Urban area navigation and rogaining events are seldom being done in Malaysia in a proper way. This year, SNR Adventure is trying to venture more by bringing this sport into Malaysia through organizing this Suunto Perak Navigation Quest which was held in Taiping. They try to follow the rules and regulations from International Rogaining Federation; since this 6 hours regaining is the first in Malaysia, so this event has been entered into the Malaysia Book of Records, I am very fortunate to be able to enter this special event and discover what a small quiet town of Taiping can offer.
Many people do not know what Rogaining is all about. Rogaining is the sport of long distance cross- country navigation. It is closely related to orienteering and many people enjoy both sports. For all participants, compared to an orienteering meet, a rogaine:
1. is a much longer event, usually 6, 8, 12 or 24 hours
2. is a team sport (important for safety, given the long duration)
3. has checkpoints (controls) assigned point values reflecting the distance from other checkpoints and the technical difficulty (terrain, navigation) of visiting them
4. requires each team to plan the order in which to visit checkpoints, so route choice is a very important element
For event organizers, a rogaine differs from an orienteering meet in that:
1. it requires a far larger map area, but not necessarily a highly customized orienteering map
2. a 24-hour rogaine benefits from being scheduled during a full moon, and needs an organized food service and space in which participants can sleep
Teams of two to five members visit as many checkpoints as possible in the time allowed. Checkpoints are scored differently depending on level of difficulty in reaching them; therefore teams choose a strategy (for example, to visit many low score checkpoints). Teams travel entirely on foot, navigating by map and compass between checkpoints in terrain that varies from open farmland to hilly forest. A central base camp known as a "hash house" provides hot meals throughout the event and teams may return at any time to eat, rest or sleep. Teams travel at their own pace and anyone from children to grandparents can experience the personal satisfaction that comes from cross-country navigation at their own level of competition and comfort. Team members stay within earshot of each other.
The length for a championship Rogaine is 24 hours, but shorter variations such as 6, 8, 12 and 15 hour events are also held (sometimes concurrently with a 24 hour event). Depending on the terrain, experienced rogaining teams can cover more than one hundred kilometers over the 24 hour period. There have also been longer events (dubbed "Endurogaines") lasting 48 and 50 hours. In their native Australia, rogaines are usually held every month during weekends near full moons, with annual state championships and an annual national championship. They require dozens of volunteers to run, including course setters and caterers and are often attended by hundreds of participants. A competitive 24-hour rogaine requires a map area of around 250 km^2 or 100 mi^2, for relatively flat terrain; terrain with significant climb may require far less or far more area, depending on the placement of checkpoints.
**Courtesy information extracted from - http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/rogaining
Adventures from Team Sunny Bunny Bak Ku Teh
This is a team of 3’s event which took me to explore the quiet town of Taiping on foot. We arrive on Saturday night and briefing also starts late. We stayed at the Flemington Hotel situated beside the Taiping lake side. It was very convenient and the room was very neat and clean. The staff’s hospitalities are good as well. Taiping has lots of good food to offer and we were all eager to venture out for the quest of good food for dinner.
I have never done rogaining before, this will be quite an adventure for me. I was so eager and anticipated for this event to just have fun and discover what this town can offer us. We registered and were given a big bottle of 100 Plus, 3 bibs with 3 PowerBars, thanks to the sponsors and organizer. Briefing starts late and we were given a glace of the Taiping map with the clues sheet and the punch sheet. Organizer briefs us on what we are going to do tomorrow but I wish they could have an English version for me and the Singapore team. I had to translate the clue sheet on that nigh to prepare for Sunday’s race. We did not explore the famous night safari as I want to safe that for my next trip.
Sunday morning we started in waves. They separated us all into 4 categories. Men and mixed open and Interuniversity men and mixed teams. I am happy to see many university students take part in this fun event. We were all given the maps and we had to jot down the check points from the original map and start to navigate to get as many checkpoints as possible with 6 hours. The check points mark as orange / white lantern and we had to check the numbers before we punch into the red color punch card.
It was not easy to locate these lanterns as they were all hide away throughout the city. Through finding and locating all these points, which took us to explore many parts of Taiping. We started near the lake then took us to some abandon houses, into the city, to some people’s back yards, to rail stations, rail tracks, industrial areas, back to the lake side then back to the zoo to finish off. I wish the organizer could put some checkpoints at some famous eatery places, put some check points at some historical buildings because Malaysia is famous for their food, and those historical buildings at Taiping were just magnificently well kept and well maintained for us to take pictures. Through regaining to check points then can take us to these places of interest and places to eat also.
The weather was so hot on that day, after running around for some time, I began to get really exhausted. No matter how strong a road runner I could be, still I was succumbed by the heat. I went into a Chinese stall and amazingly welcome by the staff inside and the lady owner was very kind to us and I took my time to rest inside her shop and took a picture with her. I am amazed at their hospitality which I seldom get in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. To my amazement, Taiping’s streams and rivers remain very clean. I can even see tiny tadpoles and small fishes swimming at the stream from people’s back yards.
Rogaining is a team sport. Entering events like that you can discover the whole town and also discover how well you and your team work with your other team mates could be. Ours were not that good. We found out that we did not copy the check points correctly from the original map, then we did not read our map carefully so we ended up wasted a lot of time. We did not bring along a more detailed Taiping map for us to refer to during the race. We did not plan ahead and separate the teammates and ended up we had to locate the other teammate instead of together finding the check points. We learned a lot throughout the race on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I seriously had to improve on my map reading skills to prepare for the next regaining event.
After joining this event, I found that I am in love with this sport although my map reading skills were poor. Then I realize the possibilities to add on more elements into this game. I wish the organizer could bring in more of this game to organize this in more kampung and urban areas of Malaysia. This is such a healthy game whereby you do not even realize how much walking, jogging and running you have been doing and how much calories which you have burned already. In the end you will be amazed by what a small town or big city can offer you. I always encourage people to get away from their comfort zone and try something new, rogaining is sure a fun and enjoyable things for anyone to join.
Many people do not know what Rogaining is all about. Rogaining is the sport of long distance cross- country navigation. It is closely related to orienteering and many people enjoy both sports. For all participants, compared to an orienteering meet, a rogaine:
1. is a much longer event, usually 6, 8, 12 or 24 hours
2. is a team sport (important for safety, given the long duration)
3. has checkpoints (controls) assigned point values reflecting the distance from other checkpoints and the technical difficulty (terrain, navigation) of visiting them
4. requires each team to plan the order in which to visit checkpoints, so route choice is a very important element
For event organizers, a rogaine differs from an orienteering meet in that:
1. it requires a far larger map area, but not necessarily a highly customized orienteering map
2. a 24-hour rogaine benefits from being scheduled during a full moon, and needs an organized food service and space in which participants can sleep
Teams of two to five members visit as many checkpoints as possible in the time allowed. Checkpoints are scored differently depending on level of difficulty in reaching them; therefore teams choose a strategy (for example, to visit many low score checkpoints). Teams travel entirely on foot, navigating by map and compass between checkpoints in terrain that varies from open farmland to hilly forest. A central base camp known as a "hash house" provides hot meals throughout the event and teams may return at any time to eat, rest or sleep. Teams travel at their own pace and anyone from children to grandparents can experience the personal satisfaction that comes from cross-country navigation at their own level of competition and comfort. Team members stay within earshot of each other.
The length for a championship Rogaine is 24 hours, but shorter variations such as 6, 8, 12 and 15 hour events are also held (sometimes concurrently with a 24 hour event). Depending on the terrain, experienced rogaining teams can cover more than one hundred kilometers over the 24 hour period. There have also been longer events (dubbed "Endurogaines") lasting 48 and 50 hours. In their native Australia, rogaines are usually held every month during weekends near full moons, with annual state championships and an annual national championship. They require dozens of volunteers to run, including course setters and caterers and are often attended by hundreds of participants. A competitive 24-hour rogaine requires a map area of around 250 km^2 or 100 mi^2, for relatively flat terrain; terrain with significant climb may require far less or far more area, depending on the placement of checkpoints.
**Courtesy information extracted from - http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/rogaining
Adventures from Team Sunny Bunny Bak Ku Teh
This is a team of 3’s event which took me to explore the quiet town of Taiping on foot. We arrive on Saturday night and briefing also starts late. We stayed at the Flemington Hotel situated beside the Taiping lake side. It was very convenient and the room was very neat and clean. The staff’s hospitalities are good as well. Taiping has lots of good food to offer and we were all eager to venture out for the quest of good food for dinner.
I have never done rogaining before, this will be quite an adventure for me. I was so eager and anticipated for this event to just have fun and discover what this town can offer us. We registered and were given a big bottle of 100 Plus, 3 bibs with 3 PowerBars, thanks to the sponsors and organizer. Briefing starts late and we were given a glace of the Taiping map with the clues sheet and the punch sheet. Organizer briefs us on what we are going to do tomorrow but I wish they could have an English version for me and the Singapore team. I had to translate the clue sheet on that nigh to prepare for Sunday’s race. We did not explore the famous night safari as I want to safe that for my next trip.
Sunday morning we started in waves. They separated us all into 4 categories. Men and mixed open and Interuniversity men and mixed teams. I am happy to see many university students take part in this fun event. We were all given the maps and we had to jot down the check points from the original map and start to navigate to get as many checkpoints as possible with 6 hours. The check points mark as orange / white lantern and we had to check the numbers before we punch into the red color punch card.
It was not easy to locate these lanterns as they were all hide away throughout the city. Through finding and locating all these points, which took us to explore many parts of Taiping. We started near the lake then took us to some abandon houses, into the city, to some people’s back yards, to rail stations, rail tracks, industrial areas, back to the lake side then back to the zoo to finish off. I wish the organizer could put some checkpoints at some famous eatery places, put some check points at some historical buildings because Malaysia is famous for their food, and those historical buildings at Taiping were just magnificently well kept and well maintained for us to take pictures. Through regaining to check points then can take us to these places of interest and places to eat also.
The weather was so hot on that day, after running around for some time, I began to get really exhausted. No matter how strong a road runner I could be, still I was succumbed by the heat. I went into a Chinese stall and amazingly welcome by the staff inside and the lady owner was very kind to us and I took my time to rest inside her shop and took a picture with her. I am amazed at their hospitality which I seldom get in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. To my amazement, Taiping’s streams and rivers remain very clean. I can even see tiny tadpoles and small fishes swimming at the stream from people’s back yards.
Rogaining is a team sport. Entering events like that you can discover the whole town and also discover how well you and your team work with your other team mates could be. Ours were not that good. We found out that we did not copy the check points correctly from the original map, then we did not read our map carefully so we ended up wasted a lot of time. We did not bring along a more detailed Taiping map for us to refer to during the race. We did not plan ahead and separate the teammates and ended up we had to locate the other teammate instead of together finding the check points. We learned a lot throughout the race on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I seriously had to improve on my map reading skills to prepare for the next regaining event.
After joining this event, I found that I am in love with this sport although my map reading skills were poor. Then I realize the possibilities to add on more elements into this game. I wish the organizer could bring in more of this game to organize this in more kampung and urban areas of Malaysia. This is such a healthy game whereby you do not even realize how much walking, jogging and running you have been doing and how much calories which you have burned already. In the end you will be amazed by what a small town or big city can offer you. I always encourage people to get away from their comfort zone and try something new, rogaining is sure a fun and enjoyable things for anyone to join.
Registering for the event.
Team Sunny Bunny Bak Ku Teh
Malaysia Book Of Record BIG Poster
Start and finishing arch
With the organizer
We stayed at Flemington Hotel, highly recommended to come back and stay for more.
Start at Taiping night safari, will safe this for my next trip
The map was shown to us during briefing
The clue sheet, yikes all in Malay
Explore Taiping's food
Neat, nice and clean hotel room
At the start of the race
Had to jot down the check points from original map
Had to make sure everything inside plastic bag
navigate throughout the city
Run run and run some more under the hot sun
Found a check point and check the number before I punch
Waaaaa many tadpoles and fishes even at the stream from backyards of people's houses
Rest and chit chat with the nice coffer shop owner
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