NZ Secondary Schools Rogaine Championships

3 or 6 Hours Foot Rogaine. This event has students Yrs 7/8 (non-Champs class) and Yrs 9–11 competing in the 3-hour event only. Yrs 12/13 can compete in either the 3 or 6-hour event. There will be a public event held in conjunction with the NZ Schools event with 3 or 6 hours options open to all ages and abilities.

What is a rogaine?
A rogaine is a cross-country navigation event on foot, using a map and compass. Events are usually held on farmland, forests, indigenous scrub-covered hill country and associated valley floors. Duration can be from 3, 6 and 12 hours. 24hour events are usually for national championships.

Each person in a team (comprising 2 to 5 people) is given a standard topographical map with checkpoints of differing point’s value marked on it. A clue is provided to help you locate each checkpoint, e.g. “A saddle, N side”.

Teams collect points by visiting checkpoints over the duration of the rogaine. The team with most points wins. It pays to finish on time, late finishers lose points from 10 to 30 points each minute late. As a team you choose your own route and distance within the mapped area. You decide which checkpoints to visit and in which order. You can be as competitive or as social as you choose. Some events provide food and drinks after the event, courtesy of local resources.

Plan your course well. Rogaining is as much about careful route choice, navigation and strategy as it is about physical endurance. For fit, first-time people, plan on about 2 to 2.5 kms per hour average over the whole event time.

If you find you travel faster or slower adjust your course as you go. Rogaines are great for families to do together, attract a wide age range, held outdoors, engaging with local communities (catering, landowners, schools etc). Gear requirements are minimal and simple.

One of the best things about rogaines is the social aspect. Everyone starts at the same time, and generally finishes at the same time, it is just the amount of ground that has been covered and total points gained by teams that differs.