Orienteering Age Classes

Orienteering classes are based on gender and age. The gender part is quite straightforward: male classes start "M" and female classes start "W". The age is part is more complicated and depends on your age on your birthday this calendar year so that at the beginning of the year one's class is based on an age you won't attain until your birthday later in the year! Then for juniors the classes proceed in two year bands from 10 to 20 with the age being the maximum for your birthday that year. Senior classes start at 21 and then run in 5 year bands from 35 with the age being a minimum for your birthday this year.

Hopefully the following table and example will make the working of the system clear.

Age this year's birthday Male Female
10 or below M10 W10
11 or 12 M12 W12
13 or 14 M14 W14
15 or 16 M16 W16
17 or 18 M18 W18
19 or 20 M20 W20
21 to 34 M21 W21
35 to 39 M35 W35
40 to 44 M40 W40
45 to 49 M45 W45
50 to 54 M50 W50
55 to 59 M55 W55
60 to 64 M60 W60
65 to 69 M65 W65
70 or older M70 W70

Example:  You are a 14 year old girl entering an event in May.  On your birthday in August you will be 15.  So your age class this year is W16.