16th April 2017 – Oceania Relay – Lake Kereta (Woodhill Forest)

The Oceania Relays competition will be held at Lake Kereta which, like the Long Distance event the day before, is on the beautiful South Kaipara Head Peninsula and a bit closer to town at about 80 minutes from central Auckland.

The Kaipara South Head is a massive, ancient sand barrier that separates the South Kaipara Harbour from the Tasman Sea. A long line of interdune hollows runs up the Kaipara South Head, parallel to the coastline. These interdune hollows are lower than the groundwater level so they fill up with groundwater to create fresh water lakes.

Lake Ototoa, used for the Long Distance event, is the largest of these interdune lakes. Lake Kereta is another smaller example.

Event Information

Full information on the event is available in the Oceania Bulletin 2. Please check the News/Updates page on this site for latest information.

Timetable

08:30 – Event Arena open

09:00 – Registration open for collection of race numbers

10:00 – Race number collection closes

10:30 – Race briefing

10:45 – Mass start all leg 1 female classes (excluding M/W21A* and MW12,14, mixed open)

10:50 – Mass start all leg 1 male classes (excluding M/W21A* and MW12,14, mixed open)

10:55 – Mass start all leg 1 MW12,14, mixed open classes

11:00 – Mass start all leg 1 M/W21A classes

12:45 – Mass start of all remaining leg 2 runners**

13:00 – Mass start of all remaining leg 3 runners**

14:00 – Medal Presentations**

14:30 – Course Closure

*W21AS and W21B start at 10:45. M21AS and M21B start at 10:50.

**Timing will be reviewed during the event.

LOCATION

How to get to the arena – Driving instructions:

From the Auckland CBD follow State Highway 16 (North Western Motorway out of the city) through Kumeu and Waimauku to the junction (roundabout) with Parkhurst Road. Approximately 45 kms from Auckland.
Turn left onto Parkhurst Road, drive through Parakai Township, Parkhurst road turns into South Head Rd, continue until the junction with Wilson Road. Approximately 16 km from the start of Parkhurst road.
Follow Wilson Road for 4 km to the event area. Wilson Road is a narrow gravel road, please drive slowly.
Allow about 80 minutes for the drive from central Auckland.

GPS of access gate 360 Wilson Road, South Head -36.586081, 174.287059

GPS of event centre -36.584055, 174.278978

Parking – Please park as directed. A dirt farm track provides access to the event centre. 2wd cars, camper vans and buses will park about 1km+ from the event centre, allow a 20 minute walk. If the weather (and the road) is dry 4wd vehicle parking will be about 300m from the event centre.

No dogs are permitted at the event.
No smoking is permitted at the event.

Mobile Phone reception – none at the event centre. There is some reception on the high points of Wilson Road.

Out of bounds

All houses and farm buildings on the map are out of bounds.
The mapped area is all private property, there is no access before or after the event.
All areas outside the map boundary are out of bounds.

Click on the image to go to the interactive Oceania/WMOC Google Map or all locations

RELAY TEAM REGISTRATION

All relay teams must be confirmed at registration by 2 PM on Saturday 15 April (Long event). No changes to relay teams can be made after this time.
Event organisers can assemble informal relay teams from individuals who would like to compete in the relay event. Register your interest before 2 PM Saturday at registration.
Three person relay teams.
All three legs are approximately the same length for each grade (apart from the MW mixed grade, leg 1 medium, leg 2 long, leg 3 short).
MW grades (12’s, 14’s and mixed) – teams must include at least one female and one male.
Relay bibs (numbers) can be collected from registration at the relay event from 9 AM on Sunday 16 April. Team managers please collect all their team bibs.

TEAMS & CLASSES

Teams will consist of 3 people, all in the same class (classes below). There are mixed classes available too.

Composite teams will be made up for people who cannot find themselves a team.

MWO class – The MW open relay grades should have a male and a female. These courses will be made up with one yellow leg, one orange leg and a medium length red leg.

COURSE INFO

Course Setter – Andrew Bell
Controller – Geoff Mead
ONZ Controller – Marquita Gelderman
IOF Advisor – Christine Brown
Arena manager – Jenny Cade

COURSE LENGTHS

(climb is less than 4% on all courses)

Course Number	Grades	Difficulty	Length of each leg km	Number of controls
1	M21	Red	6.9	28
2	M20, M35-44, W21	Red	5.7	23
3	M45-54, M18, W20	Red	4.6	17
4	M16, M21AS	Red	4.3	19
5	M55-64, W18, W35-44 MW mixed long leg	Red	4.0	18
6	W16, W45-54	Red	3.8	19
7	M65+, W21AS, W55-65	Red	3.5	17
8	W65+	Red	2.5	14
9	M21B, W21B, MW mixed middle leg MW14	Orange	3.1	15
10	MW12, MW mixed short leg	Yellow	2.4	12

RELAY COMPETITION NOTES

It is the competitor’s responsibility to pick up the correct map. Failure to do so will result in the disqualification of the individual and their team.
There are many split controls on the courses.
There are many controls close together.
Carefully check your control descriptions (on the map).
All competitors will pass through a spectator control and taped spectator leg adjacent to the event centre. After this leg the competitors will have about a 500m loop before returning to the finish. The spectator control / leg is the only pre warning of incoming team members. There will be no call ups. So move into the changeover tag box when your team member has passed the spectator control / leg.
First and second leg runners will tag their teammate before punching the finish control.
The start triangle is the map collection “graveyard”.
Clear and check your SPORTident before starting your race.

MEN CLASSES

M16: Men 16 and under
M18: Men 18 and under
M20: Men 20 and under
M21: Men Open
M21AS: Men Open
M21B: Men Open B
M35: Men 35 and over
M45: Men 45 and over
M55: Men 55 and over
M65: Men 65 and over

WOMEN CLASSES

W16: Women 16 and under
W18: Women 18 and under
W20: Women 20 and under
W21: Women Open
W21AS: Women Open
W21B: Women Open B
W35: Women 35 and over
W45: Women 45 and over
W55: Women 55 and over
W65: Women 65 and over

OPEN CLASSES

MW12: Men and Women 12 and under
MW14: Men and Women 14 and under
MWO: Men and Women Open Easy

PHOTOS

Photo credit: Christine Brown

MAP DETAILS

- - - Lake Kereta, mapped by Mike Beveridge 2016.

- - - 1:10,000, 5m contours

- - - The western area of the map was previously used for orienteering in the mid 1990’s.

- - - The eastern area of the map has not been previously been used for orienteering.

Mapping Notes

- - - Vague / old motorbike tracks have ?????? (will decide in February)

- - - The uncrossable fences marked on the map are 2 metre high wire mesh deer fences. These must only be crossed at the marked crossing points.

Map size and paper – A4, waterproof paper

TERRAIN DESCRIPTION

Sand dune terrain with a range of vegetation cover. Including plantation forest, grass and native bush. Most of the area is fast run, with some areas of slower run in the native bush areas. The area is generally flat to undulating. Some parts of the map have scattered trimmings / branches on the ground. Small amounts of cutty grass. A series of lakes bisect the map.

Hazards

Typical forest and farm event hazards: including rough ground, vegetation, and fences.
Possible vehicles and horses on tracks.
There are lakes, ponds and streams (including adjacent to the event centre), young children should be supervised at all times.
Deer roam on the eastern portion of the map.
Possible wasps and bees.

Recommended clothing – lower leg covering

Safety bearing – plantation forest (western portion of map), head east to Lake Kereta / farmland.

No water on courses – water will be available in the start finish area.

MAP SAMPLES

GENERAL INFORMATION

Head to the Information page for general information on the events.