Any questions? - Email Andrew Nicoll on andrew@nicollxxx.co.uk (take out the xxx)
Welcome to the home page of the Montane Phoenix Long O. This page contains general information about the event.
30/08/2009 - Corrections to vets handicap results.
26/08/2009 - All results now posted and RouteGadget is now available to let you mark and compare routes.
We are very pleased to announce that this year's event is being sponsored by Montane, makers of lightweight and breathable outdoor clothing and we would like to thank them for their generous help with the prizes.
Once again the Phoenix is taking place on the weekend before the August Bank Holiday and we are returning this year to the lovely Coquet valley. Our base is at Barrowburn, some 5 or 6 miles up the valley from Alwinton.
This year we are introducing online entry using Fabian4 and we are delighted to say that it is now ready for use.
This year, we are running a junior event in parallel and details can be found on the NATO web site
Emailing list - if you would like to be on our general email list, just send an email with a title like 'Phoenix email list' and a message like 'yes'. The idea is to send anyone on the list an email either with news about the event or to say the web site has changed (and might be worth a visit!).
(and to be removed from the list, send an email with title 'Phoenix email list' and message 'remove')
Unlike its Mountain Marathon cousin where competitors have to carry with them sufficient for 2 days including camping and cooking equipment, in the Phoenix you return to your base after the first day and need only take with you the essentials for the day.
It is a 'long' orienteering event and as such, competitors do need some map reading and navigation skills. You are required to visit a set of control points in a given sequence, the route between the points being your decision. It is a competitive event but you can decide how competitive you want to be (subject to finishing by the specified closing time). We hope it is a friendly event and we try to be flexible.
Entry is not restricted to orienteers. The event attracts a range of people from fell runners and orienteers to those who enjoy a day out in the hills and like the idea of a navigational challenge using map and compass (but not GPS systems!). Participants range from those who will even run uphill to those who will enjoy walking round the short course. It is a physical event - paths may sometimes be useful but you are often likely to find yourself taking cross country routes over rough terrain - newcomers to the event should not under estimate this.
Differences with more traditional orienteering events include a greater distance to be covered and a larger height to be climbed during the course. Distances between controls are significantly greater and there is often a larger element of route choice between the controls with less emphasis on fine navigation near the control site. A long O event requires a much larger area and this means that those who are accustomed to the accurate fine detail of a specially prepared orienteering map must adjust their expectations. We use commercially available maps (normally Harveys) on a completely different scale and these are unlikely to be 100 percent up-to-date so you must be prepared for the unexpected - new tracks (e.g. for grouse shooting), new paths, paths on the map which no longer exist, new fences, fences on the map which are not there any more, woodland which has been newly planted or has matured or been cut down or blown down since the map was made and so on.
There are always several courses on offer. The A class has the longest and toughest courses and will cover a distance of around 50km over the two days - it is for the seriously fit! At the other end of the scale, the D class will cover a total distance of about 18km over the two days and is a more suitable choice for those wanting to walk round or for those who are new to this type of event (but run, jog or walk is entirely up to you!!).
Most people take part as individuals but it is possible to enter as a pair. There are 2 pairs competitions (over the same courses as the C and D classes).
For reasons of safety, there are age limits for the event and these will be/are explained on the entry form and on the web pages for this year's event.
Usually, the event centre is at a convenient Camping/Caravan park and many participants choose to camp or park at it. Others prefer the luxury of B&B or boarding house or hotel and those living locally can even enjoy the ultimate luxury of their own beds!! Whatever you choose, overnight accommodation is the competitor's own responsibility and is not included in the entry fees.