Seventy-four trailblazers followed their compasses to success as the Yukon orienteering season kicked off last Wednesday.

Forest Pearson set the standard for the expert course, besting Brent Langbakk’s time by roughly a minute, while Ross Burnett had the fastest time on the advanced course just ahead of Sara Neilsen.

Meanwhile, the novice and intermediate courses featured pretty views of the Yukon River near Canyon City.

Sabine Schweiger was the fastest competitor on the intermediate course while Martin Haefele and Lynn Cheverie were the quickest to complete the novice course.

“It was a fine evening for early-season orienteering,” said organizer Bruce McLean.

“The first mosquitoes of the year appeared but most competitors were going too fast for them. Terrain near Chadburn Lake and Canyon City offered some good ups and downs to stretch out the legs.”

The next meet is set for May 20, with registration beginning at 6 p.m. at Yukon College’s main parking lot.

Last week’s meet raised the curtain on an exciting season for the Yukon Orienteering Association, as the club will host the 37th annual Western Canadian Orienteering Championships in Whitehorse July 3 to 5.

The events will be Orienteering Canada-sanctioned Canada Cup Races, on new or fully-revised maps. The middle distance race will be a world ranking event for the elite categories.

Westerns see the Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba and B.C. share hosting duties on a four-year rotation. Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories do not have orienteering associations.

The Yukon last hosted in 2011.

For more information on the Yukon orienteering event schedule, visit www.yukonorienteering.ca/.