[roc-info] Additional information about Trail Challenge this Sunday

[Richard Detwiler]

The courses have been finalized, so here's some additional information 
about the Trail Challenge this Sunday (Seneca Park; registration opens 
at noon; 1:00 pm mass start; courses close at 2:30 pm). The normal club 
entry fee structure applies to this meet -- $10 non-members, $6 members, 
with a $1 discount for pre-registering on-line.

The location is the Eagle Shelter, which is about 3/4 of the way around 
the one-way road around the pond in the lower section of the park.

Unlike most orienteering events, you receive your map when you check in, 
so the sooner you check in, the more time you have to study the map. And 
if you're relatively new to the sport, feel free to ask any questions 
that you may have, after looking at the map.

There will be two courses, a standard Trail Challenge and a moderately 
shorter version.

The standard course is 5.8 km straight-line distance. The estimated 
distance of the optimum route is only slightly longer, at 6.1 km. There 
is an estimated 60 meters of climb. Most controls are on trails, 
although there is a portion of the course that involves fairly 
significant travel (approximately 300 meters total) off trail. The 
navigation in this section is not challenging, however, as there are 
high fences along this section that make for excellent handrails. There 
are also a couple of controls slightly off of trails that are not 
particularly challenging to navigate to and find.

The shortened course is 4.5 km straight-line distance. The estimated 
distance of the optimum route is 4.8 km, with an estimated 45 meters of 
climb. The first five controls are the same for each course. The 
shortened course eliminates control 6 which is where the off-trail 
travel comes in, so there is minimal off trail distance with the 
shortened course. Also, 5 of the last 6 controls in the standard course 
are eliminated on the shortened course.

It is suggested that if you have any question about being able to 
complete the standard course in 90 minutes, that you take a map of each 
course with you (no extra charge). Then, after you've done the first 5 
controls, you can decide whether to do the standard course or the 
shortened course. Or you may, of course, just decide from the beginning 
that you'd rather do the shortened course.

Dick Detwiler, course setter