Torbay Five Bays Challenge

10 Kilometre Multi-Terrain Race

ENTRY FEE

            £11.00 for England Athletics Competitor Licence Holders

            £13.00 for unattached runners

            £15.00             Entries on the day (if the race limit has not been filled)

RACE HQ  In the marquee behind the Broadsands Bistro, Churston, Paignton, TQ4 6HL

CAR PARKING Broadsands Pay and Display Car Park.  Turn left after passing under the height barrier and park in the area through the narrow gateway.  This places you nearer to the start/finish and away from the holiday-makers. 

RACE REGISTRATION Collect your race number at registration inside the marquee.  Registration will open from 8.00a.m. on Race Day.  Entries on the day (if space is available) can be made until 9.00a.m.

TOILETS Public toilets are available under the Bistro building adjacent to the marquee.  On the course there is another public toilet on the hill at the Fishcombe Cove drinks station (at about 6K).

DRINKS STATION This will be about half way up the hill out of Fishcombe Cove.

(6 kilometres).

A FEW RULES The event is held under UK Athletics Rules of Competition

Race Number must be worn on the front of your vest and be visible at all times during the race.  Don't reduce the size of the number and use safety pins to fasten all four corners.

If you have any relevant medical condition write this down on the rear of your number together with details of medication you are taking and an emergency contact telephone number.

You are not allowed to carry, or use, any form of personal stereo or use ear pieces (other than for medical uses) during the race.  Anyone seen using a personal stereo or ear-pieces will be disqualified from the race and will not receive a finishing time or medal.  There will be marshals out on the course enforcing this rule which is in-place for runners safety.

THE START This will be either on the beach or on the grass area next to the marquees depending on weather conditions and the numbers of holiday-makers in Broadsands at the time of the race.  Both starts have a narrow section as the runners leave the bay which will lead to unavoidable congestion.  For the beach start this will involve runners having to climb a short flight of concrete steps to get onto the promenade.  The start will therefore have a number of marked pens so please position yourself in the most appropriate pen according to your anticipated race speed to help reduce the congestion.

THE COURSE From the end of Broadsands Bay you will go though the narrow section and across the end of the car park and up a farm road and stony track, up to and across Churston Golf Course.  You will then run along the left-hand side of quiet country lanes through the village of Churston before turning left and over a high stone style onto the stony John Musgrove Trail.  Leaving this after about 400 metres through a narrow gap in a wall onto a loop of The Grove.  This has woodland tracks and single-track paths with a lot of uneven ground, slippery mud or baked earth (depending on Augusts' weather, and lots of loose rock and tree routes.  It also has a wickedly steep descent down to the valley floor before a long climb up to the other side of the valley.  This area has recently been replanted with thousands of trees and £1.00 of your entry has been donated by the race to Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust to help with its maintenance.

After the hill the route has a nice descent to a kissing gate on the outskirts of Brixham.  A short, but hilly road and concrete path through The Battery Gardens takes you out onto a one way road on the outskirts of Brixham.  You will be running on the left-hand side of the road which will still be open to traffic, turning left down the steep descent and into the Freshwater Quarry Car Park.  After running through the car park you will turn a sharp left at Crab Cove onto the Coastal Footpath and begin returning to Broadsands Bay.

Running back along the Coastal Path you have some delightful views of the sea as well as a number of steps and a tight descent onto Fishcombe Beach.  The shingle and rocks are followed by a short but really steep tarmac hill past the drinks station back to the woods.  The descent into Churston Cove is steep with a wide rock platform that you are advised to keep left on as there is a rather high drop into the sea on your right.  The shingle beach that follows ends at the bottom of a section of 118 uneven steps which are literally breathtaking.  At the top you have about a kilometre of undulating stony and muddy wide track through Five Quarries Wood before a steep and stepped descent to the penultimate bay at Elberry Cove.  Another run across the shingle, another flight of steps followed by a short climb and you will be running over the grass on Churston Point and within sight of the finish.  Round the edge of the Pitch and Put Course, through a gate, across the car park and onto the grass to the finish line,

SHOES You are advised to wear multi-terrain shoes with good grippy soles, especially if the there has been wet weather.  The headlands you will be running over are composed of Devonian Limestone, which can become polished and slippery when worn and can become very stippery in wet and muddy conditions.

COURSE MARKINGS  The route will be marked by red and white tape in such a way that as you pass a piece of tape you will be able to see the next piece further along the trail.  If you don't see any tape for some time you can guarantee you are lost.  Changes in direction will be shown by black arrows on a fluorescent yellow background and by large arrows made with white flour (self-raining probably) on the trail.  This will hopefully allow you to follow the route even if some kind person has removed the signs or turned them round.

OTHER FOOTPATH USERS  Please remember that the paths you are running over are public rights of way and will be in use by walkers, dog walkers and holiday-makers.  People wander aimlessly, dogs are more interested in countryside smells and dog walkers have thin expandable leads.  All are designed to trip you up and so be aware of other people and please be courteous.

PRESENTATION  All finishes will receive a medal.  The prize presentation for overall winners and Age Group winners will be held near the marquee at 11.30a.m.

RESULTS    Results will be available on the race website (www.torbay 10k.org.uk) as soon as we have sorted them out.

FURTHER INFORMATION  Updates of the race, a course map and details of some of the facilities available at Broadsands and entry list will be added to the race website in the lead-up to the race.

Torbay Athletic Club            Greg Fine

Race Director                        Dave Pressley 

Course Directors                   Mike Davies

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THIS EVENT!

If you would like to get envolved volunteer today!

Race Sponsor

Winners 2000

Race Sponsor

WBW Solicitors