Minnesota Orienteering Club
Finding your way to fun and fitness
Minnesota’s parks and trails provide countless opportunities for recreating and exploring. The Minnesota Orienteering Club has combined the two activities in ways that makes the outdoors fun for people of all backgrounds and skill levels. We recently asked Verónica Jaralambides to tell us more about her club and orienteering.
What is orienteering and who is the Minnesota Orienteering Club?
Orienteering consists of finding one’s way through a series of checkpoints on an unfamiliar course using a topographic map and a compass. Courses are typically set in wilderness areas and participants are timed as they complete the course. The Minnesota Orienteering Club (MNOC) is a nonprofit organization run by orienteering enthusiasts who volunteer to promote orienteering in Minnesota and neighboring states. Our club holds many orienteering meets throughout the year. Meets are casual and participants don’t need previous experience. All ages and skill levels are welcome! We have several learning opportunities available throughout the year, and there’s always someone available to help beginners register, start and complete a course.
Where did orienteering start? How popular is it in Minnesota? Who is participating?
Orienteering started in Scandinavia as a military training exercise. It then became popular, as it was used to motivate young runners, by making running more appealing. MNOC has 120 active members, and we typically have 80 to 150 participants at meets. In order to accommodate different skill levels and ages at meets, we offer a variety of courses, from short and easy to long and challenging. At a meet, you can expect to see young scouts out for a walk and a good learning experience, and tri-athletes training for adventure races, as well as four-year olds out with grandma and mom. Meets are family-friendly events that offer a great opportunity to explore some of the many parks in Minnesota.
How can people learn about orienteering? Where can a beginner get lessons or attend a clinic?
MNOC partners with REI to offer free orienteering classes every year. The annual Orienteering Skills Development Clinic, put together by MNOC and Three Rivers Park District, is also a great place for beginners to learn all about the sport and complete beginning and intermediate courses.
Is orienteering expensive? What equipment does someone need to get started?
Orienteering is very inexpensive. All you need to get started is a compass! MNOC meet fees are only $4 for junior members, $5 for members and $8 for non-members.
What do you tell people who trivialize the sport of orienteering? The sport can actually get quite competitive can it not?
The compass and map are pretty lightweight for walking around—knowing where to go and how to get there is the challenge! Known as “the thinking sport,” orienteering presents both physical and mental challenges. When orienteering out in the woods, you need to read a topographic map, recognize the terrain mapped, choose the best route, set the compass, and sometimes even count paces to calculate distances. Now, if you add the challenges of an adventure race, where you’re competing in different disciplines like running, biking or kayaking with time constraints, it becomes very competitive. Like I said before, you can also just enjoy the challenges of finding the checkpoints and the time out at a park.
What are adventure races?
Adventure races are multi-discipline races that differ from regular multi-discipline races because they have the added challenges of orienteering and off-road traveling. Typically, adventure races consist of trekking, road- and/or mountain-biking, and paddling sections. Sometimes, there’s rock-climbing or a different variation of water activity besides paddling. Another race-like event that incorporates orienteering is the ROGAINE—which stands for Rugged Outdoor Group Activity Involving Navigation and Endurance. The ROGAINE is a 6-hour event in which competitors need to get to as many points as possible. Checkpoints in the course have different point values assigned based on difficulty or distance to travel.
What are some of the Minnesota Orienteering Club’s big upcoming events?
We have several regular meets coming up, all posted on our Web site, www.mnoc.org. On July 11, we are holding the 8th Annual Adventure O, and on August 15, the ROGAINE. Both these events have been growing in popularity, so plan on registering soon!
How can people join the Minnesota Orienteering Club?
You can join online at www.mnoc.org. Membership has many benefits, including a subscription to the club’s newsletter, discounted fees at local meets, invitations to members-only meets, and a discounted membership with the Parks & Trails of Minnesota.
