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Orienteering Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Orienteering Quizzes, Trivia

Orienteering Trivia

Orienteering Trivia Quizzes

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2 Orienteering quizzes and 25 Orienteering trivia questions.
1.
  Orienteering    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Often called "The Thinking Sport", orienteering offers a physical and mental challenge to participants of all ages and fitness levels.
Tough, 10 Qns, Rowena8482, Jul 03 09
Tough
Rowena8482 gold member
338 plays
2.
  Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Orienteering is an inexpensive sport for all ages in which the participants use an accurate, detailed map, and a compass, to navigate their way through a course. It's a great way to learn geography, too!
Difficult, 15 Qns, catnippin, Mar 28 09
Difficult
catnippin
1648 plays

Orienteering Trivia Questions
1. The rules and guidelines for the four main forms of orienteering are governed by the International Orienteering Federation. In which country is it based?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: Finland

The IOF has member countries from every inhabited continent on Earth, and was founded in 1961. It was recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1977.

2. The "Father of Orienteering" was a Swedish soldier and Scout Leader who organised the first large scale orienteering event in 1919. Who was he?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: Ernst Killander

220 athletes attended Major Killander's event near Stockholm in 1919. As well as developing the rules of the sport, Killander is also credited with coining the word 'orienteering'.

3. Is 'true' north, or 'magnetic' north indicated on orienteering maps?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: magnetic

North lines are parallel lines drawn from magnetic south to magnetic north. They are spaced every 500 meters on the map. Orienteers use compasses to orient themselves to 'magnetic' north, so a series of reference lines on the map is an easy way to take a bearing!

4. What is the contour interval (to show the shape of the land) on orienteering maps?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: 5 meters

5. Orienteering maps are specially printed and show more detail of the terrain than a standard map would. The various colours on the map represent different types of terrain. What is represented by white areas on the map?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: Open, runnable forest with good visibility

A forested area where there is undergrowth to impede running but good visibility, is shown with vertical green stripes. Plain green denotes forest with low visibility and reduced running speed, and is graded from slightly reduced to impassable. Open areas are indicated by yellow on the map, and man made features and rock formations, boulders and the like, are shown in black. Maps are produced according to the IOFs "International Specification for Orienteering Maps".

6. Most standard orienteering courses consist of three parts. The 'start', the 'finish', and the in-between places that are circled and numbered on the map. These places are navigated to in sequential order. They are called ______.

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: controls

Usually, the orienteer doesn't see the map and the course until after starting the orienteering event.

7. The symbols on an orienteering map are standardised so they can be followed regardless of the native language of the participants. What symbol represents the starting point of a race?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: Triangle

A triangle represents the start, then each control point is shown by a circle. The finishing point is represented by a double circle, one within the other.

8. For an event held using the International Orienteering Federation rules, what colours are used for the 'kite' or flag which marks a control point?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: White and Orange

The control point must have a high visibility flag or kite, a means of identifying which control point it is, known as a 'control code', and a means by which the competitors can mark their race cards to prove they have reached each control point. The IOF uses orange and white flags, as do most other governing bodies. Earlier ones were red and white, but nowadays the standard is orange and white in a pattern of triangles.

9. Children generally begin on a course that is marked by a continuous ribbon, or yarn, that leads them through the course so they don't get lost! They get exercise and exposure to maps. This course is known as the _____course.

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: string

Children gain confidence in being alone in the woods, as well as learning about map symbols, map colors, and simple orienteering skills.

10. Sometimes, a control point is positioned such that competitors arrive at, and depart from it by the same route. What name is given to a control point placed in this way?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: Dog-leg

A course design which leads to a dog-leg control point should be avoided, as by being shown where the control point is, it gives an unfair advantage to the following competitor, and 'spoils the fun' for the leading competitor.

11. On the orienteering course map, the places to be found are in circles. The 'finish' is in a double circle. What symbol is used for 'start'?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: triangle

12. Orienteering courses are colour coded according to how difficult to complete they are. Which colour is used for the easiest courses, suitable for young children and novices?

From Quiz Orienteering

Answer: White

The most basic course in orienteering is a 'string course' where the route is actually marked along it's entire length by a string which participants follow. String courses allow even very young children to participate and begin to learn the various map symbols and necessary skills needed to progress in the sport. The first of the colour coded courses are the white courses, which are usually no more than 3km in length, over easy terrain with good visibility and clear landmarks. Courses progress from white through yellow, orange, green and red, to blue which are the longest and most difficult courses to complete.

13. What is located on the ground, which corresponds to the circled locations on the course map, so the orienteer knows the correct spot has been found?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: flag

The control flag marks the spot that is circled on the map. It is made of fabric hung on a triangular box-kite-like wire frame. The upper triangle is white and the lower triangle is orange. A unique 'control code', which is usually a two-letter combination, is attached to, or near, the control flag. This code is also on the 'clue sheet' which describes the location, so the orienteer will know for certain the correct circled location on the map has been found.

14. To prove that the map's circled location has been found and visited, the orienteer must do something. What does the orienteer do?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: punches a card

Each control flag location has a bright red plastic device with a number of sharp metal teeth. The orienteer uses this punch to impress the pattern made by the teeth onto a control card box which corresponds to the control site being visited. At the finish, the card is handed over, and the punch patterns are verified for the correct control sites.

15. Where did the sport of orienteering originate?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: Scandinavia

Orienteering started around the turn of the 20th century in Scandinavia. Maps were at a much smaller scale in the early days of the sport, in black and white, and without contours to show the shape of the land!

16. What is a portion of an orienteering course between two consecutive 'checkpoints' called?

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: leg

A 'spur' is a small ridge or protrusion on a hillside. A 'reentrant' is a small valley or draw running down a hillside. A 'catch' is a large feature which is not easy to miss in the direction you are going, such as a lake.

17. Folding the map into a small, easily held piece and keeping your thumb on the map near where you are, as you go along the orienteering course, is a good navigational practice. This is known as ______.

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: thumbing

18. The sport of long distance cross-country navigation in which teams of two to five members visit as many checkpoints as possible in twenty-four hours is known as _____.

From Quiz Orienteering - the Maps, the Sport

Answer: rogaining

Rogaining originated in Australia. It provides navigational challenges, a way of enjoying the outdoors, and a sense of achievement!

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