The 1st World Rogaining Championship was held at Beechworth, Victoria in October 1992, organised by Geoff Hook with course setter David Rowlands. The first world champions were Michael Walters and James Russell, with Andrew and Peter McComb only ten points behind, and Greg Barbour and Eddie Wymer third. International representation included a few from USA and a significant number from New Zealand.

The next World Championship was in August 1996 amongst the everlasting daisies of Mt Singleton, Western Australia and won by James Russell and David Rowlands from Australia.

Sage Orienteering Club organised the 1998 3th World Rogaining Championships at Douglas Lake Ranch, near Kamloops, British Columbia in conjunction with the North American Orienteering Championship. Almost 300 rogainers competed on a day that reached 39.7 degrees.

Peninsula and Plains Orienteering Club staged the 4th World Rogaining Championship 2000 in the North Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand, following the Pacific Orienteering Championship in Auckland.

The 5th World Rogaining Championship 2002 was organised by the Czech Association and centred on the small village of Lesna, in the spa region near the western border with Germany.

Tucson Orienteering Club coordinated the 6th World Rogaining Championship 2004 at Big Lake in Arizona, held at over 2500 metres elevation.

7th World Rogaining Championships was held 13-14 October 2006 in Australia in and around the Warrumbungle Mountains within the Warrumbungle National Park and adjacent farm land.

8th World Rogaining Championships was held 13-14 September 2008 in Estonia in the Karula National Park and surrounding areas. The hash house was located near the visitor center of the Karula National Park in a village Ähijärve, in Võru country in South Estonia.

The 9th World Rogaining Championship was held 20-21 November 2010 in New Zealand in hill country near the town of Cheviot, 120 km north of Christchurch.