A Rules for Foot Orienteering Events - Orienteering USA

C.10.1.1 Individual competitors are divided into classes by gender (M for male, and F
for female), and age as of December 31 of the current year. Eligibility (and
ineligibility) for classes occurs at the beginning of the calendar year in which
the competitor reaches a new age group.
C.10.1.2 Women shall be allowed to enter the male class on the Blue course.
C.10.2 Orienteering USA Standard Ski Orienteering Course/Class Structure
C.10.2.1 The following Orienteering USA Standard Course/Class structure is the
minimum that a sanctioned Ski Orienteering event must offer.
C.10.2.2 A class may be combined with another if it has fewer than three competitors.
C.10.2.3 U.S. Champions shall be declared in all age classes represented at U.S. Ski
Orienteering Championships. Open color classes and group classes are not
Championship classes.
C.10.2.4 In a U.S. Ski Orienteering Championship event, at the discretion of the host,
the M40+ class may be held on the Blue course and the F40+ class may be
held on the Red course. This would be appropriate when the elite courses are
not too long, when the difficulty of the terrain is not excessive, and when the
longer courses would offer greater navigating challenges.
Ski Orienteering Individual Championship Classes
White Orange Red Blue
F-16 F-19+ M-19+
F-18 M-16
F40+ M-18
F55+ M40+
M55+
Non-Championship Competitive Classes
F White F Orange M Red
M White
M Orange
Age class ranges are indicated by a "-" and/or a "+". A "-" before the age
means "and younger", the "+" after the age means "and older". Gender
classes contain M for male and F for female. Classes containing the course
color are open to any age.