Urban Event Guide

Urban Orienteering : The MetrO Series

These summer events are held on weekends from October to February, in parks and quiet streets around the Perth metropolitan area.  There is an event in a different suburb each week, and sure to be one near you! Anyone who can read a street map can understand an urban orienteering map, and the events are very popular with newcomers and family groups as well as hardened orienteers.

Courses range in length from 2 to 8km. Participants receive a map marked with up to 30 controls (checkpoints), and can choose their own route, visiting a required number of controls in any order for standard scatter events. For score events, participants can visit as many or as few controls as they choose in the 60 minute time limit. Learn more about how a score event works.

There is a beginner briefing before each event, and event organisers are available to help you get started.

Each is a stand-alone event, but points based on placings are accumulated towards a series score for standard events. Your best 8 scores from 15 events for the 2017/18 season contribute to your overall series score, and prizes are awarded at the last event.

At the event:

• Check the directions to the event on the website, in Eventor (or on the inside back cover of the weekend West Australian newspaper)
• Arrive between 4.15pm and 4.45pm for Saturday afternoon events
• Fill out a registration card and take it to the registration table, where you will receive your punch card or electronic tag to record visits to controls
• Go to the briefing for newcomers 20 minutes prior to the event start
• You will be shown the map and an example of a control marker, and given some hints to get you started
• Wait for the start announcement (5pm for scatter events or start when you like for score events)
• Enjoy your walk or run!
• Try to be back at the finish within the time limit (when prizes are awarded for the daily best performances and spot prizes are drawn)
• Make sure you report to the finish, even if you did not complete the course, so we know you are safe.
• Hang your control card on the results string

A few rules to remember:

•  obey all road rules and take care crossing roads
•  respect private property and stay out of areas mapped as out of bounds (see the map below)
•  stay on tracks in bushland areas if requested to do so
•  don't interfere with other sporting events (eg don't run across cricket ovals during a game!)

What's an urban orienteering map look like?

Here is an example map and course you might receive at an event. The control points are marked with purple circles, and there is a legend to help you decode the rest of the symbols. Try planning the route you would take for one of the courses.

For more information:

See the friendly event organiser at your next MetrO Series event or email OWA