Foot orienteering

Foot orienteering (FootO) is the biggest and most popular of the four disciplines. The orienteer must get from start to finish as quickly as possible via a number of controls, in an outdoor (e.g. forest or park) or urban environment, using only a map and a compass.

There are several different distances, for example: long-, middle- and sprint distance, night orienteering and relay.

A female orienteer out and running in the forest.
Orienteering can also be done as a form of exercise, where the focus is much more on experiencing nature.

Female orienteer competing in the forest.

If you want to become a successful orienteer, it’s not enough just to be fast and fit, or technically skilled with the map and the compass. The most successful orienteers master all of the above: endurance, speed and great technical skills, in a variety of terrain.