Orienteering
An orienteer punching a control point | |
| Highest governing body | International Orienteering Federation (IOF) |
|---|---|
| First public contest | 1897 Sweden–Norway |
| Clubs | 78 national federations |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members | Individuals and teams of variable size |
| Mixed-sex | Yes, but usually in separate leagues/divisions |
| Type | Outdoor |
| Equipment | Compass, orienteering map, control punch |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
| Olympic | No |
| World Championships | 1966 |
| World Games | 1995 |
Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points. Originally a training exercise in land navigation for military officers, orienteering has developed many variations. Among these, the oldest and the most popular is foot orienteering. For the purposes of this article, foot orienteering serves as a point of departure for discussion of all other variations, but almost any sport that involves racing against a clock and requires navigation with a map is a type of orienteering.
Orienteering is included in the programs of world sporting events including the World Games (see Orienteering at the World Games) and World Police and Fire Games.