Event Details
- Date: Saturday 27th July 2024
- Format: Middle
- Map: Merthyr Common [Old Map]
- Organising Club: Bristol Orienteering Klub (BOK)
Overview
The last day of Croeso 2024 will host a middle distance race at Merthyr Common.
This area is one of the best areas in South Wales and has previously been used for Croeso in 2008 and several other major events, e.g. JK Middle in 2014, and The Harvester Relays in 2009.
Important information
Days 5 and 6 use the same linear parking along the road beginning about 1.2km north of Trefil Village. Please follow the parking marshals’ instructions. Be aware of potential quarry lorries on the track into the area.
Key Officials
- Organiser: Peter Stagg (BOK)
- Planner: Paul Gebbett (BOK)
- Controller: Roger Thetford (TVOC)
- Map Maker: Peel Land Surveys
Key Timings
Car park opens | 08:00 |
Enquiries open | 09:00 |
First starts | 10:00 |
Last starts | 13:00 |
Courses close | 14:30 |
Directions
Directions to parking
- Postcode (for Trefil Village) NP22 4HF
- Grid reference SO113146
- w3w: ///videos.pricing.cascaded
Follow the marshals’ instructions when parking.
Arena
The arena is approximately 2 km north of Trefil Village at the end of the linear parking.
Distances Map
Starts
All the starts are approximately 500m from the arena.
Finish
The finish is 100m from download.
String Course
Follow the signs to the string course a short distance from the assembly area.
Terrain
High and wild, limestone moorland with no walls and few paths and plenty of rock and contour features. Some of the area has heather.
Map
Updated by Dave Peel in 2024, previously used for the JK in 2014.
The X symbol is used to represent an old pylon base (concrete base) and is shown as a special symbol on the map and is also used as a control description. The new ISOM symbol 203.2 Dangerous pit has been used to represent a large sink hole (see photo) that was previously mapped as a Rocky Pit! This will be taped off with black and yellow tape. Many of the paths marked on the map are indistinct and may be difficult to see on the ground.
Courses
Course | Classes | Length (km) | Climb (m) | Map Scale |
1 | M21L | 6.8 | 205 | 10,000 |
2 | M18L, M20L, M35L, M40L | 6.2 | 190 | 10,000 |
3 | M16A, M45L, M50L, W21L | 5.8 | 180 | 10,000 |
4 | M55L, M60L, W18L, W20L, W35L | 5.4 | 165 | 7,500 |
5 | M65L, M21S, W40L, W45L | 4.6 | 100 | 7,500 |
6 | M18S, M20S, M35S, M40S, M45S, W16A, W50L, W55L | 4.2 | 120 | 7,500 |
7 | M70L, M50S, W60L, W21S | 3.8 | 105 | 7,500 |
8 | M75L, M55S, M60S, W65L, W18S, W20S, W35S, W40S | 3.7 | 90 | 7,500 |
9 | M80L, M65S, W70L, W45S, W50S, W55S | 2.8 | 70 | 7,500 |
10 | M70S, M75S, W75L, W60S | 2.3 | 55 | 7,500 |
11 | M85, M80S, W80, W85, W65S, W70S, W75S | 1.8 | 40 | 7,500 |
12 | M14A, M16B, W14A, W16B, Light green | 2.9 | 115 | 7,500 |
13 | M12A, M14B, W12A, W14B, Orange | 2.3 | 85 | 7,500 |
14 | M10A, M12B, W10A, W12B, Yellow | 1.4 | 35 | 7,500 |
15 | M10B, W10B, White | 1.2 | 35 | 7,500 |
16 | Long Orange | 3.1 | 100 | 10,000 |
Acknowledgments
The organiser would like to thank the Duke of Beaufort Estate for permission to use the land and the local commoners whose animals graze on the land.
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 Country Park: Parc Bryn Bach - For the whole family
Local Museum: Big Pit National Coal museum - Head underground
Local Mountain Biking: Bike Park Wales - Take me to the trails