Saturday 2nd September 2023

Location

Parking

Parking will be on the beach. Please note that the National Trust charges non-members £8.00 per car to drive on the beach. If you are a member please remember to bring your card. Please park at the east end of the beach where you will find the event enquiries at the NWOC camper van (with club feather flag). This will also be the location for dipper download. The start is 1.3km down the beach.

Entries

Pre-entries only – no entry on the day.All entries via SIEntries Website. Entries are now closed. 

• Enter Online
• Edit your Entry
• View Entry Lists

Event Enquiries will operate from 10:30am. Having entered online you can go directly to the start. Runners who have hired a dipper can collect them from Enquiries.

Electronic Punching

Sportident Electronic punching with beacon mode enabled for SI Air on all controls but not on the start and finish boxes which must be “dipped” in the traditional manner. Ordinary SI cards will work on all controls as normal. Passive SI dippers are available for hire and can be booked in the entry system. Starts The pre-entry start blocks are from from 11.30am to 13.00pm. We should also be able to provide starts from 11:00 to 11:30 on request for those who need to run earlier. Please use the contact form below for this or our queries. Courses Close at 3.00pm. Start is 1.3km down the beach a short distance into the dunes. Cagoules, water bottles etc. may be left here adjacent to the finish. Finish is adjacent to the start. All competitors must report to the finish and the Download point even if they do not complete their courses. Download is at the east end of the beach in the main car parking area.

Water

Please bring your own water and make sure you are fully hydrated before starting.

Entry Fees:

• Juniors £6 (NIOA members £5)
• Seniors £12 (NIOA members £10)

Maps:

A waterproof 1:5000 map of Portstewart Strand (updated summer 2023) will be used by all courses.

Crossing Points

Most courses will cross fences which divide the area.  There are several gates in each. These are highlighted with the purple crossing symbol and must be used. Fences and walls must not be climbed. White Course Owing to the physical nature of the Dunes we have decided not to offer a white course. However if parents wish to accompany younger children around the yellow course to give them the experience of being in this exciting area we will make every effort to facilitate this. Please use the contact form to request a yellow map for parent accompanied run.

Course Details

Dogs:

No dogs are allowed in the competition area (see note below on blue – green algae).

Toilets:

Toilets are located by the National Trust booth at the beach entrance.

Terrain Notes:

Portstewart is classic sand dunes Orienteering terrain. The area is unusual in that it is bounded by the sea to the north and by the River Bann to the south and west. In recent years large amounts of thorny scrub have been removed by the National Trust. This has increased runability and opened up new sections of terrain. Almost all courses will be confined to the west part of the dunes. Some of this area is relatively fast with a simple, but indistinct, path network, but the far west section has few paths and the contour detail here is particularly complex. There are a number of fences in these areas and the marked gate crossings must be used.

Blue green algae

There is currently blue green algae in the River Bann which bounds the south of the competitor area. There is no reason for runners to go near the water so the main hazard is to dogs. Subsequently we have changed our “all dogs on leads” rule for this event to “no dogs on courses”. Access to the beach is as normal.

Hazards:

• Parents should be aware that there will be regular car traffic driving up and down the beach past our parking area and some traffic all the way along the walk to the start. Please supervise children accordingly.
• The area is bounded by the river Bann to the south and the yellow course runs in sight of its marshy banks.
• If the weather is sunny the dunes can become very hot (particularly in the hollows) and dehydration is possible. Runners should ensure they are well hydrated before starting and bring their own water bottle.
• In windy and wet conditions the dunes are very exposed and the wearing of cagoules may be advised.
• Brown course runners will pass in sight of the edge of Portstewart Golf course (which is of course out of bounds). One possible route choice will bring the runner part way towards a green and competitors must be aware that there is a small chance of a driven ball crossing into the dunes from the golf course and exercise appropriate caution.

Event Queries