What we’re about
The Central Va Orienteering Club (CVOC) is a group dedicated to orienteering and adventure racing in the Richmond and central region of Virginia. We are chartered with the national organization, Orienteering USA. Orienteering is the sport of navigation with map & compass and can be done on foot, bike, or by boat.
Head out into the woods to find specific locations shown on your map, making choices along the way of the best routes between them. Orienteering is great for improving your map reading or wilderness navigation skills or preparing for adventure races. Race against the clock for the shortest time or do it as a fun walk in the woods!
People of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Come join in the adventure!
Check out our Facebook page! CVOC Facebook page
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View permanent courses in VA.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Point of Rocks ParkPoint of Rocks Park, Chester, VA
Note: We are doing pre-registration for this event. Details, including the required Google form link, are below in the "Pre-registration & Payment" section.
The Central Virginia Orienteering Club is presenting its 11th Annual Scout Orienteering Day & will be held at R. Garland Dodd Park at Point of Rocks. Though this is a Scout-focused event, all others are also welcome. For Scouts working on First Class rank, there will be a one mile orienteering course to complete and a station to fulfill the requirement of measuring height and/or distance. The event can also be used to satisfy part of Orienteering merit badge requirement 7.
There are three courses available. Check out the details below.***
STARTS: Start any time between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. (Everybody must be back to the start no later than 2:00 pm.) Feel free to arrive any time after 10:45 am.
COST: For non-Scouts, maps are $5 each (pre-registered); $10 day-of (if available). Scouts are free.
LOCATION: Point of Rocks Park at 201 Enon Church Rd. Chester, VA. Look for the red & white arrow orienteering signs to lead the way.
INSTRUCTION:
- No experience is necessary and instruction will be available for beginners or those who would like some help to get started. We can also offer some tips to those who've been out a few times and want to advance their skills a bit.
- See links at the bottom to some reference materials that you can review in advance in lieu of in-person instruction.
OTHER:
- Bring your own compass or borrow one of ours (on a first-come basis). Be prepared to leave car keys as a deposit when borrowing.
- Dress appropriately for the weather and for travel both on & off trail. You are strongly encouraged to bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray.
- Feel free to post comments or contact one of the organizers if you have any questions!
*** Our meets are put on by volunteers & we could use your help. Please consider offering some of your time at this or an upcoming meet. ***
PRE-REGISTRATION & PAYMENT:
We require everyone to register in advance. This cuts down on the amount of time needed on event day for waiver signing & payments. It also guarantees you a map.Register by Thursday May 2nd at Noon to give us time to print maps and reserve one for you. Only a very limited number of extra maps will be available; we cannot print them on site.
- Scouts and Adult Leader registration is required via Black Pug. Heart of Virginia Council - Orienteering Weekend (scoutingevent.com)
- Non-scouts, please register and complete the waiver using the Google form link below. You will be shown payment info after registering there. Minors cannot participate without a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. Google Form Registration
- Groups: Organized groups of non-Scout minors: Don't use the registration form above. Please contact us at registration@centralvaorienteering.com.
MEET DETAILS:
There will be 3 courses:- White (Beginner) - Two traditional orienteering courses completed in the numerical order indicated on the map. Great for first-timers & those newer to orienteering. 1.6km
- Yellow (Novice) - A traditional course completed in numerical order. A bit more challenging than White with more decision-making. Good for building your skills. 2.3km
- Score-O (Novice/Intermediate) - A 60-minute time limit with penalties if over time. Find as many of the control points as you can in whatever order seems the best.
Course Designer: Kevin Kessler
----- Be sure to join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CentralVAOrienteeringClub/ -----
BEGINNER INFORMATION:
Below is some instructional information that you can check out to learn about orienteering before heading out on the course.- What is orienteering: https://orienteeringusa.org/explore/what-is-orienteering/
- See the "How to Navigate" section & the video. (Ignore the info about electronic punching.): https://orienteeringusa.org/explore/how-to-orienteer/
- See the "Basic Techniques" info: https://orienteeringusa.org/resources/training/
- River Rock Adventure RaceBrown's Island, Richmond, VA
Ready for a fun challenge? Sign up for the adventure race that's part of the River Rock festival in May. It's 4-5 hours of navigation fun while biking, paddling, and running with your team.
Check out all of the details at the link below. Feel free to use the comments on this posting to ask questions or find team mates.
Registration and information
(Note that race registration is done on the linked site and that signing up here on this posting isn't sufficient.)Course Designers: Phil Dawson & Daniel Rodriguez
