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Junior League Details and Rules

Last edited: Wed 26 Aug 2020

The Junior Orienteering League was started in September 1986 and is aimed at encouraging juniors into the sport by providing small scale competitive events. All Saturday Series events are “Come and Try It” (CATI) and are open to adults as well as juniors. No club membership is necessary although entry fees are reduced for SN or British Orienteering members. Juniors may enter as individuals or members of a team or group.

All groups taking part in the League must be affiliated to and registered with Southern Navigators Orienteering Club.

The League will comprise of 7 monthly events, held on Saturday mornings, as advertised in SNaggers and on the web site www.southernnavigators.com

Scores in the first 6 of these 7 events count towards all awards (see below).

There will be 8 age classes based on academic year groups; (not British Orienteering Federation (BOF) age groups);

SCHOOL YEAR

AGE CLASSES

Years 7 & below

B7 (boys)

G7 (girls)

Years 8 & 9

B 8/9

G 8/9

Years 10 & 11

B 10/11

G 10/11

Years 12 & 13

B 12/13

G 12/13

There will be 4 courses set at every event; the easiest is “yellow”, then “orange”, followed by “light green” and the most difficult is “short blue”. These courses approximate to BOF guidelines. A good description of these guidelines is given on page 19 of Course Planning Guidelines. Beginners should select the “yellow” course. Adults may only accompany or shadow junior competitors on the “yellow” course. Non­-competitive family groups may select the course of their choice. All other competitors should register on the course appropriate to their age class;

Yellow

B 7 and G 7 and below

Orange

B 8/9 and G 8/9

Light green

B 10/11 and G 10/11

Short blue

B 12/13 and G 12/13

All Junior League events use electronic punching and punches will be available to borrow at every event.

Competitors must ensure that the following information is written on registration card before registering for a start time or clocking in at the computer point;

NAME

AGE CLASS

GROUP CODE

SS number or BOF number

Status

JENNY GREEN

G8

TOM

54*

(see below)

(Year 8 girl from Tomlinscote who does not have her own dibber and is running on her own)

* SS numbers are allocated at the computer point. Competitors who have their own dibbers do not have SS numbers as the computer can read their personal details. BOF membership numbers will also generate personal details. Points cannot be awarded unless the above information is given.

STATUS is a series of checkboxes on the registration form used in awarding available points (see scoring system).

Helping Adult – league runner accompanied (helped) by an adult on yellow only 25%
Non­helping Adult ­ runner followed (tracked) by an adult on Y (& competitors running down 3 courses) 45%
Junior pairs (no adults) (& competitors running down 2 courses (ie from LG to Y) 60%
Status 3 – runner on an easier course than recommended for their age group (O to Y) 75%
Status 2 shows runner on the recommended course 100%
Status 1 shows runners on a more difficult course 125%

Beginners who wish to be accompanied and helped by an adult will receive 25% of the points and should compete on yellow.

Those being tracked by an adult (ie followed) on yellow will receive 45% of the points. The adult should verify at the finish that no assistance was given at any stage on the course. Juniors who are accompanied or tracked on courses other than yellow will not score points.

Competitors may compete in pairs, preferably on yellow or orange and will be awarded 60% of the points unless accompanied.

The scoring system is based on a target speed of 10 minutes per kilometre for boys and 11 minutes per kilometre for girls.

TARGET TIME = TARGET SPEED * (COURSE LENGTH + COURSE CLIMB)

Each competitor achieving the target time is awarded 100 points. For each 1% over the target time a competitor loses points, subject to a minimum score of 10 points for successfully completing the course. For each 1% under target time extra points are awarded. See Status groups for scoring modifications when competitors are accompanied, or run an easier or more difficult course.

The GROUP score is the sum of their best SIX individual scores.

Different events produce variations in scoring and, to eliminate any imbalances arising from “fast” and “slow” courses, a system of match points will be used. In the event of there being 12 groups, the winner of each event will receive 14 match points, the second 12, third 10 then 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 points.

Competitors from any group/school running on the same course must have start times at least 3 minutes apart or they will be regarded as running as a pair.

Finish

All competitors must report to the finish even if they do not complete the course. You must look at what time the course closes (in the details and on the map) and be back at download by then.

Par Times

Certificates can be earned on all courses. When a competitor has achieved par times at 3 different events they earn a certificate. Certificates are presented at the end of season prizegiving.

PAR TIME = AVERAGE OF FIRST 3 COMPETITORS + 50%

If a competitor’s time coincides exactly with par time then it is deemed to be below par time. Only junior competitors’ times will be used in the calculation of course par times.

Trophies

The trophy is awarded to the group with the highest cumulative total of points from their best six events over the first seven events of the season.

In addition, prizes are awarded to the top three scoring individuals in each of the eight age classes over the season. Individuals’ best six scores count. To be eligible for a prize you must take part in at least four of the seven events for which points are awarded.

Trophies are presented at the end of season prizegiving.

Archived under these categories: Juniors

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