SCOA Sprint Champs - Ladygrove, Didcot

Welcome to the inaugural SCOA Sprint Championships, an exhilarating orienteering experience set within Didcot's intricate Ladygrove housing estate. This unique event offers participants two sprint races that are shorter and more controlled than typical urban events. Your overall performance will be determined by your combined times from both races.
For newcomers to orienteering, the SCOA Sprint Championships provides an excellent introduction to the sport with its less demanding navigation compared to forest events. The complex network of streets in Ladygrove presents a dynamic challenge that keeps runners engaged and alert as they navigate at high speeds. This event offers a refreshing break from traditional road races for those seeking variety.
Competitors can enter by class, but SCOA members aiming for the championships should register according to their age category or opt to run up an older division if desired. For casual participants, simply select your preferred course length under "Course X Other." If you have experience with Orange standard courses from previous Saturday Series events, this race will feel familiar in terms of navigation difficulty.
For safety reasons, unaccompanied juniors aged 16 and younger must adhere to specific guidelines: they should only run Course 6 (MJ/WJ) or Course 7 (MYJ/WYJ). Course 6 avoids major roads but crosses minor cul-de-sacs with minimal traffic. In contrast, Course 7 stays within the Ladygrove Hills area without crossing any roads and passes near small fishing lakes where caution is advised.
If short start windows pose difficulties for chaperones accompanying juniors, please contact the organizers to discuss possible accommodations.
The distances provided are straight-line estimates; actual running lengths will be approximately 20% to 30% longer. The terrain is generally flat apart from two artificial hills that reach a height of about 10 meters and may feature in some courses, particularly those for juniors.
Course details include:
- Course 1: Men Open (M18-35), covering approximately 6.6 km with an elevation gain of 20 meters.
- Course 2: Veteran Men (M40+), Women Open (W18-35); around 5.5 km and a similar climb to the first course.
- Courses for Super Veterans, Ultra Veterans, and Hyper Veterans follow with progressively shorter distances but maintain an elevation of about 20 meters each.
Junior courses offer:
- Course 6: Junior Men/Women (M16-, W16-) at approximately 2.5 km with a slightly higher climb of around 40 meters.
- Course 7: Young Juniors (MYJ, WYJ) covering roughly 3.3 km and maintaining the same elevation as other senior courses.
This event promises an invigorating blend of precision navigation and fast-paced running through one of Oxfordshire's most distinctive urban landscapes.