Join and Play an Event
This page explains the flow from choosing an event category or course to finishing.
If you are joining an event that uses location sharing for safety tracking, see Join a Safety Tracking Event.
If you need to join with a Team Number, or want to know how scoring and finishing work in Team Play, see Team Play.
If you want to move freely and record photos without using a configured course, see Rogaining Camera.
Start playing
Prepare to start
- Choose the category or course you want to join on the event details screen.
- The map screen opens.
- Tap the Start button at the bottom of the screen.
- A dialog to confirm your display name appears. Enter your Entry Number if needed.
- Choose whether to turn Live Tracking on or off. It is on by default.
Start location
- Score and Fixed Order courses - You must be near the start spot, usually within about 40 meters depending on the organizer's setting
- Score (Free Start and Finish) courses - You can start from anywhere
If the organizer has configured a start time, you can prepare to start from about five minutes before that time. Play begins automatically when the start time arrives.
Understanding the map screen
The following information is shown on the map screen during play.
Information panel at the top
- Elapsed time or, on score courses, remaining time
- Score or earned points
- Visited spots / total number of spots
- Distance traveled
- GPS accuracy
Markers on the map
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green circle | Start spot |
| Blue circle | Control spot not yet visited |
| Gray circle | Control spot already visited |
| Red circle | Finish spot |
| Blue dot | Your current location |
Buttons
- Zoom in / Zoom out - Change the map zoom level
- Current Location - Move the map back to your location
- Spot List - Open the list of spots
- Compass - Reset the map orientation to north-up
Visit a spot and punch
When you arrive near a spot or checkpoint, you can punch it to record the visit. The punch method depends on the category settings.
Main punch methods
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Auto Punch | The visit is recorded automatically when you enter the spot range |
| Manual Punch | Tap the button at the bottom of the screen to record the visit |
| Camera Punch | Manual punch plus taking a photo. Tap the button, open the camera, and take a photo to record the visit |
When punching succeeds, the app notifies you with vibration and sound.
See Punch Method Guide for details about how each method works and how it is configured.
Spot list
From the menu or the Spot List button, you can view all spots in the course.
- Spot name and points
- Visit status - Visited spots show a timestamp
- Photos - Photos taken with Camera Punch when applicable
Tap a spot to view more details and images.
Finish
How to finish by course type
- Score
- Fixed Order
- Score (Free Start and Finish)
Tap the Finish button at the bottom of the screen when you are near the finish spot. A confirmation dialog appears, and play ends when you confirm.
If you exceed the time limit, an overtime penalty is applied. The deduction amount depends on the category settings.
Visit all spots in the specified order. When you reach the finish spot, play ends and your time is recorded.
This course type does not have fixed start and finish spots. After visiting all spots, you can finish from anywhere by choosing Finish from the menu.
After finishing
When play ends, the results screen appears. You can check your score, time, and visited spots. For a detailed explanation, see Results and Route Review.
Live Tracking
If you turn Live Tracking on when you start, your location is shared in real time while you are playing.
- Organizer live map - Organizers can view participant locations
- Other participants - Depending on the event settings, you may also be able to see other participants on the map
Live Tracking is optional. However, you cannot turn it off in events where the organizer has made it mandatory.
Pausing or stopping play
Pause
If the course has a designated pause spot, you can pause there. While paused, the timer stops. Resume from the same spot.
Retire
If you stop before finishing, choose Retire from the menu. Your result is recorded as DNF, which means Did Not Finish.