reputation of orienteering

[InvisibilityEquipped]

I'm in Australia and haven't been orienteering for long. I have participated in quite a number of sports over the years but am finding quite an odd reaction to this one from family and friends. It almost seems like I make them cringe by talking about it - as though I'm embarrassing myself. They seem to see it not as a sport but as a quaint little past time which involves a handful of nerds pottering around in a park with compasses.

Some of them have stories of poorly conducted orienteering activities at school where they are given a compass to share with friends (which they don't know how to use) and find their way around a course on their school grounds. They report having found the activity "lame" (maybe discouraged by getting "lost" in their own school) and boring. When they tell me this I have to explain this is SO not what orienteering is but I get the feeling their minds are made up and I can't change them.

Comparing this to other sports I've done its definitely up there with many on the physical challenge and for me few have come close on the mental challenge. So I'm wondering why its got an image as such a dull, boring activity for boring people.

I'm wondering if orienteering is more respected and understood in other countries? Can't help but feel maybe the problem is location-based - maybe its just an Australian thing that sports isn't sports unless people are getting seriously injured....

[70plus]

Some of them have stories of poorly conducted orienteering activities at school where they are given a compass to share with friends (which they don't know how to use) and find their way around a course on their school grounds. They report having found the activity "lame" (maybe discouraged by getting "lost" in their own school) and boring. When they tell me this I have to explain this is SO not what orienteering is but I get the feeling their minds are made up and I can't change them.

An interesting comment, remembering that this kind of school activity is widely used as an introduction to O in many parts of the UK. Another factor may be that 'real' O has never been a spectator sport, so the public can only imagine what it looks and feels like. But your experience may partly explain why we find it difficult to attract newcomers?

[Neil M40]

There are plenty of people in the UK who would react to orienteering in the way you describe, based on a misunderstanding of what orienteering is following poor experiences in school/scouts etc. In recent years the image has been improved a bit, I think, by the increased popularity (and visibility) of urban orienteering.

Orienteering is a physically and mentally demanding sport. It can't be denied that it is also

a quaint little past time which involves a handful of nerds pottering around in a park with compasses

But the same is true of any sport - football is the Champions League, but it is also fat blokes playing five-a-side. Cycling is the Tour de France, but it is also a leisurely Sunday morning family ride. Why is it that with orienteering people assume that the lowest level of the sport is all there is to it? I guess it comes down to not being able to spectate, to appreciate what is really going on.

There was an interesting discussion about perceptions of our "sport" a few months ago
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10934

[Red Adder]

O can now be shown to be pretty exciting in the media now. Routegadget has someone's race as filmed with a mini-cam strapped to his bonce and synchronised with his route round the forest. The World Champs in Czech Rep had a mixture of field shots / head cams / progresso-maps which was as good as anything you see in Motor Rallying. If O was represented in this way got on to mainstream TV I think it would paint a very positive and appealing picture of the sport.

[70plus]

If O was represented in this way got on to mainstream TV I think it would paint a very positive and appealing picture of the sport.

As well as not being a spectator sport, I forgot to consider that it is not possible to earn big (or even small) money doing O, which may explain some lack of public interest. Different from football, golf, tennis, etc.

I'm not sure about the effectiveness of urban-O as an attractor of new interest. It is not that closely similar to the best terrain-O, as it is really just running fast on a stylized street map, with which most people are familiar - and it can include some 3-D elements. But low-key street-O events have been around for decades, and have not been a great draw as a rule. Time will tell.

[Gross]

Can't help but feel maybe the problem is location-based - maybe its just an Australian thing that sports isn't sports unless people are getting seriously injured....

One of the most serious injuries I have seen in orienteering was to an Australian girl at a Park Worls Tour in Austria.... broken neck from jumping of a sillily high wall onto not big enough mats...

[Gross]

Another factor may be that 'real' O has never been a spectator sport, so the public can only imagine what it looks and feels like.

Jukola will be broadcast live on TV next weekend... if that doesn't show real orienteering then nothing will

[Gross]

As well as not being a spectator sport, I forgot to consider that it is not possible to earn big (or even small) money doing O,

Plenty of athletes earn money in orienteering...

[DeerTick]

As well as not being a spectator sport, I forgot to consider that it is not possible to earn big (or even small) money doing O,

Plenty of athletes earn money in orienteering...

OK, I'm biting, Gordon. How many and how much?

[AndyO]

Jukola will be broadcast live on TV next weekend... if that doesn't show real orienteering then nothing will

What channel is showing it, Gross, and are there internet links to watch it?

[AAH]

The reputation of orienteering has been a hot topic for a long time - I used to despair but in recent years I've noticed that although, if you speak to someone over the age of about 40, they will probably think that orienteering is a walking activity vaguely resembling boring compass exercises they remember from scouts in which everyone stops half way to have some sandwiches and a nice cup of tea, most people under 30 in the UK do know what the sport is. When asked, it often turns out that they did it at school.

So I can't speak for how things are in Australia, but I'm pretty sure from my own experiences mentioning orienteering in conversation that schools orienteering in the UK is at least having the effect that more people now know what the sport is.

What the orienteering world now needs is research into how to better show it on TV. I've seen some internet TV coverage and it's very variable. (And it needs links to videos routinely on club websites, BOF website etc.)

(And to answer the last question, the link to the TV for Jukola isn't live yet but worldofo.com will undoubtedly have it on the day...)

[graeme]

OK, I'm biting, Gordon. How many and how much?

We had 5000eu prizemoney + expenses for elite athletes in Perth PWT for a start.

[Gross]

Many countries give cash bonuses for WOC / WC results, many countries give cash bonuses for National Championship results, mant clubs cover accommodation & travel costs, mant athletes find subsidsed empl;oyment, many athletes are in the 'military / police'..... Many athletes are driving around in subsidised cars, no-one will become super wealthy through orienteering but there is a number who make lifestyle choices & orienteer... to say no-one earns money from orienteering is a nonsense.... what is a nonsenses is all the non-orienteers earning money from teaching orienteering... that's like getting driving lessons from someone who can't drive but has read the book

[Paul Frost]

what is a nonsenses is all the non-orienteers earning money from teaching orienteering... that's like getting driving lessons from someone who can't drive but has read the book

I think I can hear an echo

[70plus]

I can't speak for how things are in Australia, but I'm pretty sure from my own experiences mentioning orienteering in conversation that schools orienteering in the UK is at least having the effect that more people now know what the sport is.

That could be worrying - if more of the younger generation do know what O is, and not many seem to taking it up, can numbers be expected to grow? People seem to think some sort of hard sell is the way forward. I think that O grew in this country 40 years ago by runners and 'navigators' climbing on board, rather than being dragged on, more or less willingly. That is the real challenge IMHO.