Adventure News: An Introduction to Orienteering

Adventure News: An Introduction to Orienteering - Ndorfin, South Africa

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Friday, 05 March 2010
An Introduction to Orienteering

An introduction�to the sport of orienteering a.k.a. cunning running (only you don�t have to run... walking is most acceptable and enjoyable) - perfect for �things to do�, �activities for kids�, �activities for families� and �events� listings.

Orienteering is a navigation-based (map and compass) sport. Although it is small in South Africa, orienteering is HUGE in the scandinavian countries where it is a mainstay school sport. Events even have live television coverage!

We�re currently immersed in our Short Course Series; each event has 3 courses (novice, 2.5km; women�s and men�s, 4km) and the events are hosted in Joburg and Pretoria on �friendly� terrain like parks and schools. Here there are lots of paths, navigational features are significant, lawns are mown and participants of all ages can run or walk as they please. From April we move into our Colour-Coded Series, where we offer five courses of varying distance and difficulty (from about 2km to 10km) and the terrain tends to be a bit more bushy (like Pelindaba, Hennops, Klipriviersberg, Groenkloof).

There are, on average, two events a month, held on Sunday mornings. Event sheets, which present information on each event (date, time, venue, courses, directions, registration and start times), are published online (www.orienteering.co.za) usually within two weeks of the events. Dates are fixed on the event calendar at the start of each year and they rarely change.

Participants are set off at intervals, armed with maps (we draw these specifically for orienteering), and they navigate from one control location (checkpoint) to the next. There is no mass start and participants chose their own pace. We have children, from the ages of six or seven, up to old codgers of over 70, who regularly participate.

In addition, we have a Young Orienteers Challenge (YOC) programme that specifically focuses on children; it rewards participation with certificates and way-cool Buddy Badges. Instruction and skills training is also provided. This programme, started last year, has proved very successful. We also present a �string� course which is a line-of-sight course for children younger than six.

There are also five mountain bike orienteering events in Gauteng throughout the year.

There are helpers at each event to teach newcomers the basics.

Orienteering in South Africa is governed by the South African Orienteering Federation. Events are organised and run by members of the five clubs in the country (four in Jo�burg, one in CT) - all volunteers. Our top junior and senior orienteers attend the World Orienteering Championships. Orienteering is also a sport at the Masters Games.�

Entry fees are usually in the region of R40 for adults, R25 for juniors and R50 for groups (no more than 3 in a group).

For more information on the sport and for news, please visit www.orienteering.co.za��