Information

Date

Saturday 11th to Sunday 12th February 2017

Events

As well as the 24 hours championship event there will be a 15 in 24 hours and a 7 hours event.

Location

Centrally located in the heart of New Zealand's south island high country, Waikaia is a relatively short drive from main centres such as:

Transport

Queenstown is the closest international airport and there are frequent flights from Australia and the North Island. Both Dunedin and Invercargill are served by domestic flights.

Bus Connections

A bus will provide transport to the event HQ on Friday night from the Queenstown airport at 4:30 PM and a location in Queenstown (to be decided) and return on Sunday after the event leaving at 2:00 PM. This should enable links with most flights. It may be booked with the entry or individually closer to the event however please try to do this early so that we can make sure we have seats available.

Meals

As well as the event meal which is included in the entry price, there will be a meal on the Friday night and a breakfast on the Saturday morning. They may be ordered with the entry or individually closer to the event. Extra post event meals can be ordered for supporters.

Terrain

The land includes some pockets of native beech forest, some high tussock grasslands, and a large area of rolling hill country, mostly developed but with plenty of challenges. There is the usual hill-climbing which we expect in NZ but many of the climbs, although sustained, are not steep. Altitude on most of the course ranges from 190 metres to 700 metres, but there are some places closer to 900 metres. There is a range of farm tracks which will help speed, but the checkpoints are so well arranged that you will be off-track for most of the time. The lower country is mostly grassed but with pockets of scrub and native bush, and streams which can be open but often have scrub. The higher country is less developed and has a cover which includes open tussock and some small scrub patches. This will make a slower running speed but does not affect walking speed. In the north, the map includes a sizeable area of DOC managed beech forest, which is open in most places except where there is windfall. The Waikaia River in this area is quite beautiful – it is famous for trout fishing. The bush gives way to tussock in the tops.

Event HQ / Hash house

Camping will be available at the event HQ at no cost to competitors and helpers. There will be toilets and water available but no other facilities. Competitors will be able to purchase a meal on Friday night and breakfast on Saturday morning.

The hash house will open mid evening on Saturday and stay open until early morning on Sunday. A variety of hot food and refreshments will be available to competitors.

The event meal which is included as part of the entry will be available from midday on Sunday.

Model Course

There will not be a model course provided. We are assuming that most Aussies and Kiwis will be reasonably familiar with the typical landscape in both countries. There will be an orienteering event the previous weekend (see below) and one of the events will be in the native forest to the north of the rogaine so it will be a good introduction.

Southern O Weekend - 4th to 6th February

This is a long holiday weekend in New Zealand. Plan to come to the rogaine early and enjoy three days of orienteering, two of these in the Waikaia area. Enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Southland Orienteering Club.
For more information see Southern O Weekend.

Weather

The average temperature in February is a high of 21°C and a low of 12°C. Temperatures in the low 30s are not uncommon.

Hours of daylight

As possibly the southern most championship event competitors will enjoy increased hours of day light.

There will be a full moon which will rise and set with the sunset and rise.





Scrub and Grass Track Through Scrub Setting the checkpoints Stream Gate latch