Organizer: Cheryl Smith (Event Director)

Details as of May 18, 2026 - Updates are expected prior to the event.

This event is designed to allow practice for our Canadian Orienteering Championships start crew (and participants!), so the format will be a little different! We will use "formal" start lanes and participants will complete a number of short loop courses with varying difficulty.

This is a great training opportunity and is very beginner-friendly. Our goal is to have as many participants as possible to give our starters practice, while still providing competition for those who want it. Friends and family who do not wish to orienteer can help out by going through the start lanes repeatedly and simply handing their maps back each time.

All levels of orienteers are welcome - don't worry if you've never done a "formal start" before. Our friendly start crew will be there to guide you through the process. We'll be asking random participants to make "mistakes" and act confused so that our crew encounters real-life scenarios.

The Schedule:

10:00 Registration Opens

10:15 Beginner Clinic (if required)

10:45 Safety Brief and instructions

11:00-12:30 (Staggered Starts - each participant will start multiple times)

13:30 Course Time Limit

Start will be nearby the registration table.

The Venue:

Centreville Recreation Park (Percy A. Lydiard Park) is a family-friendly, volunteer-run community space featuring baseball diamonds, soccer pitches, a walking track, wooded walking trails, and a playground.

The Courses:

Preliminary details (subject to change):

• Each participant will complete a series of short (2-3 controls) POINT TO POINT courses, completed in the order shown on the map provided.
• Before each time they "start", participants will visit a volunteer to receive a timing stick and a start time.
• They will proceed to the "call up" line when their start time is displayed.
• Start crew will check their names, start times and timing sticks, and provide further instruction.
• Maps will be provided at the start, which will be staggered to space competitors and limit following.
• There will be flagging tape to the "start control" (start of all the courses, marked on the map with a triangle)
• There will be 4 beginner, 4 intermediate and 4 advanced loops of varying lengths. Do one or do them all! Do them as many times as you like, forwards or backwards!
• TENTATIVE: If I can make this work, NSOS point series results will be based on cumulative times for the FIRST times you complete (in order):
  • The 4 beginner loops (Beginner)
  • The 4 beginner and 4 intermediate loops (Intermediate)
  • The 4 intermediate and 4 advanced loops (Advanced)
• Beginner loops will typically follow marked and easy to follow trails to controls on trail for the easiest navigation and shortest distance to cover. Basic map following required. 1-2km.
• Intermediate participants, will typically exercise route choice along trails while also using map features and basic compass skills to find controls located just off trails with typically clear features to ease navigation. 2-3km.
• Advanced participants will typically tackle the entire map on trail and off, following longer route choices through more difficult terrain, streams forests ravines and all; good navigation skills required. 4-6km.
• A beginner’s clinic may be offered. Let us know if you are interested, and we can provide some form of instruction, if not a formal clinic. Please check-in at 10am if you require instruction.

Registration:

Prior to participating in an event, all participants must have completed the one time Orienteering NS registration form and the Orienteering Canada waiver. This can be done as part of registration process; follow the link on this page.

Once membership and waiver are completed, register for courses by completing the process at the registration site.

Please ensure you register via the link on this page by midnight THURSDAY, June 20th to ensure a map is printed for you.

On-site check-in will take place on site from 10:00 to 10:45 am.

Last minute registration: This can be done on site, but we typically only have a few extra maps; because we didn’t know you were coming. Also, pre-registration allows the on-site details to move more quickly.

Registration link:

Registration Link

Questions: (some may be answered below)

To Cheryl at valleyorienteering@outlook.com

Directions/Parking:

Event is Centreville Recreation Park, Centreville NS. See pinned location shown in the map below. Registration will be close to the parking lot.

VOLUNTEERS:

Volunteers would be VERY MUCH appreciated for a few tasks associated with the event (e.g. Beginner clinic, registration, timing stick distribution, control pickup). Volunteers can still participate! Please click below to sign up:

volunteer signup

Snacks:

A small post race treat will be available. Participants should bring their own water if needed.

Washrooms:

Washrooms will be available on-site.

Weather:

We run rain, snow or shine. Local thunder will typically be accommodated by a short delay. That said, any weather involving a Hurricane or Tropical Storm coming straight over the event site will result in a reschedule.

Entry Fees:

The following are the fees for this event* (pre-registered), add $5 for day-of registrations:

$10 per adult (21+) participating as an individual or as a team member

$5 per youth (7-20) participating as an individual or as a team member

Children under 7 participate free

*If you are registering four or more family/household members at the same time (including at least one adult), please use the discount code FAMILY_2026 at checkout to receive a discount.

*Sprint fee pricing applies per ONS Standard Event Fees (see document on Resources tab for more info).

How to Pay:

In advance (preferred):

• By credit card as part of the registration process
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to the following email: nsorienteering@gmail.com
  • If you choose this method, complete the online registration process. At checkout, please enter the following coupon code: PAY_EFT_2026 so that you appear on our registration list.

In person:

• In cash; a payment container will be available. Please bring correct change.
  • If you choose this method, complete the online registration process. At checkout, please enter the following coupon code: PAY_CASH_2026 so that you appear on our registration list.

Note: all of the above is restated in the registration process.

Need Orienteering Kit before the event? Visit the O-Store!

Location