Orient Show: Orienteering on amicro scale

Niamh O’Boyle & Darren BurkeMay 2009

The Idea

• 2002• Maxim Ryabkin (Russian)• Aim: To promote orienteering• Multiple countries since then!– Portugal, Sweden, France, Turkey,

etc.

• All the terrain should be visible to spectators

The Idea, cont.The idea is that the courses are run on such small areas

that spectators, as well as speakers (commentators), can follow the action all the time, from start to finish, watching the runners make mistakes, breaking away from one another, etc.

Events have the following characteristics:

• spectators watch the process of duelling between sportsmen from start-finish

• the competition is dynamic on the whole course

• sportsmen make decisions in difficult psychological situation – all happens in a short time. The mass start format adds even more to the pressure

• the race is finished in a short time

The Map…

• Map scale of 1:1,000• I.e. 1cm on map = 10m on ground

France

Hungary

Hungary

Bulgaria

Great Britain,Sheffield

Russia?

The Rules!

• Sample:–Winning time between 20 sec and 600

sec– Course length typically 80m to 1,800m–NO NUMBER on controls–Wrong punch = 30 second penalty–Mass start/qualifications

• Rules can be changed

Spectating

• Whole course is visible• Spectators can have the map

(competitors must therefore be kept in quarantine)

• Can see every aspect of the event

• Competitors can see/hear the crowd

Portugal O-Meet (POM) 2009

• Cabecao football pitch and grounds

• Held on afternoon after Middle Distance

• Estimated entry, 200+ (men & women)

POM 2009: MapLegend:

Uncrossable Fence (Barriers & Tape)

Car

Potted Plant

Crossable Wall(Straw Bales & Tape)

POM 2009

Format- Mass start qualifying heats, 40

people (4)- Mass start semi-final, 20 people (2)- Mass start final, 6 people- Butterfly loops, different order

Spot the difference

POM 2009

Courses- Same 1st control- Competitors then split by 2

different loops- Same last control

POM 2009

• Positives– All of course visible from stand,

spectators very close to the action

• Negatives– Same 1st control not a good idea when

40 men race for same control– Bad management of quarantine area

and its location

What appears to be involved:

• A large number of helpers– Co-ordinate competitors– Change map during heats (makes it

much more entertaining as routes from previous course not an option)– Add/remove controls– Start/Finish/Download

• Accurate map of 1:1000/1:500• Features to include on the map

Future of Orient-Show in Ireland?

• Is there support in the general public and the orienteering community to put an event on of this type?

• Where could it be held?– Outdoor/Adventure Sports Exhibition– Associated with an adventure race– In conjunction with Provincial/Irish

Champs/Shamrock– JK 2011, Northern Ireland– As a separate event

“It is not ordinary. But the most important thing is that this kind of orienteering is interesting and understandable, even for specators completely unaware of what orienteering is”. Valentin Novikov

Thank you for your attention,

Niamh & Darren