Canadian Orienteering Federation Officials’ Training Program
Level 200
COF Credential Framework
Certification
Qualification
Level 100
Organize and plan C events
Level 200
Organize and plan B events. Control C events
Organize and plan regional level Canada Cup events such
as Western Canadian Orienteering Championships
(WCOC). Control B events
Organize and plan all events including Canadian
Orienteering Championships (COC), North American
Orienteering Championships (NAOC), World Ranking
Events (WRE), World Orienteering Championships
(WOC), World Masters Orienteering Championships
(WMOC) etc. Control Canada Cup events to Regional
level
Level 300
Level 400
Level 500
Control all events. Act as a World Ranking Event Advisor
200 Level Requirements
To become a certified O200 Official, the candidate must complete the
following requirements:
• Attend all sessions of the O200 course
• Pass the O200 exam – 80% or better
• Plan five courses – beginner, easy intermediate, intermediate, short
advanced, and long advanced– which comply to B event standards
• Program SI units and serve as timer at a B event
• Act as an event director or course planner for a B event under guidance
of an experienced official qualified at O300 or above. Officials
specializing in timing or map printing are exempt from this practicum
• Act as a controller for a C event under guidance of an experienced
official qualified at O200 or above. Officials specializing in timing or
map printing are exempt from this practicum
To be considered as a candidate for the O200 Officials’ course, the
candidate must meet the following pre-requisites:
• Acted as an official in at least one C event
• Participated in a B event and a Canada Cup in his/her age class
• Served as a volunteer at two Canada Cup or B events in any capacity
• Be qualified as an O100 official
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the O200 Officials’ Training Program, candidates
will be expected to be familiar with the following concepts:
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Roles and responsibilities of the various officials – event director,
course planner, and controller
Specific procedures for organizing a B event as established by the local
orienteering club, including registration, starts, timing, and safety
Elements of leg design - tempo, terrain, and orienteering technique
Guidelines for control location, route choice, and terrain for the five
course levels
Use of SportIdent for event timing
Long Term Athlete
Development
Characteristics of Canadian Orienteering Events
In Canada, there are three levels of orienteering events:
• Canada Cup events
• B events
• C events
Canada Cup Events
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The highest level orienteering events in Canada
Include, but are not limited to, national, regional, and provincial
championships
Often multi-day events composed of races from all three disciplines of
orienteering (Sprint, Middle, and Long)
Attract participants from outside the local club
Generally include a banquet, accommodation for out-of-town
orienteers, assigned start times, advance registration, and promotion to
orienteering community and general public
Involve several key officials (event director, course planner, controller,
start chief, finish chief, registrar, etc.) and a large number of volunteers
Requires ten courses for Long and Middle distance events and five
courses for Sprint events
B Events
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Often single day, weekend events held on forest maps within an hour
or two of the local club’s city
Primarily attended by local club members
Considerably less formal than Canada Cup events
Five courses - beginner, easy intermediate, intermediate, short
technical, and long technical
May follow the standard point-to-point format or use an alternative
format, such as score-O, THOMASS, or relay
Most newcomers, both junior and senior, are introduced to forest
orienteering at a B event
Relaxed start, finish, and registration procedures
Require fewer volunteers than Canada Cup events
Goals of B Events
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Offer all orienteers an opportunity for socializing and physical activity
Provide all orienteers a forum to acquire and maintain orienteering
skills by offering technically sound courses
Provide all orienteers a forum for competition
Recruit newcomers to forest orienteering
Provide officials and volunteers with a rewarding experience
Have FUN!
C Events
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Least formal of the three levels of Canadian orienteering events
Require the least amount of organization
Held over a couple of hours on a weekday evening or weekend
morning
Most often held in an urban park for members of the local orienteering
club
Offer one to three courses
May use one of the standard point-to-point formats (Sprint, Middle,
Long) or an alternative orienteering format, such as night-O, score-O,
Memory-O, or Corridor-O
Requires few volunteers
Rules of Orienteering
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The rules are an important resource for officials, and cover all aspects
of the sport of orienteering general rules, classifications, competition
procedures, responsibilities of organizers and participants, rules for
special events.
Because of the nature of orienteering, it is difficult for officials to monitor
some rules. Therefore, officials must depend on participants to abide
by a spirit of fair play
Technical Rules
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Participants shall not damage, hide, or remove any control markers
during a meet
Participants shall use only a compass and the map provided by
organizers
Participants must visit the controls in the specified order during a
point-to-point orienteering event
Participants shall not cross/enter areas marked on the map as
uncrossable or out-of-bounds
Participants shall not damage property (i.e. fences, equipment)
Participants shall not cross through gardens, newly planted fields, or
areas with growing crops
Ethical Rules
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Participants shall participate fairly
Participants shall not follow other participants
Participants shall not discuss the course with other participants while
on the course
Participants seeking help should be shown their location on the map
and reported to the finish officials
After completing course, participants shall not divulge information
about the course, map, terrain, etc. to participants who have not yet
started
Participants shall respect the land and wilderness environment
Safety Rules
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Participants shall wear full body clothing (except for Sprint)
Participants must carry a whistle
Participants must know the international distress signal – 3 blasts
on whistle
Participants must report to the finish, whether or not the course is
completed
Participants must assist any injured person found during event
Participants must observe traffic rules when crossing roads and
railway lines
Participants shall follow a safety bearing provided by organizers
when necessary
B Event Officials
For a B event, there are typically three main officials:
• Event director
• Course planner
• Controller
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The event director and the course planner should be certified O200
officials
The controller should have his/her O300 certification
Controller
Course
Planner
Event Director
Registration
Start
Finish
Results
Vetters
Event Director, Roles and Responsibilities
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The B event director shall take responsibility for the event
S/he shall appoint any necessary officials and see that these officials
understand and fulfill their duties
Perform administrative duties prior to, during, and following the meet
These duties include permissions, volunteer coordination, promotions,
budget and finance, equipment, site set-up, start, finish, timing, and
safety
Some tasks may be delegated, especially if a large number of
participants are expected
Before the Event
Permissions
 Obtain permission
Volunteers
 Recruit volunteers
Promotion
 Create event flyer
 Email club email list
 Post event on club website
Budget
 Keep track of all event expenses
Equipment
 Collect all necessary event equipment
 Ensure that there are enough membership forms, waivers, etc.
 Create a float
At the Event
Set-Up
 Place direction signs
 Ensure all volunteers are aware of their responsibilities
 Set-up registration
 Set-up start
 Set-up finish
Trouble shoot
 Trouble shoot problems
 Deal with complaints
 Ensure all participants have returned
 Organize a search if necessary
After the Event
Equipment
 Ensure all equipment is collected, sorted, and returned
 Remove any event garbage from the site
Results
 Post results to club website
Budget
 Submit receipts
 Submit event monies to the treasurer
Permissions
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Permission must be obtained from landowners for access on both
privately owned land and crown land
Private landowners, who are approached only once every few years,
need a more personal approach than a government employee, who
may be granting permission for several requests in one season and
acts as an agent of the crown
For a government official, it is best if the club coordinates all requests
for the season at one time
Always be polite and professional in your dealings with all landowners.
In most clubs, this task has been delegated to a particular member. If
there is no designated permissions person, it is the event director’s
responsibility
Permissions Procedure
Prior to the Event
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Phone the landowner as soon as possible to confirm access
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Make notes of all conversations with the landowner
Send a follow-up letter on club stationary using a mutually agreed to
channel (e.g., post or email) clearly outlining
– Date and location of event – be very specific in location
– Name and contact information of event director
– If/when the land will be accessed before and after the event
– Equipment used, including flagging and flags, and how long it will
remain on the land
Permissions Procedure Continued
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If there are special considerations in using the land (e.g., environment
or sensitive equipment/property), ensure that you indicate in the letter
how these will be managed
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If requested, include the certificate of liability insurance
Create a binder/folder of all correspondence with the landowner and
bring this to the event
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After the Event
Make note of any damage to the land or facilities and report this to the
land owner
Send a thank you letter
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Volunteers
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The event director is responsible for recruiting and coordinating the
necessary officials and volunteers
The event director, course planner, and controller usually need little
additional help in setting out controls or managing a B event on the day
As the number of participants increases, so does the need to delegate
duties
The event organization should be kept simple but should not be a one
person show
Remember that all officials and helpers are volunteers. They must be
treated with respect and thanked for their efforts by the event
director and the event participants
Position
Number Required Qualifications
Role
Controller
1
COF 300 Level
Official
Ensure courses are fair, safe,
and comply with B event
standards
Course
Planner
1
COF 200 Level
Official
Plan courses, place flags,
prepare maps
Registrar
~2 /60 participants
expected
None
Collect fees, record names of
participants, oversee signature
of waivers, assign rental SI
cards
Start Chief
1
None
Use start punch, records
starting participants
Finish/Timing/ 1-Role can be
Results Chief filled by event
director/course
planner
Experienced with Program units, enter
SI
competitors into computer, man
download station, print results
Beginner
Clinics
Experienced
orienteer
Provide basic instruction in map
reading and orienteering to
beginners
None
Provide post-race refreshments
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Refreshments 1
Promotions
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Traditionally, B events have been promoted with a paper flyer.
However, email, club websites, and social media are increasingly used
to promote events.the following information should be included:
Name of event
Location
Time and date
Directions, including locator map or GPS co-ordinants
Description of terrain and map
Format of event
List of courses with distance and level of difficulty
Cost of participation
Name and contact information of the event director
Special instructions about clothing, equipment, hazards, etc.
Availability of support facilities such as toilets, showers, and changing
rooms
Budget and Finance
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Orienteering clubs across Canada and their provincial/territorial
orienteering associations (P/TOA) are registered as non-profit
organizations and societies. They are accountable to the government
and to their members for accurate budget keeping and prudent
management of the club’s assets and resources
Event directors should be aware of the budgetary procedures of their
local club
Often, the event director assumes responsibility for recording
expenses, revenues, and profit in a spreadsheet
Receipts for expenses, event monies, and necessary paperwork should
be submitted to the club treasurer as soon after the event as possible
Common Event Expenses
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It is common practice for event officials to purchase necessary supplies
using personal funds and saving any receipts
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Mileage
Refreshments - water, sports drink, juice, hot chocolate, fruit, and
cookies
Course water
Gas for the generator
Copying and printing
Site permit
Misc. supplies, such as flagging tape, pens, etc.
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B Event Equipment
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A list of equipment suggested for a B event is found under section 5.3.7
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The course planner is responsible for the flags, stands, and units to be
placed on the course
Registration
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At B events, the use of online and email registration is increasing. Preregistration can speed up the registration process at the event and give
the course planner an estimate of the number of maps required. Since
registration on the day is usually available, it is better to print more
maps than are needed than to run out of maps.
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Registration volunteers should ensure that all participants have signed
a waiver, are club members, and have paid the event fee
Money collected at registration should be tallied and submitted to the
event director or the club treasurer
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Beginner Clinic
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An experienced orienteer should be available to give instruction to any
newcomers
The instructions should be no longer than 5-10 minutes and should
focus on a few basic orienteering and safety concepts:
Where is north on the map
Essential map symbols
How to orient the map to the terrain
What the flags look like
Start, punching, and finish procedures
Basic safety procedures
Reminder to check in at the finish and course closing time
Start
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The course planner should provide the start chief with a map showing
the location of the start triangle and the direction of the pre-start. The
start line should be at right angles to the direction of the beginner’s
course
The clear and check units should be at the pre-start. The start chief
should ensure that all participants have cleared their SI cards
Separate control descriptions should be available at the pre-start, as
well as, on the map
The start chief should explain that the start unit must be punched to
record the participants’ start times
Participants’ names and courses should be recorded at the start by the
start chief
The start chief should ensure that there is a sufficient gap (minimum 13 minutes) between participants on the same course
A flag without a punch should be hung to indicate the middle of the
start triangle
Finish
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The route from the last control to the finish punch should be flagged as
a finish chute
The route to the download area should be flagged if it is not adjacent
to the finish punch
If at all possible a downhill finish should be avoided
Dangerous objects, such as broken glass or barbed wire, should be
removed from the finish chute
Hidden pits or gopher holes should be flagged
Timing
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All participants, whether they have completed the course or not, must
report to the finish crew and download their SI cards
The finish crew should collect all borrowed/rented SI cards and
compasses
The finish crew should keep track of the number of participants
remaining on each course
The timing operation should be run by one of the club’s experts, but the
event director should handle any complaints
Results may be printed during the event and should be made available
after the event on the club website or email list
Activity
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What complaints might an event director have to deal with?
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Role play some scenarios
Course Planner, Roles and Responsibilities
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The course planner shall take responsibility for the theoretical planning
of courses and the placement of controls in the terrain, preparation of
master maps, preparation of control descriptions, and the programming
of SI units
The course planner may also work with the event director in obtaining
landowner permission, determining equipment and material
requirements, and completing any necessary task
An experienced official may combine the roles of event director and
course planner, but it is recommended that the positions be assumed
by two people
Course Planning Checklist
Good course planning is essential to the success of an orienteering
meet. The course planner, controller, and course vetters all contribute to
this process.
 Plan courses
 Review courses with controller
 Check control sites and legs in the terrain
 Prepare maps and control descriptions
 Send the course names, categories, and control number sequences to
the volunteer setting up the event in the computer
 Check that this information has been entered correctly
 Prepare control flags and SI units
 Place flags in the terrain
 Have a vetter check the sites to ensure flags are in the correct locations
 Provide the start chief with a map of the location of the start and the
direction of the pre-start
Course Planning Theory
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“The aim of course planning is to offer orienteering suitably adapted for
each age group, that is a fair competitive sport as well as being a form
of exercise and recreation.” – Gawellin and Nordstrom
Course planning is not a competition between the course planner and
the participants
The course planners role is to create courses that are challenging,
enjoyable, safe, fair, and appropriate for all participants
Participants’ needs vary according to age, level of ability, fitness, and
competitiveness
Competitive orienteers prefer a combination of running and decision
making problems
Recreational orienteers prefer a combination of exercise and suitable
challenge
The course planner should consider the objectives of the LTAD when
planning courses
How to Start Planning
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Choose a finish area that is accessible to parking and large enough for
the finish chute, finish crew, refreshments, and spectators
Choose a start location that allows the planner to create suitable
beginner and novice courses that follow major hand rails all the way to
the finish
Plan the beginner and novice courses
Plan the long advanced course
Plan the remaining courses using many, but not necessarily only, the
controls used in the beginner, novice, and long advanced courses
Activity
Elements of Course Design
Terrain
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The characteristics of the terrain used in orienteering vary incredibly
depending on the region and orienteering discipline
Terrain can be manicured park, grassland, open forest, or thick jungle
The course planner must analyze the particular challenges of the
terrain and plan courses that take participants through the most
interesting portions
Remember that the terrain suitable for beginner and advanced
orienteers differs
Ideal terrain for beginner courses is flat with many distinct trails, fences,
fields, and buildings
Ideal terrain for advanced courses is detailed and permits a variety of
navigation, route choice, and technical problems
Desirable Terrain
Undesirable Terrain
Detailed contour, vegetation, rock,
and/or man-made features
Few features
Rich trail network
No trails or large linear features for
beginner courses
Forest or open land suitable for
running
Thick/impassable vegetation
Variety of marsh and water features
Flat, uniformly bland terrain
Some climb
Extremely steep terrain
Dangerous features, such as large
cliffs, fast rivers, and roads with
heavy traffic
Activity
The Map
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The quality of an orienteering map depends on its age, the mapper,
and the quality of the base map
Many orienteering maps used for B and C events will have at least a
few areas where the map and the terrain do not match exactly
Vegetation most likely to have changed
Rock features rarely change
Water levels in marshes and streams vary throughout the year
Visit the map to check the control locations and legs after the first draft
of the course has been planned.
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Utilize the strong elements of the map
Use areas that have been mapped accurately
Avoid control sites if there are mapping errors
Changes in areas since the map was made should be corrected by the
course planner or one of the club’s mappers. If there is not time to do
this, avoid the area
Use areas which are readable and legible particularly on the short
technical course, which most of the older competitors are likely to run
Avoid areas of dense vegetation
Activity
Course Legs
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An orienteering course is a series of legs rather than a series of control
points
To create an interesting orienteering course, vary the length and
direction of the legs
Maximize route choices on some legs of advanced courses
Use the best parts of the terrain and minimize the number of controls
Different route choices should include both rough and precision
orienteering
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Plan an easy or long first leg to avoid bunching at the start of the
course
Change direction with each control. It is easy to miss a control when
they are lined up along the same line
Avoid dog legs –Dog legs can be avoided by inclusion of short
transportation legs that direct participants from the control in another
direction
Avoid bingo controls
Think about how all of the legs work together. Eliminate legs that
require the same choices and cover the same terrain as other legs on
the course
Avoid out-of-bounds and dangerous areas i.e. deep pits, railways, high
cliffs
Activity
Control Features
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Select features that ensure a good orienteering leg. The objective of
course planning is to create good legs. The controls are check-in points
along the course
Control sites should be clearly defined, represented correctly on the
map, and distinguishable from similar features that may/may not be on
the map
A control must be recognizable on the map and in the terrain
Controls used for more than one course should reflect the level of
difficulty of the less technical course
Advanced course controls are seldom suitable for less experienced
participants
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Avoid bingo controls. Controls should reward skillful navigation over
luck
Do not select control sites that are out-of-bounds or dangerous
Controls should be placed so they are visible to all participants when
they reach the feature. Controls should not be screened by bushes or
trees. Do not hide controls
Place the control marker so the location is not given away by
participants (i.e. bottom of pit)
When checking locations, ensure that the proper location of the marker
in relation to the feature is as described by the control description
Water stops should be provided on all courses that exceed 30 minutes
of running time of the fastest runner on the course. Water spots should
be indicated in the control description.
Water must be available at the finish area.
Activity
Tempo
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A well-planned course should mix-up the tempo or pace at which the
competitors move through the forest
Legs should vary in length, some should provide fast running, some
slow running, and there should be the odd easy or transition leg
Beginner Course (Technical Difficulty 1)
Beginner Course Continued
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2.0 - 3.0 km in length
8-12 control locations (every 200-300 m)
Most participants should take 20-25 minutes
Map scale 1:10,000 or larger (1:5000)
A longer beginner course can be planned for fit adult newcomers
Fun and success most important for beginners
Keep in mind the goals of the LTAD. The beginner course is the first
rung on the ladder of technical ability and fitness
All orienteering officials should try to create experiences that will
encourage participants to progress up the ladder and have fun while
doing it
Beginner Course Continued
Participants
• Beginners, families, and children under 12 years of age
Terrain and Map
• Beginner courses must follow simple, linear features, such as roads,
trails, fields, fences, and streams
• Flagging may be used to direct participants on some legs
• Detailed contours, dense forest and vegetation, and dangerous areas
should be avoided
• Dangerous pits and ruined fence wire on the ground should be taped
with bright flagging tape
Beginner Course Continued
Legs
• The legs on a beginner course, including the start, should have no
route choice and a minimum of orienteering problems
• The legs should utilize cart tracks, trails, small trails, edges of fields,
and fences
• The legs should not be longer than 100-200m
• A control should be placed at every decision point to prevent
participants from going past important turns
Controls
• The controls should be placed on handrails or very visible from a
clearly defined handrail
• Controls should be placed to lead participants from the control in the
direction of the next control
• Avoid using the same control sites for both beginner and advanced
orienteers
Beginner Course Continued
Skills Required
To successfully complete the beginner course, participants should
• understand the basic map colours and commonly used symbols
• orient the map (a compass may be used)
• make decisions at each control point
Novice (Technical Difficulty 2)
Novice Course Continued
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The novice course is the intermediary step between the beginner
course and the intermediate course
Many of the principles of course planning for a beginner course apply to
the novice course especially the emphases on success and fun
2.5 – 3.5 km
8-15 controls (every 100-400m)
Most participants should take 20-25 minutes
Handrails can now include rivers, streams, small fences, large ditches,
and very distinct vegetation boundaries
Participants may be required to navigate decision points without a
control
Novice Course Continued
Participants
• Adult beginners, families, experienced children 12 or older
Terrain and Map
• Same as for beginner course
Legs
• Slightly longer than the legs on a beginner course
• Simple route choice decisions on linear features
• Controls do not have to be placed at every decision point but there
should be no more than two decision points per leg
Controls
• Placed on linear features or on point features clearly visible from a line
feature
Novice Course Continued
Skills Required
To successfully complete a novice course, participants should
• be able to follow a variety of line features
• make decisions at decision points that are not identified by a control
• Be able to leave and return to a line feature to visit a control on a point
feature
Intermediate Course (Technical Difficulty 3)
Intermediate Course Continued
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The intermediate course should progress in difficulty from the novice
course
provide simple route choices, control locations away from but near to
major handrails, and catching features
introduce the idea of the attack point
The length and expect times for the intermediate course will vary
depending on the discipline of orienteering
Participants
• Experienced young teenagers, families, and recreational adults
Intermediate Course Continued
Terrain and Map
• Provide opportunity to get comfortable leaving major handrails for short
periods
• Catching features just past control sites to keep participants from overshooting
• Navigation using large, distinct contour features may be introduced but
areas with detailed contours should still be avoided
Legs
• simple route choices utilizing major handrails leading to distinct attack
points
• Routes planned so that participants may attempt shorter overland
routes or longer routes with many handrails
• Legs vary in length and may have multiple decision points
Intermediate Course Continued
Controls
• Located at or near major handrails
• Control markers that are not on a line feature should have large
catching features behind them
• Prominent point features or simple contour features can be used as
control locations
Skills Required
To successfully complete an intermediate course, participants should be
able to
• use a compass bearing from an attack point to a control
• use a compass to take short cuts between two line features
• read prominent contour features
• make simple route choice decisions
Activity
Short Advanced (Technical Difficulty 4)
Short Advanced Continued
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The short advanced course is a course of full technical difficulty
designed for participants who want the challenge but not the distance
of the long advanced course
• The course should provide complex problems in route choice and
navigation and should reward participants who choose overland routes
• The length and expected times of the short advanced course will vary
depending on the discipline of orienteering
Participants
• Teenagers and intermediate level adults honing their technical skills
before making the physical leap to the long advanced course
• Veteran orienteers with many years of experience who need the
technical challenges of the long advanced course without its extreme
physical challenges
Short Advanced Continued
Terrain and Map
• Areas with map detail requiring participants to utilize map reading skills
• Excessively physical terrain and dense forest should be avoided
• Highly detailed areas may be difficult for some participants to read
• Map scales of 1:10000 and larger
Legs
• Legs should provide complexity in route choice by crossing linear
features, rather than following them
• Should force participants to use a range of technical skills including
rough orienteering, precision orienteering, and contour interpretation
• Long legs with attack points, short legs through detailed terrain, short
legs following only contour features
Short Advanced Continued
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Controls that are at the very top or bottom of large contour features are
technically easier than controls that require participants to manage both
height and distance
• The fastest route should require the most technical orienteering
problems
• Participants executing good technical skills should be rewarded with a
faster time than those taking a longer and/or simpler route
Controls
• Placed on point features that force the use of advanced technical skills
• Control features should be clearly defined and distinguishable from
similar features nearby both on the map and in the terrain
• The control description must provide specific information about the
control location when it is placed in an area with similar features
Short Advanced Continued
Skills Required
To successfully complete a short advanced course, participants should be
able to
• use rough and precision compass
• navigate using complex contours,
• simplify complex orienteering problems quickly
Long Advanced (Technical Difficulty 5)
Long Advanced Continued
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The long advanced course is a longer, more physical version of the
short advanced course
• Designed to provide endurance, technical, and tactical challenges for
participants
• Emphasis is placed on route choice problems, with utilization of point
features in detailed areas of the map
• If possible a long leg should be included
Participants
• Experienced, physically fit orienteers
Terrain and Map
• Similar to the short advanced course
• For long distance events a map scale of 1:15000 can be used
Long Advanced Continued
Legs
• The legs should provide the maximum number of route choice
problems
• Variety of legs forces the participants to change techniques and
running speed
• Some climb is desirable, although the total amount of climb should not
exceed 4% of the course length
• Avoid legs that go up a hill and then straight back down on the next
one.
• As on the short advanced course, the route with the most orienteering
challenge should be the fastest route for those who execute the
required skills
Long Advanced Continued
Controls
• Same as for a short advanced course
Skills required
To successfully complete a long advanced course, participants should be
able to
• navigate over long distances using only contours
• precision orienteer using map reading or compass skills
• use the appropriate skills for the leg
• concentrate over long periods of time and while physically tired
Activity
Course Formats
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There are three principal course formats: sprint, middle, and long
B event course planners can follow any of these formats for planning
the intermediate, short advanced, and long advanced courses
Sprint (Short Distance)
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International Sprint Specification for Orienteering Maps (ISSOM)
Scale of 1:5000 or 1:4000 and a contour interval of either 2.5m or 2m
A standard orienteering map may be used provided that competitors
are aware of the mapping format
Winning time12-15 minutes
Many short legs, a few middle length legs, and one or two long legs
Each leg significantly changes the main direction of travel and even
short legs may have route choices and multiple decision points
In some complicated urban terrain, it may be possible to reward careful
orienteers by planning legs to tempt participants into impassable areas,
forcing them to backtrack
Middle Distance
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International Specification for Orienteering Maps (ISOM) standard
Scale 1:10000
Winning time 25-30 minutes
Course planning emphasizes technical orienteering on legs of 200-300
m in length, which require the participant to maintain close contact with
the map for the entire run
May have some route choice but it is not the main focus
Long Distance
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ISOM maps
Scale 1:15000 for elite, 1:10000 for other participants
Winning time 45 -50 minutes for short advanced and 70-90 minutes for
long advanced
Course planning for long distance events emphasizes endurance, route
choice, and legs of at least 400m
A long leg of 1 km or more should be considered
Course Planning Software
At present, there are three software programs on offer:
Condes
• If the local club has a Condes licence, club members can download a
copy at no extra cost. A comprehensive guide to the Condes course
planning software can be found at www.condes.net
OCAD
• A course planning software package is included in the mapping
softwareOCAD. The program is costly and only allows one user per
license. However, a separate course planning software is available
from the OCAD website (www.ocad.com) for a small fee
Purple Pen
• Purple Pen is free course planning software available from
www.purplepen.golde.org
Controller – Roles and Responsibilities
The role of a controller is described below using the COF Competition
Rules.
The primary tasks and responsibilities of the controller shall be to
• Check the quality of the map and to recommend necessary revisions
• Check the start and finish areas and all control locations for correct
position and suitability
• Check that the general standard of the course is in accordance with the
current rules and standards of course planning
• Check that courses as planned are fair to all participants particularly
with regard to the quality of map detail
• Check that the terrain and courses are safe for participants with respect
to hazards and dangerous locations
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Controlling for C Events
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C events are usually the first experience of orienteering for the majority
of beginners and the course planner may be a novice
A C event controller often acts as a mentor as well as a controller. It is
important to support novice course planners throughout the course
planning process
C Event Controller Checklist
 Make sure that the course planner receives the map file for the event
and a copy of the course planning software used by the club
 Insist that the course planner visit the forest or park before submiting
the courses for review
 Review the courses and make suggestions
 If SPORTident is to be used, make sure that the course planner gets a
list of the club’s control numbers
 Make a joint visit with the course planner to the map to mark control
sites.
 Discuss any further course changes that are necessary
 Review the final courses and okay for printing
 Each club has its own policy for C event map printing. Regardless of
the procedure, the controller should ensure that enough copies of the
map are printed
Map Printing
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Some clubs do not provide pre-printed maps. They provide blank maps
for participants to copy a course to from a master map. This can be a
frustrating experience for participants, particularly for beginners who
may not copy every control correctly. The controller should encourage
course planners to develop the skills to provide pre-printed maps. The
amount of extra work required to provide pre-printed maps is minimal.
SportIdent B-Event Checklist for Organizers
Before the Event
 Program SI units. The time of the computer that the units are
programmed on will be the official competition time
 Create event file using preferred SI event system (mass starts, relays,
and score events require a more sophisticated knowledge of the event
software than point-to-point courses)
 Enter courses and classes in event file (may be imported from course
planning software)
 Enter name, course, category, and SI number of preregistered
participants (may be imported from some preregistration systems
At the Event
 Prepare control flags, SI units, and stands to be placed on the course
 Send start, clear, and check units to the start
 Place finish unit at finish
 Direct enter on-the-day registrations into the event file
 Set up download station and split printer
 Download finished participants and trouble shoot any problems
 Inform the event director of late runners at course closing time
 Print results
After the Event
 Collect and sort all units from the course
 Note any damaged or missing units before putting them away
 Upload results to club website
 Charge event computer
Safety Guidelines for Event Organizers
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Responsibility for the safety of event participants lies with both the
participants and the organizers
Participants should use good judgement in recognizing hazards and
dangerous situations
Organizers must enforce safety rules and guidelines
Safety considerations are part of good course planning
Organizers can create a safe environment for participants by
• Establishing a time by which all participants must check in with event
officials
• Verifying that participants have a whistle and know the international
distress signal
• Providing a safety bearing
• Allowing participants to attempt more difficult courses only after
successfully completing a less technical course
• Planning beginner courses with major catching features and handrails
• Planning courses to avoid major highways, high cliffs, dangerous water,
etc.
• Advising participants of any potential hazards on course
• Providing water and refreshments at the finish area
• Having a first aid kit and a way to contact emergency services
Event Cancellation Guidelines
Orienteering events are held in all weather conditions. However, if
conditions are extreme, the safety of participants must be considered.
• The event organizer should be prepared to cancel an event if there is a
risk of hypothermia and exposure, hazardous terrain conditions exist, or
there is evidence of dangerous animals in the event area.
When the decision is made to cancel an event, the event director shall
• Announce the cancellation on the club email list, website, etc.
• Be present at the event site to explain the situation to participants (if the
event is cancelled on short notice)
• Be prepared to refund all or a portion of the event fees
Organizing and Conducting a Search
Step 1 - Determine if a Search is Necessary
 Identify who is missing
 Check SI system to determine if person reported to the finish/ confirm
there is no duplicate entry for the participant
 Canvas other participants to determine if the participant has returned
without reporting to event officials
 Determine if, where, and when the participant was last seen (this may
reduce the search area)
 Check the parking lot for the participant’s vehicle/travelling companions
 Discover if the participant had a late start, has a reputation for being
overtime, etc.
 Arrange for control pick-up. Inform the volunteers to keep an eye out for
the missing participant
Step 2 - Organizing the Search
If the missing participant has not returned to the finish or been sighted by
control pick-up volunteers, a search must be organized
The event director is in charge of organizing the search
 Consider the experience level of the missing person. An experienced
orienteer who is lost or injured will most likely take a safety bearing to a
linear feature or wait by a control. A less experienced orienteer is likely
to wander aimlessly and may be more difficult to locate
 Designated a command centre from which to conduct the search,
usually the finish. The event director must remain in command centre
 Assign experienced orienteers concrete search areas and time limits
 Record the names and locations of all searchers
 If cellular coverage is available, ensure that all searchers can be
contacted by/can contact the command centre as needed
 Assess environmental conditions. Do not send searchers into an
unsafe situation
Step 3 - Conducting the Search
 Carry out the search in a logical and orderly manner
 Ensure that all searchers are experienced and unlikely to become lost
themselves
 Search the most likely locations first before expanding the search area
• Follow course in reverse order
• Follow course in correct order
• Drive/run perimeter or major roads likely to be reached on a safety
bearing
• Search areas where the participant may have strayed from the course
 If the participant is not found in the initial search, contact emergency
services. Inform them immediately if the participant is found or returns
to the finish
 Prepare a grid search
 When emergency services arrive they assume command of the
search
Night Searches
• A night search is not recommend unless the missing participant is
presumed to be injured (experienced orienteer missing for several
hours), has a known medical condition, or is in dangerous from extreme
climate conditions.