What is orienteering?
Orienteering is the sport of navigation with map and compass. It's easy to learn, yet always challenging. The object is to run or walk to a series of points shown on the map, choosing routes - both on and off trails - to find all the points and get back to the finish in the shortest amount of time. The points on the course are marked with orange/white flags, called "controls".
Who goes orienteering?
Orienteering is enjoyed by a wide range of people - hikers, kids, mountaineers, runners, scouts, family groups - anyone interested in fitness, the outdoors, and a mental and physical challenge. Every orienteering meet offers a choice of courses that vary in length and difficulty, from easy trail walks, to strenuous runs with plenty of off-trail navigation required.
Orienteering vs Navigation
Navigation is a core component of orienteering, but the sport encompasses many additional skills that set it apart from basic navigation. While navigation involves reading maps and using a compass to find your way, orienteering requires a combination of fitness, route choice, and race strategy.
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For instance, in basic navigation, you might simply follow a map to reach a destination. In contrast, orienteering challenges you to find the fastest and most efficient route between multiple checkpoints, often over complex terrain. This demands quick decision-making, the ability to interpret various map symbols, and an understanding of the landscape.
Orienteering History
Orienteering was invented by the Swedish military in the 1920's to help train combat troops to be more effective in dense forest terrain. Today, it's a popular sport in Scandinavia and throughout Europe, where competitors will gather for huge events in the forest on summer weekends and kids are taught the basics of map reading in primary school.
