What is Orienteering?
Orienteering is a navigation sport in which runners find a series of control points on a detailed topographic map, in a specified order, in the shortest time. Foot orienteering is the flagship discipline; mountain-bike, ski and trail (precision) orienteering are also contested internationally.
Quick facts
Category
Athletics
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇸🇪 Sweden
Estimated origin
1893, Swedish military training; first civilian race 1897
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-20.verified