Little Bennett

January 28
Saturday

Forecast is fine, so this EVENT IS ON!

Please check this event page on the morning of the event: Because of rain forecast earlier in the week, it is possible that the park may not let us use the field for parking and we may need to postpone the event. We think this is unlikely, but please check to be sure. There is likely to be some mud in any case.

Welcome back to Little Bennett Regional Park, the largest natural area in Montgomery County with over 3700 acres. Event Directors Jane Leggett and Sharmagh Yepremian and Course Setters Mihai Sirbu and Mike Manteuffel will have a full set of courses (White through Blue) for you to enjoy.

Parking, registration, and porta potties will be at the Prescott Road Horse Trailer area in the northern part of Little Bennett.

Check in will open about 9:45am and courses will open at 10am.

As always, please be off the course no later than 3pm and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We want to make sure of everyone’s safety and status.

Free Beginner Instruction will be offered, but please reach out to the Event Directors if you have a group, so we can plan accordingly. Also, make sure to check out our Your First Event [2] and For Beginners [3] webpages. Beginners are also encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one [4] created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst. If they don’t answer any remaining questions you have, just use our Contact Form [5] and ask!

[6] Volunteer SignUps: If you'd like to help out at this event click here [6]. You can also contact the event director (listed below).

Welcome to QOC’s first social opportunity of 2023! This location will have a fire pit and we plan to use it for warming. If you'd like, bring firewood/charcoal to add, perhaps a folding chair, or your own food to grill. Marshmallows and some toasting forks will be provided. Bring extra along with graham crackers and chocolate to make s’mores with your little ones. Pack a lunch and come hang out and catch up with old O friends or make some new ones!

Reminders:

• QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our meets. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in the case of event cancellation.
• Masks are optional at all locations connected with the event. Please continue to minimize clustering at and around the check-in, e-punch, start and finish areas.
• As mentioned above, beginner instruction has resumed to provide an overview of orienteering basics for newcomers to the sport or those who just want a refresher.
• There is no water on the course. Participants are responsible for their own hydration. A very limited supply of bottled water for emergency use will be on hand with the Meet Director; but it is vital to stay well hydrated. Please come prepared!
• There are no snacks offered by QOC (other than marshmallows - see above!).
• For this event (as with most others this season) there will be eight 15-minute check-in windows followed by two 45min windows.

• Any large groups planning to attend the event or anyone with questions please contact the Event Directors.
• There are no pavilions or park shelters at this registration/parking area.
• 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).
• Port-a-johns will be located nearby.
• Pets are permitted in the park but must be leashed at all times.

Location	Little Bennett Regional Park, Prescott Rd Parking Area, Clarksburg, MD (Classic)
Registration	Registration for this event opens at 6pm on Monday Jan. 23 via this link [7]. Registration will close at noon on *Friday* Jan. 27 (since this is a Saturday event). Pre-registration is mandatory. Who's registered? Check by clicking here [8]. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name.
Start Times	Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
Schedule	Saturday, January 28 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Classic:
Volunteers	Event Director: Jane Leggett [9] Event Director: Sharmagh Yepremian [10] Course Designer: Mike Manteuffel [11] Course Designer: Mihai Sirbu [12]
Location Details	Classic Little Bennett Regional Park Prescott Rd Parking Area Clarksburg, MD Google Map [13] Take I-270 to Rt.121, exiting east/north towards Clarksburg (not Boyds); make sure to stay on Rt 121 (Clarksburg Rd) soon after exiting. In ~4.2 miles, turn left at Lewisdale Rd, then after 0.7 miles, turn left onto Prescott Rd and continue 0.8 miles to the large field on the left. Google Maps Link [13] Apple/iPhone Link [14]
Course Details	Classic Course Name Length (km) Climb (m) No. Controls White 2.3 45 7 Yellow 2.7 60 10 Orange 3.4 70 8 Beige 2.5 60 7 Brown 3.2 80 7 Green 5.9 110 8 Red 7.4 140 10 Blue 9.9 200 14
Course Notes	Classic For all participants, once you turn on the road towards the golf course (Prescott Rd), drive with extreme caution since competitors will walk to a remote start for Orange, Beige and Brown. The woods are mostly open with good sight lines and easy attack points for advanced controls. The advanced courses are on the longer side with fewer controls and physical climbs on the direct routes. Even in winter plenty of thorns inhabit the green mapped areas; please respect them. Unlike last meet, no controls have been set directly in the green areas. Rootstocks have changed on the map, with newer ones potentially unmapped. Use them at your risk for navigation, but no controls have been set on them. The special symbol, a black circle, marks a cairn (stack of stones). The courses take advantage of existing bridges where available. All campgrounds should be considered out-of-bounds for this event. Please navigate around them. White and Yellow courses have streamered portions (using yellow streamers) for part of the course. This way you don't run around the same hilltop for the fifth time... White has the same control twice on the course, first time going and then after following the streamer to close the loop. Orange, Beige and Brown have a remote start. Follow the entrance road to get to it. I recommend the left side of the road which has a wider mowed area. Some trails are extremely muddy. Expect to get dirty - then again, it's orienteering, so nothing new here...
Entry Fees	Individual 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 [15] (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 [16]. 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. In addition to free on-site beginner instruction if needed, beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one [4] created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst