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Sunday
Pre-registration is required and will open on Monday, May 4 at 6pm and close at 12 noon on Saturday May 9.
There will be no day-of registration.
Welcome back to the Balls Bluff venue. This event features a fresh set of courses courtesy of course setter Justin Brown. This year we’ve organized bus transportation for participants from Balls Bluff Elementary School to the registration area at the Edwards Landing Pavilion. Participants are asked not to park along the residential streets neighboring the Park (the limited parking at the Pavilion is reserved for volunteers only).
Check in at the registration area will open at about 9:45am, and courses will open at 10:00am. As always, be off the course no later than 3pm, and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We expect the last shuttle returning to the school parking lot to leave at 3:15pm.
Orienteering at Balls Bluff: Balls Bluff Battlefield Park is the site of the first Civil War battle in Loudoun County (1861). The park has recently undergone restoration to more accurately reflect its 1861 condition, and you are encouraged to tour the area and its National Cemetery near the Potomac River. Click here for a brief history of the battle.
What to Expect: Participants will navigate through diverse terrains, including wooded areas, open fields, and waterways, using a map and compass. This event is designed to test your navigation skills, endurance, and for groups, teamwork. Various courses will be available to accommodate all skill levels:
- Beginner Course: Perfect for newcomers, offering a gentle introduction to orienteering with straightforward checkpoints and kid-friendly terrain. Beginner Instruction will be available.
- Intermediate Course: A bit more challenging, great for those with some orienteering experience looking to improve their skills.
- Advanced Courses: For experienced orienteers seeking a rigorous and demanding course with complex navigation.
- Comfortable outdoor clothing and sturdy footwear
- Water bottle and snacks
- Compass and whistle if you have them. Loaners are available if needed.
Our club relies on our amazing volunteers! Thanks to you, we’re able to offer an event almost every weekend in the season. We’re always looking for new volunteers to help share the load so that our regulars don’t end up running totally off-course!
If you have a sense of adventure and a little time to spare, join the crew by signing up for a volunteer slot via this form, or email the Event Director for other volunteering opportunities.
Beginners: Make sure to check out our Your First Event and Orienteering Techniques For Beginners webpages, and if they don't answer all your questions, just ask them via our Contact Form. We will offer beginner instruction at the event.
Groups: QOC allows groups of up to 4 people to orienteer together. Please see our Group Leaders webpage and then contact the Event Director so they are aware of your plans.
Other notes and reminders:
- QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our events. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in case of event cancellation.
- No water or food will be provided. Participants are responsible for meeting all their own food and hydration needs.
- Restrooms are available near the picnic area.
- Everyone must be out of the woods and back at the registration/finish area by 3:00pm when control pick-up will start. Allow yourself time to get back to the registration area to download, regardless of whether you finished the course. We want to ensure that all participants are safe and accounted for.
- Pets are allowed but must always be kept on a leash and under the owner’s control.
Advance Notice!
Non-citizen orienteers without permanent resident status in the US must contact our May 16 event director before May 11 to discuss access to our event on the Quantico Marine Corps Base (details here).| Location | Balls Bluff Regional Park, Edwards Landing Pavilion (School Parking), Leesburg, Virginia | ||||||||
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| Registration | Advance registration will be required. The date and time that registration will open will be posted here; usually, registration will open at 6pm on the Monday before the event. |
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| Start Times | Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens). |
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| Schedule |
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| Location Details |
Balls Bluff Regional Park, Edwards Landing Pavilion (School Parking), Leesburg, Virginia
Take the Dulles Toll Road or Rt. 7 to the Rt. 15 by-pass in Leesburg. Turn right for about a mile to Battlefield Parkway and then turn right. Balls Bluff Elementary School will be on the right after 0.7 miles. The direction links below will take you to the school parking.
Directions to Edwards Landing from the school: From Battlefield Parkway southbound, turn left near the south end of the school to go east on Hunton Place for 0.3 miles, then turn right at the intersection with Graywood Way/Woods Edge Drive and go 0.1 miles before turning left on Powhatan Ct. The entrance to the small Edwards Landing parking area is on the right side of the turnaround circle. Note to those walking: it's just 0.6 miles, but please be especially careful crossing Battlefield Parkway. Click here for an overview map.
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| Entry Fees | Individual Entries Note: juniors = under 21
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
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Location
Registration
Advance registration will be required. The date and time that registration will open will be posted here; usually, registration will open at 6pm on the Monday before the event.
Start Times
Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
Schedule
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Sunday, May 10
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location Details
Directions to Edwards Landing from the school: From Battlefield Parkway southbound, turn left near the south end of the school to go east on Hunton Place for 0.3 miles, then turn right at the intersection with Graywood Way/Woods Edge Drive and go 0.1 miles before turning left on Powhatan Ct. The entrance to the small Edwards Landing parking area is on the right side of the turnaround circle. Note to those walking: it's just 0.6 miles, but please be especially careful crossing Battlefield Parkway. Click here for an overview map.
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 (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.
- 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.
- Beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst
