ORINTEERERS of all ages met at Evedon on Sunday, July 25 to take part in the South West Orienteering Trekkers event.
Located near the South West town of Burekup, the courses on offer were set by brothers Aldo and Ekhart Bosman and included easy (2.2 kilometres), medium (3.2 kilometres) or hard (4.6 kilometres).
At an otherwise successful event, the Trekkers are now calling out for more members.
The South West Orienteering Trekkers were first formed in 1985 and offers South West residents the opportunity to enjoy both physical and mental exercise.
Trekker Don Mason said over 36 years, the Trekker's had seen maps go from basic, black and white to top quality, precise colour.
Orienteering provides a safe, fun environment in which to have an adventure. If anyone wants to try something new and different, try orienteering.
- Don Mason
"We've also seen the introduction of electronic timing and control point check-in," Mason said.
"Traditionally, orienteering is done in the bush from May to September, with control markers on tracks, watercourses and rocks etc. The Club promotes and runs orienteering events throughout the South West."
Orienteering is a sport requiring navigational skills where participants use a compass and map to navigate across various, marked out terrains.
Participants navigate to various controls (orange and white flags) which are placed on definite features such as track and creek junctions, a fence bend, or by a distinctive boulder or building.
The skill in orienteering is in choosing the best route between controls.
Mason also said the sport could be enjoyed from anyone aged eight to 80 and that it provided an opportunity for 'plodders with brains' to beat the fast runners.
"For children, it also provides a safe, fun environment in which to have an adventure. If anyone wants to try something new and different, try orienteering."
"You choose your own route, rather than blindly following others. As such it is a challenging outdoor adventure sport, that combines walking and running with map reading, decision making and endurance," Mason said.
The South West Orienteering Treckers will hold their next foot orienteering event on Sunday, August 8 at Shearwater Forest.
Participants can register at 12.30pm for a 1pm start.
For more information, visit the Orienteering Western Australia website at https://wa.orienteering.asn.au/.