Mike's (Highly Opinionated, but Still Correct)
List of Orienteering Skills
By Mike Smith (again, we assume)
This list is in order of importance with the most important coming
first.
- Always (Always, Always, Always) read your map with it oriented
properly (i.e. north end of map pointing to the North while you are
reading it).
- Always keep your thumb on the map at your current position.
- Always fold your map along your current direction of travel. This
makes it very easy to observe points 1 and 2.
The first three points may sound trivial but they are the most
important skills to learn in orienteering and you should always use
them! Don't forget them. They are your ticket to fast times and many
championships (or at least they should start cutting down the
frequency of those 'utterly lost, staggering forever through this
hellish jungle' episodes).
- Use the CAR method of making your route choice.
- Control - where is the control located.
- Attack point - pick a good attack point (an attack point is a
nearby feature that is EASY to find, e.g. trail junction, top
of a big hill, corner of an open field).
- Route choice - pick a good route between your current
position and the attack point.
- Stay in contact with the map as you travel between the controls.
This means keeping track of your current position on the map. The
accuracy of your known location can vary depending on where you are on
your chosen route, but don't get too sloppy. As you improve, this
skill should develop into the ability to read the map on the run (or
walk depending on how energetic you are). Thanks to the first three
very important skills, which you now practice religiously, reading on
the run turns out to be relatively easy.
There are many other minor skills and tricks which you can learn as
you improve but it would take me several months to write up my long
winded and opinionated view on all of them. The best way to pick up
the rest of the skills is to train and race regularly. It is also
helpful to have either training partners or a coach, or both.
And remember - Have Fun!
This page is maintained by:
Benjamin Lee.
Last updated: 1997-10-28