Rosaryville

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April 29
Sunday

Come and do mountain bike orienteering or classic orienteering or both! Course setter Russ Damtoft has prepared a full slate of white through blue classic orienteering courses, and Tom Nolan has designed three MTBO courses of varying lengths, and all course stats are now posted below.

Update: Online registration with payment is required. MTBO registration is now open here; classic/foot registration is also now open and is located here. If you are doing both events you will need to register in both places.

Any youth or large groups attending, please contact the Event Director so that we can coordinate pre-registration for your group; the group registration and waiver form is part of the information on our Group Leaders page.

Wondering what Mountain Bike Orienteering is about? Check out these videos (there are 3) from the Australian Orienteering Association:

The other two videos are here ('How To Navigate") and here ('Things You Need To Know').

If you don't want to click through to any of those at the moment, suffice it to say that MTBO is navigational racing on mountain bikes, in which each participant is given a map showing a series of checkpoints to be found in a designated order in the shortest possible time, with the choice of route between checkpoints left up to the racer. Success therefore depends on raw speed, of course, but also on the ability to read the map, make good route choices and execute them efficiently.

Rules for the MTBO event:

  • Helmet use is mandatory.
  • Start your course any time between 9 - 10am and return no later than 11:30am.
  • Participants are required to stay within 10 feet of their bikes at all times while racing.
  • Participants are required to stay on trails, tracks, roads and fields. No short cuts through the forest.
  • Participants must yield to horses and pedestrians, in accordance with park rules.
  • Note: Poor or wet trail conditions may require the MTBO to be cancelled. The foot-O in the afternoon will take place rain or shine. After racing, our meet director will, weather permitting, get some charcoal going on one of the grills and provide some hot dogs and rolls (maybe). Feel free also to bring your own food to throw on the grill.

    Map Board Information If you wish to use a map board, you will need to bring your own. They are available to purchase; make sure to place your order before April 22 to allow enough time for shipping (and installing). The AutoPilot map board (either style) can be purchased as described here. These map boards are the preferred choice of Team USA riders, and a portion of each purchase helps support the MTBO Team as well.

    After The Event use our updated RouteGadget software to enter your routes to all controls, and then compare your way to the way others went. The user interface is now tablet- and smartphone-friendly as well as Java-free. Event maps and split times for all participants are usually online within a day of the event.

    Have questions? Feel free to use our Contact form anytime!

    Location

    Rosaryville State Park, Pavilion parking area, Rosaryville, MD (Classic & MTBO)

    RegistrationUpdate: online registration is required. MTBO registration is now open here; classic/foot registration is also now open and is located here. If you are doing both events you will need to register in both places.
    Start TimesYou may start your course at any time during the start window listed for each event.
    ScheduleSunday, April 29
    8:45 am - 9:45 amClassic & MTBO: MTBO Registration
    9:00 am - 10:00 amClassic & MTBO: MTBO Start Window
    10:45 am - 1:15 pmClassic & MTBO: Classic Registration Open
    11:00 am - 1:30 pmClassic & MTBO: Classic Start Window
    11:30 amClassic & MTBO: MTBO Courses Close
    3:00 pmClassic & MTBO: Classic Courses Close
    Volunteers
    Event Director:Jane Leggett
    Course Setter:Russ Damtoft
    Location Details

    Classic & MTBO, Classic & MTBO, Classic & MTBO, Classic & MTBO, Classic & MTBO, Classic & MTBO
    Rosaryville State Park
    Pavilion parking area
    Rosaryville, MD
    Google Map

    From I-495 exit 11A, head east on Rt 4 (Penn. Ave) for 3 miles. Turn right on Woodyard Rd/MD-223, then quickly move left to turn left on Marlboro Pike. After 2.8 miles, turn right on Crain Hwy/Rt-301 S, then take the first right on W. Marlton Ave into the Park. Follow O'signs within the park.

    Park Entrance Fees: $3/pp in-state, $5/pp out-of-state
    Google Maps Link
    Apple/iPhone Link

    Course DetailsClassic & MTBO
    Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
    White 1.81511
    Yellow 2.54010
    Orange 4.715511
    Medium Mountain Bike 15.813
    Short Mountain Bike 12.411
    Brown 3.1908
    Long Mountain Bike 18.616
    Green 5.113511
    Red 7.722013
    Blue 8.325017
    Course NotesClassic & MTBO

    MTBO Course Notes: We are offering 3 versions of the MTBO course: Short, Medium, and Long. The distances given in the table are for the actual distance traveled, assuming the shortest route choices. The climb is not significant, and there are only a few areas of technical difficulty. The trails are numerous and confusing. The large trails are wide enough to pass in both directions, but the smaller trails are single-track.
    Some trails are difficult to see on the ground, because they have become somewhat overgrown. In addition, heavy MTB use has made primary trails highly visible and obscured connecting trails, even though they may be mapped the same way. The courses zig-zag across the park, and you may encounter riders coming in the other direction on your trail, so please keep an eye out for approaching cyclists. If you are out after 11:00 a.m., you may also encounter orienteers on foot. Given the complexity of the trail network, a map board will be very useful. All MTBO maps will be printed at a scale of 1:10000.
    MTBO participants, please note: You may ride across any area that is mapped as yellow. In areas of white and green you must remain on trails and you may not dismount and carry your bike off-trail. The courses are designed to avoid the temptation to do so. There is no water on the courses, so please bring your own water with you.

    Classic Course Notes: White and Yellow are 1:5000. All other courses are 1:10000. The contour interval is 5 meters. The Blue course map is split across both sides of the page.
    The light green areas have good visibility and are runnable this time of year, although they may have greened up a bit by the time of the event. There is some low greenbriar just getting started. The longer courses pass through the mature beech forest in the southwest part of the map, which is attractive, open and fast.

    Entry FeesIndividual Entries

    Note: juniors = under 21

    Club Member, adult Club Member, junior Non-Member, adult Non-Member, junior
    Epunch Owner $5 $5 $10 $5
    Epunch Borrower $10 $5 $15 $10

    Team or Group Entries

    Participants are welcome to compete together as a single team entry. Teams containing one or more nonmembers are charged the nonmember individual rate. Teams containing one or more adults are charged the adult individual rate. For teams to receive member or junior rates, all members of the team must be members or juniors, respectively. Each extra team map beyond the first is an additional $2. Individuals or teams desiring to compete on a second course can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map.

    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 pay a higher entry fee (see above), which includes the loan of an epunch for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) are usually available for sale at each event 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 (driver's license or car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
    • For additional safety, whistles are available for sale at $1/each.
    • Free beginner instruction is always available - just ask at the registration table.