This is a two-day orienteering festival for everyone and doubles as the Canterbury Schools Orienteering Championships for those that like the Canterbury’s competitions.

Date: Saturday 9th - 10th September

Location: Ferrymead Heritage Park and Broadhaven Reserve, Christchurch

🧭 EVENT SCHEDULE:

DAY ONE (SATURDAY 9TH)

Park event at Ferrymead Heritage Park.

Registration and events centre at Ferrymead Park.

Courses will need students to find all the controls in the order they appear on the map over a short distance (usually 1-3.5km). Courses are run in time trial format so everyone is allocated a start time.

• Your start time will be pre-allocated.
• Start times will be between 1.30pm and 3:30pm.

DAY TWO (SUNDAY 10TH)

Forest event in Bottle Lake Forest, registration and events centre at Broadhaven Reserve. Format is the same as for park events, except students will be running in the forest. Courses are run in time trial format so everyone is allocated a start time.

• Your start time will be pre-allocated.
• Start times will be between 10.30am and 12:30pm.

There are two options for entries – “Fun” Grade or “Competitive” Grade

🧭 FUN GRADE

Non-Competitive grade for teams, family groups, or young runners that need a shadow. Great for first timers or if you want to head out with friends and whanau.

Three Fun courses:

• Easy Short: This course follows line features such as tracks, fences, streams and hedges. There is a control at every “decision point” so the runner just chooses which direction to run in. The course is very short, generally between 1-1.5km. Compass is helpful but not required.  Easy short is open to entry for all ages.

• Medium: This course requires a basic level of navigation as the runner must make 2-3 decisions between controls, and some controls will be placed 10-20m off the line features. There is still a line feature between controls but a runner may need to decide whether to go left or right to get there and may need to run through a few intersections. Course length will be between 1.5-2.5km. A compass is recommended. Medium is open to entry for Year 7 and over only.

• Hard: This course has advanced navigation at the same level as the year 10-11 competitive grade. A compass is essential. Hard is open to entry for Year 10 and over only.

🧭 CHAMPIONSHIP GRADE

Championship Grade is the competitive Canterbury Schools grade, open to individuals only and in the age categories as listed below:

• Year 6 & Under: Beginner (White level)
• Year 7/8: Beyond beginner (Yellow level)

Runners may run up an age group but they may not run down.

Course Difficulty:

Yellow (Year 7/8): Yellow courses follow linear features (e.g. tracks, fencelines, obvious vegetation boundaries, streams etc). Where there are no linear features to follow, there will be tape on the ground. Control points are mostly placed slightly off the linear feature being followed. Competitors need to be able to orient their map using a compass in order to choose their route between controls and be able to recognise features that will lead them into a control site off the linear feature they are following. The fastest route between controls may be away from linear features but there are always linear features to follow.

Competitors should be confident running white courses and have run yellow courses successfully on their own at schools practice events before entering the championship grade.

White (Year 6 & Under): White courses follow linear features (e.g. tracks, fencelines, obvious vegetetation boundaries, streams, etc). Where there are no linear features to follow, there will be tape on the ground. Control points will always be on linear features and they will also always be on any intersection where a runner needs to make a decision on which direction to take. At any intersections where a decision on direction needs to be made, controls are placed to encourage the correct decision and there is never any need to make a route choice as there is always only one way to get to the next control along any linear feature.

Competitors should be confident orientating their maps and have run white courses successfully on their own at schools practice events before entering the championship grade.

Entry Fees: $12 per student per day. Includes hire of a Sportident stick/dibber for using at each control/check point (no need to bring your own).

Transport: Students need to arrange own transport to/from the events but there will be plenty of car-pooling opportunities. Please get in touch with the school office or Christina Freeman (dendron@xtra.co.nz) if you have a runner who needs transport.