What is QCARS?

The Queen City Adventure Running Series (QCARS) is a series of summer events held at parks and other venues in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.   Each event will feature two races in which participants use a map and compass to locate hidden checkpoints. One race will be suitable for beginners and the other race for more experienced navigators. Both races will be less than 3 km if traveling straight between each checkpoint.   You can go at your own pace, according to your navigation skills and foot speed. Some participants will take their time and enjoy seeing their favorite park in a whole different way. Some participants will go fast in order to best other competitors or attain a personal record.   Whatever your goal, we promise an adventure!

Season Standings

       • 2019 Season Standings
       • 2020 Season Standings
       • 2021 season standings will be linked once the season begins. Your best 3 races count for season awards. Youth 12 and under should do the short course to be ranked with their age group. Older youth and adults should do the long course first in order to be ranked.

Event Locations

• 5/8/21 Live Oaks Career Campus, Milford, OH (pending final approval)
• 5/22/21 tbd tentatively Fairfield area
• 6/12/21 Tower Park, Ft Thomas, KY (pending final approval)
• 6/26/21 Sharon Woods, Sharonville, OH (pending approval)
• 7/10/21 tbd tentatively Hamilton area
• 7/24/21 England-Idlewild, Burlington, KY (pending final approval)
• 8/7/21 tbd tentatively Cincinnati
• 8/21/21 tbd tentatively Cincinnati

Event Logistics

Each event takes place on a Saturday, with a start window from 9 a.m. to noon.   Participants should be off the course by 1 p.m.   Free instruction is available in the registration area. (In summer 2021, by pre-registration only due to social distancing requirements)   Your entry fee includes a pre-marked map and timing chip, which we use to record your visit to each of the checkpoints.   Here's what part of a map might look like.   The triangle is the start location. The circles are checkpoints. The double circle is the finish location.   Due to COVID 19 social distancing requirements, you must pre-register for each event, selecting a time block in which to arrive. Please be sure to also read our participant instructions page to see what will be different when you arrive!

Cost

Event pricing - $15 non-members, $10 members
2020 Series pricing (all 8 events) - $45 non-members (includes 1 Orienteering Cincinnati (OCIN) membership), $30 members
OCIN Membership - $15 single, $25 family
Bonus 1: Your season pass also includes free or reduced entry to several non-QCARS events in late spring and summer!
Bonus 2: Your OCIN membership gives you entry at member rates for events hosted by most other Orienteering USA clubs!

Registration

Register here for a 2021 season pass to enjoy a huge discount and speed up the check-in process when you arrive at the event. The season pass pays for itself in just 3 events.
Please pre-register here for individual events. Whether you get a season pass or not, you still MUST pre-register for each event you plan to attend:
    Live Oaks on May 8 (registration opening in mid April)
    May 22
    June 12
    June 26
    July 10
    July 24
    Aug 7
    Aug 21

Sponsors