News
Loch Vaa SOL, Sunday 24th September 2023
Welcome to Interlopers' SOL at Loch Vaa (near Aviemore) on Sunday 24th September
Interlopers welcome you to the intricate pine woods of Loch Vaa forest for SOL4. Courses will be navigationally challenging but reward the orienteer with good running in a picturesque area.
Also on this weekend
- BASOC Local Event - Nethybridge 23/09/2023
- The Flying Scotsman visits the Strathspey Railway
- Doors Open Day
LOCATION
Nearest Town: Aviemore
Nearest Postcode: PH22 1QD (this covers a wide geographic area)
Parking and event assembly turn off the A95 at Avielochan and head east for 600 metres on track. There will be an optional van parking option before the field with hard standing but an extra walk along the entry road to the Car Park field.
Turn off A9
- Grid Reference: NH903167
- What3Words: ///husband.pickup.slab
Car Park
- Grid Reference: NH910164
- What3Words: ///munch.crouch.stoops
Public transport:
ENTRY AND ENTRY FEES
Entries are now closed and no further amendments can be made through Fabian4. A small number of extra maps will be printed and available on a first come first served basis on the day. For any last minute queries or to reserve a map after entries close, please contact: graham@gmci.scot
Seniors: £16 (SOA/BOF-affiliated club members) / £18 (non-members)
Juniors / Students: £7 (SOA/BOF-affiliated club members) / £8 (non-members)
Entry on the day (EOD) will be at non-member rates, and subject to map availability so please pre-book to guarantee a map.
START LIST
The startlist is available here...
DOGS
Dogs are allowed in the Car Park and Assembly areas but must be kept on a lead at all times as there may be livestock in adjacent fields
OTHER FACILITIES
Good luck to the Scottish Junior competing at the Junior Inter Regional Championship is Wales this weekend. Luckily some will be at home to look after the ScotJos Cake Stall, please support!
TOILETS
Portaloos will be available in the car park field
TERRAIN
Loch Vaa, map scale 1:10,000 for Black and Brown courses, 1:7,500 for all other, contour interval 5m
Map was last updated in 2023.
The area consists of mixed, deciduous forest, pine around Loch Vaa and mixed pine/deciduous in the "moor" to the SE of the railway lines. There is significant amounts of regrowth in the latter area which course planning largely avoids. The deciduous area has significant summer bracken which affects limited parts of courses.
Only the longest courses cross the steam railway line at obligatory points.
COURSES
Course lengths and TD will be SOL compliant
| Course | Distance | Classes Women |
Classes Men |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 11.8km | M-E | |
| Brown | 10.0km | W-E | M18, M20, M21, M35, M40 |
| Short Brown | 8.6km | W21 | M45, M50, M21S |
| Blue | 6.9km | W18, W20, W35, W40 | M16, M55, M60, M35S, M40S |
| Short Blue | 5.9km | W45, W50, W21S | M18S, M20S, M65, M45S, M50S |
| Green | 5.0km | W16, W55, W60, W35S, W40S | M70, M60S, M55S |
| Short Green | 4.0km | W18S, W20S, W65, W70, W75, W80, W50S, W55S, W60S, W45S |
M75, M80, M70S, M65S |
| Light Green | 3.8km | W14, W16B | M14, M16B |
| Orange | 3.1km | W12, W14B | M12, M14B |
| Yellow | 2.9km | W10, W12B | M10, M12B |
| White | 2.0km | W10B | M10B |
In accordance with SOL Guidelines maps for courses White & Yellow will be collected at the car park. It is the competitor’s responsibility to collect his or her own map before proceeding to the start.
STRING COURSE
There will be a string course available from the corner of the Car Park field
ENQUIRIES, START AND FINISH
The enquiries tent will be in the Car Park field.
There is one start for all courses 1km and 25m climb from the Car Park. The route to start will be marked from the Car Park field.
There are two finishes with return routes marked:
- Orange, White, Yellow and Light Green 1km from the Car Park
- All other courses 700m from the Car Park
Start times window 11:00 to 13:00. Allocated start times.
Everyone will use a punching start and need to punch the finish control.
Courses close at 15:30 at which time controls will begin to be collected in.
Everyone must report to the finish and proceed to Download, whether they finish their courses or not. Otherwise you may trigger a search party and/or call to the emergency services!
If you think you may take a while on your chosen course, please ask for an early start time.
EVENT OFFICIALS
- Planner: Mike Stewart
- Organiser: Graham McIntyre - graham@gmci.scot
- Controller: Donald Grassie
ELECTRONIC TIMING
SportIdent (SI) electronic timing will be used, with SI Air enabled. If you have your own SI dibber, please bring it. Otherwise SI dibbers can be hired free of charge, but with £30 charge if lost. This must have been requested when booking your place for the event.
SAFETY NOTICE
Participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event. By entering the event you are accepting this condition.
Parents/guardians should explain all safety aspects to all children and vulnerable persons in their care and if you are in any doubt about their ability to stay safe only allow them to participate with a carer.
A risk assessment has been carried out by the organiser.
Please note:
- The area is used by the general public, including dog walkers and cyclists. Please respect their right to use the area and make room to pass safely. You are required to abide by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (see http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/sites/default/files//docs/know_the_code_leaflet.pdf), and if necessary give way or stop running temporarily for safety reasons, e.g. some cyclists, dogs, etc.
- If you or one of your dependants have an underlying medical condition that might occur during the event, please brief the organiser in advance and leave a sealed written record at the event registration (to be destroyed afterwards).
- The area can be rough underfoot, with uneven ground, possibly steep and slippery. Wear appropriate footwear and take caution.
- You are encouraged to carry a coat if there is a risk of bad weather and a whistle in case of injury (if injured give 6 long blasts, wait a minute, repeat).
- Railway lines are strictly out of bounds, watch out for the Flying Scotsman!
- Ticks are common in the competition area. Check carefully after each day and remove any ticks with a suitable removal tool. Lyme disease does occur in the area: if you develop a rash at the site of a bite, we advise you to seek medical advice.
- Cattle graze the area through the summer – they will be moved into winter pasture by time of the event.
- As ever, if you have any COVID symptoms, please respect others and stay away.
First Aid will be available on the day from certified first aiders. Anything more serious should be dealt with at the nearest A&E which is at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, IV2 3UJ.
PRIVACY
When entering our orienteering events your name may appear in the results section of the Interlopers orienteering club website. We do not share your data with other organisations, other than the sport governing bodies for administrative purposes. We do not use it for any marketing purposes. By entering the event you are accepting this condition.
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