Irish Mountain
Running Association

Sorrel Hill Nav Challenge

Forum Messages

AuthorDateMessage
Colm HillMay 27 2010, 12:14pmHey,

I always thought that the Stone Cross to Lug and Nav Challenge races were a lead in into the Mourne Mountain Marathon, alas this year I see that one clashes (18th) and one is the week after...
Are these dates final?

Colm
Paul SmythJul 11 2010, 3:17pmThese dates are a problem for me as well as I will be competing in the MMM on the 18th.
Paul SmythJul 11 2010, 3:31pmAlso the Glenmalure WAR conflicts with Nav 3 while the Achill Roar conflicts with Nav 1.
Brian O'MearaJul 21 2010, 1:03pmNav Challenge 2 conflicts with a wedding I have to go to, but such is life. Run the Challenges on the dates as agreed. You'll never please everyone.
Kevin O'RiordanJul 21 2010, 1:06pmWould it be an idea to have "best 2 of 3" to decide the league winner? I think there's very few people who'll be free for all 3 events and there's little sense in having a "by default" winner.

-Kevin.
Brian O'MearaJul 21 2010, 1:08pmThat's got my vote, Kevin
Andrew McCarthyJul 22 2010, 10:48amCorrect me if I'm wrong but the winner of the Nav Challenge has always been based on the total accummulated time for the 3 events totalling 50km, not based on positions in each race. It would seem a shame to change it and there's usually a dedicated band of devotees to the format who make it to all 3.
Isabelle LemeeJul 22 2010, 3:04pmDear Andrew,
I could not have worded it better!
Colm HillAug 31 2010, 6:19pmAny start location planned yet??
Philip BrennanAug 31 2010, 10:07pmPatience... all will be revealed early next week. Will be close enough to Dublin, just beyond the pale
Kevin O'RiordanAug 31 2010, 10:15pmMarlay Park! Oops, gave the game away there.
Paul O'GradySep 1 2010, 1:17pmMarlay Park sounds good.

An easy start would be great to build up the confidence for newbies like myself dipping their toe into navigation - moving on to harder ones later in the series.
Pol O'MurchuSep 1 2010, 6:18pmI thought you were a pro at this stage Paul :)
Nora LalorSep 2 2010, 11:17amAnyone wanting to practice their navigational skills could try the Fingal scatter series:
"The first event of this September's Fingal Scatter League takes place this Sunday at Ward River Valley, Swords.
The event is the same format as in previous years - 20 controls are set out, controls can be visited in any order. Long course must get any 18, Medium any 12, and Short any 6. Registration will start at 11.00 AM, with all runners starting on each course at the same time, at 12.00 or soon after that."

See link to orienteering bottom of home page for listing of other events
Philip BrennanSep 7 2010, 8:13pmThe first of the Nav Challenges takes place this Saturday at 12 noon. The grid ref of the start is GR O 003123. This is where the Sorrell Hill Run starts and will be familiar to a lot of you.

The format this year will be a little different to previous years. Previously there were three races with the best placings over the three races determining the winner of the overall series. Given the relatively low numbers of runners who managed to complete all three races and also taking into account the clashes with other events, I have decided to change the format so that your best two runs will only count. This will allow people who can only run two races to still remain competitive and have a chance of winning the series. Because of this all three races will be of similar distance - circa 15km per race. Furthermore there will be tasty prizes for the fastest male and female of the overall series!


We will be supplying maps for the event and the course will be overprinted on the map. This will hopefully encourage those of you who were previously put off by having to plot scary grid references!

You will need to bring a compass and will most likely (weather dependent) be carrying the usual stuff - running top, hat, food etc etc.

A mass start will talke place at 12 noon sharp so try & arrive early to get organised.
Mick HanneySep 7 2010, 8:42pm
Probably good to car pool to the start as for the LL race here we'd normally have a field to park in and parking up near the gate is probably tight?

Andrew McCarthySep 8 2010, 2:39pmI'm really disappointed to see the format change having completed 4 series of the nav challenge in the past. Unable to run an IMRA race in 2 years, I'd been trying to get myself fit enough again to run this series all summer and Satuday was to be my first race in 2 years but reckon these changes have really dumbed down the challenge. I always felt the strength of the series, was the gradual increase in the distances and the best part was getting the little slips of paper from Joe at the start with the grid references, plotting them to your map as you wondered what devious control locations he'd located.

The old scoring system was also a plus, with small numbers of attendees, a couple of extra people at one event will easily result in a distorted end position affecting your series position whereas the old system of using accummulated time over 50km ensured that all who completed the challenge where ranked fairly.
Arnis SaltumsSep 8 2010, 11:20pmHi. Im from Latvia and i whant do this run. But i not aderstend wher is the start place mybe can explai diferent for me.thn
Kevin O'RiordanSep 9 2010, 11:47amI never saw the big attraction in the clerical skills test at the start of navigation races myself. Orienteering moved on years ago with pre-printed maps and it certainly hasn't lead to the dumbing down of the sport. Judging from the tattered remains of my East-west map after last Sunday, having a supplied map will probably save me a tenner in replacement map costs as well.

Arnis, the start is off the N81 road near Blessington. The grid reference Phillip supplied is an Irish national grid reference (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_grid_reference_system). OSi Discovery series maps, Harveys maps and East-west maps use this system. The East-west Dublin mountains map (http://www.eastwestmapping.ie/dublinmountain.html) and Osi Discovery sheet 56 (http://www.irishmaps.ie/product/example_ACD.cfm?ProductID=121) will both show the start area.
Greg ByrneSep 10 2010, 9:54amAnyone passing Rathfarnham direction on their way south tomorrow with space for one more? Greg (gregory.byrne-at-ucd.ie)
Philip BrennanSep 10 2010, 8:44pmI will have approx 20 pre-marked maps for tomorrow. Having looked over the entry in the NC races over the past 7 years there was very rarely a race when 20 or more runners competed. In the unlikely event that we get a surge in entries tomorrow bring along a copy of East West's West Wicklow map if you can get your hand on it.

Car parking is tight at the forest entrance (the barrier was open today & if it is tomorrow we should be ok) so would recommend carpooling or meet perhaps at Zellers - per Mick's suggestion.

Finally, with all the recent rain, the hills are wet - very wet!

C u all tomorrow.
Paul O'GradySep 11 2010, 9:19pmPhilip - thank you so much for today - I didn't realise how much effort you went to personally as the race director - printing the maps - marking the route - being there for 4 hours to run the race and then demarking the race - unbelievable.

Thank you so much - I can't wait for next week

Everyone should give these races a go - they add the mental element to the physical challenge
Colm HillSep 11 2010, 9:30pmFor those that would like a second shot at this sort of stuff....

The first CNOC event of the season will be a non-league event in Emo Court, Co. Laois, this Sunday 12 Sept (tomorrow).

Long - 8 km, 32 controls (“extended middle distance”)
Medium - 5km, 18 controls
Short - 2km, 8 controls, suitable for beginners.

Start Times between 11:00 and 13:00.

Directions: leave the M7 at Junction 15 and follow signposts for Emo Court. The entrance to the park is in Emo village, about 3km from the M7 on the R422 towards Mountmellick, and about 45 mins. from the M50.

Much of the terrain for Long & Medium courses is woodland, a mix of variable conifer plantation and very runnable beech forest. All courses visit the gardens, where the intricate path network makes for a very different style of orienteering. The area is flat, with very few contour features.

The tearooms will be open for an after (or before)-event snack. Emo Court House is open to visitors by guided tour.
Kevin O'RiordanSep 17 2010, 8:18amResults from Phillip:

Ger Butler 103 mins
Gerry Brady 129 mins
Arnis Saltins 130 mins
Kevin O'Riordan 135 mins
Alan Ayling 139 mins
Gavin Doherty 157 mins
Justin Rea 168 mins
Paddy Farrelly 182 mins
Paul O'Grady 196 mins
Barry Tennyson 237 mins
Mick Kellett 289 mins

IMRA database is in use for handling the British & Irish junior entries at the moment. Will upload results properly when that's finished.