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Organising Events

COVID-19 – ALL ORIENTEERING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS FROM 1 JUNE 2020, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, MUST ADHERE TO THE OV Covid Safe/Return to Sport Plan

Where Covid-19 guidelines and instructions differ from those listed or linked below, the Covid-19 guidelines and instructions take precedence in all cases.

 

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.

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.

KEY TO SECTIONS

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, which apply to all event types. You’ll find event-specific safety and emergency response plans and templates under each Event type.

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

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

Quick 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)

Staying Safe at All Events

Guidelines and Templates

First Aid

The large OV First Aid kit, including the OV defibrillator, is currently held by Peter Yeates.  Peter is NOT a first aider.  Event organisers need to ensure they have a designated First Aider present, and arrange a space close to the Finish for the First Aid tent and kit to be set up.

If you want the kit and defib at your event, please make arrangements with Peter to collect it from him, transport it to and from your event, and either return it afterwards, or hand it on to the next event organiser.

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 – Park Street, Sprint, Bush (including Vic Bush, MelbushO, and MTBO)

General Information/Insurance (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

Insurance

Fees and Levies – guidelines and forms

Other

Organising Park Street Events

COVID 19

Guidelines for organisers, course setters and participants are in place, and may differ from those below.  Covid 19 instructions take precedence over regular guidelines, where differences occur.

Covid 19 guidelines and instructions are updated regularly as restrictions and conditions change. They are filed here:

Summer Series

Winter Series

Safety and Risk Management

Safety Plan and Emergency Procedures for Park Street Events

Competitor Safety Rules

  • 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.

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 V4 – March 2021 update

Course Planning Guidelines Winter 2021 Mon Wed Sat

Course Planning Guidelines Summer Series Monday Wednesday Thursday 2021

Course Planning Guidelines for Summer Series Tues 2019 update

EndurO guidelines 2021

Section 2 – All Events – use all three guides

Preparing the Event Map 2021.pdf

Event Day Guidelines 2021

Course Planning Checklist 2021

Park Street Competition Rules

Park and Street Orienteering Etiquette

Power Walking Technique Notice and Report Form

Entries and Payments

Park Street Financial Procedures

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 and Risk Management

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

Competition Rules

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

Organising Bush Events

Safety and Risk Management

  • 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

DEWLP forest fire management planned burns website interactive map

Course Planning

Competition Rules

Other Resources

NOTE: Must include Covid safe information as applicable at time of the event – refer to the OV Covid Safe Plan

  • Changes Forms  For pre-entry events that use Sportident. Use these to record any changes to competitor information, for updating the event file.
  • Vic Bush Series EOD forms   Use to manually record details of on-the-day entries at Victorian bush events

Events on Dja Dja Wurrung Country

If your event is on the Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung People, please take the following steps.  Refer to the map below, and page 5 of the DDWCAC Fact Sheet, to see whether this includes your event. Your Parks Victoria permit will include extra conditions explaining any additional obligations.

Dja Dja Wurrung Map of Agreement

OV and the Dja Dja Wurrung – send this pdf with non-Parks Vic permit applications

Areas covered:

  • Greater Bendigo NP
  • Hepburn RP (Daylesford)
  • Kooyoora SP
  • Wehla NCR (SW of Kooyoora)
  • Paddy’s Ranges SP (Maryborough)
  • Kara Kara NP (S of St Arnaud)

DDWCAC Fact Sheet

Information and fact sheets about Aboriginal cultural heritage

Index of mini posters

  1. Add the Fact Sheet to Eventor information for your event
  2. Include the Acknowledgement of Country wording (Insert name of map) into your Information Flyer
  3. Add a shorter acknowledgement to printed maps
  4. If you are having presentations or any other activity where a large group of people are gathered at once, include a spoken Acknowledgement of Country at the start.

 Example: Acknowledgement of Country – for Information Flyer

Glenlyon Forest is on the Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that their forebears are  the Traditional Owners of the land we are meeting on and have been for many thousands of years. The Dja Dja Wurrung People have performed age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region.

Example: Acknowledgement to print on maps

Bangek Knoorarook Bunjil Dja Dja Wurrung” (Ban-Jek,  K-noor-r-ook, Boon-jil,  Dja Dja Were-rung)

“Willam talle tallingingorak wirrmbool bunjil” (Will-am,  tell-e, telling-gor-ak,  wirr-m-bool  boon-jil)

I honour the wisdom of the Dja Dja Wurrung

We will speak words of truth and listen to your wisdom

Example: Acknowledgement of Country (spoken)

“To start the official proceedings I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Elders of the Dja Dja Wurrung Community and their forebears are the traditional owners of this land and have been custodians for many centuries and have performed age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. This country where we hold our event is where the Dja Dja Wurrung have conducted their family, spiritual, economic, cultural, social, sporting and musical activities. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region.”

 

Organising MelBushO Events

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS

Organisers and Course Planners Guidelines

Organising Relays

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS

Competition Guidelines

Organising a Relay

The guidelines above were updated in 2020, and 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 with Eventor Manager. They apply for all Relays staged in Victoria including Club Relays and Australian Relays/Australian Schools Relays.

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

Organising Mountain Bike Events

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS

Guidelines

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