May 18th Update
We've gotten a lot of questions about details. That's a big part of why we're doing this!
Here are answers to the questions people have asked:
- You are signing up for both relays, but you don't have to run both. You also don't have to run on the same team for both relays.
- The maps will have trails. Some of the trails will be overgrown. There has been a lot of growth this spring, so the grass will be long, but there will be a lot of flowers. There are always lots of birds, too.
- We will have the club's supply of rental punches available at no charge.
- There will be a catch-up mass start for both relays. To test different options, the first relay will have a mass start for second-leg runners, and another one for third-leg runners. The second relay will have only one catch-up start. Here's the planned timeline:
10:00 – Mass start for Relay 1 (the teams are here)
10:40 – Mass start for leg-2 runners whose leg 1 has not finished
11:20 – Mass start for leg-3 runners whose leg 2 has not finished
12:00 – Relay 1 closed
12:00 – Mass start for Relay 2
13:30 – Mass start for all remaining competitors for Relay 2
14:15 – Relay 2 closed
- We will not have a separate course for first timers. If you've run a Yellow course, you should be able to run a leg. This is an opportunity to try an orienteering relay without the pressure of the NAOC Championships.
- There will be a spectator control for both relays. You can see a long way at Bayfront Park, consider bringing binoculars!
Don't forget to sign up before 9:00 Saturday morning.
See you out there!
– Jeff Lanam
BAOC will have a free Relay event on May 21st, to give the event administration a chance to practice for the NAOC Relays during this summer's California Orienteering Festival (Cal-O-Fest). We would like as many participants as we can get in order to practise our processes. Put your teams together, or sign up on your own and we'll try to match you up. You can run one, two, or three legs, but you must use a different E-stick for each leg.
The event will take place at Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, starting at 9:45 with the demonstration of the changeover. We will have two relays—the first will start at 10:00, and the second one will start at 12:00. The legs will be short: probably 1.5 km each for relay 1, and 2.5 km each for relay 2. Since it will be at Bayfront Park, the technical level will be low. So everyone who's run a Yellow (Advanced Beginner) course should be able to do it. Courses are being designed by Misha Kreslaysky.
Note for Beginners: BAOC events normally include courses for beginners, and short beginner "clinics" that introduce orienteering and explain how it's done. Because of the special format of this event, those features will not be available. However, as mentioned above, anyone who has previously completed a Yellow (Advanced Beginner) course should be able to complete a Relay leg (which will be a normal course, except for the details of the Start and Finish). Please don't be put off by the special Relay format—the purpose of this event is to practice the administration of a Relay event, not to be a serious competition. So, less-experienced orienteers will be welcome to join the fun.
Please allow ten minutes to walk to the arena in time for the changeover demonstration. (See below for more information about times.)
Teams will be assigned to different classes, depending on the total number of points of their members. We will have 0-, 4-, 8-, and 12-point classes. If they want to be more competitive, a team can compete in a class with fewer points than their actual number (e.g., an 8-point team can compete in the 4-point class). Points are assigned based on age and gender—the same scheme will be used in the NAOC Relays. Here is the table that shows how many points you bring to the team.
Age Women Men
-12 / 75+ 7 pts 5 pts
-14 / 65+ 6 4
-16 / 55+ 5 3
-18 / 45+ 4 2
-20 / 35+ 3 1
21+ 2 0
A sign-up form is now available (see below)—you must sign up before the event.
Since this is a barebones event, please bring your own water and snacks. Please come early to be ready to walk to the arena and attend the preliminaries.
Bedwell Bayfront Park is located at the end of Marsh Road in Menlo Park, just east of US 101, west of the Dumbarton Bridge—see directions below.
Please come out to this practice event, run a short course, cheer on your team, and see your clubmates!
– Jeff Lanam, NAOC Relay Event Director
Event Logistics
Sign-ups for the Club Relay have closed. Please sign up by 9:00 AM on Saturday, May 20th. You do not need to have a complete team to sign up; we will try to match you to fill teams. You can also run more than one leg, but you must use a different E-punch for each leg.
You can see who has signed up here.
This is a free event, and there is no parking fee at Bayfront Park.
Please arrive and be ready to run by 9:30 AM, when we will walk to the Start and announce team assignments. The demonstration of the changeover will be at 9:45. The mass start of the first-leg runners will be at 10:00. The second relay will start at 12:00.
Be sure to read the Course Setter's Notes for more information.
Bring your own snacks and chairs. Cheer on your teammates and have fun!
Teams
Relay 1
Bib Leg Club Name(s) E-Stick
101-1 1 Zheng Siqing 1426701
101-2 2 Szu-Po Wang 1426702
101-3 3 Cheng Chen 1426703
102-1 1 BAOC Stephanie Maclean 9201894
102-2 2 BAOC Derek Maclean 8636997
102-3 3 Michael Granville 2031667
103-1 1 BAOC Marie-Josée Parayre 8668900
103-2 2 BAOC Graham Brew 8021920
103-3 3 BAOC François Léonard 8143900
104-1 1 BAOC Steve Haas 8668885
104-2 2 BAOC Chuck Spalding 8216216
104-3 3 BAOC Matthias Kohler 141867
105-1 1 BAOC Beiduo Rao 1992107
105-2 2 BAOC Chun & Yingfei Wu & Wang 7021991
105-3 3 Yifei Yin 1426706
106-1 1 Jan Jergus 362930
106-2 2 Maria Jergusova 1426704
106-3 3 Adriana Jergusova 1426705
107-1 1 BAOC John Richardson 8071647
107-2 2 BAOC Tac Sugiyama 7344030
107-3 3 BAOC John Richardson 2147690
108-1 1 BAOC Miroslav Trubelja 1426707
108-2 2 Olga Boiarynova 1300872
108-3 3 BAOC Rex Winterbottom 8002157
109-1 1 BAOC George Minarik 8668871
109-2 2 BAOC Sarah Williams 8143907
109-3 3 BAOC Tapio Karras 8102261
Relay 2
We assume the teams will have the same members, who will run in the same order (although some teams might not participate in Relay 2).
Driving Directions
The approximate coordinates are 37.4909,-122.1773.
From the Peninsula, North, and South, take Highway 101 to the exit for Marsh Rd/CA-84E (#406). Head east on Marsh Rd (toward Dumbarton Bridge or the Bay). Stay to the left so you can drive straight ahead into the park at the traffic signal where Marsh turns right onto Bayfront Expressway.
From the East Bay, cross the Dumbarton Bridge (Hwy 84). Go to the seventh traffic light after the bridge (at Marsh Rd), and turn right into the park.