Fountainhead West

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May 9
Sunday

FH WestPre-registration is required and will open on Monday, May 3 at 6pm; there will NOT be day-of registration.

Welcome back to Fountainhead Regional park for the final Virginia event of the 2020-21 season. For this event we will be returning to the popular Fountainhead West (FHW) area, which has some of the best orienteering terrain in the QOC ambit. The parking and check-in site for the Fountainhead meet is at the parking area near the Bull Run Marina on Old Yates Ford Road; a map link is here and also below (in the Location Details section).

Because our COVID protocols are still in effect, we will unfortunately not be able to use buses for this event, as we have the last three times we have run in FHW. Instead, for the orange and advanced courses, there will be an approximately 1,500 meter walk to a remote start from the Bull Run Marina parking lot along a segment of the Bull Run Occoquan Trail (BROT) through a corridor of land bounded on one side by private property and the other by the Occoquan Reservoir. Near the start, the land opens out into the extensive FHW area with which we are familiar. So especially for those in the later check-in windows, please be sure to take into account the amount of time required to move to the start to ensure your ability to finish no later than 3pm.

The orange and advanced runners will orienteer back all the way to a finish and download location adjacent to the parking lot. White and yellow courses will start and finish near the parking lot.

OUSA Team Trial Event open to QOC member and non-members: QOC will be hosting a three-day national-team time trial event on May 7th, 8th, and 9th. Peggy Dickison is the POC for the team trial.

The 9 May time trial will be a long-O held in conjunction with our Fountainhead West local event. So in addition to our normal complement of classic courses at Fountainhead, course setter Vido Aleksiev has designed a men's long-distance course approximately 11.5 kilometers in length with the course map at 1:15,000 scale. This long course will be open to all event participants. The national team time trial competitors will have all started their courses before the first local meet runners get out to the remote start. (Note: There will also be a women’s long-distance course which will be the same as the local meet Blue course except that, unlike the Blue course, it will be on a 1:15,000 scale map.) You will be able to pre-register for this long-O course at the pre-regisration link below on this page (once registration is open).

The 7 May (Friday) team trial event will be a sprint, and the 8 May (Saturday) event will be a middle distance event, both at Hoyle's Mill in Maryland.

See the Team Trials webpage for more details and pre-registration information for the 7 and 8 May time trial events.

As usual, this Sunday event requires online pre-registration, and we will open registration at 6pm on Monday, May 3. 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.

As usual, everyone must be out of the woods and back at the registration/finish area by 3:00pm when we will begin picking up the controls.

PLEASE NOTE: Runners who participated in last Sunday's (May 2) QOC event at Patapsco Valley State Park, CCBC Catonsville should wash, then check and remove from their clothing any plant seeds they may have picked up. We would like to make sure orienteers are doing their part to minimize spreading invasive plant seeds from one park to another.

Other points:

  • PROPERLY WORN MASKS ARE REQUIRED at all times when near registration and epunch areas and their volunteers.
  • We encourage everyone to download and use any or even all of the DC, Maryland and Virginia COVID exposure notification apps.
  • Porta-johns will be located near the check-in.
  • Dogs are permitted at this event but must be leashed 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
  • Location

    Fountainhead Regional Park, Bull Run Marina, Clifton, VA (Classic)

    RegistrationPre-registration for this event will open at 6pm on Monday May 2 via this link. Registration will close no later than 6pm Sat. May 8 (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, May 9
    10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
    Volunteers
    Event Director:John Organek
    Course Setter:Vido Aleksiev
    Location Details

    Classic
    Fountainhead Regional Park
    Bull Run Marina
    Clifton, VA
    Google Map

    From the Fairfax County Parkway, take Burke Lake Rd (Rt 645) west for 4.3 miles. Turn left on Maple Branch Rd, and go 0.8 miles then turn left onto VA 612/643. In 0.6 miles go slightly right to stay on VA 612. In less than 1 mile and before either the marina or the bridge over the Occoquan, turn left into the parking area on the south side of Old Yates Ford Rd.
    Google Maps Link
    Apple/iPhone Link
    Course DetailsClassic
    Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
    White 1.5557
    Yellow 2.617510
    Orange 4.218014
    Brown 4.719014
    Green 6.422516
    Long 11.541024
    Red 829021
    Blue 9.635020
    Course NotesClassic

    The map scale for the beginner (White and Yellow) courses is 1:5000.
    The scale for intermediate (Orange) and advanced (Brown, Green, Red and Blue) courses is 1:10000.
    The two long WOC Team Trial courses use a 1:15000 scale map.
    The contour interval on all courses is 5 meters.

    The vegetation on the map has not been updated recently, but it seems accurate. Overall the runnability is very good. All creeks were easily crossable the weekend before the event. You may even stay dry if the weather conditions are the same the days before the event.
    Only the Long WOC Team Trial course crosses Wolf Run Shoals Rd. The volume of traffic is lower but make sure it is safe to cross or run along the road.

    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.