Where does the word orienteering originate from?

The term orienteering was first used in the late 19th century in Scandinavia. It was initially used to describe an exercise of military officers navigating unfamiliar terrain with only a map and compass. The activity was further developed in Sweden with the first true orienteering competition taking place in Norway in 1897.

Since then orienteering has evolved into a world wide sport with competitions taking place across the globe. It is now divided into three main categories which are:

• Foot Orienteering
• Mountain Bike Orienteering
• Ski Orienteering

The sport continues to grow with international competitions taking place every year including the World Orienteering Championships and the World Cup series.