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For more information, click on one of the following
links.
What is orienteering?
Punching systems
Map and compass
Types of event
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What is Orienteering?
Orienteering is basically a "race with navigation".
The course planner sets out a number of control points in the competition
area, which is generally a forest, an area of open moorland or a mixture
of both. Each control point is marked by an orange and white "kite",
and has some way of enabling competitors to prove that they have visited
that particular control. More about that later.
Competitors must visit each of the control points on their course in the
correct order, and the winner is the person who completes the course in
the shortest time.
Unlike a road race, there is no mass start. Each competitor has his or
her own start time, so each person has to do his or her own navigation
between the control points.
Contrary to what some people believe, orienteering is definitely not
about tramping along with a rucksack on your back. Competitive
orienteering is a running race, and the top competitors are able to
navigate accurately while running hard through the forest. For adults,
course winning times are typically in the range 50 - 80 minutes,
depending on the level of the competition.
An orienteering event includes several different courses, so all levels
of ability and experience are catered for. More about this later. The
range of courses on offer makes orienteering a very family-friendly sport.
Children can do the shorter courses while their parents compete on the
longer ones. And it's certainly not compulsory to be ultra-competitive.
Some people just jog or walk round a course.
Go back to the main About
Orienteering page.
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