Tradition Continues with 2014 Boise Street Challenge

Everyone is invited to our traditional Boise Street Challenge. This year it takes place in East Boise maze of neighborhoods.  Format of the event follows conventions of a score course, where controls may be acquired in any order, and there is a time limit to meet or points are deducted.  In the Street Challenge, there are a few more twists:

- the area is much larger than a normal club meet, the map barely fits into 11”x17” page at 1:20000 scale, covering almost 25 square kilometers.

- there are no traditional orienteering controls, but rather multiple choice questions (ex. A, B, C) to be answered at the control circle location, points are added if answer is correct, points are deducted if answer is incorrect to discourage guessing.

- there are 40 controls, each worth 10 , 20, 30, or 40 points depending on the difficulty reaching the location.

- there is both a bike and run class of competition, bikers will have less time vs. runners, to make the mass finish easier and level the competition a little bit, for runners 3 hour time limit, for bikers 2:30 time limit, for runners 10 points deducted for each 5 minutes above the limit, for bikers 20 points deducted for each 5 minutes above the limit.

- you will traverse city streets, potentially with traffic, your upmost caution, attention, and execution are required.

- canals and Boise river “squeeze” traffic to few crossable points, these are shown with a passage signs on the map, use them wisely while designing your routes.

- it may be impossible to collect all controls in defined limit time so plan accordingly.

Map for the event was created from google Boise imagery, aligned to magnetic north, and scaled to 1:20,000. With additional highlights of canals bisecting the area, safe passages (shown with double purple lines), impassable cliffs, and Boise River – the area creates plenty of navigational challenges matching the name.

Date:  Saturday, November 29

Time:  Registration (each is required to fill out a form) opens 9am, maps passed out at 9:30am for study, competitor last instructions and group photo 9:50am, mass start at 10:00am sharp.

Start/Finish Location: Near Columbia Village recreation center at 3655 E Lake Forest Dr, South of Trail Wind Elementary School.

Classes:  Foot (3 hour limit), Bike (2:30 limit),

Cost:  $5 per map, free to CTOC members.

What to bring:  a couple pens or sharpies to circle your answers and plan your route, dress accordingly to the weather for a few hours outside, water as you need while on the course, cell phone for emergencies, compass to keep your map oriented (we have some for rental at nominal $1 fee).

Refreshments and water will be provided at the start/finish.

We hope to see out there enjoying outdoors!

Yours,

Sergey Velichko