ORIENTEERING participants use compasses and maps to find markers points in the landscape.

Expect to see orange markers sprouting at Benicia Community Park this Sunday as the Bay Area Orienteering Club (BAOC) brings an orienteering event to Solano County for the first time.

Orienteering is an international sport in which, using an accurate, detailed map and a compass, people find points in the landscape. It can be enjoyed as a walk in the woods or as a competitive sport combining running with navigation skills.

Sunday’s event is a great opportunity for families and friends to try the sport of orienteering while exploring Community Park. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Free instruction for beginners is offered between 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Registration is at Benicia Community Park from 9 a.m. until noon. For more information, e-mail nick.corsano@gmail.com.

The special orienteering map for the event was created by Benicia teenager Emily Radtke for her Girl Scout Silver Award project. Each point – or “control” – is a distinctly mapped feature, such as a stream junction, boulder, or hilltop, and is marked with an orange-and-white flag, or “bag”.

The element of route choice is what makes orienteering a mental challenge. It is not enough to simply be able to move faster than other orienteers; you must out-think them as well. Because of this, orienteering is often called the “thinking sport” because it involves map reading and quick decision-making in addition to athletic ability.

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