Attack Points || Megan Carter-Davies || Think Fast, Run Hard, Go Orienteering

Summary

In this video, Megan from the GB Orienteering team explains the concept of attack points in orienteering. She describes how attack points—prominent, reliable features near control points—help reduce the risk of losing your way during a race. Megan walks through examples, using path junctions, clearings, and reentrants as attack points. She emphasizes the importance of careful navigation near the control circle, where precision is key. By using attack points, orienteers can improve their speed and accuracy, ensuring a successful race outcome.

Takeaways

• 😀 Attack points are key features near the control that help navigate more confidently during orienteering.
• 😀 An attack point reduces the risk of making mistakes in the control circle by providing a precise reference point.
• 😀 A good attack point should be easy to find and distinct, such as a path junction, clearing, or hilltop.
• 😀 If the control is not near obvious features, use natural landmarks like reentrants, vegetation edges, or contours.
• 😀 Using an attack point allows orienteers to run quickly until reaching the attack point, then slow down to focus on precise navigation.
• 😀 When choosing an attack point, prioritize features that are easy to identify and close to the control, like path junctions or hilltops.
• 😀 Attack points help avoid veering off course when approaching a control, ensuring a more accurate and controlled arrival.
• 😀 If no nearby obvious path junctions exist, consider using a reentrant or other clear terrain features as a reference.
• 😀 Once at the attack point, the orienteer should carefully adjust their bearing to the control, making the final approach more precise.
• 😀 Practicing using attack points during orienteering can improve speed and reduce the chance of getting lost during races.

Q & A

What is an attack point in orienteering?

An attack point is a prominent and easily identifiable feature near a control point that you can confidently find. It helps you get close to the control, reducing the risk of getting lost when approaching it.

Why is using an attack point important in orienteering?

Using an attack point helps reduce the risk of veering off course and getting lost while navigating the control circle. It ensures you're close to the control, allowing you to make a more accurate and careful final approach.

What are some examples of good attack points?

Examples of good attack points include path junctions, fence corners, hilltops, and clearings. The key is that these features are distinct and easy to locate.

How do you choose an attack point when navigating?

When choosing an attack point, you should pick a feature that is close to the control, easy to recognize, and helps you navigate precisely. For example, a path junction or a hill can serve as an attack point.

How can attack points help reduce errors when orienteering?

Attack points allow you to focus on the bigger features in the terrain first, ensuring that you are in the right area. From there, you can take short, careful bearings to fine-tune your navigation to the control.

What should you do once you reach an attack point?

Once you reach the attack point, you should carefully navigate to the control by focusing on fine details. This helps ensure that you don’t miss the control and can approach it accurately.

Can you always find a path junction near a control to use as an attack point?

Not always. In some cases, there may not be a path junction near the control, so you need to find other features like reentrants, hills, or vegetation edges that can serve as a good attack point.

What should you do if the terrain near the control is unclear?

If the terrain near the control is unclear, look for more obvious features like large reentrants or hilltops, which can be used to guide you safely toward the control.

Why is it important to be extra careful when approaching the control from the attack point?

It's crucial to be extra careful when approaching the control from the attack point to ensure precise navigation. At this stage, you want to avoid veering off course, as small errors can lead to missing the control or getting lost.

How can using attack points make orienteering faster and more efficient?

Using attack points allows you to run faster by reducing the time spent searching for the control. It provides a reliable method to get close to the control, where only minor adjustments in navigation are needed to hit it precisely.