Blackfoot Central O Weekend May 2 & 3 2026

Date
May 2, 2026 – May 3, 2026
Location
Blackfoot – Central Staging Area
Weather forecast
View weather forecast
Organizers
Geraint Edmunds

Results

Split time results are now available on Winsplits. Saturday Sunday

Event Overview

The event is a chance to experience the terrain used last year for the Canadian Middle Distance Championships. It will be held at the Central Staging Area in the Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area. Saturday’s event will be middle distance style courses. Sunday’s courses will be more long distance style, partially in the middle distance pasture and partially in the forested section closer to the parking area. The Saturday event is also included as a session in the Kids Run Wild program for the kids and their families.

Central Staging Area is about 50 to 60 minutes east of Edmonton, south of Elk Island Park.


Fees:

Online registration prices, available until 23:59 Friday May 1, are:

Adult $20 per event or $30 for both events.

  • Junior (20 and under) $10 per event or $15 for both events.

On-the-day registration is cash or cheque only and $5 more expensive for adults.

On-the-day recreational prices for courses 1 and 3 are as follows:

  • $15 for individual or group plus $5 for each additional map.
  • one SPORTident timing card and compass & whistle are included if you don’t have your own (driver’s license required as deposit).
  • Sunday’s courses 1 and 3 will be the same as Saturday’s except in reverse.

Saturday May 2nd

Schedule:

  • Registration/check-in and waiver signing at Central Staging Parking Area 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
  • Middle distance Starts 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
  • Course Closing 4:30 pm

Courses 1 and 3 start and finish close to the parking area.

The other courses all have a remote start and remote finish in Field 5C with a 1.6 km walk to the start and a 1.4 km walk back from the finish.

Courses:

Saturday’s event will make use of Control Locations, Course Legs and even complete Courses from the 2025 Canadian Middle Distance Championship. The course offered are as follows:

DescriptionLength# controls
Course 11is the unchanged men’s elite course.6.1 km19
Course 10/8is mostly the women’s elite course, but with 3 of the legs replaced by 3 legs from course 8, (F35 M55)5 km18
Course 7is mostly COC course 7 with one control eliminated and two controls slightly modified.4 km14
Course 4is the unchanged M/F 15-16 course.3.6 km1
Course 3Novice to easy intermediate standard making use of ski trails and some small game trails.3.1 km13
Course 1Beginner course along ski trails2.65 km10

Sunday May 3rd

Schedule:

  • Registration/check-in and waiver signing at Central Staging Area 10:30 am to 12:30 am 1.6 km walk to the start except courses 1 and 3.
  • Long distance Starts 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
  • Course Closing 4:30 pm
  • Finish close to Parking

Courses:

DescriptionLength# controls
Long 8Advanced6.8 km14
Long 6Advanced4.9 km 10
Long 4Harder intermediate4.5 km10
Course 3Novice to easy intermediate standard making use of ski trails and some small game trails. (Saturday course in reverse)3.1 km13
Course 1Beginner course along ski trails. (Saturday course in reverse)2.65 km10

TERRAIN

Organizers:  Geraint Edmunds,

COC Middle course planners were Stefan Duret and Dorothy Penner.