Orienteering BC

A refrain that is frequently voiced in the orienteering community (and throughout society, for that matter) is that people can’t wait “for things to get back to normal”. There is no question that ‘normal’ took a big hit in 2020, and that we are all waiting to be rescued from the pandemic by the prospect […]

Ted de St Croix is arguably the most successful elite orienteer that Canada has ever produced. Ted may no longer compete at the elite level, but when he attends a major international orienteering event such as the World Masters Orienteering Championships, he can still produce a podium finish against a gang of former World Champions. […]

Prepared by Ross Burnett (VicO) BC orienteers will be very saddened to hear of the passing in 2020 of Tony Byrne, who had a heart attack at the end of February. While most current members may never have heard of Tony, he was one of the key early trailblazers of orienteering in BC, and was […]

Orienteers are generally well-equipped to enter the forest and return safely. This is not true of everyone, however. We thought that you might enjoy this poem written by the President of the BC Mountaineering Club, as he reflects on the growing interest in back-country travel in BC from the general public…. Let Us Throw Caution […]

This has been a year like no other in the history of orienteering. Essentially every major competition, from the Canadian Orienteering Championships to the World Orienteering Championships, from O-Ringen to the World Masters Orienteering Championships, has been cancelled, or postponed until 2021. These were very hard decisions, especially for the organizers who have often been […]

Thanks to ever more sophisticated and abundant satellite imagery, it is becoming possible (with enough time, money and computing power, of course) to consider mapping the entire surface of the earth in extraordinary detail. Here is an interesting glimpse into the future of terrain mapping.

When you participate in an orienteering event, you are probably focusing on the terrain, on getting to the start on time, maybe keeping your excitement under control, or making sure you have your whistle. It’s a complicated business, and it can be hard to get all these pieces lined up. What you perhaps don’t see […]

Diana has been a pillar of the Victoria orienteering community for many, many years. As a professional cartographer, and lover of the outdoors, orienteering was always a natural fit for her, and she has pursued it with her typical passion. Here is how she describes her long-term relationship with our favourite sport. DW: How and […]

David Bakker may be a relative newcomer to the BC orienteering scene, but he has already had a very big impact. David somehow manages to combine a demanding academic program with physical and mental training, production of high-quality O maps, organization of excellent competitions and other service both within his club (SAGE) and on the […]

With the continued growth in urban sprint orienteering, both as a competitive sport and as spectator entertainment, it is not surprising that sprint orienteers have been exploring other ways to enjoy ‘fast and furious’ navigation. In addition, in northern regions of the orienteering world, where the winters can be long and dark, and footing on […]