Occoquan
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PDF versionShareThisSeptember 16
Sunday
For the first time since the December 2015, QOC is returning to Occoquan Regional Park to open the 2018-2019 season. Occoquan affords a combination of fast, open woods along with recreational fields (and some thick vegetation if you wander off course); course stats and course setter comments are now posted below.
This year we will be joined by Northern Virginia Senior Olympics competitors as part of the NVSO games taking place during the 15-26 September 2018 window. For more details, see the NVSO webpage.
Event timing is our standard: register any time between 10:45 - 1:15, start any time between 11 - 1:30, and make sure to be back and to have downloaded by 3pm.
Event registration for both QOC and NVSO participants is at Shelter 4, which has a new parking lot adjacent to it, so parking should be simpler than it has been in the past; a locator map is here. In the event the new parking lot should fill up, there is another (unpaved) lot 200m back along the park road and also the boat launch parking lots connected to Shelter 4 by a convenient trail (see linked graphic). The start is 250m down the park road from the registration area and the finish is directly adjacent to it. In terms of course map scales, white will be at 1:5,000 scale and all other courses (including yellow) will be 1:7,500.
Besides the new parking lot, there has been a good deal of additional construction and upgrading going on this past spring at Occoquan. Those who have not been to the park recently will see a large new event center building as they break out of the wooded entry drive and into the open park area. The entry road has been slightly re-routed to make room for the event center and another new parking area built for it. In addition the paved walking trail has been extended and upgraded as well. The new Brickmaker's Cafe is located in the event center and serves brunch on Sundays 10 AM to 2 PM, so those who do their orienteering early will have the opportunity to enjoy brunch overlooking the Occoquan River.
Additional information:
- Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on a leash at all times.
- Full restroom facilities will be available a short walk away from our registration area.
- There are no entrance or parking fees at this venue.
- GPS watches will be available for loan from Jon Torrance for those who wish to track their routes.
Have any questions? Use our Contact Us form any time.
| Location | Occoquan Regional Park, Shelter 4 Parking Area, Lorton, VA (Classic) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration | No advance registration required. Just show up and have fun! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start Times | After you have registered, you may start any time between 11am - 1:30pm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule | Sunday, September 16
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| Volunteers |
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| Location Details |
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| Course Details | Classic
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| Course Notes | Classic The woodland part of the Occoquan map has changed little since our last event here. However, the major construction project in the park over the last year has resulted in significant modifications to the athletic fields and other open and built-up areas of the park. Most of the baseball and soccer configurations have been removed, leaving open fields, and the multi-purpose trail has been extended to form a complete loop the open fields. New parking lots and drainage infrastructure have been added. These changes are reflected on the map. Most of Occoquan Park--both the open fields and the woodland area lying on both sides of Mordor Road--is very open and runnable. Deadfall, a big problem in other parks, is minimal in Occoquan. There were many more decayed root stocks to take off the map than there were new ones to add. The only severe undergrowth is concentrated along the sides of and between the trails in the area due north of the start. There is scattered refuse, especially around the fringes of the woodland area, that is not shown on the map. For Orange through Blue courses, there are multiple crossings of Mordor Road. While runners should conduct any road crossing with caution, traffic density is generally low, and speed humps are in place to restrict vehicles to 20 mph. The start will be about 250 m from, and the finish adjacent to, the registration site. Finally, as you would expect at this time of year, ticks and other bugs are present, whether in the woods or any backyard. Protect yourself accordingly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entry Fees | Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
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
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