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2025 Theodore Wirth

Theodore Wirth Park - 60-minute Vampire-O (special score-o event)

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Theodore Wirth Park Trailhead
1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway. Minneapolis 55422

Event Details

Overview


WHAT IS A VAMPIRE-O?


A Vampire-O is a fun, twist on traditional orienteering where some participants, designated as "vampires," try to tag other players to steal their punch cards. The person tagged becomes the new vampire and must find someone else to tag, while the original vampire becomes a normal player. This game combines navigation with a "tag" style chase. When a vampire tags a non-vampire, they swap punch cards, and the tagged person becomes the new vampire. The winner is the player or team that finishes with the most points on their punch card at the end of the time limit, regardless of whether they were the original "vampire" or not.


Grab your headlamp and join us on the trails!

Theodore  Wirth Park is the largest park managed by the Minneapolis Park and  Recreation Board. The park land is shared by Minneapolis and the  neighboring suburb of Golden Valley. The park includes two golf courses  (an 18-hole course and a 9-hole par 3 course), Wirth Lake, Birch Pond,  mountain biking trails, ski trails, restaurant, Loppet Foundation headquarters, and other amenities. It forms a significant portion of  the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, linking the Chain of Lakes area with the  Victory Memorial Parkway.


Vampire-O Courses

Long: 4-5K

Short: 3-4K

To find out more about orienteering courses, see our Event Types page.


Schedule

  • Registration/Check-In: 6:15-6:45 pm

  • Pre-race meeting: 6:45 pm

  • Race Start: 7 pm Mass start

  • Course Closure: 8:00 pm


Start Location

Start location is at Theodore Wirth Park Trailhead, 1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway. Minneapolis 55422.


Volunteer

Many volunteers are needed! Use the Volunteer button at the top of this page. When you show up for your volunteer shift, please connect with the other MNOC volunteers so they know you have arrived. Thanks!

See task descriptions here.


Pricing

$8
Pre-registration is available up to 48 hours before the meet. YOU MAY ALSO REGISTER IN-PERSON AT THE EVENT.


Race Management

Setter: Phil Stromme

Vetter: Peter Daniels

Race Director: Jolanda Dranchak

Come Clean, Leave Clean

The Minnesota Orienteering Club practices a Come Clean, Leave Clean policy. This helps us maintain a good relationship with the parks we utilize, sets a good example for other users, and limits the transfer and spread of many of the plants that make our venues less enjoyable.

Race Results

Race results are usually published within 24 hours of the event. View our Race Results page to see the results.

Questions

If you have questions or comments about this event, please feel free to Contact Us.

Orienteering Etiquette

Here are a few tips to make orienteering enjoyable for all:

  • Stand Back: Move at least 5 meters away from check-points after you've punched. Doing so 1) allows other competitors easy access to punch, and 2) doesn't give away the control location to other competitors.

  • Seal the Lips: Do not shout to others in the woods. Especially avoid shouting "it's over here!" - that's not fair to others on the course who want to find the control themselves. So if you are in a group, stay within speaking distance.

  • Encourage Participation: If you are in a group with less skilled orienteers, let them navigate to every other control in order to practice their skills.

  • Don't Follow: Don't follow other orienteers on the course (except when specifically allowed in Minnegoats and other special events). Run your own course and refine your orienteering skills. Besides, they may be running a different course or may be making an error.

  • Keep It Clean: The park should be left in better condition than you found it. Be aware of, and cautious not to cause damage in, sensitive areas such as wet spots and steep slopes. Also, artifacts in the woods should be left as you found them, and don't damage trees or plants. And please do your part to pick up trash and leave the park cleaner than you found it.

  • Keep It Clean #2: Please avoid profanity and adult topics.  Small children are typically present at almost all MNOC meets. Help us create a fun and family-friendly environment enjoyable for all.

  • Share The Trails: Be courteous and respectful to other park users and be sure to yield right-of-way when on trails.  The city and state park departments are kind enough to let us hold events in their parks, so please help in retaining that valuable relationship.

  • Be Courteous: Please be nice to our volunteers. Everyone working at a meet is volunteering their time. Volunteers are often trying to do two or more things at once, so be patient.

  • Control Retrieval: If you can, please stick around until the event is done to help with control retrieval.  This simply entails going around the park and collecting the check-point flags that were used for the event. We like to have 6-8 volunteers help with this at the end of every event.

  • Volunteer: Orienteering events, along with the entire MNOC club, is run by volunteers.  We'd love for your help in running the events, so please sign up to be a volunteer if you have a few hours to spare. We'd greatly appreciate it.

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