Orienteering is a unique sport. Beginners do not always immediately understand its specifics, rules and tasks. It is difficult to explain its essence to a person unfamiliar with orienteering. Although at first glance it is simple - find and correctly mark checkpoints faster than everyone else

To understand what orienteering is, you need to try it yourself. After all, even after studying the definition, many questions remain. Orienteers often face questions from outsiders: “Orienteering? What is this?” After this, long explanations of the specifics of the sport begin, or a laconic description of the main task that faces the athlete at the start.

In the broadest sense, the essence of orienteering is that an athlete, with the help of a map, a compass, a chip and his orienteering and map reading skills, can as quickly as possible and, more importantly, correctly overcome the distance marked on the map. Immediately after the start, the athlete is left alone with nature. And in this nature there are checkpoints that he, the athlete, must find and mark with the help of a chip.

Almost everyone has encountered cards in their life. These could be road maps of Russia, topographic maps of the world in classes at school or university, an electronic map in your smartphone, and so on. When you sit and calmly look at it, it seems that there is nothing difficult in choosing a path to move from point A to point B and going through it. At orienteering competitions, the athlete simply does not have time to look at the map for a long time. You have to choose the path of movement and think it through right on the go, in conditions.

Another factor that makes the “competitive life” of an orienteer more interesting is psychological pressure. Everyone is trying to save valuable time and choose a more profitable route. In competitive conditions, athletes often make mistakes in choosing the path to move or simply lose themselves on the map. All this is the result of the psychological pressure of the competitive moment. Therefore, one of the main qualities that an orienteer must have are perseverance and stress resistance.

So, the athlete goes to the start. He receives a card, starts and immediately disappears from the view of spectators and other athletes. On a sports map, everything that is located in a certain area of ​​the area is marked in the form of catch signs. In addition, the map contains checkpoints where the orienteer must make a mark. While moving, he must have time to choose the path to move and read the map so as not to get lost. After completing the entire distance, the participant runs to the finish line, which is also marked on the map. The winner is determined by the best time and correct completion of the distance.

What is the highlight of orienteering?

Orienteering is a sport that you cannot win with only fast legs or a smart head. To become the best, an athlete must simultaneously develop physical qualities and learn to read a map correctly, quickly and accurately. This can only be achieved through repeated training and gaining experience in competitions.

It is almost impossible to prepare for certain conditions. Orienteering competitions are held in all corners of the planet. Starts can be in the mountains, in forests, in fields, and even in urban environments. During the course, orienteers may encounter obstacles in the form of streams, rivers, dead wood, steep mountains, impassable bushes and any other creations of nature. An athlete of any other sport can only envy what orienteers have to deal with in competitions.

Orienteering rules

Immediately after a beginner becomes familiar with the tasks and understands the essence of orienteering, he must learn a number of important rules, without knowledge of which he will not be able to successfully compete in competitions. For example, for violations of many rules, an athlete is simply disqualified from the competition. In order not to overshadow your performance, you must always be aware of new changes in the rules, although the basic rules of orienteering do not change from year to year.

First of all, the orienteer must cover the distance exactly in the order in which it is marked on his map. If the order of passing the distance is violated or someone else’s checkpoints (checkpoints) are marked, then the athlete’s result at the distance will be canceled. Now this issue is very strictly controlled with the help of modern technologies.

The athlete must meet the time allotted by the judges to cover the distance. Otherwise, the participant will also be disqualified. Although, in general, the control time is more than enough to complete the distance.

On the map, special signs may mark areas of terrain that cannot be crossed, or, on the contrary, you must run through them. An example of the first would be areas of terrain that are dangerous to the life and health of an athlete, and the second would be marked areas or places where rivers can be forded or crossing busy roads.

Before the start is given, the athlete must not leave the warm-up area and enter the competition map. This rule is intended to prevent the participant from finding control points in advance and choosing the route to them.

A large list of rules also applies to organizers, who must ensure the safety of athletes at a distance in various ways, for example, by marking the same dangerous areas, and monitoring the compliance of the location of control points on the ground with the map.

Previously, there was an interesting rule according to which a participant did not have the right to chase another along the distance. Now such a technique is not prohibited by the rules. That is, a participant can simply run after another who follows an identical distance. No sanction will follow for this today, but the interest in the sport is dropping sharply, and besides, no one excludes the possibility of a mistake by the “leading” athlete.

Orienteering manual

To become better acquainted with all the techniques and methods of orienteering, athletes and coaches study various literature. It may describe various interesting methods, methods and techniques that can improve the athlete’s performance. You can download this manual on orienteering using the link:

It describes in detail all the concepts, terminology, techniques and methods of working with a map and compass, basic rules and psychological advice.

True, a number of provisions from this manual are already morally and technically outdated. For example, in modern competitions, participants use chips to mark, and the manual describes cards for marking. Previously, marking at checkpoints was done using a composter and a cardboard marking card, but now it is no longer used almost anywhere.

Bottom line

To understand the essence of orienteering, it will be enough to go to the start line at least once, at least for training, and plunge headlong into this wonderful sport, to feel firsthand how difficult and interesting it is at the same time. After all, many people mistakenly believe that this is a simple run through the forests with a map.

In order not to darken the memories of the start, you must know and strictly follow the rules of orienteering. And in order to improve, you need to study additional literature, manuals and communicate with more experienced athletes.

A. S. Dombrovsky and others.

To navigate well in unfamiliar terrain, know where you are, be able to choose the best path and get to your intended goal, you need to regularly practice with a map and compass, train your visual memory and observation skills. Let's look at the main "secrets" that help you move quickly and confidently through unfamiliar terrain.

Conventional signs. Learning the secrets of orienteering begins with studying and memorizing conventional signs. They are in many ways similar to the signs on topographic maps. To depict the terrain, designate orientation objects, characterize visibility and movement conditions on sports maps, 70 conventional symbols are used. To “read” a map, you need to learn the symbols - the alphabet of the map. Sports cards in the country are made on the basis of the table of symbols UZ-81 (pages 8-9), which is compiled taking into account the standards of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF). Conventional signs are seven colors: black, gray, brown, blue, green, yellow and red (violet). The symbols of sports cards are very visual and for the most part resemble the shape of the objects they depict (viewed from above or from the side). You can figure them out without outside help.

A sports map is a textbook for orienteering; with its help you can imagine the nature and features of the area. The sports map, using symbols, gives the shape and contours of built-up areas, the location of individual buildings, fences, sheds, feeding troughs, wells, bridges, etc. All communication routes are shown on the map. Conventional signs of roads and trails show where and in what direction on the ground they pass, along which of them you can penetrate into the most remote corners of the forest or reach your intended goal, bypassing swamps and ravines lost in the thick of the forest. From the map you can determine the relief, see where clearings, clearings, forests, clearings, swamps, lakes, streams are located, but for this you need to learn to “read” the map, using a set of conventional signs to be able to create a picture of the surrounding nature. In addition to the exact relative position of objects, a sports map allows you to determine distances. To do this, it is enough to measure it on the map and know the scale of the map.

Compass. Learning to use a compass is not difficult. But a compass, as a rule, becomes the best assistant in orientation along with a map. In orienteering, special liquid compasses are used. They allow you to quickly and easily take the desired direction from the map and move around the area at the selected azimuth. The liquid in the compass ampoule ensures the required stability of the compass needle even when running. The compass plate has a magnifying glass for reading saturated areas of maps and a scale for angular and linear measurements on maps, as well as a counter with numbers from O to 9

Having learned the symbols, understood what a sports map is, and having a compass, you can begin to master the technique of orienteering: develop the ability to orient a map, compare it with the terrain and the terrain with the map.

Map orientation. When you find yourself in an unfamiliar area, you first need to orient the map: it is installed so that the north-south lines on the map have the same direction as the compass needle. The top of the map should be in the same direction as the north end of the compass needle points. After orienting the map, all objects depicted on it will be in full accordance with the terrain objects. After this, you can begin to “read” the map - compare the terrain with the map and the map with the terrain.

"Reading" the card. The ability to quickly read and understand a map correctly is a complex technical skill. They read the map only in an oriented position and only along the way, i.e. in the direction of movement. The peculiarity of sports cards is readability from any direction and even upside down. It is best to learn to read maps in areas with good visibility, while moving along roads or clearings, as well as when moving in azimuth. The "thumb-by-thumb" movement - the thumb of the left hand holding the map is directed along the line of movement, and the nail records the location of the orienteer at the moment - greatly facilitates the process of reading the map, especially for beginners. When reading a map, all landmarks are divided into point, linear and area. Point objects include objects depicted by non-scale symbols (stones, holes, springs, groups of trees, etc.). Linear landmarks - roads, paths, clearings, ditches, boundaries of forests and clearings, ravines, gullies - have a length greater than their width. Area landmarks - pond, lake, clearings, clearings, forest, large hills, valleys, slopes. Point and linear landmarks are easier to perceive, since for the most part they require perception on a plane. It is impossible to perceive the terrain without developing three-dimensional thinking; it is most difficult when reading a map. When reading a card, the “card memory” plays an important role, i.e. the ability to quickly capture and save an image of a map or location. “Map memory” allows you to access the map less frequently and spend less time comparing it with the terrain when determining your position and choosing a path.

Movement in azimuth. In order to maintain the azimuth course determined by the compass on the ground, it is necessary to periodically do a “check” - marking landmarks in the direction of movement. To do this, you need to learn to fix your gaze on the most distant landmark possible and try not to let it out of your field of vision while moving. This is an accurate azimuth move. But there is also approximate, rough azimuth movement along large areal or linear landmarks, when moving into a “bag” (towards the intersection of two linear landmarks). Speaking about azimuth movement, one cannot help but talk about movement with anticipation. Its meaning is that the movement is planned not to a point, but with a deliberate deviation in one direction or another. This is usually done to reach a linear landmark and then continue moving along it towards the goal. When moving in azimuth over a distance of more than 200 m, do not forget about the map. It is necessary to carefully monitor the terrain and distance traveled; periodically, preferably from memory, compare the area with the map in order to always know your location. "Azimuth sense" comes after extensive training over several years.

Measuring distances. Distances are measured on the map and on the ground: on the map - by eye or on the scale of a compass bar, on the ground - by eye, by the time of movement and by counting pairs of steps. The most accurate measurements on the map are with a compass ruler, on the ground - in pairs of steps. The distance traveled can be monitored by the main landmarks encountered along the route. Monitoring distances by counting pairs of steps requires preliminary preparation, in which the length of pairs of steps is estimated under different conditions of movement; on the road, in the forest, uphill, downhill, over rough terrain, running, walking, etc. To determine the length of a pair of steps, sections of one hundred meters or between landmarks are measured and walked in accordance with the map.

Movement along a chain of landmarks. By adhering to reliable and easily identifiable landmarks on the ground, you can get to your intended goal. With this method of movement, orientation techniques are needed: comparing the map with the terrain, using a compass and measuring distances. The main requirement of such a movement is the connection of the map with the terrain. Losing your orientation (your location) can cause many unpleasant moments: you will have to find a new reliable landmark and “get attached” to the map. To prevent this from happening, when implementing a path along a chain of landmarks, it is necessary to constantly monitor the direction of linear landmarks and the azimuth when crossing area landmarks using a compass. In this case, there will be no mistakes and “slips” onto the wrong path, which can be marked on the ground with landmarks similar to those chosen for movement.

Choosing a path. The most difficult, but at the same time the most exciting problem in orienteering is choosing a path. The ability to choose a path, a chain of reference points, is the main technical technique that must be mastered in order to be called an orienteer. The choice of path is influenced by many subjective and objective factors, but the most important thing is the ability to identify and remember reference landmarks, which, as a rule, include large linear and areal landmarks and particularly prominent point ones. Reference landmarks are determined from the map, and reaching them does not require large physical expenditures or high-precision orienteering techniques. Reference landmarks located across the movement are called inhibitory, along the chosen path and behind the goal of movement - limiting. Correctly selected reference landmarks eliminate frequent reference to the map when moving, reduce the time it takes to read it, make it easier to memorize the map, provide quick location control, and allow you to use “rough” orientation without fear of making a mistake. Which path should you take? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer, and it is impossible to compile a complete list of examples for training. It can be direct - along the azimuth, roundabout - along a chain of landmarks, or, as is more often the case, combined. The shortest path in a straight line is not always the best. Often the movement occurs in a roundabout way. When choosing a path, there are two opposing factors at play: reliability and time. Reliability is ensured by the choice of landmarks, the time costs depend on the number of selected landmarks, on the lengthening of the path created by the selected landmarks relative to the straight line connecting the starting and ending points of movement, on the conditions of movement between the landmarks, and on running ability. terrain and the orienteering technique of the orienteer himself. After deliberation, there is always one most reasonable choice.

"Secrets" of the orienteer.

1. Do not exceed the speed of movement. Each person, depending on his physical and technical training, has his own “critical” speed. If it is exceeded, fatigue quickly sets in, the clarity of map reading disappears, orienteering technique deteriorates, and even control over the direction of movement is lost.

Without knowledge of the basics of topography and orientation, the fate of a tourist can be sad. A detailed map in a mapper, a good compass and a GPS navigator are what a traveler needs.
1. TOPOGRAPHY
We will fundamentally omit military topography, methods of creating and updating maps, deciphering aerospace images, differences in projections, the use of navigators and stars (you need to sleep at night), maps of water areas and topoplans (1:5000 and larger), GIS and Yanedex maps (loadmap resource We study .net as needed). Let's start with the simple and important!
Let's remember: all topographic maps in Russia are compiled only in the Gauss-Kruger projection; equator length - 40,075,696 meters; 1 degree = 111 km, and 1 second = 31 meters; a 1:1000000 map sheet has dimensions of 6 degrees longitude and 4 degrees latitude (up to a latitude of 60 degrees); matchbox length 5 cm; magnetic poles move; There are 24 hours in a day :) This is input data, using which you can get everything else.
To navigate the terrain means to find the direction of the sides of the horizon and your location relative to surrounding local objects and relief elements.
Scale is the ratio of the length of a line on the map to the length of the corresponding line on the ground (numerical and linear in the border design of maps).
Azimuth is an angle measured from the direction north to the direction to a given landmark clockwise (from 0 to 360 degrees).
A map is a reduced visual, similar image of the earth's surface, made to a certain scale and projection.

I got the 1973 SNOV educational cards from practice. The content is abstract, there is no such area. Scale 1:50000.

The ability to read a map will come with time, fortunately, the symbols are intuitive and unified for each scale series (point, area, linear, their labels).
The boundaries of the map are determined by the longitude of its western and eastern meridians and the latitude of its southern and northern parallels. Each interval in longitude and latitude is divided into minute intervals, each marked with dark and light stripes. The minute intervals are divided into 6 parts by dots, each of which corresponds to 10". The map field is marked with a grid of rectangular coordinates with a square side equal to 1 km for maps of scales 1:10000, 1:25000 and 1:50000 and 2 km for maps of scale 1 : 100000. The vertical lines of the kilometer grid are parallel to the axial meridian of the zone the given topographic map sheet is located in. The angle γ (the convergence of the meridians) determines the inclination of the kilometer grid lines to the map frames.
Scale 1:25000 is the main scale for work (clickable).

(Vereshchaka T.V. - Topographic maps. Scientific basis of content - M., MAIK Nauka-Interperiodika - 2002)

Currently, it is the case in the Russian Federation that modern (updated) topographic maps at a scale of 1:25,000 and larger are not available to the common man; this is the lot of military personnel and specialists (for example, cartographers). Therefore, we will be dealing with maps of scales 1:50000 (1 cm - 500 m) and 1:100000 (1 cm - 1000 m). And this means this: firstly, with such a scale, much of what is useful to us will be generalized, i.e. will simply be absent; secondly, at a scale of 1:50000, your 100 meters traveled with difficulty is only 2 mm on the map. Although practice shows that this is quite enough, especially with long linear transitions.
Let's get started. We take any compass (Silva, Moskompass, or at least the Adrianov system), our map and begin.. determine your location.
This is the first problem. You can determine your location by the situation (the intersection of roads, clearings, power lines, slushes of streams or rivers, by the nearest populated areas), by the relief (the highest place, cliff, hole, source of a stream), with a developed eye you can position yourself using the method of linear notching from 2 -3 items, you can also turn on GPS, take geographic coordinates and make calculations using the map frame (if there is one, of course). Attention! The coordinates that our GPS navigator gives us are in the WGS84 system, which means the difference between them and the coordinates of the map frame will be 100 meters. Also, when orienting using the navigator’s altimeter, it should be taken into account that the error in altitude can be 10 meters.
The second problem is to map intermediate and final destinations. We mark the first point of the route on the map, apply a compass, and introduce a correction for magnetic declination. Magnetic declination is not a constant value. It is a manifestation of the magnetic properties of the Earth and varies over a wide range. Moreover, the magnetic declination even for the same point can be different, changing from year to year. If the magnetic declination indicated in the map legend is eastern, then a correction for this angle should be introduced - the compass needle should be deviated east from the grid line to the east by n-degrees. Because the compass needle does not point to the place where all the meridians converge (geographical north pole), but to where the magnetic lines of force converge (magnetic north pole). In 2012, it was located at coordinates 85°54′00″ north latitude and 147°00′00″ west longitude (about 450 km from the north pole). You should also know that most of the clearings (south-north) in the forest were cut by foresters using a compass, i.e. they show the direction to the magnetic pole of that time.
We do it as shown in the picture Silva 1-2-3 System:


1. Place the compass on the map so that its edge is along the desired route line (the line from the standing point to the first waypoint).
2. Rotate the bezel until the “N” mark on the scale ring points north on the map. Check that the north/south lines of the bezel are parallel to the meridians on the map.
3. Hold the compass in front of you in a horizontal position. Rotate until the north end of the arrow points to the "N" mark on the compass scale ring.

The essence of movement by azimuths (FAQ in pdf) is to maintain on the ground the directions specified by magnetic azimuths (directional angles) and distances determined from the map. Directions of movement are determined using a magnetic compass, distances are measured in steps. This is the main method of movement in terrain poor in landmarks, especially at night and with limited visibility. In practice, everything is simpler - in order not to rush through dense forest and water, movement is carried out along country roads, clearings, and the edge of the forest in the right direction. Naturally, the route is laid out on the map in advance, measuring its length with a curvimeter or measuring compass, introducing corrections for the relief. Knowing the average speed of movement of a group in a particular area, the places and duration of rest stops, it is theoretically possible to calculate the time of arrival at the final destination.

Nomenclature- a system for designating sheets of topographic maps of different scales (example for 1:10000 - N-34-67-G-g-2). In a sheet of 1:1000000 there are 4 sheets of 1:500000, 36 sheets of 1:200000 and 144 sheets of 1:100000. In turn, in a sheet 1:100000 there are 4 sheets 1:50000, in a sheet 1:50000 there are 4 sheets 1:25000, in a sheet 1:25000 there are 4 sheets 1:10000. The search for any card begins with a blank card. Finding adjacent cards is even easier - the nomenclature of adjacent sheets is indicated on all four sides of the frame.

(Chekalin S.I. Topographic and special maps. Textbook M RGGRU named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze 2007)

Special skill is required to read topographic maps of mountainous areas (below - Alps, 1:50000). The relief is displayed not so much by contour lines, but by special symbols of cliffs, shafts, and relief shading. Mountain, basin, ridge, hollow and saddle are the main elements of the relief. And what glaciers, hydrography, tunnels in the mountains are here!

US Army map of part of the territory of Udmurtia. Completely different color.

In a completely hopeless situation, space images will help us. Fortunately, the resolution of some of them is simply enormous. This is my native Glazov. Just recently, such pictures appeared throughout the city on the Yandex service. And of course we use it all the time Google.Earth(SAS.Planet uses the Google.Maps service, but not Google.Earth!)


Four 3-entrance houses are nine-story buildings, and next to them there are houses of 16 floors. It is useful to learn how to decipher satellite images, i.e. recognize and classify the objects depicted on them. Minus - it is impossible for a non-specialist to determine the relief. Need a stereo pair. Sometimes only space images contain the most current and reliable information about the area.

2. ORIENTEING
A wonderful sport is orienteering. Sometimes running, skiing, cycling. The most difficult, but also the most interesting thing is night orienteering.
Orienteering is a sport in which participants, using a sports map and compass, must pass control points (CP) located on the ground. Results, as a rule, are determined by the time it takes to complete the distance (in certain cases, taking into account penalty time) or by the number of points scored.
Depending on the method of completing tasks, the following types of orienteering competitions are held: 1. Orienteering in a given direction (OD) - passing checkpoints marked on the map and located on the ground in a given order. Participants choose the path from one checkpoint to another at their own discretion. 2. Orientation by choice (VO) - passing a checkpoint from among those available in the competition area. The choice of checkpoints and the order of their completion is arbitrary, at the discretion of the participant. 3. Orientation on a marked route (MT) - covering a distance marked on the ground from start to finish, with the location of checkpoints installed on the route marked on the map. That's it in short.
The whole point of this sport is to maintain a balance between speed and the ability to stay focused. Here, even MS (masters of sports) sometimes make mistakes:) They run quickly and their heads stop thinking, as a result of which they lose orientation, time, and glasses. Our “friends” are a compass and a tablet, visual memory, the ability to read a map, a good flashlight at night and, of course, strong legs. Any doping (alcohol) and technical aids (GPS navigators) are illegal!

Sports card- this is a large-scale special terrain diagram in which there is no coordinate grid, true meridian lines, declination, geodetic reference points and a special system of accuracy for plan, angular and altitude measurements is in effect in accordance with the requirements of the IOF and FSO of Russia, and the special content consists of showing the terrain's passability and individual characteristics of the depicted objects. Sports cards are issued in accordance with the international system of symbols of the IOF, supplemented by national symbols approved by the FSO of Russia.
Pricks are made on the map with a needle at the locations of the control points.

Check Point(KP) - a point marked on the map, on the ground equipped with a sign in the form of a triangular prism with a side of 30x30 cm. Each face is divided by a diagonal from the lower left to the upper right corner into a white field at the top and an orange (red) field at the bottom. CPs should be located at landmarks marked on the map and clearly identifiable on the ground. The exact location of the control point should be described using legends. The location of the checkpoint must be clearly determined using a map and legend.
The main thing is not to forget that there is a control time, after which all your results will be canceled. A team race (M+F, M+M+F, etc.) is more interesting than an individual race, in the rain it is more interesting than in clear weather, at night it is more interesting than during the day, in the forest it is more interesting than in the field, in summer it is more interesting than in winter, by choice it is more interesting than according to the labeling.. although.

Easy map for orientation. Designed for running on asphalt paths or directly. Complex for biathletes near Izhevsk.

If you decide to try yourself in this, then you will find the following: difficulties associated with the need to quickly navigate and make a quick decision; difficulties in choosing a course of action depending on emerging situations on the ground; difficulties associated with the need to perform work with gradually increasing physical fatigue; the difficulties associated with the need to carry out work with an uncorrected map, and the difficulties associated with the need to carry out work under adverse weather conditions.
Quite a difficult map to navigate over a long distance. It is especially difficult at night.

If you see a person running with a number on his chest and a compass on his neck, then give way to him. And may the power of the anorak be with you!

– a sport in which participants, using a sports map and compass, must pass control points (CP) located on the ground.

Results are usually determined by the time it takes to complete the course (in certain cases, taking into account penalty time) or by the number of points scored.

Orienteering competitions are held in different groups, which can be formed both according to age and the skill level of the participants. The difficulty of the distance and its length are determined by the age group and the complexity of the competition terrain. At the same time, the distance (route) should be unfamiliar to all participants and combine difficulties that the athlete can overcome with the ability to navigate and good physical fitness.

Types of orienteering

Orienteering by running

Running orienteering competitions are held in a large number of different disciplines, for example: in a given direction ("ZN"), by choice ("VO") and even on a marked route ("MT"). The World Orienteering Championships have been held since 1966.

Ski orienteering

Ski orienteering competitions are held in conditions of stable snow cover in the disciplines: given direction, marked route.

Orientathlon
(Ski-O-thlon)

A combination of the two previous types. Competitions in a given direction are held using a special map on which ski tracks are plotted, and types of ski tracks are shown in relation to the speed of movement on skis.

The World Ski Orienteering Championships have been held since 1975.

Bicycle orienteering

Bicycle orienteering competitions are held in the following disciplines:
• given direction
• marked route
• optionally
• in a combination of these types.

The sports map shows the types of roads in relation to the speed of cycling. The World Bicycle Orienteering Championships have been held since 2002.

Precision orientation, trail orientation

The international name is Trail Orienteering (trail-O, also Pre-O, the old name is “trail orientation”) - a sport that involves accurately interpreting the situation on the ground using a map.

During a control time, participants cover (usually in a given sequence) a distance consisting of points, at each of which several prisms (flags) are located within sight. Participants must determine and record which of these prisms (flags) on the ground corresponds to the legend indicated on the map and the given legend (possibly none). At the same time, some landmarks available on the ground may be intentionally absent from the map.

Movement of participants is allowed only along authorized paths (paths) or marked areas of the terrain. The athlete can choose to start either on foot (running), or on a bicycle, or in a single-seat wheelchair propelled by hands or an electric motor. The time it takes to complete the distance is not taken into account; the result is determined by the number of correct answers. At some checkpoints called "Time-KP", the time for making a decision is additionally recorded, but even in this case, the time of movement between checkpoints is not taken into account.

The World Trail Orienteering Championships (WTOC) have been held since 2004. Since 2013, the Sprint discipline has been included in the World Championship program. The sprint consists of only “Time-KP”.

Types of competitions

Orientation
in a given direction
("ZN")

It consists of going the distance in a given order.
At the moment of the start (in some cases, 1 minute before the start), the participant receives a map on which the start place and checkpoints are marked, connected by a line that indicates the sequence of passing the checkpoint. The winner is determined by the shortest time to complete the distance.

Sports labyrinth competitions (ultrasprint) are held on a small area among artificial obstacles. The length of the distance is 100-500 m, maze maps usually have a scale of 1:100.

Orientation
optionally
("VO")

- consists of walking the distance in any order.
Before the start, each participant is given a map with the start, finish and checkpoints marked.

There are two options for holding this type of competition:
• Completing the distance from start to finish with the required number of CP/points in the shortest time;
• Gaining the most points/CP during the designated time limit.

Checkpoints, depending on the difficulty and distance, are assigned points, and for exceeding the control time a penalty is assigned, usually by subtracting one point from the result for each full minute of exceeding the control time.

Orientation
on a marked route
("MT")

– consists in the fact that the participant is provided with a sports map with the start location indicated on it. Following the marked route, the participant enters into the map (with a needle or a special composter) the location of the checkpoints that he encounters along the way.

At the finish line, judges check the accuracy of determining the location of the control point and impose a fine depending on the participant’s error. The penalty may be extra time or penalty loops.

Orienteering on a marked route is mainly found only in Russia and the countries of the former USSR.

Orienteering technique

Before delving into the secrets of orienteering, you first need to pay attention one of the “main tools” - the map.

We can say without any reservations that the map is a textbook for an orienteer, because with its help he can find out the nature and features of the area. But to understand all this, you need, of course, to “learn to read and write,” and this means learning to read a map.

Conventional signs of sports cards

If you know how to read a map, then with the help of it alone you can get to your intended goal and definitely more intelligently than with the help of a compass alone. With the help of a compass, it is true that you can go in the desired direction under any conditions, but without a map you are as if you were blind. A map is the most important tool for an orienteer. The best way to navigate is a sports map.

Various symbols are used to indicate terrain features and its relief on the map. If we consider the map to be an orienteer’s anthology, then the conventional signs are the alphabet, according to which the orienteer composes unified words and sentences that are clear in their meaning.

Liquid compass

An orienteer's best friend - compass. Without it, it would be difficult to get out of the tangled terrain to the intended goal by the most direct route.

We must trust the compass even when our own “correct” instinct turns everything upside down, pointing south instead of north and vice versa.

Using a map and compass, you can navigate the terrain and accurately follow the intended path. But first you need to learn how to correctly orient the map and find a standing point on it.

Ways to orientate a map

Orient the map- this means positioning it so that the top side of the frame is directed to the north, and the bottom to the south. To do this, use a compass to find the direction north and position the map so that the north on the map coincides with the direction indicated by the compass arrow.

You can orient the map in another way. Stand on some terrain line marked on the map. Let's say this line is a road.

Rotate the map so that the direction of the road symbol coincides with the direction of the road on the ground. In this case, you need to make sure that the objects on the right and left of the road have the same location as on the map.

Orienting the map towards a landmark

If this condition is met, then the map is oriented correctly. It should be remembered that every time when comparing the terrain and the map, you must start with the orientation of the map. At first, this may not seem so easy, but you will soon notice the benefits it brings.

Ways to follow a route using a map

To go from one point to another, there are two absolutely different ways. One of them is based on reading a map and choosing the easiest path along it, while the other involves direct azimuth walking. Let us explain what we mean by these methods.

Imagine that you need to go from one village to another. Relying only on the map, you will be able to get to your goal by sticking to reliable and easily detectable objects on the ground, such as paths, a road, a stream bed or the edge of an arable land. If you followed the route in this way, you can say that you only resorted to reading a map to get to the desired point.

Now suppose that you need to get from the village to the lake. Directly through the forest is much shorter than taking the bypass road. In this case, you will have to determine the azimuth and follow it through the forest straight to the lake. That's what it is azimuth walking.

The angle between the direction north and the direction towards a given object (landmark) is called azimuth. Azimuth movement is the ability to maintain a given direction using a compass. path and get to your destination. To do this, the route of movement is first determined from the map, the azimuths of the sections and the distances that need to be covered in each section are determined.

To find out how many degrees there are in azimuth, they begin to count from north to the right, that is, clockwise. Azimuth is measured from 0 to 360 degrees. The divisions on the compass are the same.

Constantly compare the map with the terrain! The basis of orienteering is that the orienteer must always know the point of his standing on the map. And this is only possible when you carefully monitor the map and the terrain, i.e. control the direction of movement and distance traveled you distance(for measuring distances on a map and on the ground, see the topic “Topography and Orientation”).

Orienteering distances

Classification of distances

Distance– competition route from start to finish.

Distances according to saturation with orienteering tasks
and requirements for the physical fitness of participants
divided into classes:
• VS - all-Russian competitions;
• MS – master of sports;
• Candidate for master of sports;
• 1st category class distances;
• mass discharge class distance.

Equipment for orienteering courses

The competition area will be equipped with:
• preliminary start (place of registration of starting participants);
• card issuing point;
• technical start;
• starting point of orientation (point K);
• checkpoints - KP;
• marked sections (from the technical start to the orientation start point;
  from the last checkpoint to the finish, etc.);
• finish (point of relay transfer);
• other facilities necessary for each type of orienteering (food stations, first aid stations, places for spectators and representatives of the press).

The pre-start must have a clock or other device showing the judge's time (current competition time).

The competition distance on the marked course is marked on the ground from the starting point of the orienteering to the finish.

For gearbox equipment and the starting points of orientation are used sign in the form of a triangular prism with a side of 30 x 30 cm. Each the face is divided by a diagonal from lower left to upper right corner on a white field up and orange(red is allowed) – below.

• 1 – KP prism with number;
• 2 – double composter with KP number;
• 3 – support for hanging the gearbox

Each CP is given a designation and for this purpose two-digit and three-digit numbers are used, starting from 31. Numbers that can be read ambiguously (66,68,86,89,98,99, etc.) are prohibited from being used to designate a CP. The designation must be the same, no matter how many distances meet at a given checkpoint (except for “MT” competitions).

A sample of control panel equipment is installed near the start no later than 30 minutes before the start of the 1st participant.

KP are supplied means of marking, which are attached in close proximity to the prism. The number of marking devices must be such as not to cause delays for participants.

All checkpoints of the same distance are equipped in the same way and are equipped with marking means of the same design.

Visit to the CP by a participant controlled using the document - control card, which can be combined with the map. The participant card must clearly show that all checkpoints have been visited. The card must be capable of producing a reserve (R) mark. If there is no correct mark on any control card on the control card or it is not clearly identified, the participant’s result may be canceled. The result of a participant who has lost the control card, failed to hand it in at the finish line, or passed the checkpoint in a different order than the specified one may be cancelled.

Checkpoint mark on the marked route It is done as follows: the participant fixes the location of the CP by piercing the card received at the start with a needle with a diameter of no more than 1 mm. The participant marks the puncture of the CP with a cross using a colored pencil located at the next CP. The last checkpoint is marked at the turn of the mark. For an error in applying the CP by more than 2 mm, the participant receives a penalty (in minutes or penalty laps)

At International and All-Russian competitions, the function of a control card can be performed by a special device that is part of the electronic control system for visiting the checkpoint - CHIP. An electronic marking system allows you to control the athlete’s movement along the distance.

Legends of KP

The preliminary information that the athlete receives before the start includes a graphic description of the location of the checkpoint using symbols (pictograms) - the checkpoint legend.

CP legends allow you to act in the area where the points are located more intelligently and quickly. This means that you can save time when “taking” the checkpoint.

Above the table with symbols the age group of the participants, the length of the straight line distance between the checkpoints and the total climb along the optimal path are indicated, and below the table is the distance from the last checkpoint to the finish and the presence of markings on this path.

Descriptions of the location of the checkpoint

Checkpoint descriptions are in the order in which the checkpoint should be visited and may include special instructions such as the length and nature of any marked section of the course. A thick horizontal line should be used after every four descriptions and on both sides of any special indication.

The most difficult and challenging, but at the same time the most exciting problem in orientation – route selection. Which path should you take? Should I go around the field spread out ahead or rush straight ahead?

When solving the problem of choosing a route, you must first take into account two points. Firstly, reliability, i.e. the ability to avoid taking the wrong route or reduce the likelihood of going astray, and secondly, speed.

Orienteering is a sport in which participants, using a compass and a sports map, must find control points (CP) located on the ground. Results in orienteering are determined, as a rule, by the time it takes to complete the distance (sometimes including penalty time) or by the number of points scored.

Orienteering competitions are held in different groups, which can be formed both according to age (from small children to 80-year-old veterans) and according to the skill level of the participants. The complexity of the distance and its length are determined by the principle based on the fact that to successfully complete the competition route, the ability to navigate and the physical fitness of the athlete would be required equally. Competitions take place in all weather conditions: rain, heat or snowstorm.

Orienteering classes develop in athletes many useful skills and abilities, such as speed, memory and attention, as well as physical qualities: endurance, coordination, flexibility.

Types of orienteering:

Orienteering by running
Running orienteering competitions are held in most disciplines: set direction (“ZN”), optional (“VO”), rogaining (“RG”) and even on a marked course (“MT”). World running orienteering championships are also held.

Ski orienteering
Ski orienteering competitions are held in the following disciplines: in a given direction, on a marked route, or in a combination of these types (Orientathlon, Ski-O-thlon).
For competitions in a given direction, a special map is used, on which ski tracks are marked. World championships are held in ski orienteering.

Bicycle orienteering
Bicycle orienteering competitions are held in the following disciplines: a given direction, on a marked route, by choice or a combination of these types. The map shows the types of roads in relation to the speed of cycling.

Orientation along the trails
Participants in trail orienteering competitions complete distances in a given sequence, consisting of points at which several prisms are located within sight. Athletes must determine and record which of these prisms on the ground corresponds to a given legend and is indicated on the map.

History of orienteering:

The first orienteering competition was held on October 31, 1897 by the Tjalve Sports Club near Oslo (Norway).

The first modern orienteering competitions in their current form were held in 1918. Major Ernst Killander, President of the Stockholm Amateur Sports Association, decided to use the countryside environment for this new sport based on his military experience. He came up with a cross-country competition where people not only ran, but also had to find and choose their own routes using a map and compass. By 1934, orienteering as a sport was already in Switzerland, the USSR and Hungary. Even before the Second World War, annual national championships for men and women began to be held in Sweden, Norway and Finland. In 1946 the Scandinavian Orienteering Committee was created. In 1960, Open International Competitions were held in the Stockholm area, in which seven countries had already participated. On May 21, 1961, the International Orienteering Federation was founded at a congress in Copenhagen.

The first members of the federation were 10 European countries - Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Germany, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany.

Today, various orienteering competitions are held all over the world, both local and global.