History
The history of orienteering begins in the late 19th century in Sweden, the actual term "orienteering" was first used in 1886 and meant the crossing of unknown land with the aid of a map and a compass. The first orienteering competition open to the public was held in Norway in 1897. Notable dates for member nations of the IOF are shown below.
| First public event | National body founded | First national championships | First international event | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 1897 | 1945 (NOF) | 1937 (Årnes/Kongsvinger) | 1932 (Slora, Sørkedalen) | |
| Sweden | 1901 | (SOFT) see below | 1935 (Skinnskatteberg) or 1937 | ||
| The first Swedish national body was formed in 1935, ] to co-ordinate both foot and ski orienteering. In 1938 SOFT took over the sport for all foot races. | |||||
| Estonia | 1926 (Pirita) | 1959 | 1959 (Nelijärve) | 1973 (1969 ski orienteering) | |
| Australia | (OA) | ||||
| Canada | 1967 (COF) | 1968 (Gatineau Park) | 1976? | ||
| India | (OFI) | ||||
| Ireland | 1969 | (IOA) | 1975 | ||
| Italy | 1976 (Ronzone) | 1986 (FISO) | 1986 | 1993 (Kastelruth - JWOC) | |
| New Zealand | (NZOF) | ||||
| South Africa | 1981? | (SAOF) | |||
| UK | 1962 | 1967 (BOF) | 1967 (Hamsterley Forest) | 1976 (Darnaway Forest) | |
| US | 1967 (Valley Forge, PA) | 1971 (USOF) | 1970 (Southern Illinois) | 1986 (Hudson Valley - World Cup) | |
| Russia/USSR | 1959 (Leningrad) | 1961 | 1963 (Uzgorod) | ||
Read more about this topic: Foot Orienteering
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