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In celebration of World Orienteering Week 2024, we wanted to share some of our clubs highlights in the past few months, including projects that they have become involved in and what advice they would give to newcomers looking to join their club or the sport in general! Here is what we asked them.
Quantock Orienteers
We continue to run an ambitious event programme for a small club, and our members are increasingly taking part in regional and national events.
In the past year our Junior Orienteering Group held two series, each of 8 low-key weekly events aimed at juniors, families, and adults looking to improve or to train. Over the last 15 years this programme has introduced many people to orienteering and has resulted in a thriving junior scene that rivals much larger clubs in the region. These informal events are great for adult newcomers too, and we find many prefer these to our larger events.
We attended an annual schools sports fair in April which gave many primary school children a taste of orienteering. Our club's main objective is to encourage families to come to our Junior Orienteering Group. We have found that involving parents is a great way to introduce children to the sport.
We held 6 junior and 6 senior training sessions over the year. These were series of structured activities held separately from our events. We had regular attendees and all sessions were well received.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Our advice would be to try our low-key local events first, where we can give advice and encourage development in a relaxed setting. Ours is a small friendly club, but we provide a huge range of local events year-round in our local area.
Wight Orienteers
We have set up another permanent orienteering course in our area. Maps are free to encourage more people to experience our sport.
The club have trainied teachers to deliver outdoor and adventurous activities, and held the first schools orienteering festival for 35 years on the Isle of Wight.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We are the only orienteering club on the Isle of Wight and we are family friendly.
Hertfordshire Orienteering Club
Our key highlights from over the past few months include the HH juniors qualifying for the Yvette Baker Final; and the start of our 2024 Street-O series, attracting runners and other non-orienteers.
We are excitedly preparing to host a series of Find Your Way activities over the summer; currently focusing on mapping, planning and engaging.
As a club, we have responded to schools requests for support and training; running a Youth League where local schools and youth groups can compete as teams.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Pick a local event and give it a go - it's not scary and you will get all the support you need. HH puts on a large number of newcomer-friendly events (park, wood and street) and will always provide advice and support for newcomers. Beyond that, we are a thriving, friendly and sociable club with additional training and social activities for its members.
Moravian Orienteers
Leading the very successful Scottish Six Days in August 2023, based in Moray. More than 2,500 orienteers enjoyed six days of exciting orienteering. We are now putting in place plans for the Scottish Orienteering Relay Championships in Roseisle Forest on 26th May.
We have successfully used grant funding from the Orienteering Foundation and Scottish Orienteering Association to support a Club Development Officer, who has been running introductory sessions with Youth groups and Schools across Moray. A recent 'Come and Try It event at National Trust for Scotland's Brodie Castle attracted over 200 participants!
We have continued activities with Primary and Secondary schools across Moray, and have started developing a School's league based on local events taking place this summer.
The club holds coaching sessions before most local events, at monthly intervals. These are very successful, and typically attract 15-20 participants, mostly younger orienteers and families.
We are co-ordinating the Northern Urban league this summer, with several town-centre events in June and July in the lead up to WOC24.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Come and enjoy the physical and mental challenge of orienteering in the delightful forests and local areas in Moray.
Devon Orienteering Club
Our highlights over the past few months start with us having put in place a comprehensive training/coaching series for all levels from April to August. The club has provided five introductory training sessions attended by over 30 newcomers.
We also had over 30 members attend the JK at Cannock Chase with some excellent performances and a great social atmosphere at the club tent in the same event centre over the two days.
Club member, Lucy Walker managed to secure a place for the GB team at the European Orienteering Championships, and we have also worked with the Marines to produce a map of Lympstone Marine Camp, holding a score event for c. 200 trainees. This event was a big success in terms of introducing the sport to newcomers.
We unfortunately haven't had the resources to work with individual schools. Exeter University's Orienteering Club has unfortunately been mothballed with student turnover. Our experience of working with schools has not led to an uptake of new juniors unless parents are keen: Our events are so geographically spread out.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Orienteering provides an opportunity to master new skills and get to know people across different age groups and backgrounds. Our events are organised across very varied terrain from moorland, coastal dues to forest and heathland with each providing different challenges.
Chigwell & Epping Forest Orienteering Club
We've staged a National Event plus a Try Orienteering event in Wanstead Park which attracted 20 participants. The Club has held several training events for members.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We are a small friendly club for NE London and SW Essex. Come and find out more about us!
Swansea Bay Orienteering Club
Community Family Fun and Coaching Days, the launch of our Saturday Perk-O series incorporating the new Swansea Schools League and the introduction of monthly Coaching and Training Sessions for club members of all ages.
We have worked with Swansea Council, University of Wales Trinity St David and Pobl Housing to put on a number of Free Fun Days in a variety of locations across the city, introducing Biathl-O (Orienteering and Archery), The Quest - a treasure hunt score event, Challenge and Family Coaching Days to get people engaged in the sport and out into their local green spaces.
We are in the third year of a four year project to bring orienteering to every Primary and Secondary school in Swansea. This includes getting the school grounds mapped, delivering an introduction session and providing coaching for teachers so they can confidently continue to deliver orienteering sessions. We have incorporated a Schools League into out Saturday Park-O events, adapting the format to give pupils a chance to transition from orienteering around school grounds to local parks, without it being too big a leap. The Park-O series provide an ideal opportunity for parents to join in too, making it a whole family experience.
We have introduced pre-event training at our Sunday Winter League events, and created Coaching And Training Sessions (C.A.T.S.) for all club members to attend - free of charge. These sessions are also open to non-club members for a small charge.
Many of our members will not be able to attend WOC, so we are setting up an Alternative WOC-end, with a Turf event on the Friday followed by a social where we hope to watch footage of the WOC Sprint, a club Parkrun Strava Challenge on Saturday morning, our Saturday Park-O on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday there will be The Griffin Run - Rhediad y Adar Llwch Gwin a 60-120 min Score event on the Gower using MapRun, followed by a social gathering where we will eat cake, drink tea and watch the Sprint Relays.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Orienteering truly is a sport for all, no one gets left on the sidelines, everyone is welcome. Swansea Bay is a welcoming, friendly club who put on events and activities to make the sport as fun and accessible as possible - Go Solo, Go Together - Run Walk, Wheel - Go for the Win, go for Fun - With Swansea Bay OC YOU Choose.
Southdowns Orienteers
Our highlight from over the past couple of months has been the Sunny Sussex Weekend 2024: A weekend of orienteering in the South Downs National Park, located between Chichester and Arundel. A high energy middle distance race at Eartham, an evening sprint race at Chichester Uni and Oaklands Park and a long distance national event at the newly mapped Houghton forest.
Southdowns Orienteers have worked with several scouting groups over the last year and delivered very successful training sessions. We also provided opportunities for scouts to take part at regular club events.
When it comes to coaching initiatives, we hold coaching sessions before regular club events. These sessions are split into coaching for primary school children and 1-2-1 coaching for older juniors, newcomers and any club members.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Whatever you do, talk to us before you head into the woods. Despite appearances, we’ve all stood at the start for the first time and so know just how intimidating dibbers and maps and compasses and controls and control descriptions can be. It’s not easy. It’s not meant to be easy. But once you get the hang of it, it’s just the best fun in the world! And I can honestly say that SO is one of the friendliest clubs in the country.
To new members, I would emphasise the joy of running through green woodlands - especially when the sun is shining. The pleasure of careful map-reading, leading to successful completion of a course is also very rewarding.
Harlequins Orienteering Club
Hosting the West Midlands Relays; running an O-course and maze for some of Shropshire's Primary schools; indoor-O in a soft play area - the most challenging course per metre ever! In the past year year some of our juniors have taken part in West Midlands Junior Squad activities which is a great initiative to support junior orienteering.
We've been a part of the Shropshire schools O-activity days, and the Birmingham Community Games. T Shropshire schools activities were organised via an umbrella group.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Challenge yourself but don't forget the course closing time!
Interlopers
The key highlights are the busy championship season which is building into final preparations for WOC 2024.
We have connections with some local schools but are looking the improve this using a Club Development officer who will be tasked with improving and increasing these connections. Club members are encouraged to attend coaching courses which are run by SOA for Scottish clubs.
We are involved with the Orienteering Edinburgh project with SOA and are in the process of appointing a club development officer to take this initiative in to the Post WOC 2024 phase.
To those thinking of joining our club...
We advise newcomers to come along and try the sport and to choose which club to join after several events so that they can identify a club that suits them. This comes from the challenge of having two clubs covering Edinburgh with no geograhic split. They mangae to copy with this in their football teams so I am sure they can manage.
Guildford Orienteers
Our highlights were the Southern Champs in February, and having the opportunity to organise a small range of training activities since then. In cooperation with Mole Valley Orienteering Club, we hold coaching training activities every month or two.
To those thinking of joining our club...
Visit our website to learn more.
Thinking of trying orienteering for the first time? Visit the GO Orienteering site to search for permanent and virtual orienteering opportunities, or use the event finder to find local events near you. Ready to join your local club? Use the online club finder to find the nearest club to you.
British Orienteering is proud to reaffirm our commitment to clean sport
by backing UK Anti-Doping’s (UKAD’s) Clean Sport Week campaign from 13 - 17 May.
Clean Sport Week is UKAD’s national awareness week championing clean sport,
education and anti-doping initiatives with sports across the UK.
This year’s Clean Sport Week theme is “Journey to the Podium”. Throughout the
week, UKAD will be showcasing the importance of the clean sport journey through the
lens of athletes and the elite sport community. Anti-doping should be a key part of
every athlete and support personnel’s journey – it should never be an afterthought.
Clean sport is an essential part of our athletes’ journeys to the podium / in professional
sport. It takes a lifetime of work, commitment and a network of support to help athletes
perform at the very top. This effort can be taken away in a moment by doping.
Creating a culture of clean sport is essential for the health and welfare of our athletes
and the integrity of Orienteering.
We all have a responsibility to keep sport clean, to raise awareness of anti-doping and
to celebrate the successes of athletes - through hard work, determination and by
competing clean.
We encourage anyone in our sporting community that would like to learn more about
anti-doping to sign up to UKAD’s Clean Sport Hub where there are free education
courses for athletes, students, coaches and practitioners.
Follow @ukantidoping on social media to see a range of educational and exciting
content throughout the week. To find out more about UKAD’s Clean Sport Week
initiative click here.
For anyone who works in sport, don’t miss UKAD’s Clean Sport Week event on
Tuesday 14 March, taking place on the Loughborough University campus. The event
will focus on the para-athlete’s journey to the podium. You can register your interest in
attending here.
Clean Sport Week
British Orienteering is delighted to announce the GBR team selected to race at the World University Orienteering Championships.
The World University Orienteering Championships (WUOC) are held every two years, with the 2024 GBR team competing in Bankso, Bulgaria from 1 to 5 August.
British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) selects and enters the team, working in partnership with British Orienteering. The team announcement can be found on the BUCS website.
Women's Team:
Rachel Brown (University of Edinburgh)
Fiona Bunn (University of Edinburgh)
Eilidh Campbell (University of Edinburgh)
Isobel Howard (University of Edinburgh)
Niamh Hunter (University of Edinburgh)
Laura King (Uppsala University)
Men's Team:
Jim Bailey (University of Edinburgh)
David Bunn (University of Edinburgh)
Euan Tryner (University of Edinburgh)
Peter Molloy (University of Cambridge)
Freddie Carcas (Boise State University)
Eddie Narbett (Bradley University)
World Orienteering Day events were held this year between May 23rd and May 29th, 2018.
The third World Orienteering Day proved to be a great success!
Here is a snapshot of some of the orienteering events and activities orienteering clubs put on across the UK for World Orienteering Day.
Lagan Valley Orienteers
Cecil Armstrong, Hon Sec Lagan Valley Orienteers, says:
“Almost 100 runners of all ages and levels of expertise took part in The Lagan Valley Orienteers Wednesday Evening Event in the Stormont Estate on World Orienteering Day on 23rd May 2018. The weather was beautiful and a great time was had by all.”
Bristol Orienteering Klub (BOK) celebrate World Orienteering Day!
Amy Curtis, Club Publicity Officer at BOK, says:
“To celebrate World Orienteering Day, more than 350 local school children joined BOK at Oldbury Court for coaching and running in the glorious sunshine.
A big “Thank you” to Carol Iddles for organising it, the 25 or so other BOK volunteers and all the teachers involved in making this fantastic day happen.
We look forward to making it even better next year and introducing a whole new group of young people to our exciting sport.”
Pop-Up Orienteering Event – 23 May 2018.
Warrior Orienteering Club / Lakeland Orienteering Club (WAROC/LOC)
The Lost World / Rough Holes, Graythwaite in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support
Martin Bagness, Organiser, says:
“This event popped up at the very last minute! Laid-back landowner Myles Sandys at Graythwaite Estates did not hesitate to give permission with only three-days notice. Dave Walton turned up trumps with some vital timing equipment with only three hours notice. Iain S-W took over running the whole event about three seconds after he arrived. Big thanks to these three. Special thanks for all the cakes that arrived, there would have been more but I ate them before anyone finished. Thanks to everyone (58 runners) who turned up, didn’t whinge about the spiky forest and supported a worthy cause.
Entries and cake sales raised £263 for Macmillan Cancer Support, whose excellent nurses provide help for cancer patients and their families.”
Further donations can be made at www.macmillan.co.uk
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World Orienteering Day with Octavian Droobers
Karin Kirk, Publicity Officer and Schools Liaison at Octavian Droobers Orienteering Club reports:
"Nearly 200,000 participants from 64 countries at 1121 events have been recorded so far as attending the World Orienteering Day. Octavian Droobers had a most successful event at Kenilworth, in Abbey Fields Park and around the town. 113 participants plus many friends and families had a great time and organisers, Andy Heath and Kerrie Flippance, with lots of help from club members, were very pleased with the number of newcomers especially juniors running on the 5 courses.”
The shortest course,1.8km, around the park saw Eoin Hankinson M14 1st in 10.14mins, Luke Cherry M14 2nd in 10.44mins and Ralph Ireland M12 3rd in 12.24mins. Christian Roberts M16 was 1st on the Park Orange 2.1km course in 9.58mins, 2nd Tom Schwarzer M16 11mins and 3rd David Knott M14 11.02mins. On the Park 4.5km medium course Anne Straube W40 was 1st in 26.24mins, Alicia Roberts W18 2nd in 27.26mins tying with Andy Emmerson M60.
On the Urban courses around the town, which took in the new railway station, Ian Bond M35 was 1st in 27.11mins on the 4.3km course, Felix Lunn M16 2nd in 35.40mins and Michelle W45 and Jacob Oxtoby M14 3rd in 42.29mins. The Urban Long 6.2km course was won by Alistair Landels M50 in 47.12mins, David Oxtoby M45 was 2nd in 50.19mins and Ben Rauffet M21 was 3rd in 51.22mins.
One new junior, Josh Griffin, Year 5 at St Nicholas’ School, Kenilworth, was so keen to form a team for school orienteering competitions he showed some great initiative by designing and distributing a poster to encourage his classmates to come along."
Photo: supplied by Octavian Droobers Photo: TINTO banner at the mass start, Burghead Roseisle
Tinto Orienteering Club (TINTO) celebrated World Orienteering Day
Dick Carmichael, Tinto Orienteering Club Chair, says:
“World Orienteering Day on Wednesday, May 23 was celebrated by Tinto Orienteering Club in Castlebank Park, Lanark, South Lanarkshire with an evening event for local youngsters put on by club members Blair & Lorna Young and Dick & Trish Carmichael. Free to enter the event had 4 short courses around the park and was attended by about 50 mostly Brownies and Beavers in groups of 3 or 4. A lovely sunny evening was enjoyed by all and many did all four courses on offer getting more proficient as time went by.
Three club members also competed at the Scottish Championship on May 26 & 27."
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Airienteers take part in World Orienteering Day
Martin Shaw (Airenteers), says:
“I organised an event for the 30th of May which was part of the Club's Annual Spring Sprint League Series. This involved a three-course event: Sprint, Orange and Yellow courses. 32 people attended the event of varying ages and abilities. As also part of a Fell Running Club I got some of that club along too in order to introduce them to the fun!”
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World Orienteering Day and Eryri Orienteering Club
Jim Wood, Eryri Orienteering Club, says:
“We ran two events, one 'closed' and another ‘open’.
Wednesday 23 May 2018, as part of a training event for local school-based cadets, we ran a 13 checkpoint score event on a local military training area (Kinmel Park Training Area), for 28 young people as an introduction to competitive navigation.
Thursday 24 May 2018, as part of the club’s summer series, 33 runners took to Llyn Padarn near Llanberis, for a 22 checkpoint score event.”
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East Pennine Orienteering Club
Viv Barraclough, East Pennine Orienteering Club, says:
“On World Orienteering Day it was orienteering as usual at Manor Road Junior, Infant and Nursery School, Golcar, Huddersfield, except that we invited grown-ups in to have a go with their children. In total over 130 children and 30 adults had a go at "counting cones" and 11 different short courses around the wonderful grounds.”
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Wrekin Orienteers
Adrian Pickles Chair WREKIN Orienteers, says:
“We used World Orienteering Day to publicise our Summer Series Urban race in Shrewsbury. This resulted in a radio feature on Radio Shropshire. We had contacts from three new schools. 39 people came to the event. Now that World Orienteering Day is a week-long we can use it more effectively and will plan for next years to be bigger and better. Thanks to IOF and WOD”
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World Orienteering Day celebrated at Dess, Aberdeenshire
Sarah Dunn Regional Development Officer, Scottish Orienteering Association, says:
“We celebrated World Orienteering Day in style in Deeside (Aberdeenshire) by holding no less than 3 events on the same day in Dess Woods. In the morning and afternoon we held two schools festivals for Primary 4-7 children from the Alford cluster of schools, with 5 schools attending in the morning and 3 after lunch. We were aware that there were several pupils with limited mobility, as well as one with special vision needs, so we adapted our score course to ensure that a number of the controls were accessible by wheelchair. In addition, a simplified tactile map was prepared and controls were set up using the MapRun app to give an audible signal on approach. We were delighted that this enabled all 280 pupils to participate in the activity. With the controls still out in the forest Maroc also held a club event in the evening with a further 36 participants. This time we offered 3 version of the score course - one using the normal map, one on a contour only map and the third a special blank map challenge, with just the location of each control point plotted. The sun shone and lots of fun was had by all."
SROC - Red Rose Orienteering Club - World Orienteering Day Participation
Mark Edwards, SROC Chair and Organiser, says:
“SROC - Red Rose Orienteering Club organised a score event for the local sports partnership. (Lancaster and Heysham). It is an annual event and serves as a qualifier for the Lancashire School Games. We had 20 schools take part and a total of 180 children enjoyed the event. Each participant received a certificate which included the WOD logo. During the briefing, it was pointed out they were part of a worldwide event.”
World Orienteering Day In Edinburgh
Edinburgh clubs ESOC and Interlopers combined to offer a range of activities in the Meadows throughout the day. The activities were mostly aimed at local primary schools and around 220 pupils came along during the day. In addition, passers-by of all ages also turned up to take part.
The Maze was deceptively simple but very skilfully planned, with instant results; the "Leaderboard" of winning times was very popular. Naughty Numbers, Crazy Cones and a "tree to tree" simple course were also on offer. The children showed a lot of enthusiasm and enjoyment as they ran around the various “courses”, many taking more than one turn at the activity.
The evening street race, part of the local Wednesday evening series, attracted over eighty participants. Many regular orienteers took part in either the ‘Short’ or ’Long’ street courses and a large group of local Scouts enjoyed the ‘Yellow’ course on Bruntsfield Links.
It was a long day - 9am to 9pm - but it was great fun and reached a lot of different people.
Janet Clark (ESOC) and Pat Squire (INT)
A big thank you to all clubs, schools and groups would took part in World Orienteering Day this year.
British Orienteering would like to thank all the above clubs for sending in details of their club events.
For more information about World Orienteering Day 2018, click here.
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Tel: 01629 583037, Email: info@britishorienteering.org.uk
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