Westbury Wipeout volunteering information
Please see below the information with regards to the Westbury Wipeout.
Volunteers will be pre-allocated and grouped into three sections (see below).
The section leader will take each group from the meeting point along the course section, and are responsible for dropping you off at each of your marshalling locations, as well as ensuring that you know where runners will be going. Photographs of rough locations for each marshalling position have been added below each relevant section.
Please review the route and ensure that you are confident with the route to direct the runners onto. If you are unsure, please double check with your section lead before they move on to the next marshalling position.
Should any participants drop out due to medical concerns or issues, please contact directly the St John’s First Aid contact first, and then let the Volunteer CoOrdinator know, passing (preferably via text) the bib number and name of the participant. Should they continue the event, please forward this information promptly.
Should any participants decide to take a rest / break, then that is fine; however they should be encouraged to continue if safe to do so, until such a time as the Tail Walker relieves you of your position. If there is a participant who does not wish to continue after the Tail Walker has passed, please contact the Volunteer CoOrdinator (via both call and text [providing bib number & name]) to say that this participant has dropped out and shall be accompanying you back to the Clubhouse. Until the participant has been checked back (please go via the finish); they are your responsibility and must stay with you as you make your way back.
There will be a number of embedded runners (older teens in fluorescent bibs) in the race. If any support is required, these runners can be asked to relay messages / support if necessary.
Please ensure that runners are not immersed in water above the knee; and that they do not play with mud.
Contact information for First Aid, as well as the Volunteer Coordinator will be provided with the lanyards on the evening.
Volunteers will need to sign in with the Volunteer Coordinator (Alastair) at the clubhouse, then report to their section leads, ideally staying within a small radius of your section group. Each group will depart at different times, as required to get to position so it is important that you stay together.
Where volunteers are located on the main pathways; please ensure that pedestrians are aware that there may be young athletes on the path ahead of them. You may also need to ensure runners are aware of any pedestrians ahead where required.
There will be two Tail Walkers, one with the White Wave and the second with the Yellow Wave. The second, who will be with the White Wave, shall stand you down as she passes each position along the course; after which you are free to make the most direct route back to the clubhouse or support the participants!
Please consider alternative means of transportation, as there will be roughly 350+ junior runners attending and parking in the car park will be quite limited.
Section 1:
Section 1:
Section Leader: Ian Ruck
Equipment Required: Lanyard with information leaflet, whistle, mobile phone & High Vis Vest.
Course Description:
From the start line, head up to the large gap in the tree-line with a bench. On entering the line of trees (1) continue straight up the bottom of the stony zig zag, but (rather than following the zag to the left) bear right onto rough track / bank up and over the ‘Roman Ramparts’.
After topping the rampart, turn right onto the main path (2), and follow this to ‘five ways junction’. Turn right (3), down the hill and back into the field (Start B).
Keep on the left-hand edge of the field, follow the stony track up into the trees, bearing left 10m after the very old iron gate post (4). Join and follow the stony track, until it bends round to the right.
Turn left on the smaller track down the hill (5), and follow this with care all the way down through the woods (‘Descent of Doom’), via marshalling point halfway down (6).
After emerging from the woods at the bottom of the hill, continue on the left of the sloping field, and when you get to the bottom corner, White Numbers carry ‘straight on’ so that you enter the woods (7 & 8). Yellow Numbers turn left here.
Follow the main path, under a fallen tree, and about 50 yards after this there are some steps on the right. Turn left here (9) onto a small trail in the woods, and after just 10 yards bear right onto an even smaller trail (9a).
This trail bends round to the right and through the woods down the hill. It emerges onto the main tarmac path at the bottom (10). Turn right, down the path away from the bridge.
Follow the tarmac path up and over a slight hill. By the corner of the hedge on the right, turn left down the path through the trees (11).
Continue slightly right on the grass at the bottom and go down the ford into the stream (12). Turn left into the stream, and follow the right-hand bank, past the junction with Hazel Brook (‘Sharks Lagoon’).
Marshal Position #1:
Be visible to the runners, from the direction of the start line. Direct them across the path, and up the hill directly behind. Be aware of pedestrians on the path.
Marshal Position #3:
At the junction where the five paths meet, visible to the oncoming runners. Direct them down onto the field, keeping an eye out for pedestrians on the other paths. Guide lead runners to keep to their left when going onto the field.
Marshal Position #5:
Guide runners down, onto the “Descent of Doom”. Warn runners to take their time when running down the hill.
Marshal Position 6a:
Further down the “Descent of Doom”, ensuring good visibility of runners as they come down the hill. Inform runners to keep left as they exit the path onto the field.
Marshal Position 9:
Guide runners to their left, down the path opposite the concrete steps.
Marshal Position #10:
Direct runners to their right, ensure that you are visible to the runners coming down the hill, merging onto the path – there is no particular ‘path’ in the woods. Alert pedestrians that there may be runners on the path.
Marshal Position 11a:
Be visible to the runners coming down the path, directing them to their right, to the entry to the river. Marshal 12 may be in the river.
Marshal Position #2:
Be visible to the runners coming up the hill, assisting them overcome any hurdles on the hill where necessary and ensuring that the first few runners turn right at the top of the hill.
Marshal Position #4:
Midway up the path, in view of the runners. Direct runners onto the path on their left.
Marshal Position #6:
Halfway down the “Descent of Doom”. Ensure good visibility of runners as they come down the hill.
Marshal Positions 7 & 8:
On the bottom of the field, by the steps. Ensure that runners with White bibs continue right, along the path and runners with Yellow bibs turn left along the path.
Ensure that runners have visibility of you, you may need to call attention to your position as they run onto the field.
Marshal Position 9a:
A short distance down the hill, from Marshal Position 9. Guide runners onto the path on their right.
Marshal Position #10:
From the path, infront of the hedge / fence, direct runners down the hill to their right. Alert pedestrians that there may be runners on the path.
Marshal Position 12:
Most likely in the river itself! Direct runners along the path of the river to the next Marshal Position, informing runners to take the river to their left where it splits.
Section 2
Section 2:
Section Leader: Kay Ridgewell
Equipment Required: Lanyard with information leaflet, whistle, mobile phone & High Vis Vest.
Course Description:
Runners keep right after the junction with Hazel Brook, and just as the stream narrows again, after the rhododendrons, cross and exit the stream just before a tall single tree (13). Turn left, through the rhododendrons and then bear right over the ‘Ditch of Destruction’ (14). NB, runners do not cross the bridge.
Follow the path until it comes out onto the main tarmac track near a bridge. Cross over the bridge (15), turn right off the path then run along the track on the left of the stream.
Follow the left-hand branch of the stream for about 150m.
Soon after the stream crosses you again, with a short drop (‘Crocs’ Leap’). Jump across this (16) and continue on the small path opposite, between the stream on the left and a pond on the right.
Cross the weir at the choke (17) and scramble up the bank, turning right onto the path at the top (19).
Follow the path back down to the bottom (20). Cross over the bridge and then run on the small track on the right of the stream. Take the left hand path, crossing the stream to next left-hand path (21).
As the path bears round to the left, by the (second) manhole cover (22), cross the stream again.
Direct runners to scramble up the ‘Hill of Torment’ to reach the road at the top (23).
Marshal Position 13:
On the bank, guiding runners out of the river where safe / easy to do so. Guide runners straight ahead, across the “Ditch of Destruction” towards Marshal 14. Another Marshal may be of help in the stream itself.
Marshal Position 15:
Alert pedestrians that there may be runners on the course. Runners will come out onto the path infront of this position, so you may have to alert them to your location. Direct them to the path on their right, immediately after crossing the bridge.
Marshal Position 17:
Infront of the weir, guiding runners to cross the weir and scramble up the hill infront of them. Other participants may be merging from the left.
Marshal Position 20:
With the main path behind you, direct runners to their left along the smaller path immediately after the bridge crossing.
Marshal Position 22:
By the second manhole cover, direct runners to their right, crossing the stream and up the hill to the main path, towards Marshal 23.
Marshal Position 14:
Be visible to both the runners and Marshal 13. Direct the runners onto the path on their left.
Marshal Position 16:
Located infront of “Crocodile’s Leap”. Ensure that you are visible to the runners on the path, and assist participants in navigating the drop and directing them across, and up the other side of this river crossing.
Marshal Position 19:
At the top of the hill, infront of the weir. Guide runners to their right, along the path.
Marshal Position 21:
Be visible to runners, guiding them to their left across the stream to the other side of the bank. Be located such that it is clear and simple to cross the river.
Marshal Position 23:
Alert pedestrians that there may be runners ahead. Ensure that you are visible to the runners, and when they get up to the path, direct them to their left.
Section 3
Section 3:
Section Leader: Eithne Noonan
Equipment Required: Lanyard with information leaflet, whistle, mobile phone & High Vis Vest.
Course Description:
At the top of the ‘Hill of Torment’, turn left onto the main tarmac track (23).
Follow the tarmac path to the top of the hill, where you will see the Beech Grove on your right. Immediately after the bench on your left (24), turn left down the (fairly steep) hill.
As you get to the bottom of the hill, bear left and cross the stream to the opposite bank. Turn right (25) and follow the path.
Keep going for 150m along the path on the left of the stream, via some muddy hollows (‘Muddy Bottom’), through a gap in the wall (26) and onwards for another 100m.
At the split before the pond (26a), continue on the left, up a slight hill. Turn left onto the path which goes around the pond (27).
Follow this path around the pond, until you see a yew tree. Turn left through the gap here (28), across the stream (stepping stones), and turn right on the path on the other side.
Follow this path for 200m (stream on your right), until you see a large coppiced tree on the slope going down to the river (29). Enter the stream here, and wade upstream, under ‘Trolls Bridge’.
After the bridge, just as you get to the ‘Haunted Mill’, leave the water on the right-hand side (30). Turn right, back to the bridge, right again over the bridge (31) and on up the tarmac path. Look for a sticking out section of paving on the right of the path, and by the second of these, turn left (32) up a steep bank through the woods (‘Cataclysmic Climb’).
Clamber over the wall at the top of the bank, and turn left onto the path (33). At the clearing (‘Giants Footprint’), turn right, through the woods (34) and out into the open field and through the finish.
Marshal Position 24:
Alert pedestrians that there may be runners ahead. Direct runners, after the bench down the hill. You should have visual of Marshal 25 at the bottom of the hill, and be aware of how participants are doing as they go down.
Marshal Position 26:
By the wall, guiding runners straight through the gap and along the path.
Marshal Position 28:
Be visible to the runners, guiding them down the bank on their left and across the river at the stepping stones. Inform them to turn to their right after crossing.
Marshal Position 30:
Guide runners out of the river, after they have gone through the bridge. You may have to be involved in helping them get out of the river, as the bank is quite steep. A second marshal with you shall help guide runners to their left, back across the top of the bridge.
Marshal Position 32:
Alert pedestrians that there may be runners ahead. By the steep hill. There is a concrete plinth that juts out from the path (second up from the bridge). Direct runners up the steep embankment towards Marshal 33.
Marshal Position 34:
Be visible to the runners coming up the hill. Direct runners to their right, through the path through the wooded area and towards the field. A second marshal shall be assisting further down. Warn pedestrians / spectators to allow space for runners to pass where necessary.
Marshal Position 25:
At the bottom of the hill, nearby the crossing point. Advise runners to turn right after crossing the stream. You should have visibility of the participants coming down the hill.
Marshal Position 27:
Located near to the edge of the pond. Guide runners to their left, and ensure that no participants enter the water at this point. They shall be coming towards you from the left hand path facing the pond.
Marshal Position 29:
Guide runners down, into the river at this point, directing them to follow the river towards the bridge.
Marshal Position 31:
On the bridge, directing runners to follow the path to their right, up the path towards the main estate.
Marshal Position 33:
At the top of the hill, on the path. You may have to alert pedestrians to the runners, and keep an eye on any spectators who may be close to this area. Help participants cross the wall onto the path, continuing up to their left.