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Big5 O Week

Competition nameBig5 O Week
Start date20171229
End date20180103
CountrySouth Africa
Race typeInternational
Nearest place or cityHaenertsberg
Club/organizerBig5 NPC
Region of countryLimpopo
Number of competition days5
Expected number of runners500
WRE event?Yes
URL for event homepage[Link]
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URL for invitation[Link]
Contact email address
Contact phone number+27-11-913-1978
Contact postal addressPO Box 8968 Cinda Park 1463 Gauteng South Africa
Max distance from eventcentre to competitions35km
Latest entry date1st December 2017
Entry fee (Euro)R1000 (Payfast will convert) [until 1st July]
Typical accomodation fee, hotel (Euro)R350-R500 per person per night
Typical accomodation fee, tent (Euro)R100-R200 per person per nigh
Event descriptionFive day multi-day event based on the picturesque village of Haenertsberg in Limpopo approximately 70km east of Polokwane. All areas are new for Orienteering with a variety of terrain. Competitions will consist of two middle distance races (incl. one WRE), one normal distance race, one long distance race and one sprint race (WRE). Various social evenings will be included in the event programme and feature a range of entertainment and activities. Last edition had 100 local orienteers plus 100 international orienteers. Also incorporates a five-day stage trail run.
Terrain descriptionDay 1: A small nature reserve with granite hilltops and mixed bush and savannah grassland close to the city of Polokwane. Some of the bush can be quite thorny and good leg protection is recommended. The area is at a moderate altitude, from 1290m to 1330m above sea level. Day 2: The terrain is mature open pine forest plantation on top of a plateau landscape. The area is hilly with regular changes of vegetation and undergrowth. There are sporadic rock outcrops on the surface and even a couple of dolomite sinkholes. The forest is moderately sloped at a very high altitude of 1860m to 2120m . Day 3: Similar to Day 2. Day 4: The terrain is mixed forest plantation, with pine, eucalyptus, redwood, yellowwood and other indigenous trees. The forest compartments are relatively small and thus vegetation will change regularly over the area. The forest is in a very high rainfall area close to an escarpment and thus the footing is quite wet in the valleys. There is very little rock visible on the surface. The forest is gradually sloped at a moderate altitude of 1500 – 1600m. Day 5: This is a complex mixed parkland and urban area, with some sections of indigenous thorny bush. There are several different types of terrain including regularly cultivated gardens, streets, sports fields and parks as well as some rocky hills and thorny bush. Altitude is moderate, at 1300 – 1350m.
Training possibilitiesThere are numerous orienteering areas in Cape Town and in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Please see regular updates to www.bigfive-o.co.za for latest news and details concerning other races in South Africa in this period. A training map will be open on Thursday 28 December on an area 5km outside of Haenertsburg village (1:10’000, 5m contours). This area is a mix of terrain representative of days 2, 3 and 4. Maps will be provided with approximately 12-15 control flags in the terrain. Maps can be bought from the organisers at registration for R40.00.
Holiday activities,nature,hiking etc.Together with Cape Town and the South Coast, Limpopo is one of the premier tourism areas in South Africa. The Limpopo regions host a vast array of landscape, cultural and natural attractions, including the northern part of the world famous Kruger National Park. The final event of the Big 5 is just more than a 1.5 hour drive from the Kruger Park. Recommended places to see and things to do near the event locations will be listed with links on the Big 5 website. Visas: Most visitors to South Africa are not required to obtain visas in advance.
URL for results[Link]
URL for map with course[Link]
URL for photos from event[Link]
URL for full race report[Link]
Live results available?Yes
Live TV available?No
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