Cockenzie Sprintelope
Wednesday 6th May 2026
Sprintelopes are lightweight informal events featuring Urban style races around the streets of towns in East Lothian and other areas in and around Edinburgh on Wednesday evenings.
In 2026, ELO are contributing four races to the series – this is the first of them, around Cockenzie. Expect some deviously similar looking sections on a map with plenty of scope for making parallel errors!
Orienteers of all abilities are welcome to join us on the day when we will have a range of courses to suit everyone.
General Information
Type of event:
Local event in the summer Sprintelope series.
Because they are informal, there are only SI units for the start and finish – the rest of the controls are usually drainpipes (which are less conspicuous than flags)!
There will be a long (4km) and a short (2.5km) option although these are straight line distances so expect to run further than that.
Because of the road crossings ALL under 16s must be accompanied at all times by an adult when running.
We will also have a junior course which does not have road crossings which under 16s can do unaccompanied.
Terrain:
- Urban.
- Please observe any out of bounds areas.
Other Users
The area is very well used by the general public including dog walkers and families. Please respect their right to be there at the same time as you are orienteering.
Dogs
The area is well used by dog walkers so dogs are welcome to come with orienteers.
Toilets:
Public toilets are available in the community centre
Accessibility:
Generally speaking, level paved routes exist between all controls. However:
- The shortest route choice for some legs is not always completely step-free and paved (it may involve areas of grass, unpaved paths, steps, etc.) and finding a step-free paved route will be longer.
- The surface of some paved areas is a little uneven, and there may be low kerbs to descend or ascend, or small detours to find a dropped kerb.
- Some controls cannot be reached entirely via a step-free paved route, in the sense that the final few metres involve grass, an unpaved path, steps, etc. (but bear in mind that the controls are not dibbable anyway!)
- Some gates/paths may be a little tight to negotiate (roughly a metre wide).
- There may be unmapped steps.
What to Expect
Sprintelopes are informal events and as such there is no electronic punching at most of the controls.
It’s taken on trust that you visit them and instead of looking for a large white and orange kite you are looking for a more discreet white drainpipe which is usually hung on a tree, a drainpipe, a fence etc…
The only time you need to “dib” a control is at the start and the finish to record your total time.
At the start there is an all-in-one board to clear, start and then indicate whether you are running the short or the long course.
After you’ve punched the long or short option its time to find the rest of the controls (but don’t try to stick your dibber into them as they won’t beep) and enjoy yourself.
You MUST report back to the finish and download even if you don’t manage to find all the controls so that we don’t go out hunting for you!
Location
Nearest Town: Cockenzie
Grid Ref: NT407756
Nearest Postcode: EH32 0BQ
Directions
Head to the Port Seton community centre on South Seton Park. Parking is in the community centre car park and the start is to the west of the centre.
Public Transport
Take the 26 towards Seton Sands and take a short walk south from the Park Road bus stop. Port Seton is also served by the 111, 118A and X26.
Nearest Defibrillator:
On the South side of the Community Centre.
Registration & Start Times
Registration
This will be in advance online (with some maps available on the night) – look out for the ELO flag at the community centre!
Please come early if you think you might take a long time to complete your course.
Start and Finish:
Start times will be from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
The Start and Finish locations are on the east side of the community centre
Courses Close:
The courses will close at 8:15pm, so if you have not completed your course by then, you should stop and must return to assembly.
Controls in the first half of the course will be brought in from 8:00pm.
You must report to the Download point, whether you complete the course or not, so that we know you are not lost or injured in the town!
Course Information
Map
The map is printed at 1:4000 with 2.5m contours.
Timing
There will only be SI Units at the start and the finish – we will take it on trust that you visit the rest of the controls.
Courses
There will be Long, Short and Junior courses.
| Course | Length / Ascent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Long | 4.0km / Negligible | Moderate difficulty (no unaccompanied under 16s) |
| Short | 2.5km / Negligible | Moderate difficulty (no unaccompanied under 16s) |
| Junior | 1.0km / | Relatively easy – suitable for under 16s to run unaccompanied. |
More details about the colour coding is available on the Scottish Orienteering website.
Organiser:
Michael Atkinson
Planner:
Ryan Scoular
Entry Charges
Entry is cheaper if you are a current 2026 member of a club affiliated to Scottish or British Orienteering.
Please ensure that your membership has been renewed for 2025.
| British Orienteering member* | Scottish Orienteering member* | Non‑member | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seniors | £3.00 | £3.50 | £4.00 |
| Juniors | £2.00 | £2.50 | £3.00 |
| Pair of Seniors | £4.00 | £4.50 | £5.00 |
| Pair of Juniors | £2.50 | £3.00 | £3.50 |
| Junior and Parent | £3.00 | £3.50 | £4.00 |
*Members of any orienteering club will receive a discount.
Safety and Risk
A comprehensive risk assessment (RA) has been carried out by the organisers, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.
You are advised to wash your hands after finishing your course to avoid the risk of infection and to carefully check for ticks. The full Risk Assessment will be available for inspection at Registration.
Please note: If you participate and are not a member of British Orienteering or Scottish Orienteering then you are not covered by their respective public liability insurance. In that case, by entering this event you acknowledge that you are taking part at your own risk. For example, if you were to accidentally injure a member of the public or damage property during the event, you would not be covered.
Medical Conditions:
If you, or anyone in your group (including juniors), have a medical condition that first-aiders or health professionals should know about in the event of accident or illness during the course of the event please print off the Medical Form, complete it fully and bring it along to the event. You should complete a separate copy for each individual who has a medical condition. Please leave the completed Medical Form at Event Registration. If it is not in a labelled sealed envelope, it will be put in one and will be opened only in an emergency. It will be shredded immediately after the event if you do not claim it back.
Privacy
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