The Control Card

Control cards can take various forms, but all include numbered boxes for punching in at successive controls as well as spaces (not shown here) for the name of the competitor, the course and class, the start time, the finish time, and the elapsed time. For most orienteering events, starts are staggered so that no two people on the same course start at the same time. The intention is that each individual do their own navigation; following others is prohibited by the rules.

The standard orienteering event is a point-to-point race; controls are numbered on the map and connected in the order the competitor is to visit them. Upon reaching each control, the orienteer punches a pattern in the corresponding numbered box on the control card. This allows the event organizers to verify that the correct controls were visited. Sometimes an orienteer accidentally punches in the wrong box on the card; if this happens, the correct procedure is to punch in the correct box, and/or to punch in any of the boxes on the card that would not normally be used (for example, #20 could be used if the course has 12 controls) until punching in the correct box can be resumed (and it never hurts to explain what you did to someone at the finish line).

Note that one must take reasonable care to punch in the correct square - failure to do so by an experienced orienteer, may result in disqualification.

 

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