- This event has passed.
British Fell Relays
16th October 2021 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
13/10 Update:
There have been changes due to quite a few last-minute injuries.
The updated team list has been posted in the Fell Facebook group. If you can’t see this and would like to know more about the teams (especially if you’re in one!) send me an email or text.
Last date for changes is Thursday 14th October 8pm, i.e. tomorrow. If you’re not in the place you think you should be then please let me know asap!
Please review the information on the Helm Hill website. The three most important things are:
(1) Arrive on time – L1 runners please be there for 10am; other runners be there for 11am. This means you should be arriving in the car park latest 9.15am L1 (10.15am L2-4) and so you will need to leave Macclesfield latest 7.15am (8.15am L2-4).
(2) Wear a club vest (or tshirt) – Steve will have some available for purchase on the day if you don’t have one. Also bring safety pins to attach your race number!
(3) Bring full FRA kit – that is: full body waterproofs with hood and taped seams, hat (not a buff), gloves, compass, whistle, emergency food.
Any questions comment here or send me a message using your favourite medium – otherwise, see you on Saturday! All being well I’ll be in our club tent, unless you get there early, in which case I’ll be struggling to put up our club tent.
Mark
6/10 Update:
British Fell Relays (16th Oct)
The final details and maps (for legs 1, 3 and 4) are now available;
Please have a read of these. The ‘Details’ section contains loads of useful information, including a timetable of the day and kit requirements. The points I thought were most important are:
-
At some point soon I will need your emergency contact details, as soon as they put the required form on their website
-
We need to arrive in cars of 3 or 4. Whilst technically if you are running leg 4 you don’t need to arrive until about 1pm, it would be great if everyone was there for the start at 11am. Leg 1 runners must be there by 10am
-
The car park is a 45 minute walk from the start/finish arena – therefore leg 1 runners, you should be aiming to arrive at the car park by 9:15am at the latest. Please allow contingency time for traffic, etc
-
The start of the relay (and so for leg 1 runners) is 11am
-
The minimum kit requirement is waterproof coat, waterproof trousers, hat, gloves, compass, whistle and emergency food. If the conditions necessitate it you may want to carry more than this, but you can’t carry less
-
You will need to wear a race number, which you’ll pick up from me on the day. It will be either green (leg 1), yellow (2), red (3) or blue (4). You will need to bring your own safety pins
-
Each runner or pair will have an SI card (‘dibber’). At each checkpoint, there will be a box. Inset the dibber into the hole, and it will beep. It will look something like this: https://www.sportident.sg/product/. There will either be a marshal or an orange and white orienteering flag next to it (ie it will be obvious)
-
You will enter a holding pen at some point before you expect the runners on the leg prior to yours to return. At this point your kit will be checked – once that has happened, you can’t leave the holding pen. Fret not – there are toilets in the holding pen! Please be in the pen when your previous leg runner(s) arrives. If you aren’t, they are likely to be cross
-
There will be a mini-mass start for each leg at scheduled times thoughout the day for teams whose previous leg runner hasn’t returned before that time – e.g. at 12:05, all the remaining leg 2 runners will all start together. This doesn’t disqualify the team or anything, it just keeps the day moving
-
There is a limited supply of drinking water, so bring water with you. A meal is provided for all competitors (free), and there is additional food/cakes/beer available for purchase
Please pass this info on to anyone in your teams who you know isn’t likely to see this post. And let me know if you have any questions! Thanks – and stay out of trouble for the next week and a half 🙂
————————–
Helm Hill are organising this year’s Fell Relay championships.
More information on the link below, but some key points are:
Team Categories – Entries will be accepted in the following categories. Each team will consist of 6 runners
Men’s Open, V40, V50
Women’s Open V40, V50
Mixed (3 Men + 3 Women)
V60 (this is a new category and to encourage entries teams can comprise of any combination of men and women from the same club. A minimum of four V60 teams will be required for the competition to be valid and prizes awarded.
Age categories relate to a runner’s age on the day of the race.
Important Rules to note (a full set of Rules and Regulations will be available prior to the event)
The Relay event is a senior competition for athletes aged 18 or over. However, suitably experienced 16 and 17 year olds may run Legs 1 and 4
All runners must be registered/first claim members of the club they represent and must have suitable experience in category A fell races.
The use of GPS for navigation purposes, the use of running poles and the linking of runners by bungee are not allowed.
Race Course Details
Leg 1 (Solo) – 5.9km with 430m of Climbing
Leg 2 (Navigation leg for Pairs) – Approx 10km with 700m of climbing
Leg 3 (Pairs) – 10.3km with 940m of climbing
Leg 4 (Solo) – 5.2km with 370m of climbing
Legs 1, 3, and 4 will be well flagged and maps will be provided in advance (online) and on the day. Leg 2 is the navigation leg and a map will be provided to teams a short distance after they leave the Event Field.
The terrain is mostly open fell with tussocks, rocks and steep ascents and descents. All routes access the fell via private land so no recces are allowed. Routes will be closely flagged so there will be no benefit to those with local knowledge.
There will be no camping at the race venue. Tebay is close to the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Eden valley so there are lots of options for those who wish to stay over.
All competitors will receive a free meal and there will be food and drink available to buy on site.
