Sport and timing
Orienteering and SportIdent: how control-punching chips work
· 6 min read
In short
- Orienteering does not record times through a race bib but through a small chip, known as an SI card, worn on the runner’s finger and punched at every control. This records both the control number and the time.
- The SportIdent system was created in 1996 in Arnstadt, Germany, and has since become one of the most widely used electronic timing systems in orienteering, alongside solutions such as EMIT.
- The newer contactless SPORTident AIR+ version records a runner passing from up to 3 metres away, without requiring any physical punching.
- Unlike road races, orienteering involves dozens of controls for each competitor rather than just a start and finish, so the timing system must store the entire sequence, not just one time.
Orienteering is one of the few sports in which timing has a completely different role from simply recording a finish time. On a conventional course, the system must verify that the runner visited every required control in the correct order while navigating terrain without a marked route.
The SI card and punching
Each competitor wears a small plastic SI card with a chip on one finger. At every control, they insert it into an electronic station, which records the control number and exact time and confirms the punch with a beep and a flash. On a conventional course with a prescribed control order, the card stores the complete sequence of controls and times during the race. After the finish, all the data is downloaded at once at a readout station.
How the system began
SportIdent was founded in 1996 in Arnstadt, in the German state of Thuringia, by orienteering enthusiasts who wanted to modernise the sport with new timing and identification technology. It has since become a global standard in the sport.
Contactless AIR+
The newer SPORTident AIR+ system enables contactless timing: the card is recorded as soon as the runner passes within 3 metres of the station, without physically punching anything. This speeds up passage through controls at busy races and relays.
Why this is a different world from road racing
In a road race, an RFID chip usually records only the start, finish and a few split times along a predetermined course. You can read. In orienteering, competitors choose their own route between dozens of controls in the terrain, and the system must verify the correct sequence rather than merely record a time. That is why the sport has its own dedicated technology instead of using universal RFID readers along the course.
What to take away
Orienteering shows that timing can be adapted to the specific rules of a sport rather than being limited to universal start-to-finish measurement. For conventional running and cycling events, where only a few fixed timing points are needed, simpler RFID technology such as that used by TAQIO is more suitable. Learn more in How to choose a timing system for your event.
Frequently asked questions
How does SportIdent work?
The runner wears a plastic SI card with a chip on one finger. At each control, they insert it into the station’s opening, or with the newer AIR+ system pass within up to 3 metres. The station records the control number and time, confirming the punch with a beep and a flash.
When was the SportIdent system created?
SportIdent was founded in 1996 in Arnstadt, in the German state of Thuringia. Its system has since become one of the most widely used electronic timing solutions in orienteering, alongside other systems such as EMIT.
What is the difference between conventional SportIdent and AIR+?
The conventional system requires the card to be physically inserted into the station, known as punching. AIR+ is contactless: the station detects the card within its reading range, which varies by station type, making passage faster when many competitors arrive together.
Why does orienteering not use standard RFID bib tags like road races?
An orienteer passes through dozens of controls in the terrain rather than only a start and finish, and the control sequence must be exactly correct. The SI card stores the complete sequence of controls and times, which are downloaded together at a readout station after the finish.