The first event in the 2017 Wednesday Evening Series will be held on World Orienteering Day! The Wednesday Evening Series is our most relaxed, casual set of navigation events, held in local parks once the weather warms up. These events are a little more low-key than those in the WIOL/Winter Series, and we always offer a barbeque afterward for all participants. Decompress after work, with or without your coworkers. Or meet your family at the park and enjoy a night off from cooking. Or meet a bunch of friends at the park for an evening of exploring together, chatting over some food, and finishing up with frisbee on the lawn.
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.
COURSES
Course designer(s): Will Enger
Course statistics:
Course 1: 1.2 kilometers, 10 controls, ~20 meters climb
Course 2: 2.2 km, 12 c, ~35 m climb
Course 3: 3.1 km, 13 c, ~65 m climb
Course 4 (2+3 combined): 5.3 km, 25 c, ~100 m 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
Located east of downtown Bellevue, Wilburton Hill Park is a small park, but quite wooded and rugged for its size, with an extensive trail network – and a very cool pedestrian suspension bridge! Courses will be standard point-to-point, and Course 4 will be a combination of Courses 2 and 3, with a map exchange in between.
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
$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
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: 9:00 PM, Monday May 22
Day-of-event registration is available by cash or check, made payable to Cascade Orienteering Club.
LOCATION
PARKING
Parking will be located at the main Wilburton Hill lot accessed from the corner of Main St and 124th Ave NE. Registration, start, and finish will be located nearby.
CARPOOL
Looking for a carpool? Join the Yahoo listserv and share your request to find a ride.
THE MAP
Wilburton Hill Park combines two trail networks and two campuses in a single, mostly wooded venue…with a secret large suspension bridge hidden in it. And because it’s built on a hillside, you get a full workout exploring the venue.
Ch. 3.43 Parks and Recreation Facilities Code | Bellevue City Code (municipal.codes)
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to clear, cut, damage or remove any tree or vegetation located on property owned or leased by the city without the express written permission of the city manager or his or her designee.
B. Violation of this section is a civil violation under Chapter 1.18 BCC, subject to penalties set forth in BCC 1.18.045. (Ord. 5452 § 1, 2003; Ord. 4480 § 22, 1993; Ord. 4071 § 1, 1989.)
Read more on the map page
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.
