Canadian Orienteering Federation

1. Canadian Orienteering Federation Orienteering Development Model April 2004

2. Basic Orienteering Development Model • Novice • Intermediate • Weekend Warrior • Serious Competitor • Elite

3. Novice Habits • Hold the map in two hands (forget the thumbing technique), put it in a pocket or read it disoriented • Misjudge distance, features and sizes of features • Run along trails without looking at the map • Stop often to look at the map but do not observe what is around them • Forget what they passed along a handrail • Use only one feature when reading the map (do not combine features for confirmation)

4. Intermediate Habits • Use the thumb but will turn their wrist to orient the map rather than turn their body • Misjudge distance, misjudge contours especially what is up or down (ie slopes) • Run fast along trails without looking at the map • Stop to look at the map in green areas or in depressions • Forget what they passed along a handrail • Use only one feature when reading the map (do not combine features for confirmation)

5. Weekend Warrior • Use the thumb if they feel like it (map reading of course) • Are lazy about using attack points • Follow trails to rest and can lose concentration easily which is the cause of most of their errors in orienteering • Sometimes stop to look at the map in green areas or in depressions • Do not have a clear goal about approaching a race nor how to handle certain terrain, “just go out and do it” • sociable types, usually have funny stories to tell, try to impress you with the fact that they do not take orienteering seriously which is their excuse for making all those orienteering mistakes 

6. Serious Competitor • Run too fast for their orienteering ability • Good map readers and strong runners, train a lot • Are lazy about using attack points • Overrun controls because of poor attack point / control taking technique • Have too high expectations or goals about approaching a race • Tend to think about the outcome of a race before and during an event • Easily distracted by other orienteers or mistakes • Can get frustrated when they do not win rather than enjoy a good clean run • Do not employ a systematic approach to training or racing

7. Elite • Consistently orienteer well • Recover well from mistakes • Know when to slow down or even stop in very difficult terrain • Their daily schedule is based on training times • Tend to party only once a year because the rest of the year they are training • Systematic approach to training and racing