Middleton Park

Travel

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Route to the Arena

Parking will be 400-1000m from the Arena. If arriving by bus this is 1200m from the arena. 

The final 100m approach to the arena is up a fairly narrow, relatively steep footpath through the woods. This will be taped.

For anyone requiring or preferring a gentler approach to the arena, there is an alternative route (300m further) to the Arena which is less steep along a better track. This is especially recommended for anyone with mobility issues or with buggies or small children. This route will also go past the toilets.

Arena

Start Schedule

Map & Control Descriptions

Courses from the 2019 British Relays can be seen on the BOC Routegadget, and courses from a more recent 2021 Regional event can be seen on the AIRE Routegadget.

The map is to ISOM 2017-2 IOF Specification, unless otherwise stated. Map scale 1:7,500 for all courses, with a 5m contour internal. Map updated and revised 2025 by Chris Burden (AIRE).

Control descriptions are printed on the front of the maps. All courses use IOF pictorial symbols only, including those for the Mini Relay. There are no loose control descriptions.

Course & Terrain Notes

All relay classes have courses with gaffling, including the Mini-Relay. Parents/carers, please ensure your child understands that they will have some controls the same as other juniors but some will be different and with a slightly different route, so they must read their own map carefully.

Controls have all been numbered to ensure there is no similarity or possible confusion on gaffle clusters or nearby controls. It is the competitor’s responsibility to check their control codes and descriptions.

Pits & Depressions

There are numerous pits and depressions of varying sizes and depths. The control descriptions provide the depth of pits and the length x width of large depressions (in metres) to give an indication of the size of the feature. Controls are positioned below the rim of all pits and most large depressions and the directional part given, e.g. 3m pit, NE part. In the case of large depressions, if no direction is given then the control will be positioned in the bottom of the feature.

Bike Track & Other Users

All areas of the woods are popular with dog walkers, families and cyclists. Please take care at all times and be courteous of other park users.

Arena Run-Through and Finish

There is an Arena run-through for all TD5 courses and this will be clearly taped. Competitors must ensure they punch the controls at either end of the run-through as clearly indicated on their map. All courses then have ~1km final loop after the run-through.

On all courses, the incoming runners will be visible when they enter the Arena field to approach the last control for sufficient time for Leg 2 and Leg 3 runners to spot their incoming team mate and move to the handover area.

Punch Check & Map Issue

All team members must proceed to the start area via the map issue marquee. Follow the directions of the marshals at all times and allow sufficient time to be issued your map. SIAC battery check, check and clear boxes will be found on the entry to the map issue marquee.

Upon entering the marquee, you will be directed to the SI Punch Entry Check table. This will confirm that you are a registered member of a team and that you have the correct dibber assigned to your Bib number. If there is a problem with your dibber, please go to the problem desk.

A marshal will direct you to the correct table for your Bib number and Leg. These will also be labelled clearly. Join the correct queue and have your bib number clearly visible.
When you get your sealed map, it is your responsibility to check that the Leg and Team number visible on the front of the sealed map are correct. Any problems will be resolved by the problem desk, not the map issue team.

A secondary check and clear box will be available for competitors after leaving the map issue marquee. There will be a further Bib/Map check at the Start/Changeover line. If the Map or map seal has been tampered with, your team may be disqualified.

Start Process & Handovers

All competitors will proceed to a holding pen on the other side of the Arena Run-through, crossing the Run-through only when the marshal tells you it is safe to do so. Competitors running their courses will have priority.

Between 10:00 and 11:00, the holding pen will be split into two areas: the left-hand side for Leg 1 runners and right-hand side for Legs 2/3.

Leg 1 runners will have a secondary holding pen, where you will be called forward by class 5 mins before your timed start and your Bib and Map will be checked. A clock will be visible in the holding pen, but you must follow all verbal instructions by the Start team.

Leg 2 & 3 runners must wait in the holding pen until their runner is on approach to the Handover. You may observe your teammates on the Arena Run-through that passes next to the Handover pen to judge when you will need to be ready. The Run-through is approximately 1 km from the end of all TD5 courses. There is a clear line of sight as runners approach the final control on each leg. Enter the Handover box when you see your teammate on the approach to the Finish. When entering the Handover box, your map will be checked to see that it is still sealed.

After starting, all legs must follow the taped route all the way to the start kite.

Finish, Download & Map Collection

The Leg 1 & 2 Finish will be to the right-hand side of the fork on the run-in. It will be in contactless mode; it is your responsibility to check that the punch has registered correctly. You must then proceed to the Handover line where you will ‘tag’ your teammate, who may then start the next Leg. Then proceed to Download and do not block other runners, following the instructions of the marshals at all times.

Leg 3 runners should follow tapes to the left of the fork in the run-in, passing under the arch before punching the Finish box. The Finish box for Leg 3 will not be in contactless mode and you must manually punch this box. A marshal will be present to remind you if you forget. Then proceed to Download.

For the purposes of prizes and placing, team positions will be determined by the order of finish over the Finish line (under the arch). If there are close finishes, marshals will direct teams to punch in the order that you finish over the line, even if this means a small time delay to teams that finished behind. Please follow the marshal's instructions at all times.

After finishing, all runners must cross over the Arena Run-through to Download. Please follow the marshal's instructions when crossing as competitors on the course have priority.

Map collection will be organised by club and all maps must be surrendered until the Leg 3 mini mass start at 12:30. Please follow the marshal's instructions. Bags will be labelled by club. For runners without a club, there will be a single bag for map collection and these may also be collected from the tent provided for such runners at 12:30.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Leeds City Council for use of Middleton Park for the event and Lee Atkinson and David Morgan at Leeds Parks and Countryside for their assistance. Thanks to South Leeds Aero Modellers Society for their cooperation in allowing us to use the clearing for the event arena. We would also like to thank John Charles Centre for Sport, Graphic Packaging International and Middleton Park Equestrian Centre for allowing us use of their parking facilities.