Cross Country Championships 2017

I am pleased to invite you to the 2017 IOMSSA Cross Country Championships, which will take place at Ramsey Grammar School on Thursday 30th November.

Please read the following information carefully as it concerns safety and organisation.

Please escort students to the sports hall by 1pm. Please ensure that your runners arrive changed.

PRIOR TO THE DAY

Please use the "Registration" tab to enter your runner details online.  You may complete this up until 7pm on Tuesday 28th November.  After that time, please make a note of any final team changes and notify these to us at registration.

After completing the registration form, you will receive an email confirming the list of your runners. There will be a link on the email that allows you to change names if you have to make substitutions. Note that, if you need to add further runners, you should create a new entry for them.

The timing chips are mounted on a velcro strap and should be worn on the wrist.

As these are much quicker to attach, we have decided that it is not necessary to issue the chips ahead of the event.  Please note though, that the chips are more expensive than the old shoe tags, so it is even more important that we do not lose any!

On Tuesday evening, we will re-assign permanent bib numbers and publish the full start list, complete with Bib/Chip numbers, online on the "Participants" tab as "Schools List".  You can download this as a PDF and print off the pages for your school. This will allow you to make notes of any changes on the journey to RGS and will save time at registration. 

When you arrive at RGS, please collect the box of chips for your school. There will be a list of chips and race numbers in the box. These chips have the same number as the race number, which makes life easier! So all you have to do is issue race numbers and chips to your competitors according to the list. Please can schools provide their own safety pins for their race number.

Also we need to know if there are any additional guest runners - and also which group they belong to; so that they receive the correct start time.  Please also advise if there are any non-starters.

REGISTRATION OF YOUR TEAM

We would ask that you finalise your team sheet on the bus journey to RGS so that any changes not already notified can be put into the system on arrival. We require all amendments to your team sheet as soon as you arrive.

Please note that any school that loses or fails to return any of their tags will be charged for the £10 cost of replacing them. Team leaders are asked to supervise the collection and return of all timing tags before leaving the event.

The races will start at 1.30pm. Races will be called in the sport shall and then a member of staff will escort all students to the start.

Students must bring warm clothes with them to change into after their race. They may also wish to wear them to the start, which is located 5 minutes or so away from school. Please bring bin bags etc to store runner’s clothes for the duration of the race. These are the responsibility of the individual competing schools. Any student returning back to the School must be escorted.

St Johns Ambulance will provide First Aid and will be located on the school field.

The courses maybe very muddy and runners may be wet after finishing the race. Please ensure runners are aware of this, as they will not have immediate access to their clothes in School and should bring a change of clothes with them.

• All races will start and finish on the school field.
• Races are due to commence at 1.30pm.
• Please arrange for your coaches to arrive at RGS no later than 1pm.
• A briefing regarding organisation of events and safety will take place at 1.10pm in the Sports Hall. All staff and runners must attend this briefing.
• Students will be called for their race then escorted to the start.

Details of the starting times, course maps and descriptions will be emailed out. Please ensure all runners are shown the course maps and directions. There will be a short briefing before the start of each race.

Itinerary for Thursday 30th November 2017

1:00pm            All Schools to arrive at RGS and register with Tracey Mooney advising of any amendments to your team sheets.

1:10pm            All students and staff report to the Sports Hall for course briefing and safety arrangements

1:30pm            Races to begin

2.50pm            All races completed

3:00pm            Sports Hall for presentation of trophies

3:20pm            Collect belongings and depart

Start Times

13.30                  SENIOR BOYS

13.35                  INTER GIRLS

13.40                  SENIOR GIRLS 

13.45                  INTER BOYS

14.00                  YEAR 7 BOYS

14.05                  YEAR 7 GIRLS

14.10                  JNR BOYS

14.15                  JNR GIRLS

Footwear

All courses will be ran in fields so appropriate footwear must be worn for these conditions. The courses are fairly flat but may be muddy. Competitors must ensure they tightly tie their laces.

Changing Areas at RGS

 Please ask your students to arrive changed. You will be allocated a space in the sports hall. If privacy is needed for changing after the event a small changing room will be available.  Please change quickly and meet back in the sports hall after the races.

It is vital therefore that all students arrive changed for the start of races.

Please ask your runners to put their clothes into their bags and bring them into their designated School area in the Sports Hall whilst they are running.

Showers will be available.

No muddy training shoes are to be worn in the School after the race. We strongly recommend all students bring a plastic bag to put muddy gear in.

Please ensure that all of your runners are in School colours.

Please ensure all footwear is removed before entering the sports hall after competitors have raced. It is very important we work with our cleaning staff and I would ask all staff to ensure all muddy footwear and socks are removed.

Guest Runners

You may enter up to 2 guest runners in each race but they are not to wear a bib number. They will however get a guest timing tag and will get an individual time, although this will not be included in the team result. They should still cross the finish line as any other runner would.

You may enter 8 runners in each age group with 6 to count towards the team total, EXCEPT in the Senior Boys and Senior Girls, which will be 3 to count from 4 runners entered.

Team Scores

These will be calculated automatically and runners will need to ensure they run through the funnel as usual to finish, where they will run over a mat which will log their time. As each runner crosses the finish mat, they should hear a beep from the control box at the side of the finish area.  Results will be displayed as a leader board on a screen situated beyond the finish line showing individual times and positions within category. Team scores will be based on the aggregate ranking of the best 6 (3 Senior) runners in each category. Guest runners will receive a result time, but they will not be included in either the Individual or Team ranking.

Valuables

Staff – please remind students not to leave valuables in the changing rooms or sports hall. We will take no responsibility for any valuables.

Trophies

Last year winners please bring trophies.

Disputes

Any dispute should come directly to Tracey Mooney.

Presentations

Announcement of scores and presentation of trophies will take place in the Sports Hall at 3pm.

Coaches

Staff - please have coaches booked for 3.20pm and get students on to the coaches immediately after the presentation.