What are the different types of orienteering?

All forms of orienteering use maps specifically designed for the sport. These maps display courses with checkpoints, known as controls, marked by purple circles. Participants navigate through these controls either in a set sequence or freely within a designated time.

Types of Orienteering at Our Events

Foot Orienteering:  The most traditional and widely practiced form, foot orienteering involves participants navigating the course as quickly as they can, either running, walking, or a mix of both, depending on their skill level, fitness, and competitiveness.

Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO):  In this form, orienteers use a special MTBO map to navigate between control points, which are all located on tracks. The challenge is to find the best route between controls while riding a mountain bike.

Night Orienteering:  Competitors navigate the course in the dark, using head torches to find their way. Reflective markers are often used on control flags to assist with visibility.

Novelty Events:  These are creatively themed variations of traditional orienteering, designed to add an extra layer of excitement or challenge. Examples include events like "Orienfearing," "Scrabble-O," or "Leg-O."

Event Formats

Within foot orienteering, mountain bike orienteering, and night orienteering, events typically follow one of two formats:

Line (Point-to-Point) Orienteering: The most common format, where participants must visit a series of checkpoints in a specific order. These checkpoints are pre-marked on the map with numbered circles. Participants receive a map and a list of control descriptions, and they must navigate the course, visiting each control in the correct order. At each control, an orange and white flag marks the location, along with a unique number. To confirm you've reached the correct control, you insert an electronic key (e-stick) into the SPORTIdent box at the control. The elapsed time is recorded either manually or electronically, with the fastest time winning if it’s a competition.

Score Orienteering: In this format, participants choose the order in which they visit controls, aiming to visit as many as possible within a set time. Controls often have different point values, and in competitive events, the participant with the most points wins. This format emphasises not only navigation and route choice but also strategic planning to decide which controls to visit and in what order. There’s no penalty for missing controls, but time penalties apply if the course exceeds the allotted time.