Course (orienteering)

An orienteering course is composed of a start point, a series of control points, and a finish point. Controls are marked with a white and orange flag in the terrain, and corresponding purple symbols on an orienteering map. The challenge is to complete the course by visiting all control points in the shortest possible time, aided only by the map and a compass.[1]

A diagram drawn in purple: a triangle joined with a straight line to a circle; a straight line joining that circle to another circle; a dashed curving line joining that circle to a double circle
An example of how control points are shown on an O map
  1. ^ "Competition rules for International Orienteering Federation (IOF) foot orienteering events (2008)" (PDF). International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2008-09-30.[permanent dead link]