Registration limit

Our agreements with Alberta Parks limits us to 150 participants in each race. So register early to avoid disappointment if the race sells out.

Categories & Courses

Several categories are available, some age based and some skills based, to suit every level of fitness and orienteering experience. Each category will compete on a course of the appropriate technical and physical difficult as described below:

Age categories	Course Description
M/W 9 & under M/W10-12	C1: Technically the easiest and shortest course. All controls on paths.
M/W13-14	C2: Longer and somewhat more technically difficult - controls on large features close to paths.
M/W15-16	C3: Intermediate difficulty, short course. Controls on large features in the forest.
W65-74, M/W75-79, M/W80 & over	C4: Technically difficult, short course.
W45-54, W55-64 M65-74	C5: Technically difficult, medium-length course.
W17-20, W21-34, W35-44 M45-54, M55-64	C6: Technically difficult, medium-length course.
M17-20, M21-34, M35-44	C7: Technically difficult, physically hard.
Open categories	Course Description
Recreational	C2: Technically easy, short course - controls on large features close to paths. Suitable for beginner adults looking for a mild introduction to orienteering.
Sport (Solo) Sport (Team)	C8: Intermediate difficulty, long course. Controls on large features in the forest. Suitable for fit adults and teams that are new to orienteering. "Scatter" format - which allows you a certain amount of time to visit as many controls as you can. Each control visited earns points, but being late to the finish incurs penalties. Strategy and consistent navigation are rewarded!

Recreational & Sport categories

All courses will have a Sport category. This category races in a "Rogaine" format event, which is ideal for novice and intermediate orienteers - you choose which check points to visit and in which order. Your challenge is to visit the most number of controls possible in the time limit (45 minutes for Middle Distance, 90 minutes for Long distance).

Canadian High Performance Program

The Barebones weekend is a "priority race" for the national HPP, which means that results in the elite category will be closely looked at when the selections for the National Team are made. This year the World Championships are held in Switzerland in July. The Junior World Championships are held in Slovakia also in July.

Non-O-Club members

For insurance purposes all participants must be a member of a recognized provincial orienteering association (or national federation) to take part in Barebones. You can purchase an Alberta Orienteering membership online at www.orienteeringAlberta.ca. There are two membership levels: Club & Full. Club members may only compete in Open categories at Bareboens. Full members may compete in any category.

Teams

Teams of two or three are welcome and can compete in the Sport or Recreational categories. Teams pay one entry fee per member. Teams require just one SportIdent card (see "electronic punching" below). All team members must belong to a recognized provincial association (see "Non-O-Club members" section above).

Electronic Punching

All events use electronic timing. There is a small charge of $2/event to rent SportIdent cards if you don’t have your own.

NOTE: Calgary JDP members can use the SI cards they use on Wednesday evenings - NO SI card rental required.

Start times

Open category participants can start the race at their convenience during the first hour of each event. Age categories will have assigned start times for each event.

Shadowing

For parents who wish to shadow their children, please note that shadowing is free. Pay race entry fees only if you will be racing yourself.

Complainer’s Fee

A complainer’s fee of $25 is payable in advance by anyone who thinks they might be whining about the courses, the map, the terrain, the weather, or anything else that will make the organizers wish they'd never bothered organizing this event. Constructive commentary, as usual, is free and welcome.