October 26, 2010

Boise Street Challenge 2010

It's time for the annual urban Street Challenge! Meet Sunday Nov. 7 at 10:00am., mass start at 10:30 - 3 hour time limit. The start this year will be in Julia Davis park near the footbridge to BSU, utilizing a slightly different and perhaps better area than our previous meets. Participants can do it on foot or bike, single or in groups, and will try to get to as many checkpoints as they can within the time limit or shorter time if prefered. Entry fees are $10 for non-members ($2 discount for pre-registration), free to members. Please pre-register by sending an e-mail to me with your name so we have an idea how many people to plan for, payment due at the meet. kbdid@ctcweb.net

Participants will be given a map of downtown Boise and surrounding area with 33 checkpoints marked on it, they will have to navigate to the checkpoints and figure out their route to visit as many as possible during the time limit. At the checkpoints the participant will read a question on the back of their map that can only be answered at that location, then circle one of 3 multiple choice answers as proof of visiting the correct location. The checkpoints are worth different point values based on distance from the start/ finish area. Highest total point scores win, awards to top finishers.

Participants are responsible for their own safety, this takes place on public streets.

Suggested Things to Bring:
watch, pens, compass, cel phone, refreshments for during course (or money to purchase enroute), reading glasses?, helmet if biking, bright colored weather appropriate clothing.

Hope to see you there!- Karin Didisse, meet director

October 25, 2010

Vampire-O Results



City of Trees Orienteering Club held its Vampire-O at Simplots Sports Complex. The event format was a night score-o with the twist of having a vampire chasing participants and taking their score card. Once “vampired” the victim would surrender their score card along with all their points and in return receive the vampire card worth zero points. Much like a game of tag while orienteering.

The weather was scattered lite rain with breezy 50's temps. But that did not prevent a decent turn-out. 10 individuals and 4 groups participated and all decided to run the vampire-o which was consider an advance course. Sergey and the Erb group chose to carry a one gallon jug of holy water to avoid being “vampired”.



The vampire-o course had 18 control points and a 40 minute time limit. Hill group (Andy & Elijah) volunteered to be the first vampire. Peter Beckner (the youngest individual and his injured Dad tagging along) also volunteered as the first vampire but spoke a moment too late. The mass start began at 7:25PM with the vampire starting 3 minutes afterwards. The start was pretty interesting to watch. Participants scatter in all directions into the darkness (pitch black) and most of them having their headlamps off!

As participants began to cross the finish it became apparent that control #32 was missing. Not surprising given the large crowds of soccer players that were still leaving as our event was starting. The missing control was located the next morning up in a nearby pine tree. Still attached to the pole & flag.

Sergey Velichko finished first with a blistering time of just over 28 minutes. Unfortunately, Sergey missed control #45 which dropped his score to 160. Lee Scott, Jeff Black and Jay Morgan found all the points (except #32) for a score of 170 each. Lee Scott took top honor for finishing ahead of the others with a time of 32:40. Masha Velichko took first in the female division. Hill group finished first for the group division. In the end it was Peter Beckner as the vampire who was first to be vampired and wasn’t able to attack another before the time expired.

Kudos to newbies Matt & Jill Score, Erb group and Lexy’s friends Emily & Zach who took on the vampire-o for their first experience at an CTOC orienteering event. Also, Betty Boop (alias) who missed the mass start but still managed to bag 9 controls and avoid the vampire with just 15 minutes.

THANKS
A big thanks to those who helped with the event: Donna Goodwin (co-director), Bill Leahy, Lexy’s group, Hill group & Segery for helping pickup the course.

NEXT MEET
Our next meet is Sunday, November 7th. For more info see our blog site at:
http://ctoc-boise.blogspot.com/

RESULTS:
Mens:
Total / Penalty / Time
Lee Scott 170 / 0 / 32:40
Jeff Black 170 / 0 / 35:09
Jay Morgan 170 / 0 / 40:37
Sergey Velichko 160 / 0 / 28:00
Bill Leahy 140 / 0 / 40:10

Womens:
Masha Velichko 150 / 0 / 40:40
Karin Didisse 120 / 0 / 37:43
Betty Boop 90 / 0 / 15:00
Donna Goodwin 80 / 0 / 40:30

Groups:
Andy & Elijah Hill 120 / 0 / 40:22
Matt & Jill Score 110 / -10 / 42:53
Pat Parker, Adam Forbes, Will, Katie, James Erb 105 / -5 / 41:47
Lexy Leahy, Emily, Zach 90 / 0 / 36:35

Vampire: Peter Beckner

Click here for more photos

October 1, 2010

CTOC 2nd Annual Vampire-O

What’s a Vampire-O, you ask? Well, it's a lot of fun, it's has a Halloween theme and it's orienteering at night. And yes, it’s will be at night because everyone knows vampires only come out at night!

Date: Saturday Oct 23, 2010 (Sat Oct 22, 2011) (Sat Oct 21, 2012)
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Simplot Sport Complex East (parking lot off S. Quamash Way) Simplot Sports Complex East

Vampire-O (score-o format, mass started with one more vampires starting 3 minutes later)
Beginner & intermediate courses

Bring your headlamp and warm clothes and enjoy a fun night of orienteering.

FAQ:

1) So, what is Vampire-O?
It's like playing a game of tag while orienteering! One or more participants are selected as "vampires" at the start of the event. The "vampires" leave 3 minutes after everyone else had a mass start. Vampires carry a "vampire" card, worth zero points. When they come within five meters of another orienteer and yell "vampire attack!", the "victim" must surrender his or her punch card (along with all of its points) to the vampire, who then receives the Vampire card. The victim then becomes the vampire (but cannot immediately re-tag the original vampire, of course). It's all done at night with flashlights.

2) After a vampire attack can the victim attack his/her original vampire? If so, what are the rules for doing so?
"No immediate tag backs", just like in third grade. ;-> Cards tend to get traded back and forth pretty quickly, so this usually isn't a problem. You can attack someone that attacked you as long as you unloaded the card you got from them and are now carrying a card you got from another vampire later on. Vampires can't attack vampires of course - they'd just end up swapping cards...

3) I understand the course is score-o format. Is each control worth the same number of points?
Each control is worth the same amount. Identical control point values also makes scoring at the end that much easier - and it will be a bit hectic with a score-O mass finish.

4) Are teams allowed? If so, how does it work if the team is the vampire and team members have both slow and fast runners can the faster runner go after a victim alone or do they need to stay together as a team?
Teams are allowed. The team should stay together, within reason. The rule is "do the right thing" during the event. Teams should stay within vocal range if they get a bit separated, but should travel together whenever possible.

5) What if I want to run the vampire-o course but don’t want to be bother by the vampire. I just want to run the score-o course.
You can run the course but you will need special holy water to protect you from vampires. If you choose this option then you will be given a 1 gallon jug of holy water and you must carry it at all times during the event.

6) Will there be a beginner and intermediate course?
Yes, there will be a beginner and intermediate course. Participants that wish do the beginner or intermediate courses will be give a special garlic bracelet (glow in dark bracelet. The kind you see at the county fair). This will protect you from the vampire. Beginner and intermediate participants should come early to avoid the mass start of the vampire-o.

7) Because its at night do I need to bring a flashlight?
Yes, you should bring a flashlight or a headlamp.

8) Do I need to dress up in a Halloween costume?
No, you do not need to come in costume. However, you can if you wish.