Welcome to the race briefing. This is something a bit different, so here is how it will work:

ENTRY

1. Entries will be online only. Slots are quite limited and there will be no walkins allowed.
2. To enter, go to the Registration page.
3. Fill out your details.
4. Press Submit.
5. You can pay in advance or pay cash on the day
6. Check your email for confirmation.
7. If you prefer you can fill out this form and email to navrun@woodcrestacademy.co.za

 

WHAT TO BRING

• Trail running or OCR clothing.
• Smart phone or GPS device – fully charged.
• Ziplok bag for your phone in case you drop it in the river.
• Running pack or small day pack to carry devices, battery packs, maps, pens, drinks etc.
• Hydration pack if required; there will be drinks available at the start and finish plus 2 water points.
• Extra pens in case you drop the one we give you.
• Battery pack or backup device just in case.
• Drinks and snacks if you are planning a leisurely walk or if you have kids with you.

 

GETTING THERE

1. You will need to arrive around 30 minutes before your chosen time slot; a bit more if you are dropping off kids at the school.
2. Use your GPS to search for Woodcrest Academy or 3 Msinsi Road, Sezela.
3. The roads are all open getting to the race.
4. Get off the freeway at the Esperanza / Sezela offramp.
5. Turn East towards the sea.
6. Take the first right turn a few hundred meters after the off ramp, this is the road to Illovo Sugar Mill.
7. Please watch for big potholes on this road, we have marked them yellow.
8. You will see the dam and then the cricket oval on your left.
9. Park on the grass between the oval and the road.
10. If you are dropping off children for child care take them to Woodcrest Academy itself. Child care will be available between 7am and 3pm for ages 3 and upwards.

 

REGISTRATION

1. When you arrive, head straight to the registration area.
2. Go to the table marked with your selected category ie Individuals, Teams, School Teams.
3. The registration marshal will tick your name off the list and write your allocated race number on your arm. Without this number you will not be allowed to start.

 

START

1. When your time slot begins, head down to the start area.
2. Each time slot consists of only 30 racers/teams that will be released in 2 minute intervals.
3. Racers in your time slot will not be dispatched in any particular order, so it’s first come first served.
4. When you get to the start, the start marshal will record your race/team number and your exact starting time on a control card and give it to you.
5. As soon as you are released by the start marshal, high-tail it along the marked route down to the dam with your control card.
6. Follow the markers down to checkpoint 1 to collect your racebook and begin navigation. There will be a marshal there to help you.

 

NAVIGATION

1. Your racebook will be at the first checkpoint.
2. The racebook will consist of a trail map and a pen in a waterproof plastic sleeve.
3. We suggest you keep your control card in the plastic sleeve in between checkpoints.
4. There will be a marshal that will give you your race book, only 1 allowed per racer/team.
5. The marshal will show you how to mark your control card correctly.
6. You can navigate on the go or sit down and plot all the checkpoints first.
7. Load the GPS points from the control card onto your GPS device or smart phone – it is very important that you type it in letter for letter, including commas spaces and dashes.
8. The GPS location for Checkpoint 1 is  -30.392007  30.669845 – test that this works on your phone/gps right now. If not you might need to change your device’s GPS format. Remember to type in the number exactly. (If you don’t enter the negative symbol you’ll end up in a corn field in Egypt – literally).
9. Once you have all your locations marked on the map, decide on the best route to reach them all, or just the close ones if you don’t have the energy to do all of them.
10. There are dead zones in the forest where you cannot get signal – just to make life interesting!

 

WATERPOINTS AND PICKUP POINTS

1. There are 2 waterpoints in the forest marked on the map.
2. These are also pickup points if you decide that you would like to catch a lift back to the start for whatever reason. All you need to do is chat to one of the marshals at the waterpoint to arrange the shuttle.

CHECKPOINTS

1. Each checkpoint will have a unique coloured marker tied to it.
2. When you reach a checkpoint, mark your card with an X to prove you were there.
3. Make sure you mark the correct line. This will be checked at the end. The colours have to match.

 

FINISH

1. When you have marked all the checkpoints on your control card, or if you have decided you have had enough and want to go home – head to the last checkpoint which is the finish at Woodcrest Academy.
2. Please do this so we know you made it back – we don’t want to be looking for your corpse in the dark while you watch tv on the couch.
3. When you arrive, the finish marshal will collect your control card and write down the time in the ‘finish time’ section.
4. They will then check your marks to see which checkpoints you have reached.
5. Racers/teams who have marked all the checkpoints correctly will receive a finisher’s medal and a drink, and your total time will be recorded and considered for places.
6. Racers/teams who did not mark all the checkpoints will still get a participation medal and a drink.
7. Head back down to the cricket field – you are welcome to have a look around our lovely school or just enjoy the views!

 

RESULTS

1. The results of all racers/teams that completed all the checkpoints will be captured into a spreadsheet and considered for places.
2. We will run a leader board at the cricket oval as well as on the website  – LEADERBOARD.

 

ROUTE HOME

The N2 north-bound is open but only one lane and traffic seems to be quite heavy on Sunday afternoons. We still advise hopping off at Scottburgh or Umkomaas onto the R102 and getting back on at Umgababa. Try to avoid the Ilfracombe offramp, that road is not fabulous.