ONA is out with the ad, but the EMPO site is not quite ready with the Billygoat announcement, so I'll put what IS known here:
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Empire Orienteering (EMPO) invites you to Billygoat XXIX on Sunday, May 20th at John Boyd Thacher State Park, Voorheesville, NY (west-southwest of Albany). The race will mass start at 11:00 am. There will be a walk to start (about 10 minutes), with a mandatory briefing session to follow. T-shirts and bragging rights are awarded to all competitors who finish in 3 hours, 30 minutes or less.
Two sprints are planned for Saturday, May 19th, to be held at Camp Pinnacle adjacent to Thacher Park (see below).
BILLYGOAT ENTRY:
Send your name, gender, date of birth, T-shirt size, O-club, address, phone number, e-mail, and a check payable to Empire Orienteering Club, to Janet Tryson, 1052 County Route 32, Malden Bridge, NY 12115 (jntryson [at] aol [dot]com).
BILLYGOAT FEES:
$18 if postmarked by May 5; $25 if postmarked later; $35 day of event if maps are available. Receipt of registration will be provided by e-mail on or before May 14.
Some recreational courses (White/Yellow)
may be available; no pre-registration required for recreational courses.
DIRECTIONS:
From Interstate 90 in Albany, take exit 4 onto New York State Rt. 85 west. Continue on Rt. 85 through the villages of New Scotland and New Salem. Turn right onto NY Rt. 157.
For the Billygoat, continue on Rt. 157 through the park (please observe 30 mph posted speed limit) to the Knowles Flat picnic area.
For Camp Pinnacle (Saturday sprints and possible overnight accommodations), turn left off Rt. 157 onto County Road 311 (Beaver Dam Road) and follow it up the hill; turn left at first intersection onto County Road 303 (Pinnacle Road, again uphill).
DAY OF EVENT:
Registration will be at Knowles Flat picnic area from 9:00–10:30 am to pick up your bib number, punch card, and Billygoat information sheet(s); and for last-minute registrants (if maps are available).
Walk to start begins from Knowles Flat at 10:40, with a briefing session to follow. Mass Start at 11:00 am.
MAP AND COURSE:
The map will include parts of Thacher State Park and Camp Pinnacle (private camp located adjacent to Thacher Park on north side). Both maps, drawn by Mark Dominie, were used in 2006 for the US
Middle and Long Distance Championships. There will be the usual Billygoat rules with one control that can be skipped and this year's course will include a forked control. A manned aid/refreshment station is also on the course. Standard pin-punches and punch cards will be used.
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BILLYGOAT SPRINTS, SATURDAY, MAY 19
Camp Pinnacle
County Road 303, Voorheesville, NY
EMPO is planning two Billygoat Sprints on Saturday afternoon with starts between 2 and 4 pm at Camp Pinnacle, adjacent to Thacher Park. Accommodations (camping and/or dorms) and meals
may be available at Camp Pinnacle (see directions above).
Both sprints are part of the
2007 Sprint Series, worth 40 points each for the winners.
At this time we
may use SportIdent electronic punching for the Sprints only (
not the Billygoat). Therefore, please provide your e-card number (if you have one), or indicate whether you need to borrow one for the sprints (to borrow, you will need to sign a release form stating you will be responsible for a $35 charge if you lose the rental e-card).
Pre-registration is requested (see Entry above) --
$12 covers both sprints if postmarked by May 5; $15 if postmarked later; $20 day of event.
Thompson's Lake State Park may also have camping available. It's located a few miles outside of Thacher Park (on the west side). For other accommodation ideas visit our
2006 A-meet page.