Occoquan

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April 25
Sunday

OccoquanPre-registration is required and will open on Monday, April 19 at 6pm; there will NOT be day-of registration.

Welcome back to Occoquan Regional Park, recently added to the schedule as a result of problems with one of our planned venues. The park affords a combination of fast, open woods along with recreational fields (and some thick vegetation if you wander off course). Course designer, Tom Strat, and course setter, Rob Field, are teaming up to provide a full set of classic courses. Course stats and course setter comments are now posted below.

This event requires on-line pre-registration which will open at 6pm on Monday, April 19, via a link that will be in the Registration section below.

Event check-in is at Shelter 4, which has a (relatively) new parking lot adjacent to it, so there should be plenty of parking space; a locator map is here. In the unlikely event the hard-surface lot should fill up, there is another (unpaved) lot 200 meters back along the park road. Rest rooms are 100 meters from Shelter 4.

NEW!: In addition to our regular classic courses, this event will feature a different navigational challenge: Amateur Radio Direction Finding. In ARDF, you use directional radio receivers to locate beacons in the woods. Learn more about the event here, and to register for the ARDF event (NOT FOR THE REGULAR EVENT), click on this link, which will also become active at 6pm, Monday, 19 April.

QOC’s COVID risk reduction protocols, as also enumerated here, will be in effect. Please read these guidelines carefully, particularly keeping in mind the need for participants to bring their own water for all their hydration needs before, during, and after their runs/walks.

Other points:

  • PROPERLY WORN MASKS ARE REQUIRED at all times when near registration and epunch areas and their volunteers. Following CDC guidelines, this applies to everyone, whether or not you have been vaccinated.
  • There is no entrance or parking fee at Occoquan Regional Park.
  • We encourage everyone to download and use any or even all of the DC, Maryland and Virginia COVID exposure notification apps.
  • Dogs are welcome in the park, but must be on a leash at all times.
  • The size of start teams (groups of individuals orienteering together with one e-punch) on a course must be no more than four (4) individuals (juniors and adults combined). Unregistered "tag-alongs" are not allowed (other than babies or toddlers). Any youth or large groups attending, although you will be pre-registering online, please contact the Event Director of your plans and numbers for their awareness.
  • There is no planned, on-site beginner instruction, but beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst
  • The Brickmaker's Cafe is located in the event center on park grounds and serves brunch on Sundays 10 AM to 2 PM.

    • Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to our Event Director or for general questions, just use our Contact Us form.

    Location

    Occoquan Regional Park, Shelter 4 Parking Area, Lorton, VA (Classic)
    RegistrationPre-registration for this event will open at 6pm on Monday April 19 via this link. Registration will close no later than 6pm Sat. April 24 (the night before the event).
    Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name.
    Start TimesParticipants will register in advance for a specified 15 or 45 minute check-in window (including map pick-up), starting at 9:45am until the final window from 1:15-1:30pm. Each window will be limited to 15 or 45 "starts" (solo individuals or groups).
    ScheduleSunday, April 25
    10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
    Volunteers
    Event Director:James Chaplin
    Course Setter:Rob Field
    Course Designer:Tom Strat
    Location Details

    Classic
    Occoquan Regional Park
    Shelter 4 Parking Area
    Lorton, VA
    Google Map

    		Take exit 160B off of I-95 onto Route 123 north, follow 123 north 1.5 miles to park entrance on right. As as alternative, from exit 163 make a left at the new traffic light onto Workhouse Road, and then go left at the next two traffic lights.

    Be aware that I-95 heading south after ~11am on Saturday mornings is when the express lanes reverse, usually causing a back up starting at Route 123; avoid using I-95 between exits 160 - 163 on a weekend afternoon if you can.
    Google Maps Link
    Apple/iPhone Link
    Course DetailsClassic
    Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
    White 1.52510
    Yellow 2.58012
    Orange 3.18514
    Beige 37511
    Brown 414512
    Green 5.920016
    Red 7.829020
    Blue 9.234024
    Course NotesClassic

    Occoquan Park features hilly terrain with mostly runnable forest. Thick vegetation including occasional greenbriar exists in some places. All courses except White and Yellow will cross Mordor Drive multiple times. Mordor Drive is a paved road that is open to the public – it is lightly traveled but be sure to look both ways for traffic before crossing. The man-made objects (black X) used for control locations on the White and Yellow courses are bird feeders. The man-made object on the Orange course is a concrete culvert.

    There are 2 separate start points: White, Yellow, Orange courses use Start #1. All other courses use Start #2. Look for signs that direct you to the correct Start. All courses end at the same finish point.
    Entry FeesIndividual Entries

    Note: juniors = under 21

    Club Member, adult Club Member, junior Non-Member, adult Non-Member, junior
    $10 $5 $20 $5

    Group Entries

    Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Individuals or groups desiring to compete on a second course after completing their first can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map subject to approval at the event by the Event Director.

    Important Notes
    • If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
    • Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors as described here.
    • Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
    • Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
    • Please provide collateral (such as car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
    • Free beginner instruction is always available - just ask at the registration table. While COVID-19 policies are in effect, please check out instructional videos online such as those mentioned above in lieu of in-person/at-event instruction.