Glossary of Adventure Racing Terms

Baseplate Compass:
   Compass with a transparent baseplate used for orienteering and adventure racing

CPs:
   Checkpoints. Also called PCs or ACPs. Most adventure races consist of navigation and travel between checkpoints placed along the course. Sometimes there may be a prescribed route between CPs, but more often than not, it is up to the teams to determine the best way to travel from one to another. CPs may be manned by race volunteers or may be unmanned and consist only of some type of marker and a way of proving one's visit. At some CPs, also known as TAs (or transition areas) or ACPs (assisted checkpoints) teams may rendezvous with their support crews to resupply or change from one discipline to another.

Dead Reckoning:
   The process of navigation by following compass bearings for specific distances (as opposed to 'terrain association') .

Discipline:
   Skill set. The typical disciplines found in adventure racing include mountain biking, paddling and trekking. "Trekking" is adventure racing jargon for either very slow running or trudging, as the case may be. Many races also include some sort of roped discipline (such as rappelling) and may include the dreaded "special mystery event", which could be anything.

Free-style finish:
   Also known as 'rogaine-style' finish
A navigation section at the end of an adventure race. Teams have until the posted finish time to visit as many checkpoints as they can (in any order they wish). Usually the top teams get there in enough time to visit them all and their finish order is based on time. Those teams that do not arrive early enough to visit all of the CPs try to get as many as they can in the time they have, and their finish order is based on number of points scored.

The advantage of the "freestyle finish" is that it enables all teams to finish within the posted time limits without the need for arbitrary cutoffs. In addition, it is "friendlier" for the slower teams because they do not suffer the stigma of dragging themselves in several hours after the leaders have packed up and gone home. But probably the best part is that by enabling everyone to finish at the same time, we are able to have a lovely awards ceremony and "Hash House Happy Hour" with hot food, cold drinks and a chance to socialize with other competitors.

Hash House Happy Hour:
   Most Ambush adventure races end with a 'freestyle finish', which allows everyone to finish at about the same time and provides a great opportunity to share hot food and cold drinks with other athletes while waiting for the results to be finalized and the awards to be distributed. For many people, the best part of the race.

More adventure:
   All purpose excuse when things don't go as planned. Make a nav error and have to backtrack 4 miles? "Just more adventure..."Often used by RDs...the 8 miles of singletrack that turned into an 11 mile hike-a-bike? "Just more adventure..." At Ambush Adventure races we never charge extra if there turns out to be 'more adventure'.

Passport:
   A scorecard or small booklet that each team must carry throughout the race. The passport is stamped at each CP as evidence of visit to that CP. Loss of the passport results in a team DQ.

PCs:
   Passport control. Same as a checkpoint.

Qualified Solo:
   With skills and enough experience that the race organization won't have to pull your cold, lifeless corpse from the forest on Monday morning

RD:
   Race director. ...also known as scapegoat. If you have a bad race you can just blame it on the RD.

Rogaine-style race:
   A 'rogaine' is a freestyle, long-distance, cross-country navigation competition. Unlike most orienteering competitions, the order in which teams may visit the checkpoints is not given and teams may visit the CPs in any order they wish or skip some altogether. The finish order is determined first by the number of points collected and then by the elapsed time.

A 'rogaine-style' adventure races usually entails the collection of points for completion of various adventure racing disciplines. Teams visit various checkpoints by foot, bike or boat and may collect additional points for completion of disciplines such as rappelling or other special tests. Finish order is determined by points and it can be hard to tell who's ahead until the very end.

Rogaine-style finish:
   See 'freestyle' finish

Supported:
   Supported by the race organization. No support crew is necessary. ...or is it the other way around. See "unsupported"

Terrain Association:
   The process of navigation by observing one's surroundings and relating them to mapped features (as opposed to 'dead reckoning').

Trekking:
   Also known as trudging. Depending upon how you look at it, either fast walking or slow running. Some people like to fool themselves into thinking they are really moving by running the downhills.

Unsupported:
   Teams must supply their own support crew, typically with a vehicle capable of hauling bikes, boats and other gear from point to point. ...or is it the other way around. See 'supported'

More adventure racing terms:
ICAR website
Ozark Extreme