MAPS FOR DIFFERENT FORMS OF ORIENTEERING László Zentai Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A H-1117 Budapest, Hungary laszlo.zentai@elte.hu Abstract: Orienteering became a worldwide sport in the last 25-30 years. Orienteering maps are one of the very few types of maps that have the same specifications all over the world. Orienteering maps are special, because to make them suitable for orienteering the map makers have to be familiar not only with the map specifications, but also with the rules and traditions of the sport. The early period of orienteering maps was the age of homemade maps. Maps were made by orienteers using available tourist or topographic maps and only after the availability of cheaper reproduction techniques started the process of special field- working. The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) was formed in 1961. The Map Commission (MC) of the IOF has introduced different specifications for the official disciplines (before 2000 the ski-orienteering and foot-orienteering were the only official disciplines). The last version of the specification, the International Standard for Orienteering Maps (ISOM) was published in 2000 and included specifications for foot- orienteering, ski-orienteering, mountain-bike orienteering. A new format, the sprint competition, required new map specifications (ISSOM) which were finalized and published in 2007. The aim of orienteering map specifications is to provide rules that can accommodate many different types of terrain around the world and various forms of orienteering. We can use the experience of the official disciplines for developing new specifications: the official disciplines and formats were developed in the past 30 years (most of them are even newer). A discipline has to be practiced in different countries to utilize the experience of the countries so that the best traditions can be included and integrated. This is not a fast process and cartographers regularly involved only in the last part of the process when the aims of the disciplines and the basics of the competition rules are clearly defined and agreed internationally. Cartographers can translate these outcomes into graphic language to create optimized map specification, but best results can be achieved only when cartographers are familiar with the discipline itself. Since orienteering maps are practically topographic maps and the development of the most traditional form of orienteering (foot orienteering) maps were based on national topographic maps in most countries, so the study of the topographic maps and the traditional orienteering maps may enhance the result: the new specification. Beyond the officially existing disciplines other kinds of orienteering events are practiced. Some of them are practiced in several countries; some of them are relatively rare and mostly practiced only for fun; some of them are so rare that we can treat them as extreme sport. We try to list and investigate all known from of orienteering events