December 9, 2012
Miami Woods

Meet Director: Eric Olsen Course Setter: David Yang Schedule: 9:30 a.m. Beginners' Clinic 10 a.m. Mass start for Madnaess course 11:30am Courses close and control pickup starts (Maximum time on course: 90 minutes) Cost: (per individual or team)   Event Day Registration Online Pre-Registration CAOC members $10 $7 non-member $15 $10 additional maps $3 rental compass $1 purchase e-Punch $35 (We suggest a maximum of four people per group.)

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** After the meet, please join us at the Skokie Public Library for 2012 Annual General Meeting, open to all **

Details:

On-line registration is open through midnight, Thursday, December 6th.

This Winter Madnaess event will take place on one of our maps along the Chicago River. There will be a White beginner's course, an Orange intermediate course, plus the Madnaess course for more experienced orienteerers.

UPDATE: The Madnaess course at this event will have TWO Madnaess boxes. You can skip your allowed number of controls in Box #1 and then again in Box #2.

This is the fourth year of the Winter Madnaess Series which features four individual races over the winter months. The format is very different from traditional orienteering as the race is a mass start. The race is broken into three parts. The first is a set of common controls where the runners go head to head. They then enter the Madnaess box which features 7 or more controls. The intent of this box is to equalize the race for all levels of skill and as such each runner gets to skip a certain amount the controls based on their age and gender. Many racers will have to visit all of them while younger or older runners will do fewer. Coming out of the box they then cover a number of common controls once again and, if planned out properly, most of the runners should finish very close to one another.

Racers will count their best three out of four results to determine overall 2012-2013 champions. For runners who are unable to get to at least three of the races to count for the total, this is not an issue as each race is a separate competition so if you can only make one then come out a try.

For beginners and kids we will have separate novice courses so bring them out.

The competition will go ahead through rain or snow.

The Winter Madnaess Rules

1. All events will have a mass start at 10:00 on the event day. You may start without penalty up to 20 minutes after the official start time. After that, your start time may be adjusted back to 20 minutes.
   
   
2. The time limit is 90 minutes--all controls will be picked up after this time.
   
   
3. At each event, every participant must sign an event waiver prior to the start, at registration time.
   
   
4. Pre-marked maps are guaranteed to all who pre-register.
   
   
5. Map cases may be purchased at pre-registration or on-site for $1.
   
   
6. To ensure competitiveness for all participants, each event will use a handicap system called The Madnaess Box. Using their creativity, course setters will attempt to choreograph that elusive mass finish.

The Madnaess Box

Each race will feature the infamous Madnaess Box, which consists of a set of controls labeled with letters (A,B,C, etc) somewhere on the course. Participants may attack the controls in the box in any order. Additionally, participants may drop controls equal to their handicap point total. Handicap points are awarded as follows:

Examples:

• A 46-year-old female may drop 4 controls in the box.
• 19-year-old male may drop 1 control in the box.
• A 28-year-old male must visit all the controls in the box.

Directions:
Take the Eden's Expwy (I-94) 2 miles north (west) of the Kennedy (I-90) to Exit 41A (N Caldwell Ave). west). Caldwell will bend from west to north as you go 4 miles to the forest preserve entrance on your right, just past Oakton St. Watch for the orange-and-white orienteering signs. You can also take the Edens to Touhy and go west to Caldwell. Turn right and go north, following the directions above. From the north, exit at Dempster and take that west to Waukegan. Turn left and go south, watching for the Caldwell split to your left. The forest preserve entrance is about 1/4 mile north of Oakton.

Public Transportation:
Take the Metra Milwaukee District North line out of Union Station. The 5:15 p.m. train arrives in Morton Grove at 5:42. Walk north to Dempster then west across the river and tracks and follow the bike path south through the woods to the start just north of Oakton.