WestquarterWed 24 Sept
FVO Urban Series
Each Urban event in our summer series has a Short (usually 2-4km optimal distance) and Long course (usually 3-5km optimal distance). It's likely that under 16s will require an adult who is prepared to take responsibility for safe road crossings on the Short and Long courses at most urban events. Please check with the organiser whether this applies in this event. There may also be a traffic-free course suitable for solo juniors at some urban events..
All courses are suitable for beginners and families to do together, ask at registration if you would like advice on map symbols, which are slightly different for urban than for forest orienteering.
Results from this series of events are used for league placings. The series was previously called Sprint, however has been rebranded as Urban to make it clearer to newcomers that sprinting is optional (i.e. many club members walk, jog or run these courses).
Local event
Local events are competitive but low key and in the 'localised' area, often on a Wednesday evening or a weekend morning. Try O events are local events tailored to anyone new to the sport, with coaches on hand for advice and tips. Open to all ages, abilities and fitness levels, learn to use a map and compass to navigate round short courses.
Training events are non-competitive and used for training and coaching. These are aimed at members of the club, but non-members and newcomers are also welcome. Social events are non-orienteering activities, with the annual highlight being our Awards Evening and ceilidh!
Regional events attract participants from around the local region, National events are high quality competitions that will attract people from far away, and Major events are large competitions such as a British Championships or the JK.
Terrain: Urban
Results
League tables (after 7 events)
Pre-event Information
Location Info
/-3.7414,55.993,11/500x400?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoicGF1bGZyb3N0IiwiYSI6ImNtMml0emVpODBtMjAyaXNhNmthNW1oMnEifQ.P6n-xW89MfoytQ4_n7dxPQ)
Near: Falkirk Lat,Lng: 55.993,-3.7414 Postcode: FK2 9ST
Open an interactive map in: GoogleMap - OpenStreetMap - AppleMaps - BingMap
Directions & Parking
The competition area/map can be viewed on the club website (Information – Mapped Areas). Please approach the competition area from the east turning off Polmont Road (A803) into Westquarter Avenue. After approximately 150m, take a right turn into Carhowden Road, and once across the bridge, follow the road for another 300m or so towards the Langton Road/Park Crescent area where there is on-street parking. Please avoid blocking drives etc. Note, there is a small area for parking within the start field itself which has capacity for about a dozen carefully parked cars
Map & Terrain
1:4,000, 2.5m contour interval, by Alasdair Pedley (Feb 25) – never used for an event before! No loose control descriptions available, these will be printed on the map and made available on the FVO website. As with other urban events – features marked on the map as uncrossable/impassable must not be crossed, even if you might be capable of doing so. Note there is an area marked as light purple (out of bounds) which is nearly finished new flats. There is no way through between the flats so treat the block as if mapped as olive green.
Course Information
Long: Straight-Line Distance 2.9km, Optimum Distance 4.4km, Climb 100m
Short: Straight-Line Distance 2.1km, Optimum Distance 3.0km, Climb 70m
Novice: Straight-Line Distance 1.1km, Optimum Distance 1.4km, Climb 40m
The Novice Course is all off-road, though does have a route choice option which briefly enters a very quiet cul-de-sac. It is recommended that juniors should be accompanied on the Novice Course. The Short and Long Courses both cross residential streets with one main through road in the area, so please take care. Under 16s MUST be shadowed on the Short and Long Courses.
Entry Details
Enter here Confirmed entries close at 1000 on 23rd September, with a surchange thereafter for entry, subject to available maps.
Registration & Start times
1730 to 1900. Courses close at 1930, by which time it will be dark!
Facilities
There are no public toilets available near to the event (the nearest are at Tescos at Redding ~3km away), so please plan accordingly.
Safety Notes
Please take care crossing roads and use the pavements as much as possible.
Please be considerate of other members of the public (and other orienteers!). The area has narrow paths/alleyways so please be very mindful of your pace to avoid collisions and to let others pass.
Paths are muddy/slippy in places, especially after wet weather. The bridge surfaces can also be slippy so slow down on approach please.
Competitors should plan for the weather and dress accordingly.
There is an open grassy area with clothes lines (though I’ve never seen any clothes out – yet!), so please run round the side, or those over ~1.5m tall may have to duck a little if taking a more direct route!
Dog restrictions
none
Contacts & Officials
Mark Johnston (email hidden; JavaScript is required)