The British Sprint Championships Weekend

June 20/21 2020

Skelmersdale, Lancashire

You are cordially invited to take part in the 2020 British Orienteering Sprint Championships Weekend in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, hosted by the NWOA.

In 1962, Skelmersdale was selected as the first New Town in Lancashire. It was built to give relief and a new life to some of the burgeoning population of nearby Liverpool and the population boomed to today's figure of about 40,000.

During the early 10^th century Scandinavians settled in the area, naming it Skjalmar’s Dale. In the Doomsday Book of 1086, it was noted as a small agricultural hamlet. Between 1861 and 1881 coal mining began and the town grew in importance.

What makes Skelmersdale special for orienteering is the lack of one piece of road furniture which the new town never brought to the area – there are no Traffic Lights. Instead it is a town of roundabouts, pedestrian underpasses and bridges which connect the various housing estates together.

The three competition areas used for the weekend’s events surround the town centre, known as the Concourse. The areas are made up of complex housing estates with numerous cut throughs, plus the river Tawd Valley Park which cuts through the town.

Two of the areas were used for the first time in 2017 to host the Northwest Sprint Championships. A third area has been mapped by Peel Land Surveys especially for the event and the 2017 maps updated.

The Event Centre for the Individual races is yet to be confirmed but will be an indoor area adjacent to the Finish Arena. The Relays will have their Start/Finish arena to the west of the Concourse Centre.

The race arenas are within easy access by car off the M58 motorway. The nearest rail mainline station is at Wigan, while Ormskirk on the Mersey Rail Network can be accessed from Liverpool.  Both Wigan and Ormskirk have onward bus connections to Skelmersdale Concourse.