When was orienteering started?

First started in Norway and Sweden around the beginning of the 20^th century and later spread throughout Europe, culminating in the establishment of an International Orienteering Federation in 1961, with European championships held from 1962 and World Championships from 1966.

Birth of the British Orienteering Federation

Source: British Orienteering Archive / British Orienteering Focus Magazine (Summer 2017)
 

1967 The British Orienteering Federation was formed on 17 June 1967 at a meeting in Barnard Castle, Co. Durham after much preparation by the English and Scottish Orienteering Associations; the English Orienteering Association was disbanded when the British Orienteering Federation came into being.

A British Orienteering Federation Executive Committee worked quickly to establish a common practice in all areas of the UK where Orienteering had started.

1967 - The first British Orienteering Championships with what came to be known as ‘classic’ courses was held the following day, in Hamsterley Forest, on an O.S. 1:25,000 photocopied map.

The course planner was Lol Clarke, South Ribble Orienteering Club and the controller (called ‘vetter’ at that time) was John Haworth, Pendle Forest Orienteers.

The 10.2 km course was won by Gordon Pirie in 1:51:50, with Chris James 3^rd, Chris Brasher 5th, John Disley 8th, and Martin Hyman 9th.

Carol McNeill won the Senior Women’s course by more than 11 minutes! S Bone (later Sue Harvey) was 7th.

Southern Navigators won the Senior Men’s Team Trophy.

The event was well reported in The Guardian and The Daily Mail. It was re-enacted on the 25th Anniversary in 1992, over 2 days, the first day with the old map and courses and the second as a modern event.

On 27 October 1967 Chris Bonington, former British Orienteering President, wrote an article published in the Sunday Telegraph Magazine which brought Orienteering into the wider public eye for the first time.

----

Key highlights of British Orienteering Federation / British Orienteering Activity in the first decade of her Majesty’s reign. 

1967-69

• 1967: The Scottish Orienteering Association and the England Orienteering Association met to consider affiliation to the International Orienteering Federation. The meeting was held in March 1967 in Dalbeattie, in conjunction with the 1966 Scottish Championships. The joint meeting agreed on the need to form a British Orienteering Federation.
• 1967: Extraordinary General Meeting in April 1967 agreed disbanding of the English Orienteering Association.
• Formation of the British Orienteering Federation. The inaugural meeting was held at 7.30 pm on 17 June 1967 in Barnard Castle, Co. Durham.

• 1967, British Orienteering Federation's first National Office was at 3 Glenfinlas Street Edinburgh.

• 18 June 1967: First British Orienteering Championships took place in Hamsterley Forest, Co. Durham.
• 1967: First Individual event took place on 19 March 1967. (SEOA).
  JK Overall Champions: Gordon Pirie and Jenny Tennant.
• 1969: Four of the first clubs to be formed were:
  • Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club
  • Edinburgh University Orienteering Club
  • South Ribble Orienteering Club
  • Southern Navigators.
• 1969: First JK Relay race introduced. Kielder (NEOA). JK Relay Champions: Men’s Team – Edinburgh University Orienteering Club and Women’s Team – no race.

---

Jennie Taylor Communications Officer, says:  "It's quite impossible in just a few news items to portray adequately all aspects of British Orienteering Federation's and British Orienteering Activities over the last seven decades.  There are so many people across the UK who have contributed so much to British Orienteering's growth and development." 

What are your personal orienteering highlights from this decade (60’s)?

Email:  jtaylor@britishorienteering.org.uk

-----

#PlatinumJubilee  #HM70

Twitter: @royalfamily
Facebook: @thebritishmonarchy

 Look out for '#2: ORIENTEERING THROUGH THE SEVEN DECADES – 1970 - 1979' will be posted tomorrow (Saturday 4 June) at 13:00.