Bay Area Orienteering Club

20 Folin Lane

Lafayette, CA 94549

 

To:  All Scouts, Scout Leaders, Committee Members and Parents

 

Are you and your troop ready to test your map reading and problem solving abilities?  Are you ready to pass the map and compass requirements for First Class, Second Class, or the Orienteering merit badge?  The Bay Area Orienteering Club is pleased to offer the twelfth Scout-O, a cross country map and compass adventure designed to test the map reading ability, compass skills and woodsman savvy of any troop regardless of size or experience.

 

BOY SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS, BROWNIES, DAISIES, CUBS, TIGERS AND WEBELOS OF ALL AGES ARE WELCOME.  Instruction will be offered prior to the event so that all Scouts, regardless of prior experience, will be able to take part in the actual competition.  There will be courses of four distinct levels of difficulty, so that no Scout should encounter a challenge beyond his or her capabilities. 

 

The event will be held in Briones Park, Martinez.  The park has been mapped to International Orienteering Federation (IOF) standards.  The details shown on these 5-color maps far exceeds those available on even the newest U.S. Geological Survey topographical maps.  Teams may keep their maps so they will be useful for instruction and reference.  This year’s new map is expanded again!

 

PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THE EVENT.  It may be necessary to constrain the number of participants, so register early (first come, first served).  The Orienteering Club announcement is attached.  To register for the event, send the registration form and payment to:

 

Gavin Wyatt-Mair

20 Folin Lane

Lafayette, Ca. 94549

 

For additional information, contact the meet director:

Gavin Wyatt-Mair

Tel. (925)934-6567 at home

E-mail:  GavinWM@comcast.net

 

The Bay Area Orienteering Club Web Site is at WWW.BAOC.ORG - there is more information there, too.

 

The event will be held on Sunday October 10, 2004.  A regular Bay Area Orienteering Club event will be held simultaneously at the same location, so anyone wishing to do the BAOC courses is also welcome.  Pass the word. 

 


Scout-O’ - Briones Regional Park                                                    Sunday October 10, 2004

 

We are pleased to re-announce the twelfth annual Bay Area Scout Orienteering Championship.  The Park District unfortunately had to cancel last year’s event, due to high fire danger.  So we will repeat it this year.  Who will be champions this year?   Everyone stands a chance!!  Some practice, some fitness, and some thinking will get you a long way.  So come on out - bring your compasses, running shoes and your brains - and have fun!

 

The format for this year's championships will be similar to prior years’, and is described below.  Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of all ages are welcome, and the competition is arranged to accommodate any skill level.  In addition, the courses are arranged to meet the map and compass requirements for First Class, Second Class or the Orienteering Merit Badge.

 

Yes, there will be patches.  Anyone who has not yet received a patch for a prior year’s event can get it at this year’s.  Or by contacting the meet director.  The patches are “progressive”, so that a scout can participate in multiple scout-o’s and add to his or her patch sequence. 

 

We will have electronic punching again.

 

Competitive Categories:  Scouts will compete against other scouts with the same orienteering experience.  Four courses will be offered.

 

Course 1:        Daisies, Brownies, Cub scout dens, Webelo dens, Tenderfoot and Junior scouts, and scouts with very little (less than 2) prior orienteering experiences:  Dens and younger scouts will run in groups of 2-6 with an adult advisor who should follow his or her group, not lead it; Tenderfoot scouts will run in pairs.

 

Course 2:        Cadettes, seniors, second Class and/or first class scouts, or scouts with minimal (2 to 5) orienteering experiences:  Compete in pairs.

 

Course 3:        Star, Life and/or Eagle scouts, or scouts with substantial (more than 5) orienteering experiences:  Compete in pairs.

 

Course 4:        Advanced, highly experienced orienteers of any rank:  Run alone on a typical United States Orienteering Federation orange level course.

 

Adult course:  All leaders and parents are invited to compete on a course similar to but separate from course 3.  They may run in groups or alone.  Leaders/parents should also pre-register.  Leader results are for bragging rights only and will not affect troop scoring.

 

NOTE:  Choose your courses carefully - there are more points available for doing the harder courses (we are encouraging scouts to “move up” a notch), but don’t get on a course you can’t finish, because then you will likely lose points.  As a rule of thumb, the points available for course 2 are about 10% more than course 1.  Course 3 is about 20% more, and course 4 is about 30% more than course 1.  

 

Score meet:  All scouts may compete in a troop “score” event in the afternoon.  Both morning and afternoon events will contribute to the troop total score to determine the troop championship.

 

Hint:  The more scouts that attend from a given troop, the better the troop usually does.  We combine the top N scouts’ scores from the morning and afternoon events to get the troop score.  The value N is set by the meet director on the day of the meet, based on conditions and attendance. 

 

Registration Information:

All troops participating in Scout-O must be pre-registered and prepaid.  Registration will close on October 1, 2004. The cost of the event is $5.00 per scout or participating leader.  Choose your teams carefully, because they must remain together all day.  Mixed category teams are possible, but will compete on the course of the higher ranking scout.  Each troop may have one 3-person team to allow for odd numbers.

 

Registration forms are included in this bulletin.  Troops may obtain additional registration forms and detailed information from the meet director:

            Gavin Wyatt-Mair                             

            20 Folin Lane                                           

            Lafayette, Ca. 94549

            Tel: (925)934-6567 at home                       

            E-mail: GavinWM@comcast.net  

Registration forms and information will also be available at the registration desk at other scheduled BAOC meets in June through September.  A registration spread sheet will be available on the club web site (www.BAOC.org).

 

Start times:  The meet will be held on Sunday, October 10, 2004.  Instruction will begin at 9:00 am.  The start time of each individual team will be determined by the entry date of their troop.  In general, start times will begin at 10:00 am and go until about noon.  The Score event will run from 1:30 to 2:30 pm.  The awards ceremony will begin at 3:15 pm and the meet will be closed at 3:40 pm.  It is advisable to arrive at the meet by 9:00 am.  We will stick to the pre-assigned start times - it’s less confusing that way.  You may call the meet director for advance notice of your troop's starting times.  Bring compasses, and remember, we go - rain or shine!

 

Prizes:  Awards will be made to the best teams on each course.  The champion troops will be determined by the results in all categories including the score event.  As before, there will be medals, certificates and a Troop trophy. There will be awards for the top “Junior” Scout troop (cubs, webelos, daisies, brownies, etc) as well as the top Girl Scout troop if a Boy Scout troop wins, or the top Boy Scout troop if a Girl Scout troop wins. Each participant will receive a progressive (by course) participation patch.

 

Equipment:  You will each need strong trail shoes, long pants (Briones has stickers!), a pen or pencil, a watch and a compass.  You may want a water bottle, hat, sunscreen, etc. if it’s hot, or rain gear if it’s rainy.  Bring your own lunch. 

 

Directions:   Registration will be at the West entrance to the park, off of Bear Creek Road.  To get there, take route 24 West from 680 or East from 80.  Exit at Orinda heading North on Camino Pablo.  After about 2 miles, turn right on Bear Creek Road.  After about 3.5 miles, the park entrance will be on your right (don’t be fooled by the parking area on the left – that’s not it), and is well sign-posted.  There is a charge of approximately $4.00 for parking.  Please car-pool if possible. 

 

Web Site:  The latest information can be found on the Bay Area Orienteering Club Internet web site at www.BAOC.org   Prior years’ results are also available there.


Mail-in Troop Registration Form        Briones Scout-O'        10-Oct-2004

 

ALL TROOPS MUST PRE-REGISTER USING THIS FORM

This form must be mailed by October 1, 2004.  Send with payment to:

Gavin Wyatt-Mair, 20 Folin Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549.  Tel (925)934-6567

The cost is $5.00 per scout or participating leader.  Make checks payable to BAOC.

 

Troop No.      ________          District __________________            Council __________________

City/Town       ________________      State _____                  Total number registering _______

Adult leader       _______________________________                         Phone ______________

Address           __________________________________________________      Phone ______________

                  __________________________________________________       E-mail______________

 

 

Please enter the course (1, 2, 3, 4 or Adult) for each team, as well as the names of the team members.  This information will allow us to set up the electronic database for fast results.

 

Team

Course

 

Name

Name

Name

Name

Name

Name

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____Youths registered x $5.00  +  ____Adults* registered x $5.00  =  ____Total $ enclosed

 

* Only adults who are competing on the adult course, or who want a map, need to register and pay the $5.00 fee.

Adult "advisors" on course 1 are not required to register and pay unless they want a map.

 

Reminder:  Course 1 is easiest and shortest, on trails, and is for beginners.  No orienteering experience is needed.  Teams of 2 to 6, plus adult advisor.

Course 2 is longer, controls are off-trail, but visible from the trail.  Some orienteering experience is advisable.  Teams of 2.

Course 3 is between course 2 and 4 in navigational difficulty and length.  Teams of 2.

Course 4 is a typical United States Orienteering Federation orange course, suitable for intermediate orienteers with substantial prior orienteering experience.  Controls and optimal route choice are off-trail, and the course is longer.  Compete alone.  Teams of 2 permitted if mandated by scouters.

 

You may obtain an Excel spreadsheet from the BAOC web site (www.BAOC.org) which you can use for your entry and e-mail it to gavinwm@comcast.net by October 1, 2004.  You must still mail in your payment by the same date as well – please be sure to identify your troop number on your check.