The 2019 Hangzhou City Orienteering Race kicks off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 2019 Hangzhou City Orienteering Race kicked off in Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 16 with over 4,000 participants looking to explore the city.

Originating from navigation training exercises for military officers, orienteering has developed into a group of sports that requires navigational skills using maps, a compass, physical endurance and teamwork to move from one point to another as quickly as possible in unfamiliar terrain.

To improve the experience, the organizers this year also set up tasks related to events in the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, such as climbing, archery, shooting, and cycling.

The winners will be awarded a set of specially designed stamps for the 19th Asian Games.

Initiated in 2017, the Hangzhou City Orienteering Race has gained immense popularity in the city and attracted many enterprises and social organizations.

Participants search for their targets during the 2019 Hangzhou City Orienteering Race in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 16. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Participants wait at the starting line of the 2019 Hangzhou City Orienteering Race in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on June 16. [Photo/Xinhua]