Rogaining to Feature in Wilderness

Of course rogaining is at its best in the wilderness, but National Rogaine Committee member Mark Copeland has been asked to prepare an article for publication in the glossy "Wilderness" magazine. It provides an excellent short summary of the endurance navigation sport, which could well be useful for your friends, relations, and your event flyers. It may be edited before publication in the magazine, but look out for it - hopefully with some enticing pictures!

ROGAINING - THE NEW OUTDOORS CHALLENGE

Those with an eye for new forms of outdoor recreation might have noticed the gradual but steady rise of Rogaining in New Zealand. A cross between tramping, orienteering, adventure racing and mountain marathons, Rogaining has grown from humble origins in Australia to now be practised in several different countries, notably New Zealand, Canada, the US and parts of Eastern Europe. In January 2000 the 4th World Rogaining Championships were held near Hamner in Canterbury, attracting a field of nearly 200 teams from all over the world.

Rogaining is the sport of strategic long-distance cross-country navigation. Teams of not less than two (and up to five) are given a fixed period of time (24 hours in a classic Rogaine) to visit, in no predetermined order, any number of “checkpoints” of varying worth marked on their maps and return to the start-point. Teams travel at their own pace (most just walk) and can rest whenever they desire. At the standard scale of 1:50,000, a Rogaining map can cover up to 300km2 and have up to 60 checkpoints marked on its face. Decisions must be made as to which of the checkpoints are within the teams’ physical and navigational capabilities, more distant or elevated checkpoints generally being worth more points than easier ones. Considered decisions are crucial, with heavy penalties being imposed for lateness back to the start-point. Likened to a game of chess on a massive natural scale, the attraction of Rogaining as opposed to other forms of endurance-based wilderness endeavour lies in the constantly evolving set of decisions required to determine the optimum strategy for any given team. And, no matter what strategy is adopted, each team features in the event results.

Experience is proving that Rogaining has a wide cross-appeal. For the serious competitor, the mental and physical stimulation derived from covering large distances (up to 130km on foot in a 24-hour event) during a Rogaine can be exhilarating. For the more relaxed participant, the pleasure derived from visiting a few checkpoints of particular interest and the camaraderie of the “Hash-House” (Start/Finish) can be equally rewarding.

To date, New Zealand Rogaines have been held in the Hawkes Bay, the Wairarapa, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, sometimes under different guises. Canterbury’s annual “Cyclic Saga” is a form of MTB Rogaining, and Queenstown’s “Epic” is a Rogaine in all but name. New areas selected for events in 2001 include Auckland and Marlborough, with the next World Rogaining Champs to be held in Czechoslovakia in 2002. For further information on Rogaining, visit the New Zealand Rogaining Web Page at www.mapsport.co.nz/rog/rogaine.html

Written by Mark Copeland and installed on 20 Dec 00