Cross Country Championships 2019

I am pleased to invite you to the 2019 IOMSSA Cross Country Championships, which will take place at King William's College on Wednesday 4th December (Y7), Thursday 5th December (Y10 and Y11 and Senior) and Friday 6th December (Y8 and Y9)

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

Please escort students to the sports hall by 230pm. 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 3rd December.  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.

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 Monday 2nd December 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 KWC and will save time at registration. 

When you arrive at KWC, 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.

Please note that due to facility restrictions there will be no guest runners this year.

REGISTRATION OF YOUR TEAM

We would ask that you finalise your team sheet on the bus journey to KWC 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 3pm. Races will be called in the gym 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 1 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.

KWC Medical staff will provide First Aid and will be located at the Pavillion.

The courses will be ran on grass around the school fields. There is a short section of tarmac (10 metres) around Junior House. The ground at the moment is soft and we advise that moulded football boots or spikes may be the best running shoes. Trainers can also be worn.  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 3pm.
• Please arrange for your coaches to arrive at KWC no later than 230pm.
• A briefing regarding organisation of events and safety will take place at 245pm in the gym. 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 to explain the courses. The course will be marked out with SAQ poles and cones. Particpants will be running around the perimeter of the school grounds.

Itinerary for Wednesday 4th December 2019. Year 7 Boys and Girls.

230pm            All Schools to arrive at KWC and register with Zoe Shimmin advising of any amendments to your team sheets.

245pm            All students and staff report to the gym for course briefing and safety arrangements

3pm                Y7 Boys race begins

325pm            Y7 Girls race begins

350pm            All races completed

4pm                Gym for presentation of trophy

410pm            Collect belongings and depart

Itinerary for THURSDAY 5th December 2019.  Senior Boys and Girls. and Y10 and Y11 Boys and Girls

230pm            All Schools to arrive at KWC and register with Zoe Shimmin advising of any amendments to your team sheets.

245pm            All students and staff report to the gym for course briefing and safety arrangements

3pm                Senior Boys race begins

305pm            Senior Girls race begins

330pm            Y10 and Y11 Boys Race begins

335pm            Y10 and Y11 Girls Race begins

415pm            All races completed

420pm            Gym for presentation of trophy

430pm            Collect belongings and depart

Itinerary for Friday 6th December 2019. Year 8 and 9 Boys and Girls.

230pm            All Schools to arrive at KWC and register with Zoe Shimmin advising of any amendments to your team sheets.

245pm            All students and staff report to the gym for course briefing and safety arrangements

3pm                Y8 and 9 Boys race begins

330pm            Y8 and  9 Girls race begins

4pm                All races completed

410pm            Gym for presentation of trophy

420pm            Collect belongings and depart

Footwear

All courses will be run 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. Recommended - moulded football boots, astros, spikes, trainers.

Changing Areas at KWC

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

Showers will be available.

No muddy training shoes are to be worn in the Gym 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 gym 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.

TEAMS

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 GYM. We will take no responsibility for any valuables.

Trophies

Last year winners please bring trophies.

Disputes

Any dispute should come directly to Bernie Dunn.

Presentations

Announcement of scores and presentation of trophies will take place in the gym after the events.

Coaches

Staff - please have coaches booked for 4 to 420pm and get students on to the coaches immediately after the presentation. (See Itinerary)