TrailCross Series Guidelines
The information below should be considered as additions to The Checklist for regular orienteering events. Also, be sure to reference the Electronic Punching Guide.
Part 1: Required
- Event Director: Recruit a dedicated logistics person to help. TrailCross is unlike "regular" orienteering events, nor like Wilderness Scramble, in that a lot of stuff has to get procured just for the event, and then has to make it to multiple locations within a short time window. This stuff will be coming from multiple locations at uncertain times. With the long list of tasks that directing BAOC events already entails, you will not be able to do this task effectively by yourself.
- Course Setter: Courses are long, and trail runners like to start early. You will not be able to place checkpoints on the morning of the event; all checkpoints must be in the woods and on the trails the day before.
- Course Setter: You must synchronize e-punch units before you place them—ideally on Saturday morning if you place the units on Saturday before the Sunday event.
- Event Director: Check-in must be efficient. You should have two registration areas, and two separate check-in lines: one for preregistered people, and one for day-of entrants. The preregistered area/tent must be well staffed, ideally with 3 people dedicated only to check-in. The day-of area can have a single person, so you should have 4 check-in people in total. The check-in staff must have a spreadsheet printout to check people off, but having the printout is not sufficient—see the next item.
- Event Director: Provide a 10-minute instruction to the check-in staff before check-in actually opens, to familiarize them with the check-in procedure.
- Event Director: Recruit dedicated crews for aid stations and for serving refreshments at the Finish. Ideally each aid station should have two volunteers, and the Finish refreshments table should have at least one. Refreshments can't be just plopped on the table; plates and cups must be continuously filled so that the food and snacks look abundant and enticing!
Part 2: Nice To Have
- Course Setter: Recruit a vetter with mostly trailrunning (not orienteering) experience, and have this vetter test-run your courses. This will give you the correct perspective.