Orienteering Basics

More than simply finding your way through the woods, orienteering combines cross country running with the challenge of navigating to hidden points with map and compass. Variations of the sport include courses for skiers and mountain bikers as well as much simpler challenges for young children. While participating in these events can be done at your own pace, many world-class athletes compete for top honors.

  1. History

    • Orienteering began in Sweden as a training challenge for military officers. Maj. Ernst Killander brought a competitive version to the civilian world in hopes of inspiring young people to greater fitness levels through running. The concept was so well received that the first major orienteering event, held near Stockholm in 1919, drew 155 participants. Maps of the day were of poor quality and checkpoints, called controls, were marked by large landscape features, making navigation less a factor than speed. As the detail and accuracy of maps improved, courses included increasing challenges to navigation skills.

    Equipment

    • At competitive levels, participants need good cross country running gear, and many favor the same types of clothing as distance runners. Special trail running shoes provide better traction and support on rough ground. A compass with a clear plastic base plate and a rotating bezel is essential for all but the most basic courses. Bring a small clipboard, but maps and checkpoint or control cards are provided to orienteers at official events. Eye protection is necessary when running through wooded or brushy areas, and many recommend carrying a whistle in case you get lost.

    Skills

    • Understanding a topographic map and how to navigate with a compass from point to point are obviously essential to the sport. The International Orienteering Federation has developed a system of clue symbols for maps, which relate to standard control descriptions. Safety while on the course is your responsibility. While traveling light is important, if the course is a long one, you' are expected to bring appropriate gear (a night finish will require a headlamp).

    Racing

    • Orienteering can be a pleasant walk in the country combined with a mental challenge, or you can race to the finish. Physical fitness and running ability as well as experience at moving across rough terrain play only a part in the sport. Choosing the right route means reading actual terrain as well as interpreting map contours, and the shortest path from control point to control point often will not be a straight line. Strategic mistakes may put even the fittest athletes far behind.

    Variations

    • For youngsters, orienteering courses are sometimes marked with string and require following the line over the marked route. With many stages of difficulty, orienteering guides beginners to increasing competence and provides both entertaining physical exercise and education in important wilderness skills. At the level of adventure racing, teams travel through remote areas over courses requiring skills such as whitewater canoeing or rafting, mountain climbing and route selection through pristine wilderness.