2023-24 Winter League #4 – University of Washington
WINTER LEAGUE
Saturday, December 16 at University of Washington in Seattle, WA
- Pre-registration is required for ALL Winter League Events. There is NO day-of-event registration.
- Public Reg will close 12/13 at 11:59 pm for this meet.
- PUBLIC start time sign-ups are here, they are open from Dec. 2nd at 3 pm to Dec. 13th at 11:59 pm.
- ALL runners will be called to enter the start procedure line 8 minutes prior to their assigned/picked start time. Please be race-ready when your name is called.
- 2023-24 Start Procedures are here.
- Read the 2023-24 WIOL Rules here and the 2023-24 Public Rules here.
- **NEWEST** As of 12/14 Site map is here.
- Start list is HERE. (updated 12:30 pm)
Winter League is the Pacific Northwest’s premier competitive orienteering series for all ages.
- Elementary, Middle School, High School and College students compete under the banner of the Washington Interscholastic Orienteering League (WIOL).
- Winter League public courses offer a range of categories from a competitive long advanced category to non-competitive beginner-friendly categories at every event!
COURSES
Course designer(s): Patrick Nuss & Kevin Mihata
| WIOL Course | Controls | Length | Climb |
| Elementary | 12 | 1.0 km | 15 m |
| Middle School | 14 | 1.8 km | 30 m |
| Rookie-Male | 11 | 2.1 km | 35 m |
| Rookie-Female | 11 | 2.1 km | 35 m |
| JV Female | 17 | 2.8 km | 45 m |
| JV Male/JV College | 16 | 2.9 km | 55 m |
| Varsity | 20 | 4.0 km | 80 m |
| College Varsity | 24 | 5.4 km | 110 m |
| Public Course | Controls | Length | Climb |
| Beginner | 10 | 1.0 km | 15 m |
| Advanced Beginner | 11 | 2.1 km | 35 m |
| Intermediate | 17 | 2.8 km | 45 m |
| Short Advanced | 10 | 4.2 km | 85 m |
| Long Advanced | 24 | 5.4 km | 110 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’ll likely travel up to 5 miles.
COURSE NOTES
Welcome to the University of Washington! This is a fun, highly detailed map, with only gradual elevation and very high runnability. Expect fast (though not necessarily short) courses, mostly on pavement, with details and features that will come up quickly. Controls will generally be visible once you reach the control circle; the emphasis, particularly on advanced courses, will be on route choice and maintaining focus and map contact at speed.
The map scale is 1:4000, with 2.5 m contours, mapped using the sprint mapping standard (ISSprOM 2019). A few reminders about this standard:
1. Like many sprint maps, the map includes many areas of olive green, which are usually well-landscaped areas. These are out of bounds; entering these areas may result in disqualification. There are a number of controls placed at the edges of olive green areas, but you will not need to enter these areas to punch the control. Some controls will have the control description for an out-of-bounds area (a flower within a square), but all will be within easy reach while you are standing outside the olive green area.
2. There are also several areas of construction marked out of bounds with magenta cross-hatching.
3. Dark gray rectangles are buildings or other structures (such as bike cages); you cannot enter these.
4. Light gray represents a canopy, covered area, or a pass-through — for example, a covered walkway around a building, or a bus shelter. You are allowed to run through these areas, and in some cases, that may be the optimal route choice.
5. The thickest black lines represent unpassable walls or fences. These are, by rule, illegal to cross, even if you can physically cross them. Thin black lines (with dots or single diagonal lines) represent passable walls or fences.
6. Controls may be located on some of the many stairways; control descriptions will indicate the specific location (e.g., top or bottom).
7. The academic quarter will have ended, but campus remains open to the public. There are no established road crossings, but advanced courses will cross roads or parking lots at multiple points. So as always, be aware of other people or vehicles.
Both start and finish are a very short walk from registration and team tents.
As usual, check control numbers, as there are more than 50 controls on the course, and advanced courses will cross themselves multiple times.
Finally, note that if it rains, brick surfaces can be slippery! Please be careful.
See you soon!
SCHEDULE
This event is Pre-Registration Only.
Schedule:
9 am – Info Tent and Newcomer Instruction Opens
9:38 am – Start process begins
9:46 am – First start
12:30 pm – Last Start
12:45 pm – Training Meet Up
1:00 pm – Training starts
2:30 pm – Course Closure
3:00 pm – Training ends
Why is there a start window?
This event uses an interval start, meaning participants are started in waves instead of all at once. Winter League uses an expanded National Meet style start. You will be called to the first start tent 8 minutes prior to your assigned/picked start time. You will proceed through a series of start tents where you will verify your epunch and course, drop your coat, receive short essential course notes, get your control description sheets, clear and check, and receive your map. Please be race ready when your name is called.
PRICES
PRE-REGISTRATION PRICES
$22 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.
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
There is no Day-of-Event registration. Pre-registration will close Dec 13th at 11:59 p.m.
Remember to also sign up for a start time for public runners here. Start time sign-ups for WL #4 will be open from Dec. 2nd at 3 p.m. to Dec. 13th at 11:59 p.m.
LOCATION
PARKING
- To avoid disqualification, enter UW only at Pend Orielle Road. See site map here.
- Parking will be in the Padelford Parking Garage ONLY (lots N20 & N21). Parking Fees will apply.
- Padelford only has 1 pay station, BUT they now have a “Pay by Phone” option using an app. According to UW’s website, it is a flat rate of $6.50 on Saturdays to park in N20/N21.
- Here is the website with info: https://transportation.uw.edu/park/visitor/pay-by-phone-parking.
- If for some reason Padelford is full, overflow parking is in E18.
-
There is a women’s basketball game later in the day. The regular rate for this parking lot is a flat fee of $7.55. However, if you get there when they start charging for gameday parking the flat rate will be $13.00. This is designated as a “Pay by Phone” lot however we are unsure whether there will be an attendant onsite or not due to the basketball game.
-
CARPOOL
Looking for a carpool? Join the club email group and share your request to find a ride.
THE MAP
University of Washington has a LOT of buildings–some arranged north/south, some at a 45-degree angle, some at no particular angle, and most along two curving roads, criss-crossed with acres of angled paths, sidewalks, and individually-mapped trees. Now run it, while keeping all the angles, buildings and roads straight in your route planning!
Read more on the map pageSAFETY & 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.
