Ajax Orienteering & Hill Running Club

The 2nd event in the 2016 Leinster Mountain Bike Orienteering series is being organised by Ajax in Slievethoul on Sunday May 22nd. Slievethoul is the southern part of the old Saggart orienteering map. It's been updated to add the new bike tracks - the vegetation mapping is very out-of-date but the trails are reasonably accurate. The terrain is typical plantation forest criss-crossed by a network of forest roads and MTB trails.

This will be a score orienteering event - you will have 60 minutes to get as many control points as possible. Eight controls will be in easy locations on or near forest roads. Eight controls will be on mountain bike trails. Five controls will be on difficult mountain bike trails. You will be penalised for every minute or part minute over 60 minutes.

Travel Directions: the event will not be signposted, but it's easy to find. Go to Saggart village in South Dublin and follow the signs for Slade Valley Golf Club. The event will be about 250 metres further along the road from the entrance to the golf club. Here's a travel map

Start times any time between  11:00 and 12:00. The courses will close at 13:30.

Entry fees: Adult €8, Student/Junior/over-65 €4. SportIdent electronic timing, timing cards can be hired for €2.

Map scale 1:7,500 (1cm = 75 metres), paper size A4.

There is no need to pre-enter, just turn up in good time to be able to start between 11 and 12. If you plan to bring a large group please email ajax@orienteering.ie so that we can print enough maps.

The Golden Rules - please ignore these if you want to be disqualified:

1. You must wear a helmet at all times.
2. You must respect other forest users - you do not have right of way. If you see horses you must stop until they have passed. Be aware that bikes will be travelling in both directions on the MTB trails.
3. All tarmac roads are out-of-bounds - wheels must not touch tarmac. Stay in the forest.
4. You must be touching your bike at all times, no dropping your bike to run to a control.

Waterford Orienteers were the organizers for this years IOC. Held over the May holiday weekend, the event was a great success and was a very large undertaking for a small team.

The sprint race was held on the WIT campus. Courses were planned with many controls and direction changes, and required intense concentration in order to navigate quickly.

Days 2 and 3 were held in the Comeragh mountains, recently remapped using LIDAR imagery. Both competition areas used complex moraine terrain with large boulders and intricate contour features.

The relay on the fourth day was held in a more typical Irish forest, with many paths and a wide range of vegetation density. Club members competed strongly on all days.

Ajax podium finishers:

Sprint (Day 1) – WIT Main Campus, Waterford

First: M12 Emmet O'Cleirigh, M18 Ruairi Long, M55 Aonghus O'Cleirigh

Second: M10 Cian Wickham, M14 Oisin Wickham, W21 Roisin Long

Third: M55 Donal Wickham

Middle Distance (Day 2) – Coumshingaun, Waterford

First: M12 Emmet O'Cleirigh,  M55 Aonghus O'Cleirigh

Second: M18 Ruairi Long, M35 Stephen Whittle, M55 Donal Wickham

Third: M10 Cian Wickham, M50 Marcus Geoghegan

Classic Distance (Day 3) – Mahon Falls, Waterford

Second: M10 Cian Wickham, M12 Emmet O'Cleirigh, M55 Aonghus O'Cleirigh, M65 Denis Reidy

Third: M18 Ruairi Long, M35 Stephen Whittle

Relay (Day 4) – Towers, Lismore

First: H12 category - Roisin Long, Marcus Geoghegan, Aonghus O'Cleirigh

Second: J48 category - Ruairi Long, Dara O'Cleirigh, Oisin Wickham.  H18 category - Denis Reidy, Theresea Doyle, Catherine King.

Fourth: H12 category – Donal Wickham, Paul, Mike Long