JK2008 String Courses
Southdowns Juniors are looking after this year’s JK String Courses. We are hoping they will be among the most popular courses at this year’s events, so do come and say hello, and find any excuse to come and have a go…
Click below to read all about what’s happening
Here’s what we’re doing…
Locations
Friday – in the assembly area
Saturday – on the route from the car park to the assembly area
Sunday – adjacent to enquiries and traders
Opening hours
Friday 21 March 2008, Guildford University – 12.00 to 16.00
Saturday 22 March 2008, Leith Hill – 09.30 to 15.00
Sunday 23 March 2008, Pippingford Park – 09.30 to 14.30
There are clickable links on how to get to each venue: http://www.jk2008.org.uk/
Day 1 String Courses – Far Far Away
Join Shrek and Donkey as they sprint round the university looking for Princess Fiona. On the string course it won’t be long until Puss in Boots joins in the hunt for six more characters from ‘Far Far Away’.
Adventurous orienteers can search for twenty of Shrek’s friends in the off-string competition.
‘Far Far Away’ is located to the east of the assembly area. The courses are suitable for children up to age 14, and there will be a small reward for all participants.
Day 2 String Courses - We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
The native bears of Leith Hill won’t be easy to find but we know that in the woods there are small and medium bears, some famous and some not so famous. The real prize though will be to catch the big brown bear. Along the way will be wavy grass (swishy swashy), a forest (stumble trip), and even thick oozy mud (squelch, squelch, squelch).
There are ten bears to be found on the string course, and for the more competitive bear hunter an additional ten bears may be found off-string.
The courses are suitable for children up to age 14, and there will be a small reward for all bear hunters.
Day 3 String Courses - The Wonderful World of Gnomes
Gnomes can be found in forests and woodlands up and down the country – it’s just a case of knowing where to look. With the help of the string and off-string maps it may be possible to find the gnomes of Pippingford Park in their natural environment.
The string course will visit ten areas where gnomes have regularly been seen by local people. For the more competitive adventurer, the off-string course includes an additional ten sites. These will be off the beaten track and may be in areas only ever previously visited by gnomes.
The ‘Wonderful World of Gnomes’ string and off-string courses are located 20m to the west of the Enquiries and Traders area.
The courses are suitable for children up to age 14, and there will be a small reward for everyone lucky enough to spot a gnome.
Volunteers
The string courses will be looked after by Southdowns Juniors’ families, but I’m delighted that we will also be helped out be a couple on non regular orienteers. Stacie Tyrell is studying at Brighton University, and Brian Haylock is Clare Lines’s father. Stacie is with us on Saturday and Sunday, and Brian will be at Leith Hill.
Format
The string courses follow a similar format each day. So if you are competing on day 1 it would be good if you could come and have a look at what’s happening on the Guildford string course in preparation for the following days’ fun.
There are two variants each day:
String course – 100 maps available each day
The aim of the string course is to follow a long string to each of 10 controls in a loop. Competitors will use electronic punching (SI) and download using the school’s kit printer. At each control there will be a picture and/or an actual character. We have a registration tent and we have a form to collect name, age, SI card number etc plus the time of registering so that we can keep a look out for competitors that may be lost.
When competitors return, we need to print their results and record the duration of their run and the number of controls visited. Controls do not have to be collected in order – so no one is disqualified.
Whenever possible we should input competitor’s results into the laptop so that we can compile the results at the end of each day. (However, during busy periods and when short of helpers, the laptop inputting can be left until quieter times – just get the competitors’ details written down and send them on their way.)
Off-string course – 200 maps available each day
Similar to the string course, but with the following additional features:
- An extra 10 controls that will be visible from the string, but not on the string. Although the controls are of a yellow/orange standard, they will be within 25m in order to make it do’able for the younger competitor
- It is effectively a score competition but without a time limit. Controls can be visited in any order.
Clothing
At times over the weekend it is forecast to be very cold, wet, and windy. It’s essential that every member of the family group is adequately dressed with gloves and a hat – otherwise it will be impossible to manage the string course during your shift. We do have to expect the worst possible weather.
Prizes for Competitors
Every competitor will receive a furry creature with JK logo, plus a chocolate bar or sweets – yes, it’s a prize bonanza this year!
Added Enjoyment:
Clare writes…
As it is the JK, we have tried to add some extra excitement to the string courses. On Day 1, we have A Princess Fiona dress & wig for a willing volunteer to wear and perhaps hand out the prizes (now do we have any willing teenagers in the club?!). We also have music from Shrek to add some atmosphere to registration. On Day 2, there will be bears in the woods (and perhaps even a big brown bear hidden in a cave – if anyone fancies building a ‘cave’ or hide during the day, then please step forward). On Day 2 we will also have a copy of the book ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’ which can be read to interested children who want to hear the story (We doubt the weather will suit a ‘storytime’ with children gathered round – but you never know what the day will bring!). On Day 3, there will be gnomes hidden around the course and fairytale music playing from the registration tent. I bet you are now so excited that you can hardly wait until your shift begins!
Helpers on each day
Friday
12.00 – 13.00 Lucy (and Simon) Thraves
12.00 – 13.00 Lines
13.00 – 15.00 Marshes
13.00 – 14.00 Ewen(s)
15.00 – 16.00 Lines
Set-up and clear-down Lines
Saturday
09.30 – 14.00 Stacie Tyrell (University Student Volunteer) and Brian Haylock (Clare’s father)
09.30 – 10.30 Lines
10.30 – 12.30 Rachel and Hayley Collins
13.00 – 14.00 Julie and Mark Collins
13.30 – 15.00 Leitchs
14.30 – 15.00 Lines
Set-up and clear-down Lines
Sunday
09.30 – 14.00 Stacie Tyrell
09.30 – 10.00 Lines
10.00 – 12.00 Lamberts
11.00 – 12.00 Hannaford
12.00 – 13.00 Young / Campbell
13.00 – 14.00 Jones
13.30 – 14.30 Lines
Set-up and clear-down Lines
Posted by Robert Lines on 20th Mar 08
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