Trail-O
The content on this page was provided by Nancy Sharp. The examples are from the Trail-O event held in conjunction with DVOA's A-Event at Fair Hill in November 2005.
Trail O was adapted for people with physical (mobility) disabilities. For everyone to compete on equal terms, able-bodied people are asked follow one simple rule: no one must leave the path (or road). Competitors must follow tracks, paths etc. defined on the map, or indicated in the terrain by streamers. All other areas are out of bounds.
In classic orienteering, the idea is to read and interpret a map and to move quickly over the terrain to find a control located on a specific feature; generally, the fastest time wins. In Trail O, however, how quickly you complete the course is not as important as how well you can interpret the map.
Trail O events use the same orienteering maps as the regular events, but typically at a 1:5000 scale. Another difference in Trail O: instead of only one control being located in the control circle, up to five control markers may be hung at each site and only one will correspond exactly with the control description and control circle position. Another possibility is that none of the controls corresponds to the clue description.
Competitors visit control points in a set sequence. They interpret the map to choose which of a number of markers represents the one in the center of a printed circle. This choice is made at a decision-making point, which is marked in the terrain but not on the map.
Controls are designated from left to right as 'A', 'B ... 'E' from this position. Once you make a decision as to which, if any, of the visible controls is correct, you mark it on your card. Any line on the control card showing more than one mark, or no mark, is deemed incorrect. No change in punching is permitted, so be sure you're on the right line and in the answer box you intended to select before you mark your card. Each correct answer counts as one point.
The competitor with the highest correct score is the winner. Because there are only nine controls, there's a very good likelihood that there will be a tied score. To break ties, two timed controls are included in the course. These are the only controls where time matters. The competitor is positioned so that all relevant markers are visible and their location confirmed. A correctly oriented map is handed to the competitor as a stopwatch is started. This map has one circle, with the control description in the correct orientation for reading, above this circle. Timing is stopped when a clear answer is required. One minute is allowed.
In the event of a tie in the number of correct answers at the untimed controls, the competitor recording the shortest combined time to make decisions at the two timed controls wins.
Example #1
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| In this example the problem is to identify the correct side of the tree. The Clue sheet tells us it's on the North side, so it's simply a matter of identifing which control is to the North. The viewing direction is towards the Northeast, making "B" the correct answer. | |
Example #2
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| In this example the problem is to identify the correct side of the earthen embankment of the earth wall. The viewing angle is towards the Southeast. The correct answer is "B" | |