Lake Needwood

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November 13
Sunday

Pre-registration is required and will open on Monday, Nov. 7 at 6pm and will close at Noon Saturday Nov. 12.
There will be no day-of registration.

Welcome back to Lake Needwood! This will be our eleventh event at this beautiful lakeside park, nestled within the 1,800 acre Rock Creek Regional Park. On offer is a full slate of beginner through advanced courses. Detailed course setter comments and course stats are now posted below.

Check-in will be in Pavilion C near the playground and restroom building. This is in the center of the loop formed by Needwood Lake Circle and Beach Drive. Driving directions to the main parking area are in the location details below. If the weather is nice the parking lots may fill up. If that occurs there is additional parking along the road, just make sure you park in one of the marked spaces.

Check in will open about 9:45am and courses will open at 10:00am. As always, please be off the course no later than 3pm and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We want to make sure of everyone’s safety and status.

Free Beginner Instruction will be offered, but please reach out to the Event Director if you have a group, so we can plan accordingly. Also, make sure to check out our "Your First Event" and "Orienteering Techniques For Beginners" web pages, and if they don’t answer any remaining questions you have, just use our Contact Form and ask away!

Junior training will also be offered at this event starting at 10am. If you have children between the ages of 10 and 21 who can already orienteer on their own, bring them to meet coaches Adam Smith, John Cumings, and Alex Merka. They have a fun hour of orienteering instruction planned for QOC juniors wishing to improve their skills. [Junior training is an ongoing program and is separate from beginner training, which is designed to get orienteers of all ages out on the trail at that event.] If you have any questions about Junior training, just contact any coach (by clicking on their names).

Group Leaders: Please see our For Group Leaders page if you are leading a youth or large group – even though you will be pre-registering online. Please contact the Event Director with your plans and numbers for her awareness.

Volunteer SignUps: If you'd like to help out at this event click here. You can also contact the event director (listed below).

Reminders:

  • QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our meets. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in the case of event cancellation.
  • Masks are optional at all locations connected with the event. Please continue to minimize clustering at and around the check-in, e-punch, start and finish areas.
  • As mentioned above, beginner instruction has resumed to provide an overview of the orienteering basics for newcomers to the sport or those who just want a refresher.
  • There is no water for drinking on the course. Participants are responsible for their own hydration, so please come prepared. A very limited supply of bottled water for emergency use will be on hand with the Event Director.
  • For this event (as with most others this season) there will be eight 15 minute check-in windows followed by two 45min windows.
  • Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash at all times.

Location

Lake Needwood, Circle Parking Area, Derwood, MD (Classic)

RegistrationRegistration for this event will open at 6pm on Monday Nov. 7 via this link. Registration will close at noon on Saturday Nov. 12. Pre-registration is mandatory.

Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name.

Start TimesStart times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
ScheduleSunday, November 13
10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
Volunteers
Event Director:Iva Zicha
Course Designer:Ken Walker, Jr
Course Designer:Samantha Walker
Location Details

Classic
Lake Needwood
Circle Parking Area
Derwood, MD
Google Map

Get to Avery Rd from either Norbeck Rd (Rt 28) or Muncaster Mill Rd (Rt 115). From Avery Rd, turn onto Needwood Lake Dr, go 0.3 miles, then turn left on Beach Dr. The first right then leads to Needwood Lake Circle, and by continuing to follow QOC signs you should be led to the pavilion/shelter in use for the event, most likely towards the S end of the lake.
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Course DetailsClassic
Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
White 2.36011
Yellow 3.51159
Orange 4.822511
Brown 4.92358
Green 6.431010
Red 8.234513
Blue 9.944018
Course NotesClassic

The woods are generally very open and runnable, much more so than even a few weeks ago. Steep slopes may be slippery if there is rain before the event.

Orange and all advanced courses will cross some narrow and busy roads. Please pay attention and watch for cars when crossing. You can also use these roads to get across the creek, but please do not linger or run along the sections marked with purple Xs, these are too narrow to be used safely. There may also be some construction equipment near one of the bridges, use extra caution if that is the case.

Please also obey any out of bounds markers and olive-green sections around the residential areas.

All advanced courses will have some controls in Redgate Park, a former golf course which is now partly overgrown but still generally very fast running.

Red and Blue course runners will need to cross the creek near the south end of the map and should plan on getting their feet wet. Orange runners may choose to run through the creek but also have a dry-feet option.

Map Scales are expected to be 1:5000 for White, 1:7500 for Yellow and Brown, and 1:10000 for all other courses.

Entry FeesIndividual 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.
  • In addition to free on-site beginner instruction if needed, beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst