This time, with orienteering technique, I don't think about the technique what to read from the map and how to decide which route to take. Instead I'm trying to give you some examples of all kinds of fun software solutions for orienteering that others have developed (mostly for free):

• Route Gadget (www.routegadget.net) is available in many different languages. In RouteGadget the competitors can draw their own routes and compare their route choices after a competition. For example here http://routegadget.jukola.com/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?act=map&id=28&kieli=en you can see how I did run in the Venla relay this year. (I did run the 2. course.)

  Part of my route from the Venla Relay. (copyright: Route Gadget www.routegadget.net and Vehkalahden Veikot www.vehkalahdenveikot.fi)

  Here is an example YouTube video made with applications in RouteGadget www.youtube.com/user/Pulssit?feature=mhee#p/u/10/M7j6FjAks9Q. The runner had a head cam, GPS receiver and heart rate monitor while running this competition. The video stream from the head cam has been combined with the GPS track and the heart rate. This means, in the video you can see the runners track on a map, the video from the forest, heart rate, altitude and time data.

  Screenshot from YouTube video. (copyright: www.youtube.com)

• GPSSeuranta (www.gpsseuranta.net) is a webpage where you can follow the runners live, through a GPS receiver they are carrying on their back. This example is from the World Championships Long distance that I mentioned before and where Pasi Ikonen won silver (www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110817woclongM/). It can also be replayed afterwards. I myself did watch the relay live on television. Especially the women's relay was interesting when most of the top runners made big mistakes and the leading team changed many times still during the last leg. Finland finally won the gold medal.

  Finland and Switzerland takes the lead at post 13 when Sweden and Czech Republic makes a mistake. (copyright: GPSSeuranta www.gpsseuranta.net)

• Live Results (http://online.tulospalvelu.fi/tulokset/en/) where you can find links to many different competitions live results. During a competition this page will be updaged every time someone punches on an intermediate post in the forest or reaches the finish. Afterwards the split times between every post can be found here too. Have a look how I managed in the FSOM Long distance this year: http://online.tulospalvelu.fi/tulokset/en/2011_fsom_lang/ (D21).

  Intermediate post at 3.6 km. (copyright: Live Results http://online.tulospalvelu.fi/tulokset/en/)

• Catching Features (www.catchingfeatures.com) is a computer game where you read the map and run in an 3D environment on the computer screen (almost like real orienteering). You can also do ski-orienteering. This game is used both for teaching orienteering as well as training for skilled runners. Competitions are also organized with Catching Features. With Catching Features you can do orienteering all year around, no matter what kind of weather it's outside.

  Pictures from the Catching Features computer game. Can you find the post? (copyright: Catching Features www.catchingfeatures.com)

  Isn’t orienteering an interesting sport? Don’t you want to try it yourself?