Strategy in the Streets

Once again it’s time for the annual Street Challenge in central Boise! 

In an effort to make the street challenge more exciting and even more challenging, there are two significant changes to this perennial CTOC meet that will make planning and strategizing route selection as well as time management very important:

-        Two courses!

• Course 1 is a much smaller "run only" course.  The purpose is to encourage both runners and bikers to attempt collecting some controls points (and bonus points) before starting on course 2.
• Course 2 is a standard street challenge course available to both runners and bikers.   This course will be on a much larger map than Course 1.  Some of the largest point values on this map will likely only be collected by bikers.

Bonus Points!

•      Controls will be grouped by point values.  Some of the controls will offer an additional bonus if a competitor gets all the controls with the same point value on the same course.

Original CTOC Street Challenge rules (the same as past street challenge events):

• Score-O course format, where you can collect controls on a course in any order within the specified 3 hour time limit.
• Competitors arriving after the time limit will be penalized on a 10 point per minute overage basis.
• No conventional orienteering flags.  Instead when you arrive at the control circle, you answer a multiple choice question that can only be determined on site.  
• Wrong answers will be penalized - so guessing is discouraged.
• Very large meet area, roughly 3 miles by 2.5 miles.
• USGS satellite map is used, with no street names.  Map contact is crucial!
• There will be both bike and run classes of competition, however there will be one overall winner with the most points from either class that will be crowned Street Challenge meet champion, so strategy is very important!

New rules for 2017 CTOC Street Challenge:

• Course 1 is optional and is a “run only” course. Any or all of the controls points can skipped.
• Course 1 map and score sheet must be turned in (or skipped) at the start before receiving their Course 2 map from race officials.
• Once a competitor starts on Couse 2, they may not go back to Course 1 to collect points!
• Course 1 is intended to be able to finished completely in approximately 1 hour (or less) if a competitor decides to collect all points and bonus points available on Course 1.
• The key strategy will be determining how much time to spend on Course 1 collecting points before returning to the start and handing in your Course 1 map & answer sheet and then receiving your Course 2 map & answer sheet and starting on Course 2.

So, there are 3 ways to complete:

1. Run only competitors: Will start running on Course 1, and finish on Course 2.
2. Run/Bike competitors: Will start running on Couse 1, and then bike on Course 2.
3. Bike only competitors: Will skip Course 1, and start biking on Course 2.

Date:  Sunday, November 5^th, 2017

Time(s):  

9:15AM          Both course 1 and course 2 maps will be distributed for study.

9:55 AM         Course 2 maps will be collected from competitors that are doing both courses.

Course 1 maps will be collect by competitors that are biking only.

10:00 AM       Mass start.

1:00 PM          Time limit – Penalty points for anyone arriving to start/finsh after this time.

Please remember that Sunday marks the end of daylight savings time and the beginning of standard time, so meet will start at 10am standard time (1 hour later than the day before)!

Start/Finish:  Ann Morrison Park, just south of Boise River footbridge.

Time Limit:  3 hour limit

Classes:  Bike, Foot

Cost:  $10 adult, $5 junior for one day club dues; free to club members.

RSVP: To minimize waste please RSVP email me no later than Friday night, Nov. 3^rd .

My Email addresses is : mbading AT syzeo DOT com

Thanks - Mike

More details with rules and scoring will be posted on the CTOC website later this week.