Newcastle OY3 - Missing Link [Elrington)

Newcastle OY3 - Missing Link [Elrington)
Event Date: 2024-05-05
At:
Club: Newcastle Orienteering Club
EVENT: Newcastle Orienteer of the Year (NOY) - Event 3
DATE: 5th MAY, 2024
LOCATION: Elrington (Missing Link)

DIRECTIONS: From Newcastle or Maitland - Get onto to Leggatts Dr (either from the north at Kurri or from the south at Freeman's Waterhole). From Leggetts Dr turn into Lake Rd (toward Cessnock) and travel approx 1.5km. Turn left into Missing Link Rd.
Please be very careful when turning into, and when coming out of, Missing Link Rd. Lake Rd has a 100 kph speed limit and so traffic will be moving very fast.

IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE
Lake Rd has a 100 kph speed limit and the intersection with Missing Link Rd is at the crest of a hill with poor visibility.
For safety reasons, when entering the event you should only turn into Missing Link Rd from the east. This means that those coming from Cessnock should go past Missing Link Rd to the roundabout at Leggatts Dr and come back.
Similarly, when leaving the event, everyone should turn left onto Lake Rd and travel west (toward Cessnock) until it is safe to make a u-turn.

PARKING: Drive along Missing Link Road to the Assembly area at the top of the hill. Park on the side of Missing Link Road. Be careful when driving on Missing Link Rd as competitors may be crossing or walking along it.

START WINDOW: anytime between 9:30-11:30 am
COURSE CLOSURE: 1:00 pm

MAP: Missing Link 1:7,500 for all courses.

SPECIAL MAP SYMBOLS:
Brown triangle = termite mound
Green cross = tree-root mound
Black cross = wreckage
Black circle = man-made object.

PLANNER'S NOTES
Missing Link has to be the most open/runnable bush area that we have in Newcastle. A relatively small area. A pity it isn't bigger. Undulating with only moderate climbs.
Basically spur-gully with several significant watercourses with interesting side gullies.
Courses will have a middle distance feel, with a lot of control, some short legs, changes of direction, loops and pivot controls. There are a lot of controls in the forest so please check control numbers carefully when punching. I don't want to see even one mispunch.
The map is bisected east/west by Lake Road. The Hard Long and Hard Medium will cross the road via a drainage tunnel. This is a mandatory crossing point in both directions. Competitors are NOT to cross Lake Rd itself.
Very Easy and Easy have two streamer trails that can be used. They are marked on the map with dashes and in the field with blue and white streamers.

COURSES:
Very Easy 1.5 km - 12 controls - suitable for juniors and first timers.
Easy 1.8 km-10 controls - first timer adults may wish to start at this level
Moderate Short 1.9 km - 10 controls
Moderate Long 2.9 km 13 controls
Hard Short 3.5 km - 20 controls
Hard Medium 5.4- 23 controls
Hard Long 7.0 km - 30 controls

STARTS There are two starts:
S1: Very Easy, Easy and Moderate Short-back downhill (150m) then left and follow streamers 50m.
S2: All Hard courses plus Moderate Long - 900m from Assembly along Missing Link Rd to the junction of South Basin Road. 800m or less from the parking.

RESTRICTIONS: Dogs, smoking and fires are prohibited from ALL parking, assembly and competition areas” during this event.

PLANNING: Graham Fowler
VETTING: Colin Bailey

RESTRICTIONS: Dogs, smoking and fires are prohibited from ALL parking, assembly and competition areas during this event.