Version 2.0 Effective January 2017
Competition Rules for World Schools Qualification Event
1. General Information
1.1 Nature of event
1.1.1 The British Schools "World Schools Qualification Event" is held on alternate
years in preparation for the following year's World Schools Championships.
1.1.2 The British Schools "World Schools Qualification Event" is a Level B event.
1.1.3 The event is overseen by the British Schools Orienteering Association (BSOA)
which is the ruling body for this event.
1.2 Date of Fixture
1.2.1 The British Schools Qualification Event for the World Schools Championships
normally takes place the day before the British Schools Orienteering Championships.
1.2.2 The date and location of the event is determined by the British Orienteering
Event Scheduling Group after consultation with the BSOA.
1.3 Eligibility
1.3.1 Entries will only be accepted from schools for BOF age classes M/W14,
M/W16, and 1st Year M/W18.
1.3.2 Age classes used for the Qualification Event are a competitor's current BOF
age class, not their school year.
1.3.3 Under ISF (International School Sport Federation) rules a competitor must run
in their own age class and is not allowed to "run up".
1.3.4 Anyone entering the Qualification Event must also compete in the British
Schools Orienteering Championships.
1.3.5 No more than eight competitive entries will be accepted from any school in any
class.
1.3.6 Extra entries from a school with a competitive team may be accepted subject to
the availability of start times but must be declared non-competitive when entering.
Non-competitive entries will be started early, before the competitive runners.
1.3.7 Names of competitors must be declared at the time of entry, but may if
necessary be changed prior to the race day subject to agreement with BSOA.
1.3.8 No named entry may change their allocated start time.
1.3.9 Late entries, if accepted, should be allocated early start times so that they gain
no advantage from a late start.
1.3.10 With the exception of competitors taking part under rule 1.3.6, no entries other
than those from competitive students attending an English School will be accepted.
1.4 Entries
1.4.1 Flyers will be produced as early as possible to advertise the event. Publicity
should be sent to all junior publications.
1.4.2 Entry forms should be produced in electronic format and should be published
on the BSOA web site, with links from British Orienteering and organising club web
sites. In the previous summer term these can also be emailed to schools that are
members of BSOA and on the British Orienteering Schools register.
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Competition Rules for World Schools Qualification Event
1.4.3 There should be a fixed closing date, no entries on the day, and late entries
taken only if start times allow and with the agreement of the BSOA.
2. Organisational Requirements
2.1 Location, Parking and Assembly Area requirements
2.1.1 The area for the Qualification Event should be within walking distance of, but
not the same as, the area held for the British Schools training event. Many schools
will bring pupils for both events in the same vehicle. Organisers may, however,
transport competitors to the start if this is required.
2.2 Safety
2.2.1 This event should conform to British Orienteering ‘O’ Safe and Good Practice
guidelines, including:



Whistles are compulsory for all competitors (BSOA are able to loan some)
Provision of adequate first aid support
The preparation of, and if necessary implementation of, a search plan to
locate missing competitors
3. Planning Requirements
3.1 Terrain
3.1.1 The area needs to be suitable for experienced juniors in the 14 and 16 age
classes and able to provide courses with the required winning times. Either forest or
forest with some parkland is acceptable. Given the time of year of the event open
moorland should not be used.
3.1.2 Once an area is identified the normal British Orienteering Rules and Guidelines
should apply with regard to use of the area for other events, specifically in relation to
juniors competing. This means that all parts of the competition area are out of
bounds to all members of school teams entering the event, as well as staff and
parents. This applies up to the date of the competition from 12 calendar months
beforehand, or from the date on which the venue is published (whichever is shorter).
Infringement of this or other rules of the competition renders any team concerned
liable for disqualification.
3.2 Map
3.2.1 The map scale for the event should be 1:10,000.
3.2.2 A copy of the map of the area (not just an extract) should be sent to the
schools entering so that they are familiar with the type of terrain before they come to
the event. This can either be an old one with the “health warning” ‘this map is being
updated’, or a copy of the new map.
3.2.3 Maps must be collected when the competitor has finished (including the maps
of those who pre run the courses) and only released after the last start time.
3.3 Control Descriptions
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3.3.1 IOF Symbolic control descriptions should be used.
3.3.2 Loose control descriptions for all competitors should be available in the start
lanes.
3.4 Course details
3.4.1 Courses are required to test the technical ability of the competitors and are set
at the same technical level as the ISF World Schools Championships. Hence for
each specific age group they are at a level higher than those at the BSOC.
3.4.2 Four courses are required:
Class
Technical Difficulty
Target Winning
Time
Typical Length
M14
4 - Light Green
30 minutes
4.8 km
M16
5 - Green
35 minutes
5.9 km
W14
4 - Light Green
30 minutes
3.9 km
W16
5 - Green
35 minutes
4.7 km
The typical length is for guidance only and will depend on the difficulty of the terrain
and the amount of climb.
4. Race Information
4.1 Start times
4.1.1 Starts should be from 12.00 onwards. The final start should be 2.00 pm or as
soon afterwards as numbers of entries allow. The organiser may bring the start time
forward should the number of entries make it necessary but no earlier than 11.30
am.
4.1.2 There should be a gap of 2 minutes between runners on the same course. The
minimum start interval between pupils from the same school on the same course
should be 8 minutes.
4.1.3 No two competitors having the same start time should have the same first
control.
4.1.4 Pre Running - If possible the courses should be pre-run by club orienteers in
order to help alleviate the perceived advantage of elephant tracks for later runners. It
is recommended that the last start for pre running should be approximately 30
minutes before the start of the competition.
4.2 Seeding
4.2.1 The starting order must be random, but it is important that the top runners are
separated by at least 8 minutes. Competitors from the same school should also be
separated by at least 8 minutes.
4.2.2 A draft of the start times should be checked by the BSOA, and start times
should not to be changed once they have been confirmed.
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4.3 Electronic punching
4.3.1 Electronic punching must be used, either SI or EMIT.
4.3.2 Backup systems shall be provided at each control; i.e. backup card for EMIT,
standard pin punch at each control for SI.
4.3.3 Competitors may use their own e-cards.
4.4 Voiding of Courses
4.4.1 Competitors should be warned in advance that in the event of a control being
vandalised, or the organiser ruling that a control is unfair, the leg into and out of that
control will be ignored. The remainder of the course will be used to determine the
winner. In the event of this control being near the end of the course the timing may
be concluded at the control before it.
5. Other Information
5.1 Responsibility for the event
5.1.1 Individual clubs may offer to host the championships through their Regional
Association representative on the British Orienteering Event Scheduling Group.
5.1.2 Any application to change these rules must be made to the BSOA.
5.2 Officials
5.2.1 The officials for the event shall meet the requirements set out for a Level B
event in the British Orienteering Rules, Appendix C: Event Officials.
5.2.2 The World Schools Qualification Event requires a Planner who is experienced
at planning high quality junior courses.
5.2.3 A Jury of appropriately qualified officials will be provided by the BSOA.
5.3 Finance
5.3.1 Endeavours should be made to keep the entry cost as low as reasonably
possible whilst still maintaining the quality of the event.
5.4 Support
5.4.1 The British Schools Orienteering Association provides mentoring support for
this event. Contact the BSOA secretary for details.
5.5 Photographs
5.5.1 Written permission must be obtained from the schools to take photographs of
competitors that may be used on BSOA / British Orienteering / Club web sites.
Please follow British Orienteering guidelines on this matter.
Agreed by BSOA Committee: 1st April 2017
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