Wellington Afterwork Rogaine Planning Guide

Or, "Rogaine Planning 101"

How It Works Round Here

1. Background What are we trying to achieve with our afterwork rogaines in Wellington?
   • Have fun – the organiser, beginners and experts
   • The map does not have to be huge.
   • A consistent standard of event
   • A pre-warning of anything unusual
   • Some other suggestions
   These rogaines are run by Orienteering Hutt Valley. Jenny Cossey is the overall coordinator. Distribution of information and advertising is via the Wellington Ridge Runners email list, the OHV website and the Maptalk calendar.

   Make sure you know what we tell the competitors.

2. Area
   Where to run them? Look for maximum freedom of movement, minimum landowners/authorities, ease of access (esp afterwork), nice environment. Urban areas have proved to be quite acceptable, especially if there are substantial green belts, eg Tinakori Hill. Look for areas with curvy roads rather than grid pattern, lots of shortcuts, walkways, reserves.

3. Permission
   Afterwork on public roads/tracks/parks doesn't need permission. Sometimes de facto tracks are actually private though. The regional council wants to know if we're using its parks and depending on the ranger we might have to fill in some forms. OHV has a database of owners for orienteering maps, is building up data for rogaines. If in doubt ask.

4. Selection of Start/Finish
   This is more likely to need permission – use your judgement. Visit at the same day/time of day to see if eg carpark is used for sports practice. Preferably in the middle of your area, parking, sheltered pleasant place for organizers and after-match. School or park is good.

5. Maps
   Shoestring rogaines started out using the 1:50,000 Topo enlarged, with additions before photocopying, but its hard to delete features that have to come off. OHV has 20,000 vector mapping in the computer, based on the topo, offers best scope for enhancement, specifically made for rogaining and MTBO. Covers the entire greater Wellington area; eastern boundary Akatarawa Hill Rd, northern boundary Waikanae. Steadily being improved by YOU!

6. Control placement
   No fixed number, the convention is that the score is based on the 1st digit, use definite features, no hiding, findable in the dark. The skill is in planning a route and navigating BETWEEN points, not wondering which pine tree you mean. “Balance” scores possible in each sector. Avoid obvious circuit eg big scores all round the perimeter. Aim for the winner to get most but not all.

7. Questions and Answers
   Q&A reduces the workload but its harder to set them than it looks. Question must positively identify the feature, then have an unambiguous answer. Separate the two parts of the question: House at #22: colour of letterbox. If in doubt use orange ribbon with code letter. Best if its always the same orange - same as orienteering flag.

8. Try to avoid
   • Wrongly placed controls. Be careful, its easy to put the circle one block out, or a similar track corner, similar hilltop etc.
   • Imprecise location especially off-track. The map is often not sufficiently precise to postively identify the spot.
   • Non-unique feature is unfair. After choosing the spot, look around for other similar features. If there are, its a bad control.
   • Subject of question, or ribbon unreasonably hard to find in the dark. It is OK if the question tells you specifically where to look, but you shouldn't have to find a ribbon on the backside of a tree at an unknown height above the ground in the dark.
   • Questions which will have teams shining bright lights into people's houses after dark!
   • Schoolmaster Attitude to Marking. It's not an exam, and don't be defensive about your controls, teams who reckon they couldn't find the ribbon etc were probably there and should get the points.

Timeline Checklist

1. Start Planning Early
   Then you can incorporate planning/question gathering with your regular runs and rides. Get printouts of the OHV mapping from the OHV Mapping Officer. Make copies to take out in the field.

2. Three Weeks Before
   Notify the Rogaine Coordinator of the start/finish location, plus any points of interest to advertise the event, and any deviations from the norm. If the area is rugged and weather could be bad consider repeating the recommended gear list. The Coordinator will get the Maptalk calendar updated and an email sent to Wellington Ridge Runners.

3. One Week Before
   Finalise the map corrections and control placement with the Mapping Officer. The key thing with control marking on the map is ensuring the control is in the exact centre of the circle. If you can't visit the Mapping Officer send a marked up map AND the questions which helps avoid errors.

4. Pizzas
   They've become a tradition. (Quarter of a pizza per person) Figure out where you are going to get them from (Dominos is cheapest) and let them know. Worth asking for a discount, they have slow nights! Get the number to ring on the night.

5. Equipment
   None usually needed, but OHV has tents, orienteering flags, clocks. It lives in a shed in Lower Hutt. See below for the Equipment Custodian.

6. The day before
   The OHV webmaster will dump the registrations received up to yesterday into a spreadsheet, send it to you, and tell the mapper how many maps are needed. A rule of thumb is pre-registered people plus one third. The mapper will arrange printing (we have an account with a printing house where the quality is much higher than the usual home or office printer.)

   Question Sheets
   You look after printing these. See template. One page is best, and printed on light card or heavy paper to stand up to moisture, crumpling etc. Ensure your contact cell phone number on the night is on it. If you can't arrange this, you can send a file to the mapper who will get it done with the maps.

   Getting the Maps and Bags
   The mapper will arrange for the maps and ziploc bags to get to the event half an hour before the "maps available" time. The club has better bags than what you can get from the supermarket. There are some in the club shed if you're going there.

7. On The Night - Getting Under Way
   Some things to think about:
   • The weather and terrain on the night may prompt you to question people if they have the right gear.
   • Rogaining is a team sport. It is up to the discretion of the organiser on whether they will allow individuals. Factors to consider: Weather, terrain, experience and fitness of the person, their gear.
   • Students. Have they got someone experienced in the group, that will determine whether you need to check their gear and intentions.

   The most important thing is ensuring you have full details of everyone on the course. The suggested procedure is:

   • It helps to wear something distinguishing – So you are the obvious person to come to, ask questions of etc.
   • A helper is fairly much essential for the start and finish.
   • Use the pre–registrations as a starting point. You must update this with details of full names of who is in team, and a contact phone number. If they are carrying a cell phone – this is best, otherwise a home number.
   • For pre-registrations
     1. Update any missing or changed details. Get full names (some entries are a bit casual). Cross out any team members who aren't coming.
     2. Collect $5 per person pre-registered, half price for school students.
     3. If there are any specific items they need to be aware of for their planning – either tell them or tell them to read the notes at the bottom of the control sheet.
     4. Hand them a map each
     5. Write their team number on each of their control sheets
     6. Hand them a control sheet each.
   • For new registrations: All of the above plus full names and a contact number. $10 per person, half price school students.
   • Briefing. Usually 5 mins before the start. See template.
   • Go.
   • Order pizzas. Timing: you want to get back with them about 15min prior to the finish. Spend $2 per person, should be enough for a couple of pieces per person. Remainder of the money is needed for maps and national body which provides PL cover.

8. On The Night - Finishing
   You need to have an obvious finish point. Again try and make yourself distinguishable as there will be a crowd. Turn on your hazard warnings lights for example. Again it is useful to have an assistant.
   • As they come in write the time on their control sheet. AT THE SAME TIME tick off the team number on your registration sheet. (You need to be sure who is back and who is not.)
   • Hand the control sheet back to the team and ask them to add up their scores.
   • If you have time, as you receive the scored sheets back, shuffle them into order, so you can announce preliminary results.
   • Within 10 mins of finish time, scan your registration sheet for anyone not back yet. Specifically yell out to the crowd in case they have missed out checking in
   • If someone is late back – you want to know asap - before everyone goes home - and you've lost the chance to ask of any sightings.
   • Search and Rescue - hopefully not.
   • Tidy up rubbish – shouldn't be a problem.

9. Results
   ASAP to the OHV Webmaster. There's a proud tradition of results on the web with 24hrs. A little story is good, but don't hold up results because of it, send it later.

10. Afterwards
    Bank the money in the OHV account at the ANZ 010514 0135615-00. The deposit slip has a reference field, use "Rogaine". Send an email to the OHV treasurer telling him date and amount so he can reconcile things.

    Environmental policy, leave only footprints etc. Remove ribbons within a few days, thank landowners if any.

Contacts

You may see a double-up of some of these roles but they could be shared out in different ways in the future.

The Rogaine Coordinator is Phone 934 1418

The OHV Mapping Officer is Phone 566 2645.

The OHV Webmaster is Ph 566 2645

The OHV equipment lives in Kelson, the custodian is Ph 565 0164

The OHV Treasurer is Ph 565 0164

This page written by and Mike Sheridan and updated on 12 Aug 11.