Your First Event?

Orienteering is a sport for life, so there are people of all ages and with different levels of fitness who participate. So when you first turn up, seek help at the registration desk and they will help you get out and about. Before you turn up it may be a good idea to check out the About Orienteering page.

If it’s your first local event, it’s free (including free loan of SI-Stick)! So there is no need to pre-enter as described later

At events, information boards describe the available courses and any other information which you need to know. There are always courses for beginners. And you can tackle a harder course afterwards if there is time. 

Event Information & Entry

Well before attending an event you should download and carefully read an information sheet containing important event details such as event location, entry closing deadlines, course lengths and difficulty, safety considerations etc. Go to the event calendar and click on an event name to access this information in Eventor. You are looking for an "Information Flyer" available as a PDF document.

We prefer online entry a few days prior to the event. For all the details about how to enter online, click on any event name and follow the links. 

What Happens at Events?

A key feature of orienteering is that everyone starts at different times, usually at 2 minute intervals. This is because orienteering is about navigating without help from other people, unless of course you are with your friends or family, then you can start with them and chat with them as you go.

There is always a start time "window". For Sunday events this is usually between 10am and 12.00 noon, but always check the Event Calendar for the latest details for every event. When you enter, you can choose your own start time, within the window.

But you must ALWAYS abandon your course and report back in to the finish by the advertised course closure time on the day. This means if you want to do a harder course, it is best to start closer to 10am.

Timing devices

All Tasmanian Orienteering Clubs use the SportIdent (SI) electronic timing system so an SI-stick or a P-card timing device is required at all events.

P-cards are flat plastic cards that you carry on a lanyard. They only hold 20 controls, so are not suitable for longer events. Great for beginners. You can buy these on Eventor when entering events, or at an event.

SI-sticks are carried strapped to your finger. They have a quicker response time and hold more controls than P cards. If you are planning on going orienteering regularly you'll definitely want one of these. The SI-9  holds 50 controls, the SI-10 holds 128 controls and has a faster response time. The SI AC is used for touchless punching, aka SI Air. In Tassie, we usually only use SI Air for Sprint events, but if you plan to go to a national carnival get one of these. SI-sticks can be purchased from aussieogear

Where Can I Find Results?

Results from an event are presented in different places in slightly different ways.

• Eventor shows the official results for each course or class and will be available the evening after the event. For OST events the age-and-gender-adjusted times will be published a day or two after each event, on the website and as a document in the Eventor page for that event. Go to Results/Recent Results and click on results for that event. 
• WinSplits shows the time people have taken for each leg and will be available as soon as the results are available in Eventor. Go to Results/Recent Results and click on “Split Times” at the top of each class/course.
• Livelox shows the routes people have taken on the course (if they have used a GPS and uploaded the data). Go to the Eventor results and then click on Livelox either in the top bar or for each class/course.

Cancellation of Events

Bad weather rarely causes cancellation of an orienteering event. Severe weather and total fire bans may cause a cancellation. In such a situation, advice will be conveyed via  an email to entrants, Facebook and the OT website. If you are not dressed appropriately for the weather conditions and/or do not have relevant experience to go out on a hard course the event organiser may, in their discretion, refuse your entry.

Dogs

Orienteering Tasmania has a policy of no dogs at orienteering events, even though they may be held in public places where dogs are permitted. Many events are held on private land or in special use reserves. Dogs may disrupt wildlife and stock, which may jeopardise future access to areas.

Private Land

Possession of an orienteering map of a particular area does not permit access to private land at times other than the staging of an event. Orienteering relies on the good will of landowners and government land management agencies for the sport to operate.

Event Fees

Orienteering Tasmania periodically reviews and sets entry fees for sanctioned events.  For a series, there may be entry to the whole series at 2/3 the cost of all events in the series. This discount is not offered to Concession.

Current (on-line) event fees are:

Limited entry on the day at Local and Twilight events will be available for an extra charge of $2 per adult and $1 per Youth/Concession.

Late entry for OST events may be available via Eventor only and will incur an extra charge of $5 per adult. Enter On The Day is not available.

Notes

1. Adult is 21 years and over at 31 December of the current year
2. Youth is under 21 years at 31 December of the current year
3. Concession is Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card Holders or a full-time student 
4. Family is 2 adults and any number of  juniors who are part of a family (enter all in one session to get the discount)
5. Children 10 years and under completing a course as a member of a group in the company of adults or older children, participate free of charge  - only one adult in the group needs to register, unless you want more than one map for the group .
6. A child completing a course as an individual with a parent shadowing (following) them only pays the relevant child entry fee. That is, the parent shadowing does so free of any charge. Only the child needs to register. 
7. Refund policy for withdrawals: 100% refund for COVID-related absence; 100% refund if you withdraw before entry closing date (email the event organiser and the OT treasurer); 75% refund any other reason (email the OT treasurer within 24 hrs of the start of the event)

Types Of Events

 This document describes the different types of orienteering events held in Tasmania.