Day 4 - Pen Rhiw Wen

Event Details

• Date: Thursday 25th July 2024
• Format: Long
• Map: Pen Rhiw Wen [Old Map]
• Organising Club: South Wales Orienteering Club (SWOC)

Overview

Day 4 of Croeso 2024 will host a long distance race on the Western end of the Black Mountain. The views from the arena will be fantastic with Carreg Cennen Castle on the horizon.

Key Officials

• Organiser: Lawrence Snowden (SWOC)
• Planner: Alice Bedwell (SWOC) and Mark Saunders (SWOC)
• Controller: Charles Daniel (BOK)
• Map Maker: Peel Land Surveys

Key Timings

Directions to bus parking

Parking for all competitors will be at Amman Valley Trotting Club near Tairgwaith.

• Post code: SA18 1UT
• What3words: ///sweetened.famous.safe
• Grid Reference: SN 71340 11717

Tairgwaith is approximately 7 miles from the competition area and 34 miles from Brecon. Competitors are advised to plan a route that goes direct to Tairgwaith itself and not to the Pen Rhiw Wen competition area.

From Brecon they are to take the main A4067. The mountain roads north of the competition area (via Trecastle) are advised as best avoided.

The parking area is vast, dry, flat and firm. Toilets, refreshments and equipment traders are available at the bus pick up point and, in the Track’s, main café.

The route will only be signposted from the A4069 at the junction with New Road at https://w3w.co/microfilm.posting.fearfully. Do not use any other route. From signing, all vehicles are to follow New Road for approx. 400m to a small roundabout. Then take a narrow road for a further 1 mile and turn left onto an unmetalled track. Follow the track for a further 1 mile to the Trotting track racecourse. Please follow the marshals’ instructions from there. From the parking area there is a 2-minute walk to the bus pick up and then a 15-minute journey to the event area. Bus times, including those for dogs, are below.

Busing back from the event.

This is basically a reverse of the above. The buses back to the car park will pick up at the same place you were dropped off. Please queue and wait for Marshalls’ instructions to be called forward. The Park authorities have requested that all competitors are to be booked of the mountain. Please ensure you download and book out from the carpark on the mountain. The café at the Trotting track / car park is available for food and refreshments after you have run. The Trotting track parking will utilise a one way system. No exit before 1230hrs.

Arena Location

The assembly area is directly East of the bus drop off point. It is comprised of a natural amphitheatre on gently sloping ground. It is formed around the Finish area. It provides spectator viewpoints and has ample space for club tents.

Distances map

Starts

Both blue (white, yellow and orange) and red starts (all other courses) are within 200m of the assembly area. Follow the taped routes.

Start List →

Finish

The punching finish is located in the assembly area.

Terrain

The Pen Rhiw Wen map has been significantly extended to the east and now covers the two open hills to the east of the A4069. There are hundreds of pits and depressions – only the largest and deepest are shown individually. Some large boulder fields could affect your route choices. There are also many individual boulders but only the most significant are mapped. The area around the assembly is dominated by an old limestone quarry – some of the rock faces are very high and steep.

Safety bearing is due West which will take you to the main A4069 road.

Map

ISOM2017-2 produced in 2024 by Dave Peel of Peel Land Surveys Scale 1:10,000 / 1:7500 depending on course. Contour Interval 5m

String Course

There is a string course on day 4 located 50m South from the Arena.

Courses

Acknowledgments

The organiser would like to thank the Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau Brycheiniog National Park).

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.

Join the chat

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

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

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

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: Carreg Cennen Castle - Be enchanted

Local food: The Black Mountain Centre- Coffee!