O-Ringen Magazine Nr 2 - 2023.

Photo: Peter Holgersson.
Direction 2030
– everyone has a right to take part
Direction 2030 is the strategy of
Swedish orienteering and describes
our vision: Swedish orienteering – for
everyone, throughout their life. The
strategy covers both our general aims
and areas for action, with our basic
principles and core values as a guide.
Direction 2030 aims to inspire and
encourage us to dare to change and
develop towards 2030.
One of our basic principles is that “everyone
has a right to take part”. This means,
everyone who wants to join in and orienteer
can do so, whatever their circumstances.
Orienteering welcomes everyone, regardless
of their background or ambition. We work
for equality and inclusion and place a high
value on working together. The idea that
orienteering is a lifelong sport for all life’s
stages can be seen in practical terms by our
range of age classes and open classes. Orienteering
should bring inspiration and joy
to everyone, throughout their life. Here are
four examples of how we are working actively
with our vision “for everyone, throughout
their life” and our principle “everyone has a
right to take part”.
Exemptions for large scale maps for people
with eye injuries and visual impairments
Do you have a documented eye
injury or visual impairment that is
not age related? If so, you can apply
for an exemption from the Swedish
Orienteering Federation for larger
scale maps.
A successful exemption allows competition
organisers to work round competition rules
when it comes to map scale. Organisers,
however, are not obliged to contribute extra
time and work to allow larger map scales
for participants. Contacting the organiser
in good time before a competition means
there is a greater chance they will be able
to order an adapted map. The larger the
competition, the more notice is required,
as arranging and ordering maps is a longer
process. Remember to attach proof of your
exemption when contacting the organiser.
How to apply for an exemption:
• Describe the injury.
• Attach a certificate from a doctor.
• Email this information to Niklas Wrane
(niklas.wrane@orientering.se).
How to order your map from
O-Ringen if you have an exemption:
• Go to O-Ringen’s booking portal to register
yourself and the class you would like
to participate in
• Email your exemption and your order for
an adapted map to info@oringen.se by
7th April
Kompassriktning 2030
Orienteering map norms are
the result of many years of
development, and they have
considered some forms of
colour blindness.
N
For instance, the red colour that
many people have difficulty
seeing is not used and symbols
in different colours have different
shapes so they don’t get mixed
up. There has not, however, been
any scientific analysis of how
maps are read when colours are
seen differently.
Therefore, with economic
support from Skogssportens
Gynnare and Kartringen, the
Swedish Orienteering Federation
is starting a project whose results
will also be shared with the International
Orienteering Federation.
The aim is to develop a norm for
orienteering maps which works
for as many people as possible,
regardless of your colour vision.
S
New project assessing
orienteering maps and
colour blindness
Janne completed 3 stages with only 2% vision
Jan “Janne” Thorin, 43, from Karlstad
has found a new sport: orienteering.
After having an eye problem when
he was 14, Janne now has only 2%
vision. “It’s like swimming in murky
water,” he says.
So how do you orienteer?
– No problem, if like Janne you like a
challenge, but one or two adaptations are
needed.
Using enlarged maps at scale 1:1,800,
Janne took part in the final three stages
of O-Ringen in Åre, accompanied by a
guide. The guide’s job was to make it easier
for Janne to get about on rough paths and
through the forest.
In Åre Janne did the Easy 3.5 km course
on two stages and the Easy 5.0 km course on
one stage. The courses were divided over 8–9
A4 and A3 maps, one for each leg. His guide
helped him change maps at each control.
Proud and happy
Janne was happy and proud after completing
the three stages.
– I never thought I would experience the
feeling of freedom you get from being able
to orienteer through the terrain. And then
O-Ringen and the Swedish Orienteering
Federation’s work with Direction 2030
has resulted in a clear vision that
everyone with a visual impairment,
or intellectual or physical disability,
should be able to compete in the world’s
biggest orienteering competition.
In an evaluation of this year’s Para-I class,
competitors have shared many positive experiences
from Åre. The experience has left
the strongest impression, being one of the
15,000 orienteers who took on the challenge
through hailstorms and wet marshes, and
sharing the memories with clubmates.
When we ask Eva Dahlberg about her
most vivid memory from the summer’s
O-Ringen, say replies somewhat
despondently, but with a glint in her eye:
“The medals… Henrik had the medals out
on the kitchen table at home for over a
month and nobody was allowed to touch
them.” Eva is talking about Henrik Berglund,
I never thought
I would
experience
the feeling of
freedom you get
from being able
to orienteer
to get the chance to experience O-Ringen,
with so many competitors, buses to the
arenas and walking to the arenas together
with thousands of other orienteers was really
special, says Janne.
More orienteering
He’s still orienteering and, following
O-Ringen, Janne has been orienteering in
Para athletes welcome at O-Ringen Smålandskusten
her partner and fellow competitor in the
Para-I class, who won every stage. We hardly
need to ask what Henrik remembers.
– The prize givings, interviews and
meeting other prize winners. And having to
write autographs, says a smiling Henrik.
It’s clear that he’s proud to compete in the
Para-I class and has already started planning
his travel and accommodation for O-Ringen
Smålandskusten. By then, Eva and Henrik
are hoping that the Para-I class will have
more competitors.
Värmland in OK Tyr’s club colours. Now he
is looking for sponsors to help him continue
orienteering.
– I’m entitled to a guide to can help me train
and compete within the Karlstad area, but not
to anything further away. Orienteering means
a lot to me. It has really motivated me to train
and to live a healthy life, both physically and
mentally, finishes Janne.
– We saw that there were some other para
athletes at O-Ringen who chose to compete
in other classes. They are welcome in the
Para-I class!
Ahead of this year’s O-Ringen, the
Para-I class is part of the plan from the
very beginning and all para athletes who
are curious about an adapted orienteering
adventure can read about the open Para-I
class on the website. The courses have a
“Very easy” difficulty level and the map is a
simplified 1:5,000 orienteering map.
Photo: Tilda Andersson.
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