Races
LVO organises a range of coaching activities and orienteering events to keep orienteers happy! Take a look at our LVO fixtures list for what LVO organises and the NIOA fixtures list for everything on in Northern Ireland.
Wednesday Evening Events (WEEs)
The Wednesday Evening Events (WEEs) are a series of eight orienteering events held throughout May and June. They take place in parks in and around Belfast. Two courses are on offer: a long course of 4km and a short course of 2km. The WEE series is a great introduction if you are new to the sport, or a valuable training opportunity if you are already a dab hand. For those who thrive on competition we also have something for you with the WEE series league table.
NI Colour Series
The NI Colour Series is a series of seven orienteering races held from March to November in different forest and mountain locations around Northern Ireland. At each of these races, there are different ‘colour’ courses available, everything from White (which are easy and perfect for young families) up to Brown (for elite and experienced orienteers). It means that all ages and abilities can compete on the day! See below for an explanation of the different colours, but always feel free to contact us if you’ve any question about what course to enter.
Colour Courses
Technical Standards
Another way of understanding these ‘colour-coded’ courses is that each colour provides a range of different lengths (for different fitness levels) and different ‘technical difficulty’ (for skill levels).
Members of NI Orienteering are awarded points for each event in the series, with your four best races to count. See Northern Ireland Colour Series League if you’re wondering how it all adds up.
Club Events
We also have friendly club events throughout the year that are open to everyone. We hold an annual Spring Cup and Autumn Trophy, as well as a Club Score and Urban events.
NI Championship Events
Every year, orienteers in Northern Ireland compete in NI Championship Races held throughout the year, with trophies for the winners. If you wish to run competitively, entry is via age group and gender as opposed to colour courses e.g. M10, W45 etc.
- NI Score Championship – The aim of a score is to visit as many controls as you can, usually within a time limit. The key is that you can visit them in any order, unlike traditional orienteering where you have to stick to a set course.This is held in mid-February.
- NI Night Championship – this is held on the same evening at the Score in mid-February. It involves orienteering in the dark, so a head-torch is a must.
- NI Sprint Championship – this is a fast-paced event that is only a few kilometres in length but has many controls, often close together. This is normally held in May/June.
- NI Middle Championship – this is a traditional orienteering race with the emphasis on technical navigation. It requires constant concentration on map reading, with shifts in running direction out from controls. This race is normally held after the Sprint in May/June.
- NI Long/Classic Championship – this orienteering race usually takes place in forest terrain. The emphasis is on route choice to test a competitor’s ability to use a variety of navigational techniques. All controls on the course are to be visited in a set order. This event normally takes place in October/November.
Coaching
Club Meets
Club Meets are a way to improve your orienteering skills in a social way without the pressure of competition. Taking place every 2nd Saturday of the month (except July, August and December), club coaches put on sessions for orienteers, no matter your age or level. Every month provides a different location and challenge, whether is a forest, mountain, sand dunes or urban terrain. Everyone is welcome!
Running Wild
Taking place every last Sunday of the month in Tollymore, Running Wild is a chance for like-minded families to learn about orienteering together and find out how to get involved in our exciting club and sport. To find out about upcoming dates and to register for our next session, take a look at our fixtures list for our ‘Juniors and Families Coaching’ Sessions.
Sessions are for children in Primary 4 and above, and are perfect for beginners. If children are younger, please get in contact with us to find out other exciting orienteering opportunities for them.
Wednesday Evening Night Training (WENTs)
WENTs are an opportunity to go for a social mid-week run in the colder, darker months of November and December. They take place in parks or urban areas, where everyone starts and finishes together, usually using a score format.