According to the club constitution, OUOC exists to 'further the sport of orienteering within Oxford University' but more importantly it is about having fun. A usual term consists of a mixture of training (from intervals in South Park to sprints in local urban areas), orienteering events and socials. Our membership has a mixture of abilities and fluctuates around 20 people which means the club is very friendly.
Almost every Sunday we hire a minibus and go to an orienteering event. We try to have a reasonable mix of local colour-coded events ('District events') with Regional and National events further afield. Some of the other features of the OUOC calendar are listed below. There is an annual subscription of £20 for the year but you will only have to pay this after attending a few events and deciding you want to do more.
In first week of Michaelmas term we hold a low key event to introduce beginners to the sport. Last year we held the event in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter and surrounding Jericho. Stay tuned to our facebook page or find us at the Fresher's Fair to keep up to date with where it will be held this year.
Once every few years the club holds an event. In recent years we have hosted the BUCS Championships and the biennial City Race. Last hosted in 2022 the course was set in the centre of Oxford and included going in five colleges!
Cuppers is usually held towards the start of Trinity Term and there are prizes for both individuals and college teams. Anyone can compete and the course is straightforward so do come along and get as many of your friends to join you.
Your chance as a member of the club to vote for the new committee or alternatively to put in lots of silly motions. The AGM is held near the start of Trinity Term.
The Annual Dinner takes place alongside our AGM during Trinity Term. The venue varies each year - in 2023 we had a formal in Oriel College
Orienteering is a half blue sport within the University (with discretionary full blues) and once a year we meet up with Cambridge for the Varsity Match. The organisation of the event alternates between Oxford and Cambridge with JOK organising the event on behalf of OUOC. Every few years the Varsity Match is heald aboard. The 2023 match was hosted by DRONGO in the Czech Republic (see our trip report here) but usually we compete somewhere in Britain.