Winter Series / WIOL #1
WINTER SERIESWINTER LEAGUE
Saturday, November 5 at Lincoln Park in Seattle, WA
Welcome to the Winter and School League (WIOL) Series!
ABOUT THE SERIES
These concurrent and popular series run from November through February. The Winter Series is open to all, while WIOL (Winter Interscholastic Orienteering League) is designed for students from Elementary-age through High School.
Events in the first half of the season are held in beginner-friendly venues, some of which are trails-only, while events in the second half move to more forested and challenging venues. The season is capped off with a championship event and an awards ceremony to recognize top participants and school teams in both the series overall and championship event.
As with all of CascadeOC’s series events, while it is fun to participate in the entire series, it is not required. Each event is a stand-alone event and open to all!
- Registration for the SCHOOL LEAGUE is done through paper forms. For more information, visit the School League (WIOL) page.
- Registration for WINTER SERIES (open to both kids and adults), can be done at the link below or at the event!
COURSES
Course designer(s): Chris Whitmyre
| Course | Controls | Length | Climb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner / Elementary | 9 | 1.2 km | 20 m |
| Middle School | 10 | 1.7 km | 25 m |
| Intermediate / JV Girls | 15 | 2.6 km | 35 m |
| JV Boys North | 12 | 2.7km | 30 m |
| JV Boys South | 11 | 2.6 km | 30 m |
| Varsity | 13 | 3.2 km | 55 m |
| Short Advanced | 13 | 3.2 km | 55m |
| Long Advanced | 16 | 4.4 km | 100 m |
How are courses measured?
Courses are measured as the crow flies, in a direct line from control to control. Unless you have wings, you will travel farther than this distance! Courses are measured in kilometers, so a good rule of thumb is to simply round up to miles to estimate how far you will go. So in a 5 kilometer race, you could travel up to 5 miles.
COURSE NOTES
- This is a TRAILS ONLY & OPEN AREAS ONLY Event. If it is mapped light green to dark green, or even green slashes, do not cross these areas. If a trail appears to end within a green area do not follow this route. Sorry to start out on a negative, but anyone found crossing these areas will be disqualified. Trails, open forest, and open land are allowed.
- The Parks Department has also listed a major area in the center of the map we shall not have access too. For those familiar with the park, it is what some refer to as the ‘maze’, and is now marked as ‘out of bounds’ on the map. There are numerous areas of new plantings, and an attempt to re-establish nesting areas in this zone. It is essential that we respect this prohibition and thereby maintain a strong relationship with the Parks people. Again, crossing this area will result in disqualification.
- Please be mindful of other users in this very popular park when running past, or sharing trails.
- Keep in mind that it is Fall after all. As such, a number of trails have quite a bit of leaves covering them making a bit harder to follow the smaller trails.
- It’s wet out there! Really wet, and slippery too.
- This is a great park to keep one’s map consistently oriented. A control description of a circle with an ‘X’ inside it can be either a rootstock or a stump. A control description of a circle, or an ‘X’, are both man-made (permanent) objects.
- Varsity (C6) includes one control location that is visited twice.
- Have Fun!
SCHEDULE
9:30am – Registration opens & Newcomer instruction available
10:00am – Start opens
11:00am – Newcomer instruction ends
11:30am – Registration closes
Noon – Start closes
3:00pm – Course closes
Why is there a start window?
This event uses an interval start, which means that participants are started in waves instead of all at once. When you arrive at the start tent, find the chute for your course and follow the start volunteer’s instructions.
Those participating in School League (WIOL) will be provided a specific start time, and should show up at the tent several minutes before their designated time.
PRICES
WINTER-O
PRE-REGISTRATION PRICES
$17 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch
DAY-OF-EVENT REGISTRATION
$20 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch
SCHOOL LEAGUE (WIOL)
Registration for the School League is done through paper forms. For more information, visit the School League (WIOL) page.
What’s an e-punch?
An e-punch records your race. At each control, you’ll dip the e-punch into an electronic box, which will beep and flash as confirmation. After you finish, you’ll download the e-punch at the download tent and get a receipt that show which controls you visited and how long you took between each; these are your “splits.”
Part of the fun of orienteering is comparing your splits with people who completed the same course, and discussing the routes you took!
SIGN UP
Online pre-registration closes: 9pm, Thursday, November 3rd
Day-of-event registration is available by cash or check, made payable to Cascade Orienteering Club
Registration for School League (WIOL) is done via paper forms. See the School League page for more information.
LOCATION
PARKING
Follow CascadeOC directional signs to the southern parking lot.
CARPOOL
Looking for a carpool? Join the Yahoo listserv and share your request to find a ride.
THE MAP
Lincoln Park is an interesting combination of open, grassy park on a gentle slope, a loose network of wooded trails, and a tight network of really dense trails.
Read more on the map page
EMBARGO NOTICE
To ensure a fair competition among all student league participants, participants are not allowed to visit each event venue for the two weeks prior to the event being held there. In orienteering, this is known as an “embargo”.
SAFETY & ETIQUETTE
Return to the Finish
All participants MUST return to the finish and download their e-punch or turn in their punch card.
Even if you have not finished your course, you must still return to the the finish and confirm with event staff that you have returned safely.
Out of Bounds
Some areas may be marked out of bounds. It is imperative to respect these boundaries to maintain our relationships with land managers. Participants MUST NOT go out of bounds. Any participant caught going out of bounds will be disqualified.
Course Closure
All participants MUST return to the finish by course closure time. If a participant does not return by course closure, event volunteers will begin coordinating a search party.
If you need a long time on the course, start as early in the start window as possible, wear a watch, and be prepared to cut your course short to make it back by the course closure time.
Whistle
All participants MUST carry a whistle on the course. Complimentary whistles are available at the start tent (please only take one).
If you are injured on the course and need assistance, blow three long blasts to call for help.
If you hear a call for help, abandon your course to find the person in distress.
Voices
Part of the fun and fairness of orienteering is navigating your own course, so please be polite when you find a checkpoint and don’t holler that you’ve found it.
