Pursuit Start Orienteering Race
In this two-run orienteering race, students start the second run in the order and with the time gaps from the first, so whoever crosses the finish first wins the combined total. They practice navigating under pressure, pacing, and handling competition.
How to play
- Prep two 6-control courses of similar difficulty on the same terrain, with different code cards.
- Run 1: students start one at a time every 15 seconds and record their finish time from the stopwatch at the finish. It takes about 8 minutes.
- Active recovery for 3 minutes: while students walk, the teacher works out the time gaps and writes the start order for run 2 on the whiteboard.
- To keep waiting short, cap the gaps at 2 minutes: anyone far behind starts 2 minutes after the leader.
- Run 2 is a pursuit: the fastest runner goes first and the rest go when the stopwatch hits their gap; the order of finish is the final ranking. It takes about 9 minutes.
- In the final 5 minutes, talk about how navigation changes when someone is chasing you or ahead of you.
Rules
- In run 2, following another runner is not allowed; doing so adds a 30-second penalty.
- Each missing code adds 1 minute to the final time.
- Safety: call out when passing and give room; slow down after crossing the finish line.
Variations
Easier
Use 4-control courses and cap the gaps at 1 minute.
Standard
Two 6-control runs with a pursuit start on the second.
Harder
Run 2 includes a control with two possible routes so chasers can take a risk.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student competes on a parallel accessible course with their own time gaps.
- Autism or shyness: the student can start in a small group of two or three runners with similar times to ease the pressure.
- Fitness level: the 2-minute cap keeps slower runners from being left alone and lets them catch up.
Learning goals
- Stay focused on navigation under pressure from other runners.
- Control running pace to avoid rushed mistakes.
- Understand a competition format based on combined times.
Equipment for a class of 25
- maps: 50
- control markers: 12
- stopwatch: 1
- code cards: 12
Teacher tip
Have a template ready to work out the gaps quickly, or ask a student who is not running to help. Remind students that the typical pursuit mistake is running faster than they can read the map.
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