Nav challenge 3 - Wicklow Gap
- Description:
- Third race of annual nav challenge league
- County:
- Wicklow
- Date:
- Sunday 15th September, 2013
- Time:
- 11:00
- Climb (m):
- 800
- Distance (km):
- 16.00
- Event Difficulty:
- 9 (3,3,3) - Difficult Terrain, >500M ascent, >10Km
- Race Marking:
- - Route not marked
- GPS Allowed:
- Yes
- Leagues:
- Navigational Challenge
- Getting There:
- Leave Laragh heading West for Glendalough (pass McCoy's on your right and Wicklow Heather restaurant on your left). After 1km you come to a junction with signs for 'Wicklow Gap' and 'Hollywood' taking the right turn. Take this right turn. Continue along this road, gradually climbing. After about 7km you pass the first turn into Turlough Hill power station on your left, followed by a brown sign 'Wicklow' Gap in front of a lay-by on your left. About 100m after the brown sign (where the road starts to descend to the right), take the turn left towards the gate to Turlough hill (upper lake). The car park is immediately on your left.
Google map link here - Organisers Instructions:
- The third and final Nav Challenge of 2013 will be held starting from the Wicklow Gap. The Nav Challenge is an open mountain navigation race, where competitors use a map to find checkpoints. This race will also include a Short Course which stays mostly on forest roads and requires less navigation skill.
As previously advised:
- there will be an introductory Short Course aimed at anyone interested in learning navigation basics, distance about 8-10km (300m climb)
- there's no kit requirement for the Short Course
- maps will be provided for both Long and Short courses, no need to bring your own
Kit Requirements:
Short course:- no mandatory kit required other than what you'd bring for a Leinster League mountain race
- that said, if you have a compass bring it along
- Compass
- rainproof jacket
- sufficient food & water
- hat
- mobile phone
Registration, Fee & IMRA membership:
You can register on the morning from 10am. Registration will close at 10:45am sharp with no exceptions. The cost is the standard €7 (€4 for unwaged). The €10 annual membership fee is being waived as there are very few races left this year. You don't have to have run an IMRA race before (but see below for 'Level of experience required').Distance & Climb:
Short Course: 9-10km, with approximately 300m climb. Expected winning time about 50 minutes.
Long Course: 14 - 16km, with approximately 800m climb.Terrain & navigation:
Short Course: This will stay mostly on forest roads. The navigation will be straightforward, mostly track junctions (similar to Nav Challenges 1 & 2).
Long Course: This will be mostly across open, untracked mountain. checkpoints will not be hidden, but poor route choice or poor visibility may make navigation challenging.Level of experience required:
Short Course: no specific experience required, ideally you've managed some of the Wednesday night Leinster League races or similar.
Long Course: some experience of navigation required, and physical ability to run the distance within the cut-off times (see below).Map:
A specially-commissioned map has been produced by Paul Nolan. Scale is 1:25,000. Pre-printed on waterproof paper.Early Starts and Cut-off times:
Early starts are available on a self-timed basis for those that are typically 160% + of winning times in other IMRA races. If you would like to start before 10am please contact me (086 262 1445 or email gavan [dot] doherty [at] 247meeting [dot] com), otherwise let me know on the morning. A strict cut-off time of 3:30pm is being imposed. Competitors returning after that time will not be listed in the results. The cut-off is not to punish people, but to ensure that those who might take longer will start earlier, allowing the RD & Volunteers to finish at a reasonable time. The RD would strongly encourage you to start early if possiblePlanner:
Paul NolanGPS units, groups and following:
GPS units of any description are allowed, but competitors with GPS units are not eligible to win (nor are they likely to). If people wish to take part as a group that's also no problem, but again will rule out eligibility of winning. Following another competitor blindly is not recommended, but impossible to monitor - do so at your own peril. - Prizegiving Location:
- Lynham's of Laragh, as close to 2:30pm as possible. Food is available in Lynham's (carvery & soup/sandwiches)
Volunteers (Non-Running)
You need to have done 2 non-running volunteer roles in a calendar year to qualify for end of year prize
Volunteers (Running)
Check with race director if they have a need for people volunteering and running. Race directors need a minimum number of people available throughout the race to make the race work so non-running volunteers are preferable. While it can be helpful, volunteering in a volunteer and race capacity does not count towards qualifying for end of year prize
Carpool
Driver Name | Location | Passing Through | Departure | Seats Available | Seats Accepted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
James H Cahill | Delgany | Greystones (dart) - Delgany | 09:30:00 | 2 | 0 |