| Balto

Crashing through the

bush, doing a good
imitation of a charging
bear or a moosé ‘tor-
mented. by black flies,
is an. effective. way to
. Scare tourists but is not
most people’s-idea' of
sport,

Welcome to the wonderful
world of | orienteering, a
sport which is just waiting to
capture the legs and

imagination of jaded

joggers.

Orienteering — ‘is simple
enough to explain, Then
again, so is competitive
underwater live bee
swallowing.

In orienteering you are
given a detailed map of a
certain area, marked with

,

control points.. ,

The object of the exercise
is to run (or walk) with map
and compass to each control
point marked on the map
and then return. At cach
control point you punch
your card to prove that you

have reached that marker

and that you have completed
the route in the proper

order, |
' The length and complexity
of the course can vary
dramatically, as can the
speed with which you travel.
Not all joggers are marathon

runners.
But a description of the
is not. the ‘sport itself.

Or. as Altred’ Korzybiski
“fittingly said, “the-map is not

the territory”,

My introduction to the
sport itself came Sunday. in
Lighthouse Park at the Zone

4 and 5 runoffs-to determine”

who will represent the area

at the summer games. in
Comox.

Six courses of varying
lengths 2 had been laid out in
the park by the North Shore
Orienteers, who hosted the
event, and the intrepid
athletes gathered under
threatening skies in a
clearing part way into the
park.

About 60 people actually
took part, and it was one of
the best local turnouts for
the sport, which has about
200 members in the ,
provincial association.

To get a real feel for

orienteering I attached ~

myself to Robin Rennie, a
small but incredibly fit and
agile woman, who was
running the elite course.

My first .fecling of for-
boding came when I read the
little ‘safety card’ given to all
competitors.

‘Tf lost, it says, “wait for

the search’ party’ which’ you
may ‘be 100’ per cent con-

fident will be out ‘looking for

you when you are. two hours
overdue.” ~

“Keep . sounding your
whistle’ and listen for any
replies.”

This is all” ‘very well, and

i's comforting to know a.

search party will be out
Jooking for. you and your
whistle; but it raises serious
questions about | par-
ticipating in a running event
where. it might become
x necessary to send out search
parties. -

Second feeling of for-
boding came when Robin's
husband Bruce, who set up
the elite course, recom-
mended that she put sweat
pants over her shorts to
protect her legs. ;

When her time was called
(participants. start at one

CONTINUED ON PAGE B5

also. -won. (Terry Peters
photo) * = _

For a ‘Great On Se
of Paseo and.

x) ‘Slazenger
©Dorbin:
° * Dunlop

TIME OUT SPORTS |
Westlynn Mall _.:
980-9211 or 98070716

}
)

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