Livelox - what's in it for me?

You've probably heard of Livelox, or at least seen the links to Livelox in the event reports and Eventor. But do you know what it is, and how to make the most of it?

So what is Livelox?

Livelox is a web-based route analysis software for orienteering, that provides visualisation of GPS tracks and route choices from orienteering races in an easy-to-use and engaging way. The name "Livelox" is short for "live locations".

In practice, you record your route using some sort of device with a GPS tracker; typically a watch or a smartphone. Your route is then uploaded to Livelox, and matched with the correct event and course. When you log in to Livelox through a web browser, you can view the map, course and routes, and analyse your & competitor's routes in multiple ways.

Who is it for?

Livelox is for everyone who has an interest in orienteering! Have you ever wondered about the route choices of other people in your course? Or taken a wrong turn, and wanted to know where you've been? Or had a hard time finding a control, and want to see if it was you or the control that was in the wrong place? Or maybe you want to go over your route together with someone (e.g. coach, parent, partner, friend, or competitor!).

For any OWA event, every course is available in Livelox, so whether you're competing in a Hard, trekking through a Moderate, or strolling around an Easy course, you'll be able to upload and view your course in Livelox. Route choices are interesting to compare, whether you're in it to win it, or just for fun & fitness. Many OWA training events are also available through Livelox.

Of course, route comparison is only possible if there are routes to compare, and the more the merrier! Many elites are using Livelox because it is essential at that competition level, but the benefits are the same for anyone at any level: it will help improve your orienteering skills even if you're not competing with others. Don't allow mistakes in your route to stop you from sharing it - you will see that everyone makes them, even the winners!

What can I do with Livelox?

Route analysis: Livelox allows you to view and analyse your courses in multiple ways. You can follow your own route only, set up a duel, or use a virtual mass start for everyone in your class. You can replay the route and follow the race as it progresses, or overlay complete routes to see the different route choices.

Livelox provides some instructions on the different view and analysis options. However, the interface is quite intuitive to use, and you can always reset the view by reloading the page, so feel free to just play around and try different options. Many options provide help text if you hover your mouse over the button. Orienteering Australia also provides a guide to viewing routes on Livelox.

Map archive: You can use Livelox to view old maps and courses. Livelox gets maps from Omaps, which OWA has recently started to use as a map storage to complement OWA's old Dropbox map storage. The number of map available through Omaps/Livelox is constantly increasing as we transfer older maps to Omaps. For more information, see the Map Archives technical documentation.

How do I get started?

Firstly, you need to set up a (free) Livelox account. You can no longer log in through Eventor, so please follow OWA's instructions instead of those provided by Livelox. Your Livelox account will be linked to your Eventor account.

To upload your route to your account, Livelox provides instructions on how to connect to Garmin, Suunto, Polar and Coros devices. These can be set up to synchronise with Livelox, and your routes will automatically appear on Livelox after your race. You can also upload a track recorded with any device in GPX, TCX or FIT format. For help recording routes, see Livelox instructions as well as OWA's instructions, and Orienteering Australia's guide to uploading routes.

Once set up, Livelox will match your uploaded track with the correct course via Eventor, and trim off any bits outside your start & finish time (so don't worry about editing your route, if you forgot to turn off your tracker at finish). To view your route, simply open Livelox on any web browser to view all your routes, or follow the Livelox  link from Eventor to a specific event on Livelox. 

Orienteering Australia now provides a club subscription for all their member clubs, which means that you can now take advantage of all Livelox's features! If you are a member of any WA-based club (i.e. a member of OWA), and have set up a Livelox account, you're all set.

If you are held back by technical issues (e.g. creating an account, uploading your track, or logging in to view your route), please contact us with a brief description of your issue and we'll find someone to help you.

Conclusion

Livelox provides a simple and fun way for orienteers at all levels to check & analyse their own routes, and compare route choices with others. Once set up correctly, very little effort is required for ongoing usage. OWA's club subscription allows all members to use Livelox's advanced features.

Why not give it a go at the next event, and relive your experience from a different angle?

Photos/video: (Top) competitor's route choices on the Hard course at Swan Valley Adventure Centre (Navdash 5, 2024); click to enlarge. (Bottom) live replay of competitors on H1 course at Wundabiniring (Bush 2, 2024).