Orienteering – where did it start? – where are you going? A look back at the history of orienteering, an overview of the sport's present, a look ahead to the future...

Abstract

In the introduction, you can read about the international history of orienteering. About the beginning: The first orienteer about a competition held in Bergen on May 13, 1897. Then about the continuation, like how orienteering became a sport of Scandinavian origin. The orientation that developed here was most similar in today’s sense taken for an orientation run.

The establishment of the International Orienteering Federation in 1961 initiated the worldwide development of the sport. The International Orienteering Federation has four official branches of orienteering: orienteering, MTBO – bicycle orientation, SkiO and TrailO - where able-bodied people compete together with disabled people. In Hungary, in 1925, an orienteering competition was held for the first time. The domestic development of orienteering followed two paths, on the one hand, the orienteering tour competitions, and on the other, the physical side of the sport, the fast individual competition emphasising problem solving. The two main directions of the separation was realised in 1970 when the Hungarian Orienteering Association became independent.

In orienteering, a world championship has been held since 1966.

The article presents the world competitions. Hungarian and international definitions of an orienteer and orienteering are covered, and the disciplines as well. Furthermore, the scientific [...]