Orienteering can sometimes, unfairly, be imagined as bespectacled anoraks trudging through fells, blinking away rain and arguing over routes. With mountain bike orienteering, that vision is swept aside in a cascade of mud and tyre tracks!
These fast-paced events combine the adrenaline rush of mountain biking with the technical navigation of orienteering, requiring competitors to both plan a route and make decisions on the fly to race against other teams.
There are two types of events:
- MBO Score: In this format, there are a range of checkpoints that are awarded different amount of points - the more difficult a checkpoint is to reach, the points it is worth. Competitors are given a time limit in which they must collect as many points as possible.
- MTBO: This classic orienteering format sees competitors given a list of checkpoints to be collected in a specific order - the fastest time wins!
Both events can be entered by solo competitors or in teams of two. There is also a "generation" category where children can compete alongside adults and learn how to navigate in the perfect environment.
Ranging from rugged fells to forested trails, these events allow competitors to race in the great outdoors and use their brain at the same time!
