Race of orientation

History

The race of orientation - in English: orienteering , in French: CO - finds its origin in Scandinavia at the 19th century as a military exercise . In the form of competition, it appears in Sweden in 1919. The activity gains in popularity with the appearance of Boussole S more reliable starting from 1930. It parallel to becomes an international phenomenon in the years 1960 the development of the activities of sport and the environmental awakenings.

In 2004, 63 various national federations, of all the continents, adhere to the international federation, the International Orienteering Federation (IOF). The race of orientation is recognized Olympic sport since 1977. Championships of the world are organized each year and the race of orientation belongs to the Worldwide games. The program of the championships of the world includes/understands four competitions, for men and women: sprint, average outdistance, long distance and relay. In competition, with the beginning of the year 2000, the sport is dominated by the Scandinavian countries and the Suisse (Simone Niggli-Luder), even if the French are present in particular on average distance where Thierry Gueorgiou is world champion in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.

In 2005, the French federation of Race of Orientation (FFCO) counts more than 200 clubs, the Swiss Federation of race of orientation (SOLV) in group approximately 90, Vlaams Verbond voor Orienteerinssporten (VVO) and the regional Federation of the sports of orientation (FRSO) count 17 clubs for Belgium and the Canadian Federation of Race of Orientation (COF) joins together approximately 30 of them. The clubs organize often weekly drives and organize departmental, regional or interregional races two to three times per month.

The chart

The charts used for the race of orientation are usually more detailed and more precise than the topographic charts. They meet the standards established by the IOF. The charts clearly indicate the obstacles to the race, the details perceived on the eye-level and the penetrability of the forest. The charts are generally produced with the scale S of the 1:4 000, 1:5 000, 1:10 000 and of the 1:15 000.

Checkpoints

The checkpoints are established close to elements visible and explained separately on the chart or a standardized list of definitions of post offices. One can find the list of the symbols standardized on the site of the IOF or directly in this page. The stations are announced by a red/orange and white beacon. The competitor attests of its passage to the checkpoints either by punching the box concerned of a control chart or, since the last decade of the 20th century, using an electronic device. The electronic devices most widespread today are provided under the marks Sportident and Emit. They are appeared as a finger or an electronic plate that the competitor places, at the time of its passage to the station, on a specific case. The devices record the passage of the runner at the station; they also allow, using an application software, to provide times of passage to the station as well as the total time of race.

The absence of any way pre-established between the checkpoints gives much flexibility in the organization of the race. Each checkpoint, identified by a single number, can be used for the races of various categories of competitors, each one of these races having its degree of clean difficulty and its length.

Various forms of the race of orientation

Some forms of race of orientation are enumerated hereafter. Innumerable alternatives of this sport are possible: some make use of various means of transport, others remove the competitive aspect of the activity.

Base form

The competitor has of a chart of orientation and, possibly, a compass. On the chart are mentioned, in overload, the localizations:

of the departure of the race, represented by a triangle,
of the arrival, represented by two concentric circles,
of the intermediate checkpoints, represented by numbered circles.

For the competitor, the race consists in as soon as possible joining the arrival since the departure while passing by the various checkpoints, in the order of their classification, while following a left advance to its appreciation.

The sprint

The sprint is the shortest format of race; it is practiced in city parks or on urbanized grounds or in forest. The chart used is with more large scales, of 1:3 000 with 1:10 000. The grounds being generally very open and the brought closer checkpoints, the duration of a sprint varies 10 minutes to 15 minutes.

The relay

This type of race implies teams of competitors, the team-members running the ones after the others. Each team carries out with final identical course. The test is gained by the team adding up the best time of race.

The race with the score or race at the points

The race with the Score requires competitors to visit greatest possible number of checkpoints in an assigned amount of time and an order left with the choice of the competitor. The competitors leave usually the departure masses some (and either each one in their turn) and lay out, for example, one hour. The checkpoints can represent different values according to the difficulty to reach them or of the distance to traverse to visit them. Any delay generates a penalty. The victorious competitor is that having accumulated the greatest number of points on the scale of values.

Orientation with vtt

Orientation with Bicycle any ground (VTT) - in English: MTB-O , in French: O-VTT - approaches the races of VTT but takes the orientation in consideration. The chart is usually on a scale 1:20 000 and present of the slightly different symbols for the paths and the ways, this to allow a better legibility but also to indicate their aptitude for circulation to bicycle. Since it is usually not allowed the bicycles to leave the paths, ways and roads, the major challenge consists in finding the best course to circulate as quickly as possible. A carry-chart - sometimes rotary - fixed at the handlebar of the bicycle is equipment essential to the competitor.

Ski-orientation

To practice the Ski - orientation - in English: Ski-O - is connected with the traditional form of the race of orientation. The chart comprises overloads intended to indicate the feasibility of the paths and ways snow-covered and to mention the déneigées roads. The spaces chosen for the compétions often comprise a very dense network of ways and the best competitors arrive at junctions every fifteen seconds. A carry-chart fixed at the bust of the competitor is an essential accessory. The race of orientation can be still practiced in rackets with snow.

Orient' Show

Orient' Show is a race of orientation organized on a delimited ground (sports hall, stage of foot and etc). The difference of Orient' Show compared to the “traditional” race of orientation: the duration of the test is between 20 and 180 seconds with a distance varying from 100 to 400 meters. Here principal differences: the spectators can follow the race of the departure on arrival, the test is accompanied by comment and music.

Orientation of precision

Orientation of precision - in English: Trail Orienteering - is a discipline of race of orientation based on the reading and the analysis of the ground using a chart. The candidates must identify on the ground the points indicated on the remote chart while remaining on routes suitable for motor vehicles and usable in wheel chair (electric or not). Equipped with a chart and with only the assistance with a compass, they choose the beacon among a bunch of beacons, which represents that indicated by the center of the printed circle and the definition of the provided post office. The identification of the good beacons requires a skill and an address of spirit but does not sanction a skill or particular driving dexterity. The classification is not thus done by a speed of execution of a course. The charts are generally on a 1:5 000 scale.

Others

It there has still race of night (which is practiced using a head light), raid (which can take up to two days), rand' orientation (without timing, the important one being to inform the organizer that one finished), the race-string (for the whole small), the marked out race (for the beginners), Rogaine (race with the score from 12 to 48 hours), Farsta, the sporting Radiogoniométrie.

External bonds

International Orienteering Federation (IOF)

French-speaking Belgium: Regional federation of the Sports of Orientation (FRSO.be)

France: French federation of race of orientation (FFCO)

Quebec: Orientering Quebec

Swiss: SOLV

Ch'tis Riders

Thierry Gueorgiou: quintuple world champion (Tero.fr)

the International Raid of Orientation O' bivwak (ex Raid IGN Francital - IGN Lafuma)

Orient' Show - the race of orientation in another dimension

Sportident
Emitted

the official site of the SHARP TEAM

http://cartes.orientation.free.fr/ history of the charts, charts of orientation, the cartography, how to teach the race of orientation.

Be-X-old: Спартыўнаеарыентаванне

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