Orienteering for Beginners - Tuesday Evening series in Phoenix Park

Gerry Hat Trick

Hi folks

Would you like to learn some navigation skills? Or perhaps its time to get the family out in the fresh air without breaking the bank?

During August, Three Rock Orienteering Club is organising a league of four introductory orienteering events in Dublin's Phoenix Park on Tuesday evenings. On each of the four evenings, a 3km and a 6km course will be on offer and you can start any time between 6.30pm and 7.30pm.

Families, novices, club runners, adventure racers and hill walkers/runners all welcome. We will start on Tuesday August 7 with registration on the night at the Papal Cross car park. Starts on other nights are from the Furry Glen (Aug 14), Magazine Fort (Aug 21) and Furze Road (Aug 28).Bring a compass if you have one but it's not essential. Groups welcome - just let us know so we can have enough maps prepared.

Entry is €5 or €2 for children, with all funds from the first night going to the DeafHear charity. For further details just post here or see www.3roc.net or contact lindie (dot) naughton(at)gee mail.

Mods - I hope its ok that I've posted here as well as the A/R/T forum. Hopefully its of interest to both groups but let me know if it's a problem

MB Lacey

Are you allowed to walk the route?
And can complete novices who dont know how to read a compass/ map turn up, or is it for those with some knowledge?
thanks

Gerry Hat Trick

MB Lacey wrote: »

Are you allowed to walk the route?
And can complete novices who dont know how to read a compass/ map turn up, or is it for those with some knowledge?
thanks

Hi MB
No problem walking the route - we usually have families walking it with young kids walking or in a backpack. It's not a head to head race - everyone starts individually and goes at their own pace. Its a bit like the hare and tortoise story - usually better to start slow and sure and let the really fit guys sprint off and waste time trying to find themselves later.

The event is aimed at complete novices so the organiosers will be happy to take time explaining the basics at the start. As an indication we would expect most people walking the 3km course to take between 45 and 75 minutes approximately so its very doable. Hopefully see you there

Gerry Hat Trick

Hi folks

Tomorrow night is the second of the Tuesday evening orienteering series in the Phoenix Park. This time we will be starting from the car park inside the Knockmarroon Gate close to the Furry Glen. We had a great mix of runners, walkers and families last week and hopefully everyone enjoyed it (we didn't lose anyone anyway ) So hopefully see a few more new faces tomorrow evening


Results from last weeks event are at http://orienteering.ie/results/FullSIResults.php?1948

JuliusCaesar

Thanks Gerry. Did it this evening - complete novice! Missed one post and took a half hour detour, but enjoyed it a lot!

Gerry Hat Trick

Hi JuliusCaesar

glad you enjoyed it - don't worry about the detour- like any other sport its all about learning for the next time

The results are now up and if you look at the split time options you will be able to see your time between each of the checkpoints. You also get to see where others gained or lost time
http://orienteering.ie/results/FullSIResults.php?1949 .

hopefully see you back next Tuesday when it starts from the Magazine Fort

JuliusCaesar

Missed the last one due to Real Life intervening - where's the next/last one starting from?

Gerry Hat Trick

Hi JC

Tuesday 28th we'll start half way along Furze Road. There are bollards somewhere near the middle to block any through traffic so that's roughly where the start will be. Again it will be signposted from both Chesterfield Ave and the other end. Start times as before anytime between 06:30 and 7:30pm
Ask for Gerry. I got some wierd looks last night when I asked people if they were Julius Caesar

JuliusCaesar

LOL!


thanks

JuliusCaesar

Gerry Hat Trick wrote: »

The results are now up and if you look at the split time options you will be able to see your time between each of the checkpoints. You also get to see where others gained or lost time
http://orienteering.ie/results/FullSIResults.php?1949 .

Any results from the last time, Gerry?
JC

Gerry Hat Trick

Hi JC

Great to see you there - well done on navigating around the course. We had a great crowd on Tuesday from under 12's to over 80's and even a minor GAA team doing the short course in pairs for teambuilding! The results are up at http://orienteering.ie/results/FullSIResults.php?1956 so well done to everyone who took part over the four nights and thanks to all for supporting the event.

This concludes the 3ROC series of events in the Park for now but the season is really only getting started. For anyone interested FINGAL Orienteering Club are organising the next few events around Dublin starting with Albert College/Hampsted Park near DCU/Glasnevin this Sunday and then
Sun 9th Ward River Valley park -Swords
Sun 16th Tolka Valley Park - Blanchardstown
Sun 23rd Malahide Castle
These will be on similar parkland type terrain. The format will be slightly different with everyone starting at 12:00 (registration from 11:00). You can take the controls in any order this time and people on the short course will need to find 8 controls; the medium (find 14 controls); and long (find 18 controls).

There is also a series of Mountain Bike events starting in Djouce this Saturday 2nd/ Carrick Mountain Wicklow 15th / and the Curragh early October

Details of all events including directions and results are available on www.orienteering.ie and beginners are welcome at any event.