This document discusses the history and evolution of orienteering maps. It notes that orienteering started using military and topographic maps but developed specialized maps through the International Orienteering Federation. Key events included establishing map specifications in 1969 and updates that increased detail and defined minimum symbol sizes. More recently, digital mapping and new disciplines like sprint orienteering have pushed maps to larger scales and denser information while maintaining legibility. The focus has shifted from topographic accuracy to effectively conveying terrain features relevant to competition.

1. LEGIBILITY OF ORIENTEERING
MAPS
László ZENTAI
presented by Martin KLÍCHA
4.10. 2012
Trondheim

2. WHAT IS ORIENTEERING?
4.10. 2012 Trondheim

3. HISTORY
• started as military navigation training (1866)
• 1897 – first civil orienteering race in Norway
• 1930 – firmly estabslished in Skandinavia
• 1937-1938 – national orienteering federation in Norway and Sweden
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4. HISTORY
• civil topographic or turist maps (1 : 20 000 – 1 : 40 000)
» in some countries classified, problem of copying, offset printing to
expensive and technically difficult
• 1941 – first orienteering map created in Norway
• 1950 – first colour orienteering map
• more 15-20 years took to using colour in every orienteering map
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5. HISTORY
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6. HISTORY
• 1961 – The International Orienteering Federation (IOF)
» founding members – Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East
Germany, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and
West Germany
• 1962 – first European Orienteering Champioship in Norway
• 1966 – first World Championship
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7. HISTORY
• 1965 – Map Committee of the IOF
• main goal to develop specifications of World Champions maps
» maps based on a new field work
» show every detail of terrain that could affect the route
choice
» accuracy and legibility (generalization)
» map for international events use the same specification
» scales 1 : 25 000 and 1 : 20 000, contour interval 5m
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8. MAP SPECIFICATIONS
• 1969 – first issue of International Specification of Orienteering Maps
(ISOM)
» black, brown, blue for topography
» yellow for open ground
» grey, green or black for restricted runnability
• ISOM 1975,
ISOM 1882,
ISOM 1990,
ISOM 2000
ISSOM
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9. MAP SPECIFICATIONS
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10. MAP SPECIFICATIONS
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11. LEGIBILITY ISSUE OF ORIENTEERING MAPS
• important part of the standardisation proces
• conected with generalization (selective, graphic)
• orienteering map
» better describe relief
» main purpose of contours is the indication of shape and steepness
» show all details which are easily recognized by the runner during
the event
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12. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• first iternational races - maps was based on topografic
maps
• few point, line and area symbols → good legibility
» scale 1: 25 000 did not allow to add many details
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13. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• WOC 1972 Czechoslovakia
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14. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• change to larger scale 1 : 15 000 (1970s)
• map-makers tried to fill „empty areas“
• Map-makers added more point features
» easy manageable in Nordic countries
» in continental areas map-makers tried to add more vegatation
features
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15. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• ISOM 1975 defined several minimum values of map symbols
• minimum line width
» 0.1 mm in dark colours
» 0.25 mm in green
» 0.4 mm yellow
• minimum area
» 1 mm2 for screens
» 0.5 mm2 for full colors
• ISOM 2000 defined combination of different area symbols (full
colours, shades, patterns)
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16. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• changes in the programme of international orienteering events
• short (middle) distance was developed (WOC 1991)
• media attractiveness became an important factor
• larger scale 1 : 10 000 due to larger speed
• sprint distance was developed (WOC 2001)
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17. CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES
• 1980s – computer drawing became possible
• 1989 – Swiss OCAD was lunched
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18. DIGITAL ERA
• new technology – stereo photogrametry, digital elevation models,
orthophotos, GPS, air-borne laserscanning
• new reproduction method – inkjet, laser printing
» less expensive
» poor simulation of overprint effect
» minimum values of symbols are based on ofset printing
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19. SPRINT DISTANCE
• first used at WOC 2003 (Finland)
• new separate specification – ISSOM (new scales 1 : 5000, 1 : 4000)
• regularly organized in urban environment (parks, historical towns)
• much more features, but minimum dimensions are the same
• running speed is much higher
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20. SPRINT DISTANCE
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21. SPRINT DISTANCE
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22. LEGIBILITY OF O-MAPS OF OTHER
DISCIPLINES
• ski-orienteerig, mountain bike orienteering (trail-O)
• each discipline has own special specification (based on ISOM)
• due to larger speed the scales are smaller (1 : 15 000, 1 : 20 000)
• most important element is road network, not relevant things in
forrest are ommit
• very good legibility of these maps!
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23. SKI-ORIENTEERING
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24. MOUNTAIN BIKE ORIENTEERING
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25. CONCLUSION
• legibility issue of O-maps is the sample of how users can demands
influence of the map
• in early years were used topografic maps
• later were used more detailed maps (new scales, disciplines..etc)
• IOF found ISOM and ISSOM
• new ISOM 2013 ??
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