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The 50th November Classic and Southern Championships 2017

Two great days of orienteering can be expected.

The Southampton City URBAN Race - Saturday 4 November 2017

A fantastic urban orienteering event in the heart of this historic, maritime city. Your result counts in the UK Orienteering League, the UK Urban League and the Southern England Orienteering Urban League.

Organiser Pete Davis for this year’s Southampton City Urban Race, says:  “We think we’ve put together all the elements for a great race and a fitting start to the 50th November Classic celebrations.

The Event Centre is based in The Spark, Solent University’s new conference centre with its iconic gloss red, barbecue-shaped lecture theatre that overlooks the large atrium. Colin Hicks, mapper and planner, has a great reputation for designing challenging and enjoyable courses. And SOC club members and other orienteering friends have volunteered in their droves to contribute their time and energy in marshalling the 400 competitors.

We’ll need all those helpers as we have three separate start locations and a few roads to marshall. The Finish is located in East Park right next to the Flying Aubergine café with 10% discount for orienteers – making it a great place for spectators.

Back in the Event Centre, we will be displaying live results that will also be available on smartphones at 
www.race-results.info.”

Photo above:  Inside Southampton Solent University.  Credit:  Southampton Solent University.

Controller Roger Thetford from Thames Valley Orienteering Club, says:  “Competitors can look forward to touch-free punching, beautiful parks, ancient ruins and City walls, and some complicated modern residential areas.”

Officials: Southampton City Urban Race 2017
Planner: Colin Hicks
Controller: Roger Thetford (TVOC)
Organiser: Pete Davis

 

The 50th November Classic - Sunday 5 November 2017

Highland Water in the New Forest is where the 50th November Classic will take place. This is the last event counting to the UK Orienteering League.

Kevin Bracher, Chair of Southampton Orienteering Club, says: Southampton Orienteering Club (SOC) are proud of the history associated with the November Classic, one of the longest running Club events in the country. Many orienteers have a soft spot for this event enjoying the opportunity to run on the fast terrain in the beautiful New Forest at a time when the Autumn colours are at their best. This year The Classic is a Level A event as it is also the 2017 Southern Championships and it is fitting that the event is being run on the same area as the very first November Classic.

In recent years SOC has reintroduced a Saturday event the day before the Classic, to make it a weekend of Orienteering. This always used to be the case in the early years when the Southampton University Club used to organise the Saturday Event. Now one of our neighbouring Clubs usually hosts the Saturday Event. However, this year being the 50th Running of the Classic we are putting on the Saturday event ourselves using our extended urban map of Southampton for only the second time. The Southampton Event is the last in this year’s UK Urban League and part of the UK Orienteering League.

SOC hope everyone enjoys the weekend. A celebration of 50 years of ‘Classic’ Orienteering!”


Mary Nixon Organiser of this year’s 50th November Classic, says: “The forest looks wonderful at the moment. It never fails to excite me after going to the event for over 40 years! We look forward to welcoming all competitors on the day.”


Officials: 50th November Classic 2017
Planners: Nick Bosbury, Simon Bevan
Controller: Peter Brett (DEVON)
Organiser: Mary Nixon
Deputy: Kevin Bracher
 

Please note: Entries are only open until 30 October 2017. To enter – click here.

Start List is available here.
For more information click here

Did you know?  The November Classic has a long and interesting history.

10 facts about The November Classic:

  • The very first event took place on 24 November 1968 at Millyford Bridge, organised by Merry Oak School, Southampton.
  • 294 competitors enjoyed the first November Classic four O courses and two wayfarer courses. Ink stamp punches were used. The map was a black & white 2 1/2 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey.
  • The first event was covered by Southern TV and made it onto the 5:30 evening news!
  • Southampton Orienteering Club formed shortly after the Classic became the club’s flagship event.
  • The November Classic is the UK’s longest-running annual club orienteering event.
  • The second November Classic was held at Backley on 23 November 1969 with an improved map being at a scale of 1:25,000 and redrawn in colour by Ray Massey. Again, 4 courses enjoyed by 374 competitors.
  • The third November Classic event moved to its regular spot of the first Sunday in November every year.
  • The November Classic took place on the 1st November 1970 at Castle Malwood.
  • The entry continued its steady rise with 477 orienteers running on the four courses planned by Ray Massey. Ray was also the mapper with this year’s scale climbing to 1:20,000.
  • Clive Stainer was the organiser in 1970 and introduced high-tech pin punches. 

More information on the history of this event is available here.

These two events are the last events in the 2017 UK Orienteering League.

To keep up to date on your individual and club league position visit:  www.ukorienteeringleague.org.uk

 

British Orienteering would like to thank Southampton Orienteering Club and their members for hosting and organising the 50th November Classic and Southern Championships 2017 events. Best of luck to all members who will be heading to Southampton to compete in this weekend of classic orienteering.

 

Additional news:

UK Orienteering League 2017 - plenty of points still up for grabs! 

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