Tay 2009 for newcomers

While Tay 2009 is an event where more than 3000 orienteers from all over the world will be gathering for 6 days of top class orienteering, the host clubs Forth Valley Orienteers and Tayside Orienteers also warmly welcome people new to the sport who just want to come along and see what it’s all about.

So, if you live in the Tayside area, or are on holiday here, and are curious to try out orienteering, this page will provide you with some essential information.

Orienteering courses for newcomers

We’ll be providing a range of courses ideal for people of all ages who are new to the sport, each of a different length and level of navigational difficulty, so you can pick a course to suit your fitness or navigational skills.

Colour coded courses

There will be 5 colour coded courses - White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Light Green. The lighter the colour, the shorter and easier the course will be. Colour-coded courses are open to all - there’s no age or gender restrictions.

You don’t have to compete each day, and if you do come on more than one day, you’re welcome to try a different course each time.

Just turn up on the day - there’s no need to pre-enter. Colour-coded course entry fees are adults £5, juniors £3. But note that this fee is per map, not per person, so for example a family or group of adults going round together need only pay for one map.

Start times for the Colour-coded courses will be from 1000-1400 each competition day, but we encourage you to arrive as early as you can so as to ensure you have a full choice of courses.

Full colour coded courses details, including information on course length and difficulty.

String Courses

For younger children, on each competition day there will be two courses specially designed to introduce orienteering in a safe and exciting way - the String and Off String Course. Just like the other courses, participants will be given a map, and find their way around a course, visiting control points on the way. However there’s almost no chance of getting lost as, like the name suggests, there’s a string to follow all the way!

On the String course, the control flags are all on the string, while on the Off String course, they may be positioned a short distance away from the string - so this course is suitable for slightly older or more confident children.

The String Courses will be open from 1000-1500 each competition day.

Each day’s course will have a theme, and all participants will receive a certificate on completion of the course. And best of all, the String Courses are free!

Where and when?

The 6 Days of orienteering are on the following days in August:

Detailed directions to each day’s event are provided on each Day page listed above.

Wednesday 5th is our Rest Day, but many people don’t rest! for details of opportunities to orienteer (including on a mountain bike!) see our Rest Day activities page.

What to do when you arrive

Go to the Registration Tent in the Assembly Area, which should be close to the Car Park. They will be able to give you details of the courses available, and help you enter.

Once you have entered, you’ll be given a map ticket and an electronic punching card (this is used for timing and to check you’ve been to all the controls on your course, and will be available to hire for a small fee), and you can then proceed to the start. Make sure you go to the correct start - the White Start for the Red, Orange, Yellow and White courses, and the Green start for the Light Green course.

At the Start, you exchange your ticket for a map; and officials will tell you when you can start.

The British Orienteering Federation provides some useful information on getting started in orienteering, but at Tay 2009, there will always be a friendly face to help you get started if you’re not sure what to do. If you’d like to know more about what to do, please let us know and we’ll do our best to answer questions in advance or on the day.

Results

For each day’s competition, we’ll publish regularly updated provisional results during the day at the Assembly Area, and also on this web site as soon as possible after the event.

And if after all that you’d like to carry on orienteering, then FVO and TAY, the local clubs listed above, can help you; or alternatively visit the Scottish Orienteering Association or British Orienteering web sites for information on forthcoming events in your area.

Whatever your age or ability, we look forward to you joining us!

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