In August of 2014 the World Rogaining Championships will take place in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The event will attract some of the best backcountry navigators in the world as teams of two or three compete with one another over a 24-hour period to see who can locate the most hidden flags out on the course. Orienteering skills are crucial for success, which makes this an excellent race for adventure racers, ultra-runners and other outdoor athletes.
The orienteering course that will be used in this event has been designed by my friend Rick Emerson, who I worked with when Primal Quest Badlands took place in South Dakota in the summer of 2009. Rick knows the region very well and he has no doubt built another excellent course for the WRC. I heard from him earlier today with word that International Rogaining Federation has released it’s entry criteria for the event and as we get close to registration opening in mid-October, there are a few things that he wanted interested participants to know.
The Event Preface and Entry Criteria are available for review on the website for the race. Those instructions indicate the process for which teams will be selected to compete in the WRC next year with preferences being given to past champions. That said, anyone who wants to compete in the event should register during Phase 1 of the process, which is where past winners receive their preferential ranking. Applicants who aren’t accepted during Phase 1 will automatically be moved onto a wait list for consideration into Phase 2. That wait list will operate on a “first come, first served” basis, so the earlier you enter the better chance you have of making the cut to compete. With a field limited to 1000 racers from across globe, there is the potential for the event to fill up very quickly. Of those 1000 entrants, 20% will be set aside for non-pre-qualifying athletes, ensuring that there are some fresh faces getting the opportunity to compete each year. Additionally, another 10% will be reserved for wildcard entrants as well.
These rules may seem a bit restrictive compared to adventure races and other outdoor sports but they are there to encourage past winners and other participants to return and compete in subsequent races. The fact that they have reserved entries means that they have a saved slot for those past champs to return and take on the course, not to mention the other teams.
You can find out more about the World Rogaining Champions in South Dakota by visiting PeakAssurance.net. Phase 1 of registration will open soon, so stand by to get your entry in. If you don’t do it in then you may find yourself on the outside looking in.
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I always love rogaining, especially with buds. It's kind of like treasure hunting for us.. We screw up maps and navigational tools to make it more challenging. But the area's smaller than average and the place is somewhere local in our town, just to make things a bit easier to work out if things got out of hand 🙂
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