GPHXO Score-O

General Description

(This page provides a general description of the Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club's Score-O events. The information here is general and may or may not apply to any specific event. Please see the individual event webpage for details of your specific event.)

Summary:

The Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club offers a course called a Score-O at many of its events. During a Score-O, participants take up to a designated time limit to search for controls indicated on a pre-printed orienteering map. Controls are assigned different point values based on the distance they are located from the starting point and on the navigation difficulty. Participants are not required to follow a set course but instead try to maximize their point total through their own route choice.

The Score-O control locations are designed to offer navigation challenges for orienteers of all abilities. There are plenty of lower-point controls located closer to the start line that provide easier navigation challenges for beginning orienteers. Intermediate and advanced orienteers are challenged by controls located in more difficult locations further away from the start.

Scoring for the Score-O is based on point values assigned to the different controls. Controls assigned a number 10-19 are worth 10 points. Controls 20-29 are worth 20 points. And so on. The points available for any given course varies. The Score-O courses are often set so that it is physically impossible for the most advanced orienteers to visit all available points. In this case, higher scores are obtained by those selecting the more efficient route.

Categories:

Results for the Score-O are separated into the following categories:

Schedule:

08:30 Score-O Registration Begins
09:00 Score-O Course Opens
Registration Ends/
Last Time to Start the Course

This time varies depending on the course. The time is calculated using the formula:

(Finish Time) - (Length of Time Allotted to Complete the Course) = Last Time to Start the Course.

Examples:
  • Two-hour Score-O, finish time = 1:00. The last time to start the course is 11:00.
  • Two-hour Score-O, finish time = 2:00. The last time to start the course is 12:00.
  • Three-hour Score-O, finish time = 2:00. The last time to start the course is 11:00.
Finish Time/
Score-O Course Closes

This time varies depending on the course. The finish time is advertised with each event's details.

Ten points are deducted for each minute or part of a minute participants arrive after the finish time.

Examples:
  • Finish time is 1:00:00, participant comes in at 1:00:00 (on time). No points are deducted.
  • Finish time is 1:00:00, participant comes in at 1:00:01 (1 second late). 10 points are deducted.
  • Finish time is 1:00:00, participant arrives at 1:00:59 (59 seconds late). 10 points are deducted.
  • Finish time is 1:00:00, participant arrives at 1:01:00 (60 seconds late). 10 points are deducted.
  • Finish time is 1:00:00, participant arrives at 1:01:01 (61 seconds late). 20 points are deducted.
DNF Time
(Did Not Finish)

The "Did Not Finish" time is the announced finish time + 30 minutes.

Participants arriving after the finish time plus 30 minutes are marked as "DNF" (Did Not Finish).

Examples:
  • The finish time is 1:00. A team arrives at 1:30:00. 300 points are deducted from the team's score.
  • The finish time is 1:00. A team arrives at 1:30:01. The team is marked as DNF.

What to bring:

Whistle Mandatory for all. Available for purchase for $1
Compass Mandatory for all. Available for purchase for $1
Sun screen. There is often a limited amount of shade on the course.
Water There will be water at the start/finish . We may also have one or two water stations on the course. However, you are strongly encouraged to bring your own water bottles or a camelback.
Sturdy hiking shoes and
Long pants 		You will encounter cactus, cat claw, and loose terrain.