2023 Wednesday Evening #5 – Olson Mansion

WEDNESDAY EVENING

Wednesday, August 9 at Olson Mansion in Maple Valley, WA

Meet Director: Will Enger

The fifth event in the 2023 Wednesday Evening Series will be held at Olson Mansion! The Wednesday Evening Series is our most relaxed, casual set of navigation events, held in local parks once the weather (hopefully) warms up. These events are a little more low-key than those in the Winter League, and we typically offer a barbeque afterward for all participants.

Events in the Wednesday Evening Series are generally less challenging (both physically and navigationally) than many of our other events, and are therefore great for beginners and those less experienced with orienteering – while also offering a challenge to longtime participants of the sport.

We will be offering day-of event registration in addition to preregistration. There will be no start time pre-signup.

COURSES

Course designer(s): Clara Sherwood

Course distances will be provided here once the courses are finalized.
Meanwhile, here are the estimated distances:

Course 1: 1.0 km, 11 controls, 10m climb

Course 2: 1.9 km, 13 controls, 30m climb

Course 3: 2.8 km, 17 controls, 35m climb

Course 4 (2+3): 4.8 km, 30 controls, 65m climb

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’ll likely travel up to 5 miles.

COURSE NOTES

Olson Mansion is a beautiful parkland event venue that was converted from a local golf course. The property has a unique landscape consisting of numerous small hills and knolls interspersed between large open fields.  In addition, the property is laced with ponds, pathways and dense patches of vegetation.  What would normally be a straightforward route choice is complicated by the linear vegetated thickets, water features and undulating terrain.
A runner’s focus for this event should be on knowing which side of the feature the control is on and adapting your attack point to provide the best opportunity to see the control from afar. There is some construction on the premises which has been marked out of bounds.  In addition, portions of the parking lot have been marked out of bounds for the runner’s safety.  The venue is mapped 1:3000 so expect the course to be fast with an abundance of controls.  Have fun!

SCHEDULE

5:00 pm – Registration and starts open.

7:00 pm – Registration and starts close.

8:00 pm – Course closure.

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.

PRICES

PRE-REGISTRATION PRICES
$22 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch

DAY-OF-EVENT REGISTRATION
$25 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch

Participating as a group? Just $5 for each additional adult (16+) group
member, no cost for additional minors.

Become a member for $5-25

Purchase your own e-punch for $40-$80

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:

Day-of-event registration is available by cash or check, made payable to Cascade Orienteering Club

Learn more about volunteering

Volunteers make these events happen! You can volunteer and participate on the same day, plus earn volunteer points to earn a free meet.

LOCATION

PARKING

Parking will be located in the large lot accessed via 242nd Ave SE from 244th Ave SE.

CARPOOL

Looking for a carpool? Join the club email group and share your request to find a ride.

THE MAP

Once a farm, then a golf course, and now a popular wedding venue, Olson Mansion is a combination of open grass, ponds, and woodland.

Read more on the map page

Navigational Challenge: 5/10

Physical Challenge:

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.