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Yukon orienteers explored previously uncharted territory during the mid-distance Yukon Orienteering Championships Wednesday night.

Athletes tackled the new Copper Ridge map, a years-long endeavor, which was only finalized this winter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a novelty and it鈥檚 what we really look forward to,鈥� said race organizer Afan Jones. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of excitement about running on a new map that鈥檚 something they鈥檝e never seen right in their home community. It鈥檚 challenging because they鈥檝e never run through this area before.鈥�

Jones began planning the courses for last night鈥檚 race weeks out. He first starts with the beginner course, because it must be run along trails. He chooses a starting point 鈥� a central hub鈥� and builds out from there.

For all four courses, he鈥檚 able to use only 36 controls, meaning a delicate weave of courses that intersect each other and share certain controls around the map.

Trevor Bray finds new maps exciting as they offer different challenges.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not very often that we get a new map, especially in the Yukon,鈥� said Bray. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to be on a new map. After a while you get used to all of the features on the old maps.鈥�

Intermediate course runner Annie Letendre also liked that the map was in a new area that she hadn鈥檛 run on before.

鈥淚t was fun,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was good and challenging. Lots of hills.鈥�

The Copper Ridge map was charted by some international talent. They were able to come and spend an intensive few weeks charting the terrain, time that the organization鈥檚 volunteers just don鈥檛 have available with all the programming offered.

This summer the Czech talent and a friend from his club will return to map another area which might be a contender for the 2018 North American Orienteering Championships, which will be held in Whitehorse Aug. 17 to 22, 2018.

The areas that will be used haven鈥檛 been finalized yet, said Jones. But the organizing committee will be looking to fine-tune their choices this fall.

Colin鈥圓bbott (35:57) won the 3.9-kilometre expert course, Forest Pearson (38:05) was second and Trevor Bray (47:23) was third. On the women鈥檚 side, Kerstin Burnett (44:43) was first, Pia Blake (54:36) was second and Sabine Schweiger (73:33) was third.

The final event of the Yukon Orienteering Champs will be held next Wednesday on the Long Lake map.