2021 Mini Winter League
MARCH-APRIL
Series director(s): Michelle Kastner  
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This year the Winter League Series traditionally held Nov-Feb was cancelled due to COVID-19.
However, we are excited to now be able to offer a 5 event mini-Winter League Series in March and April.
Due to COVID-19 Restrictions in Washington State, we are limited to a meet size of 200. Therefore this mini-series will give priority to the student part of Winter League also known as WIOL. Any spots not filled by students will be opened up to the public at 7pm on the Monday night before the race.
This series is still for all ages: Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Collegiate students, and adults. We also offer non-competitive categories at every event.
In order to get permits, we must impose the following rules:
- 200 participants max.
- No spectators allowed.
- “Facial coverings required for all coaches, volunteers, and athletes at all times.”
- Maintain 6’ of distance at all times, when not running a course.
Events
The challenge will still ascend as the season progresses! Events in the first half of the season are held at beginner-friendly venues, some of which are trails only, while events in the second half move to more forested and challenging venues. Your best three event scores make your season score.
DATE | EVENT PAGE | ORIENTEERING MAP | DIRECTIONS |
---|---|---|---|
Sun, Oct 6 | Winter League: South Training at Maple Valley Farmers Market | Maple Valley, WA | |
Sat, Oct 26 | Winter League: North Training at Lynndale Park | Lynnwood, WA | |
Sat, Nov 9 | 2024-25 Winter League #1 – South Seattle College | Seattle, WA | |
Sat, Nov 23 | 2024-25 Winter League #2 – Soaring Eagle Regional Park | Issaquah, WA | |
Sat, Dec 7 | 2024-25 Winter League #3 – Pierce College/Fort Steilacoom Park | Tacoma, WA | |
Sat, Dec 21 | 2024-25 Winter League #4 – Hamlin Park | Seattle, WA | |
Sat, Jan 11 | 2024-25 Winter League #5 – Big Finn Hill Park | Kirkland, WA | |
Sat, Jan 25 | 2024-25 Winter League #6 – Ft Ebey State Park | Whidbey Island, WA | |
Sat, Feb 8 | 2024-25 Winter League #7 – Fire Mountain Scout Camp | Mount Vernon, WA | |
Sat, Feb 22 | 2024-25 Winter League Champs – Pt Defiance Park | Tacoma, WA | |
Sun, Feb 23 | 2024-25 Winter League Celebration Weekend Relay – St Edwards Park | Kenmore, WA |
Pricing and Registration
Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Collegiate Students
$30 for a season pass to all 5 events. $6 for season e-punch rental. No day of meet registration for this series. Register at the Washington Interscholastic Orienteering League (WIOL) website:
Registration for WIOL will close on February 27th at 11:59PM.
Questions about school league registration? Contact the WIOL Registrar.
Adults, and non-competitive courses for all ages
$8 per meet for COC members. $13 per meet for non-COC members. No e-punch rental. No day of meet registration. We will open public registration to fill any open spots at 7pm on the Monday night before the event and will close at 9pm on the Wednesday before the event or when full, whichever comes first.
Register at Cascade Orienteering Club’s website:
Become a club member.
Volunteering
There will be limited volunteer spots, but please check here to see if you can help fill any open spots.
Frequently Asked Questions:
All the Details about the 2021 Mini-Winter League Series
200 Person Limit:
- We really want as many of the 200 spots to go to runners as possible, so we will be limiting volunteer spots as best as we can.
- Priority will be given to the students over the public.
- If you responded “yes” to attending a meet and you get sick, please STAY HOME and e-mail the WIOL Registrar before Saturday’s meet to let her know so your spot can be filled with another runner. If you are sick AND let the registrar know ahead of time, you will be eligible for a refund of that meet (or you can donate that meet fee).
No Spectators:
- I need folks with kids not needing a shadow, to drop their kids off at the check-in area and stay in their car while their student races.
- If you feel the need, you can walk your child to check-in, but then I need you to return to your car if you are not shadowing or volunteering.
- Team coaches, I need you to stay inside/by your vehicle unless you are walking a student to the check-in area.
Masks:
- All participants will be required to wear a mask at all times.
- Wearing a mask means your nose and mouth and chin are covered.
- Masks cannot have a “vent” and cannot be a tied bandana.
- One-ply buffs are highly discouraged. Two or three ply is greatly preferred.
- Masks will be required at all times for all non-participants who come to the venue to drop off their student.
Scoring
- Standard WL and WIOL race scoring will be in place for individuals. No team scoring.
- Season standings will be based on the best 3 out of 5 races.
- No Championship Race.
Shadows and Scoring:
- Elementary students may have a shadow. That shadow will count against our 200 limit, so you will need to let the registrar know by indicating in the RSVP note section that your student will have a shadow and the name of the shadow.
- If your student runs with a shadow, that person must cohabitate with the student. No coach shadows this year.
- Elementary students who run with a shadow will be marked non-competitive. They will not have to fill out a shadow agreement. They can use the season to help and teach their student as much as they like.
Awards
- No awards ceremony.
- No trophies. Mailed certificates for individual categories only.
- No team awards (I cannot make this fair with limits on participation).
Refunds
- When registering you will be given options on refunds. You can choose between the following two options:
- ask for a refund for any meet cancelled due to COVID restrictions or
- you can choose to donate your per meet fee to a newly created WIOL Student Scholarship Fund to help kids with financial difficulties be able to orienteer in the future.
- All requested refunds will be processed one time at the end of the mini-WL season.
- No partial refunds for e-punch season rental for students.
- If you are sick AND let the registrar know ahead of time, you will be eligible for a refund of that meet (or you can donate that meet fee).
Barebones Meet You Say- What does this mean? Many of the luxuries of a traditional WIOL meet will need to be furloughed for this mini season. That means:
- No info tent.
- No onsite registration desk.
- No hydration station (bring your own water).
- No iPads with current results put out.
- No team tents allowed.
- No bibs.
- No second courses allowed.
- There will be no exchange of money or forms for any reason at these events.
- Assigned start times for all.
- One start tent
- No pre-race map review. No coaches in start area.
- No separate control description sheets. They will be printed on your map.
Administration
- Extended start window. Starts from 10am-1pm. Course closure at 3pm.
- One runner will start every minute.
- No groups unless it is a family that is living in the same house. No groups over 2 persons.
- Thursday before the meet, you will receive the start list and the form, “Affirmation of Safety Guidelines and COVID Screen”, to fill out. You must have this filled out prior to checking in at the meet. It can be done on any device. Multiple students/family members can use the same device to fill out the form.
COVID-Safety Procedures:
- Porta Potties with hand sanitizer, sprayed down a few times during the meets.
- Participants will be asked a series of COVID related questions prior to the meet in the “Affirmation of Safety Guidelines and COVID Screen”. You cannot run until this form is completed and submitted.
- We will put pin flags or cones out 10 feet apart in the finish area. Runners will stand in line by pins/cones 10 feet apart and proceed to download when waved up by staff.
- No comparing route choices, standing in groups, staying around after you run. Use route-gadget and other virtual tools to compare your results after the event.
- No team meetings prior to or after racing unless they are inside a team bus.
- Runners will be asked to leave the venue upon completion of their course. If other teammates/family members are still out running a course, we will still be asking folks to head to their vehicle after finishing their own course.
- No team tents.
- 2 finish sawhorses with punch boxes each to spread out runners coming in at finish.
Scoring and Awards
At each event, individuals on competitive courses earn points based on finish rank within each competitive category:
- 1st place: 100 points
- 2nd place: 95 points
- 3rd place: 92 points
- 4th place: 90 points
- 5th place: 89 points
- points continue to decrease by one point per place
Season Scoring
Season scoring uses the best three scores from the five events in the series. Ties for season scores are broken by comparing the best individual event scores of each individual head to head. In the case that all event scores are the same when ranked this way through all five events, a tie is awarded.