Month: September 2026

A New Route Choice for Communication at Orienteering USA

After two years as your National Communications Manager, I’m passing the torch. Taking over will be the mother-daughter team of Oriana Riley and Angelica Riley, who will bring energy and expertise in areas I have always felt could use more love than I could give them. Look for a more robust social media and video-filled OUSA presence in the coming months!

While I will be stepping away from the formal Communications Manager role, I am not leaving orienteering. Instead, I plan to focus on the areas where I feel I can make the biggest difference: hosting events, making maps, and growing the sport locally. It has been a privilege to travel the country telling OUSA’s story and meeting orienteers from all corners, and I hope to continue the relationships this work has sprouted.

All three of us will be working over the month of October as we make the transition. During this time and always, you can reach the communications team at

communications@nullorienteeringusa.org.

Please join me in welcoming Oriana and Angelica!

2026 Masters Nationals Event Recap

September 25-27, 2026

Host: Northeast Ohio Orienteering Club (NEOOC)

Program:

  • Friday: Corn Maze Challenge at Derthick’s Farm and Corn Maze
  • Saturday: Masters Nationals Day 1 at The West Woods, Geauga County
  • Sunday: Masters Nationals Day 2 at Big Creek Park, Geauga County

This year’s Masters Nationals (what used to be the Classic Champs) took place east of Cleveland, with challenging courses, glorious weather, and a bonus corn maze orienteering race! At this event US Champions are crowned in each age class based on the combined total time for two days of classic racing.

Event website

Winners in F65+, from left to right: Sue Kuestner (bronze), Pavlina Brautigam (gold), and Peggy (silver) Dickison. Photo by Stephanie Ross

Photos by Nadim Ahmed

Results, Maps, and Media

Photo album by Nadim Ahmed

Photos from NEOOC

Video from the corn maze

Short interview with event director Jonathan Boyer about corn maze orienteering

All results from host

Orienteering’s Olympic Ambitions and How You Can Help

A note from OUSA President Tori Campbell

Following up on my last note about Orientación México, the International Orienteering Federation’s new 2026-2030 Strategic Directions mark an exciting shift: a renewed push to bring orienteering to the Olympic Games.

While that might sound like a long shot, the landscape is changing fast. Better TV coverage, improved drone technology, and a growing international competitive field (especially outside Europe) make our sport more broadcast-friendly and globally viable than ever. Sprint Orienteering is a prime candidate for the Summer Games, while Ski-O continues to gain traction for the Winter Games.

How does this impact Orienteering USA?

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Orienteering at the 2026 Scout Jamboree

Setting an orienteering course on a reclaimed coal mine presents some unusual challenges. At the
Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, many of the terrain features that normally give an
orienteering map its character simply aren’t there.

That was one of the challenges faced by Orienteering USA at the 2026 National Scout Jamboree,
held July 22–31 at the Summit. More than 400 starts were recorded on three courses: White for
beginners, Yellow for intermediate orienteers, and Green for more experienced orienteers.

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