Programme
Assembly: 8h-16h
Starts: 10h-14h
Prize-giving : 15h00
Courses close: 2 hours after the last start
Venue
Place: Vars Peyrol
GPS coordinates (arena):
44°35’28.4″N 6°40’17.2″E
44.591209, 6.671446
Signage: from entry to Vars Sainte-Marie
05560 Vars, France
Latitude : 44.594949 | Longitude : 6.689916
Car parks and way up to the Arena:
The only way up to the Arena is by chairlift from Vars-Sainte Marie (see instructions below).
Camper vans must park at Vars Les Claux (follow the instructions of the Municipal Police and of the marshals): you must then take a shuttle bus to get to Sainte-Marie (journey time: 5 minutes – the shuttles will be running continuously from 8h30 to 16h30, every 10 to 15 minutes – shuttle capacity: 57 places).
For competitors staying at Vars les Claux: we ask you also to take the shuttles as the Sainte-Marie car park is not big enough for all the expected vehicles.
Way up to the Arena by chairlift from Vars-Sainte Marie:
The chairlift ride is free to competitors with race bibs, and for those on the leisure (beginners’) courses (registration at the bottom of the chairlift). Non-competitors (except young children) must pay.
The Sainte Marie chairlift opens at 8h30. So that everyone can have a good time we ask you to go up in the chairlift 1h30 before your start time.
There will be boxes marked out with 20-minute slots. Please make sure you join the one which corresponds to your start time.
Instructions concerning children: children less than 1.25m tall are not allowed to go on the chairlift by themselves: they must be accompanied by an adult. Very small children can go on the chairlift in their parents’ arms.
Children can take the chairlift at the same time as their parents (same time slot) even if they are running later. On the other hand, if the parent or accompanying adult isn’t running, s/he must buy a chairlift ticket and take the box intended for accompanied (shadowed) M–W10s, leisure (beginners) and open. Chairlift tickets will be on sale at the bottom of the chairlift.
You must take the chairlift to the arena 1h30 before your start time according to the time slots in the following table:
Please respect this timetable for the chairlift ride up to the Arena (otherwise you will lose your slot and if you arrive late for your start you won’t be able to change it).
If you are late, make yourself known to one of the organizers so that they can take care of you.
Important!
No club tents on the Arena on this day.
We advise you to carry as little as possible on the way up to the Peyrol Arena: the way down from the Arena to the car parks will be on foot for most people. This is because of technical constraints on the chairlift (only one chair in four can be used on the way down). We will therefore give priority to older people, the wounded and children for the journey down. We rely on you to follow the signage for the route downhill, which will have been designed especially to avoid forbidden areas (hayfields and pasture), so that we can continue to use the area for orienteering! Take advantage of the walk down to admire the Martagon lilies all way along the path. (NOTE: picking them is not allowed!)
Arena layout
Distance Arena – Starts:
Arena – Blue start: in the Arena
Arena – Red start: 450m/ 50m D+
Services:
– Childcare: in case of bad weather, childcare will take place at Vars Sainte Marie, at the bottom of the chairlift (there will be signs)
– L’Horizon mountain restaurant
Carte Horizon_EN
– Orienteering kit traders
– WC close to start and on arena
Race
Race format: Middle distance
Organizer: PACA orienteering league
Race director: Pierre DELENNE, Céline DODIN
Course planner: Céline DODIN
IOF Advisor : Jean-Philippe STEFANINI
Referee: Eric MERMIN
Controller: Georges DELI
SI: Richard HEYRIES
Map: Vars Peyrol (scale: 1/10.000 and 1/5000, contours: 5m, map 2018 Franck DECHAVANNE)
Terrain: Alpine terrain between 1900 and 2200 metres above sea level. Alternating larch and pine forest and open areas with many relief details. Hilly terrain with good runnability.
Specific course details:
Rootstock or dead tree
Prickly undergrowth in some areas! Gaiters/leg covering is recommended…
The pre-start (map pick-up) will not be shown on the map for courses starting from the Blue start (too close to the start triangle).
There will be no refreshment points on the course.
Courses and expected times:
Gallery
Pictures of the day will be available here after the race