
In the case of extreme weather, a waterproof may be required (notice posted at Enquiries). No whistle no go. Whistles will be checked in the start lane.
Please do not forget to bring your water to the arena on the days where the car parking is remote.
Poisonous snakes (adders) can be found on all of the competition areas. They will likely try to avoid you but if you do get bitten stay calm, stay put, and alert another competitor to report to first aid.
If anyone has any safety concerns on anything, please report them to enquiries or via the whatsapp community.
First Aid
First Aid is available in the arena, please go to enquiries. On days where the finish is remote from the arena (days 1, 2 and 3), First aid will be located near the finish.
Accident and Emergency
Facility | Type | Location |
Prince Charles Hospital | A & E | Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 9DT |
Brecon War Memorial Hospital | Minor Injury | Brecon, LD3 7NS |
Princess of Wales Hospital | A & E | Bridgend, CF31 1RQ |
Morriston Hospital | A & E | Swansea, SA6 6NL |
Scoring System
A par time is determined for each day’s event calculated as the average time of the top 50% of the number starting each class. Each competitor will be allocated points for the days they complete calculated by comparing their time for that day against that day’s par time. The sum of the best four point scores (out of a maximum of six) for each runner give their total for the event.
Prizes
Prize giving will take place at 3:00pm on day 6. Prizes will be awarded to the first three of each age class on long classes and to the winner of the short classes
Yellow and white courses
Competitors (and their parents or guardians) on yellow and white courses can look at their maps before they start. These will be available at the start from the start official.
Complaints, Protests and Appeals
Complaints should be made to the Day Organiser either orally or in writing via the standard Complaints/Protests form available at enquiries.
Post-race recommendations
- Local Castle: Ogmore Castle - Be enchanted
- Local Beach: Rest Bay - Go Surfing
- Local Food: Bridgend - Discover