Sports Recommendation

 

Orienteering

While many associate climbing and wading day and night with orienteering, as well as get daunted by the need to bring foods, medical supplies and even a tent, orienteering is actually an activity that only takes one to two hours to complete. All participants need to prepare are just basic equipment to enjoy this activity. Orienteering is a fun sports that requires both physical fitness and intelligence; and it is suitable for people of all ages and does not require any prior experience. As people can participate in orienteering regardless of skill levels and ages, it is regarded as a popular lifelong sports.

What is Orienteering?

Orienteering is a sports that tests both the physical fitness and intelligence of participants. It is usually conducted on foot across mountain trails, the wilderness or forests. Participants are required to use maps and compasses to visit multiple control points indicated on their maps and to punch holes as appropriate on the control cards to prove their arrival. The one who finishes the entire course and visits all the control points first is the winner.

Basic equipment for Orienteering

	Compasses For identifying directions
	Maps For locating control points with the information provided therein
	Whistles For calling for help when needed
	Control cards For recording the control points where you have checked in
	Watches For displaying time and timing
	Light and comfortable tops For easy movement and heat dissipation
	Pants For leg protection
	Studded sports shoes For preventing slipping accidents

Benefits of orienteering

Orienteering is an all-round sports. It tests participants’ physical fitness and map reading skills, as well as their course selection skills and independent thinking. The benefits of orienteering are listed as follows:

1. Physical fitness
In an orienteering competition, the faster participants complete the whole course, the better they do. In practicing orienteering, the participants will improve their speed, strength, resilience and sense of balance, etc, to be ready for various ground conditions in the competition zone.

2. Sense of direction
Orienteering maps are topographic maps with various sets of contour lines and indicators. Participants are required to locate each of the control points with reference to the symbols and colours on the map, definitely testing their sense of direction.

3. Logical thinking
With various information on maps, participants learn about an unfamiliar environment and decide a suitable route in a short time. By doing so they can to a certain extent train their calm thinking and responsiveness to the environment, while testing their sound judgement and logical thinking.

4. Responsiveness to the changing environment
During orientating, participants may find themselves in various unexpected circumstances. For example, they may get lost, it may start to rain or they may lose their maps. They must solve various problems in a timely manner under pressure, helping strengthen their responsiveness to the changing environment and reduce their response time.

5. Concentration
As participants aim to finish the whole course as quickly as possible during orienteering, they must maintain a high degree of concentration throughout the event, thereby helping improve their efficiency in daily life and at work.

6. Sense of accomplishment
Participants will get a great sense of accomplishment on arrival at each of the control points for check-in after overcoming obstacles and minimising mistakes, and this represents a motivation that will drive them to move ahead to their next goal in life.

7. Adaptability
Orienteering offers a chance for participants to learn map reading and use of compasses, in the hope of fostering more contact with nature. On another front, orienteering may enhance their physical fitness and knowledge about various land features, thereby promoting their adaptation in the wilderness.

Development and promotion of local orienteering

In a local sense, orienteering originated from a part of the training programmes of the British Forces in Hong Kong and the Royal Hong Kong Police in the 1950s and 1960s. Not until the late 1970s did it gain popularity among the community. The Orienteering Association of Hong Kong was established in 1981, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of its establishment. Over the years, the Association has been committed to promoting orienteering to members of the public and organising local and international competitions, growing the popularity of orienteering in Hong Kong.

In addition to organising over 15 orienteering competitions every year, including the “Hong Kong Orienteering Ranking League” for advanced players, the “Colour-Coded Event” and the “Sports Festival Orienteering Competition” for the public, as well as the “On Track to Save - MSF Orienteering Competition” for fundraising, the Association conducts more than 30 training courses annually to introduce orienteering to more people.

With subvention of the LCSD, the Association sets up a task force on school orienteering, with a view to promoting and coordinating orienteering activities across schools, while scouting youths with potential to join age group training teams. In collaboration with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Association sets up country parks orienteering trails in five country parks for public enjoyment. For more details on these orienteering trails in country parks, please visit the following webpage:
https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_ori_trl.html

How to get started?

Those who are interested in orienteering are advised to learn map reading or join orienteering activities in parks as their first step, thereby gaining relevant experience and knowledge. The Association regularly organises various orienteering training courses, enabling participants to master various basic skills, and to choose local events as appropriate according to their physical fitness and skills. Children and youths may participate in annual feeder enhancement programmes to receive orienteering training in a systematic manner or join local age group competitions.

The Association will select and invite those with outstanding performance in local competitions to join its squad for long-term professional orienteering training. Those who manage to attain elite standards will have a chance to join the Hong Kong team to represent Hong Kong at various competitions.

For more information about orienteering, please visit the website of the Orienteering Association of Hong Kong:
http://www.oahk.org.hk/