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Organising Events

Organisers Toolkit

The information, documents, templates and links on this page make up the Event Organisers’ Toolkit.  It contains all the information you need to run your event, from park and street events, to local club events, to championships.

Remember that your best resource is your club; every club has members who are experienced in event organisation.

Start Here – this section has a checklist of items that you’ll need to cover, and a link to a more comprehensive document for organising events that use Sportident.

Staying Safe at all Events – under this section you’ll find information on health, safety and emergency response, as well as links to a number of external resources. You’ll find specific safety and emergency response plans under each Event type.

All organisers should download the Emergency+ app.  It uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency services, including ambulance/fire/police.  You can also call SES and police non emergency assistance.

General Information – check this section for documents that apply to all events, eg insurance, fees and levies, naming standards etc.

Specific Event Types – find your event type; this is where you’ll find additional documents and links, including course planning guidelines and competition rules, along with handy forms and templates.

Go to Get Your Sportident Sorted to find out how to book SI equipment, set it up and use it at your event.  Sportident is used at most Victorian events other than Park and Street events.

Something missing? Contact voaATiinet.net.au with any queries.

Start Here

Checklist

Note: some of these may have already been covered by a Series Coordinator; if your event is part of a series, check with them first. You’ll need to consider:

  • Venue and permit
  • Map and date/fixture
  • Course planner
  • Equipment
  • Event information and advertising (O News, Eventor, website)
  • Entries and payments (Eventor or EOD)
  • Volunteers (start, finish, parking etc)
  • Results
  • Post event (cleanup, check gear, pay levies etc)

Organising an Event – comprehensive guide to organising Victorian events that use electronic timing – updated January 2020. Read in conjunction with specific event type information.

Staying Safe at All Events

First Aid – the large OV First Aid kit, including the OV defibrillator, is currently maintained by and transported to Victorian bush events (foot only) by Peter Yeates.  Peter is NOT a first aider.  Event organisers need to ensure they have a designated First Aider present, and arrange a parking space close to the Finish for the First Aid tent to be set up.

For other events (eg MTBO, local club events, MelbushO), if you want the large kit and defib at your event, please make arrangements with Peter to collect, transport and return it.

Emergency Information Resources

Download the Emergency+ app

The app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency services

 

See also specific safety and emergency response plans under each Event Type heading.

General Information for Organisers (all event types)

Advertising your event

Event organisers are responsible for providing information for competitors, and for advertising their events via:

  • O News – weekly email bulletin with wide reach. Email your content to editorATvicorienteering.asn.au, 2-3 weeks before the event, before the Monday 9pm cutoff for Tuesday am distribution
  • Website – the web managers will take your content from O News and post it as a web news item on your behalf. For feature events, carnivals or series, we can create a dedicated page and keep that up to date for you. Contact voaATiinet.net.au
  • Eventor – you will need to create, or add to, your event information. You can include Information Flyers, Bulletins, Programs etc, and links to external pages

Links:

Organising Park Street Events

Safety and Risk Management

  • Code Red/Catastrophic Fire Rating – event automatically cancelled
  • Extreme Fire Rating/Total Fire Ban – organisers will closely monitor conditions, and cancel the event if there is a fire risk, or on advice of landowners or emergency authorities

Visit the CFA website for current fire ratings (look for Central District):

https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/total-fire-bans-and-ratings

Other extreme conditions include very high temperatures, strong winds, poor quality air due to smoke, and flooding. Organisers will closely monitor conditions, and may cancel or otherwise alter any events subject to extreme conditions.  Event cancellations will be posted on this website when practical.

Competitor Safety Rules

Safety Plan and Emergency Procedures for Park Street Events

Park Street Financial Procedures

Course Planning Guides

Choose the correct series-specific guide for your event from section 1; then use EACH of the three guides in section 2, which apply to all events.

Section 1 – Series Specific Guides – choose the one for your event

Course Planning Guidelines Tuesday Autumn Series_V2.01.pdf – March 2017 update

Course Planning Guidelines Monday Winter Series_V1_02 – April 2016 update

Course Planning Guidelines Winter Series Wednesday and Saturday_V1.07

Course Planning Guidelines Summer Series Monday Wednesday Thursday_V1.07

Course Planning Guidelines for Summer Series Tues_V4.pdf – Sept 2019 update

EndurO guidelines 2019 – July 2019 update

Section 2 – All Events – use all three guides

Preparing the Event Map_V2.01.pdf

Event Day Guidelines_V1.01

Course Planning Checklist_V2.03

Park Street Competition Rules

Park and Street Orienteering Etiquette

Power Walking Technique Notice and Report Form

Group entries and payments are per control card e.g.

  • Carer with disabled person(s) = 1 control card = 1 fee
  • Family (parent(s) and children) compete together handing in one “Group” control card  = 1 (adult) fee
  • Scout patrol competes together handing in one “Group” control card = 1 (junior) fee

whereas

  • two competitors run with each other but each has their own control card = 2 fees
  • Father walks with son and each have their own control card = 2 fees (one adult; one junior)

Organising Sprint Events

Safety

Fill in the specific event safety plan. Attach these two documents to permit requests, and have copies at your event.

Competition Rules

Good principles for Sprint Distance orienteering course setting are documented in the following Powerpoint files:

Organising MelBushO Events

Organising Victorian Bush and Championship Events

Safety

  • Emergency Procedures for Bush Events – provide to Parks Victoria or other organisations that require a safety plan.  Each event organiser should have a printed copy at their event
  • Event Safety Plan form – a one-page, event-specific form that you can download, fill in electronically, and send, with the Emergency Procedures attached
  • Bush events will not be run if there is a total fire ban in the area or a Code Red has been declared, or if landowner permit conditions do not allow the event to go ahead. Check which district the event will be run in, and whether there are fire restrictions – see the CFA website

 

Competition Rules

Other Resources

  • Parks Victoria has a new permit system called Statewide Events.  The Bush Committee coordinates permits for events held at Parks Vic venues.
  • Sample Information Flyer  For Eventor, websites, O-News bulletin etc, and on the day
  • Enter on Day Registration Forms  Not required if using OLynx Touch registration
  • Changes Forms  For pre-entry events that use Sportident. Use these to record any changes to competitor information, for updating the event file.

 

Organising Relays

The guidelines below cover the following: using condes to create course variations; setting up relay entries in Eventor; creating the relay event file in OS2010; team and map numbering; uploading results/Eventor Manager

For expert advice on organising Relays, contact Debbie Dodd or Jim Russell.

Organising Mountain Bike Events

Safety

  • Emergency Procedures for MTBO Events – provide to Parks Victoria or other organisations that require a safety plan.  Each event organiser should have a printed copy at their event
  • Event Safety Plan form – a one-page, event-specific form that you can download, fill in electronically, and send, with the Emergency Procedures attached
  • Bush MTBO events will not be run if there is a total fire ban in the area or a Code Red has been declared. Check which district the event will be run in, and whether there are fire restrictions – see the CFA website

 

Guidelines and Competition Rules

 

 

 

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