MV Summer Series evening at Oaks Park

6th event in our summer series (bonus 7th event on Thu 23 July!). App-based (MapRun) low-key evening orienteering event suitable for newcomers, improvers and more experienced orienteers.

Entry: Racesignup.co.uk. Free for MV members. For non-MV members: £3.50 seniors (£5.50 if not British Orienteering members), £2 juniors (£3 if not BOF members)

Meeting point and Après-O: Registration in the covered outdoor area at rear of the Oaks Park Café, Croydon Lane, Banstead, SM7 3BA – map (what3words hike.hooks.stiff), where you can leave your bags during your run. Although the café will be closed at this time, we will have access to their indoor and outdoor furniture, so feel free to take your own drinks and food to enjoy after your run.

For this event, runners can start from the earlier time of 6pm, should they wish to complete in time to get back to watch the football.

Getting there: The Oaks Park car park is free.  Closest railway stations are Carshalton Beeches to the north (35 min walk or 12 min cycle) and Banstead to the West (45min walk or 15 min cycle).

Newcomers: we recommend watching this 5 minute video on youtube to introduce the sport and the map. At the event, we will be happy to provide further introduction and instruction.

Courses:

1. For beginners/newcomers: a simple (“yellow” standard) ~2km linear course, with 12 controls. Fully contained within the park, no road crossings.
2. For the experienced or adventurous: 1-hour score, odds and evens format, 24 controls.
   • “Score” means there is no set course. Your map will show several controls, you choose which and how many to visit. You get points for each control you do visit and lose points if you take more than an hour. Points per control is the control number rounded down to the nearest multiple of 10. E.g. control “33” will score 30 points, and control “29” will score 20 points.
   • “Odds and evens” means you start with either odd-numbered or even-numbered controls and may switch once to the other. You don’t need to visit all even-numbered controls or all odd-numbered controls and could just visit one block of controls.
     • The first block is determined by whether two odd-numbered or two even-numbered controls are visited before two of the other (or stated another way, of the first three non-duplicated controls visited, two are even or two are odd).
     • The flip to the second block is signalled by visiting two controls in the second block in succession, i.e. two odd-numbered controls after an initial block of even-numbered controls or vice versa. (There is no “switch” control if you have previously run “odds and evens” event with a switch control.)
     • Controls of the wrong parity in a block (i.e. odds visited in an even block and vice versa) do not count towards the points score but can be visited in the correct block for points. These controls are listed as “Extras” in the results table.
   • Penalty if over 60 minutes: 30 points per minute or part minute.

Starts: from 18:00 to 19:30. Courses close 20:40. Start on the parkland adjacent to cafe.

Format: This event will exclusively use the maprun app to record participation – i.e. you will go around the course with either a phone with the maprun app, or if you have a garmin-compatible watch, using the Garmin watch maprun app. The app ‘beeps’ when you visit a control site. No physical controls; dibbers will not be used.

If you have not used maprun before, we recommend watching this 2 minute video on youtube first. To download the phone app, choose android phones or apple phones.

If you want to use MapRun on a compatible Garmin watch – to avoid taking your phone around with you – please ensure you still have MapRun installed on your phone. This will enable you to start without the PIN. Instructions for the garmin watch app are here

Please download the app before arriving and ideally the course too. To download the course in the app: click on ‘Select Event’, select the third icon along the top (folder) and follow the folder path UK > Mole Valley > 2026 Summer Series. The course will not be visible on your phone until you receive the PIN number at the start. You upload your result when you finish. The full procedure can be explained at Assembly/the start.

Map: A4 1:4,000 scale waterproof orienteering map. Example (blank) map at registration. We can explain map colours and symbols to newcomers. No separate control descriptions – they are printed on the map.

Terrain: Partially wooded parkland with extensive path network. You may encounter long grass / nettles near some controls – leg cover advised. Sunset is at 21:00, so a head torch should not be necessary.

Results: provisional live on the app and final on mvoc.org soon after the event. Rank on the score class contributes to summer series league points.

Series information: Best 4 of 7 events on score courses counts towards your total score.

Event official: Organised and planned by Steven Carle.

Safety notes based on the event risk assessment:

1. When making your way from registration to the Start Location, please be vigilant of traffic that may be using the car park. Please ensure children are always accompanied by a parent.
2. You may encounter trip hazards on woodland paths/trails, such as tree roots and uneven ground, and care should be taken when running on this terrain.
3. The paths/trails under tree canopy may become darker towards the end of the event, so extra care should be taken in such circumstances.
4. Consider the surface on which you are running. The open ground (marked in orange on the map) provides easy running, but may still have uneven patches, which may also be masked by long grasses, so run within your limits.
5. There may be parts of the course containing long vegetation, with a risk of nettle sting or bramble scratch, so full leg cover is recommended.
6. When running, consider other park users you may come across and give them a wide berth, particularly when approaching from behind. Dog walkers frequent the park so avoid catching dogs by surprise by calling out to the dog walkers in advance. And consider a slower pace when approaching bends or running past corners of outbuildings to help minimise the risk of collision.
7. The emergency phone number is at the bottom of the control sheet should you require assistance. If you are not carrying a mobile, use your whistle to summon help.
8. The weather may be very warm, so please consider your own ability, dress
   appropriately, and ensure you are hydrated before and after your run. We
   recommend you carry some water with you.
9. If you become disorientated or lost, bear East until you reach a main road. If that main road runs North to South, you will have reached the road on the right(east) of the map. If you come across a road that runs East to West, you will have reached the road at the foot (south) of the map. Follow these roads to return to Registration.
10. All competitors must report back to Registration, even if you wish to retire, so that everyone is accounted for. If injury prevents you from returning to Registration, please phone the organiser at the earliest opportunity, using the number on the bottom of the control sheet, to avoid the necessity for a search party and to enable help to be provided if necessary.

Nearest Hospital: St Helier Hospital, Wrythe Ln, Sutton, Carshalton SM5 1AA.