​AOA  RECOMENDATION  REGARDING  COVID-19 

Gathering restrictions:

• Click here for details on all NEW current public health measures.
• Mandatory restrictions 

Outdoor Sports:
COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR OUTDOOR WINTER RECREATION 
Group physical activities, including adult team sports, fitness classes and training sessions, are prohibited or restricted across Alberta. Please find relevant information about the current restrictions on our webpage for ORGANIZERS & CLUBS.

• Group training, lessons or activities are permitted outdoors with up to 10 people. Participants who are not part of the same household must observe 2 metres of physical distance.

​Check out the below resources for ideas to stay active:​

• Neighbourhood Adventure: try it anywhere
• SOGO@Home: self-guided activities

Calgary Club (FWOC):

• GPS Orienteering

Edmonton Club (EOOC):

• Independent orienteering

Participants Safety

• If you have any COVID-19 symptoms  stay home.
•  If you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, stay home.
• Always respect and follow the guidelines, recommendations and regulations from your local, provincial and federal health authorities and governments. Practice Physical  and Social distancing.
• For event organizers please visit the  Return to Sport website

ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST complete these steps below:

• ​Must read and obey the COVID 19 - GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUALS FOR MODIFIED ORIENTEERING ACTIVITIES 
• Be familiar with the GENERAL  AOA SAFETY RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS​
• MUST SIGN the online waivers (only once per year).

Adult Participant Waiver

Youth (U18) Participant agreement

• MUST fill out & sign  the DECLARATION OF HEALTH – COVID-19, on the day of  the event.

DECLARATION OF HEALTH – COVID-19

Safety resources for orienteering:

• ORIENTEERING  SAFETY BROCHURE 
• LIVING SMART WITH WILDLIFE BROCHURE  

• AOA RISK MANAGMENT POLICY
• CONCUSSION  BASICS  
• SAFE SPORT ENVIROMENT 

   

Living with wildlife

Visit the WILDSMART Website to learn about how to reduce negative human - wildlife interactions.
​When orienteering in bear country, the best strategy to avoid an encounter with a bear is to make a great deal of noise (talk loudly, sing!), stay in a group (eg. when training) and be alert for signs of bear activity (look for scat). In the rare case of an aggressive confrontation, bear spray is your best defense. Please see the link below:
​HOW TO USE A BEAR SPRAY-broshure
Carry bear spray and know how to use it!
Video below:

​Why  is this important?

• Orienteering is an outdoor activity that carries a risk of personal injury due to natural and man-made hazards, animal encounters and environmental conditions. While the participants acknowledge these risks, the organizers of orienteering events must have rules and recommendations that cover how to reasonably minimize these risks and what to do in case of injury or if a competitor is overdue. 

• There are general safety rules and recommendations which apply to all orienteering events and there are event-specific plans which should provide sufficient details for specific actions  to deal with unique situations. Make sure you follow the event organizers guidelines  and notices.​​