The first ever World Orienteering
Day will be held on Wednesday, May 11th, 2016. All schools, all
O-clubs and all countries all over the world are encouraged to
participate in the initiative and the number of preregistered locations is of 1512 so
far. From Norway, Colômbia or Hong Kong, to Cameroun, New Caledonia or Greeland, the
World Orienteering Day is already an overwhelming success!
The 11th May is fast approaching and
the enthusiasm increases. By organising this ambitious project, the
IOF hopes to increase the visibility and accessibility of
orienteering, increase the number of participants both in the
schools’ activities as well and in the clubs’ activities in all
countries of National Federations, get more new countries to
take part in orienteering and help teachers to implement
orienteering in a fun and educational way by providing schools with
materials such as maps, orienteering exercises and equipment.
In connection with the World
Orienteering Day 2016, the IOF has a vision to set a new Guinness
World Record. The current record is from the WOC 2003 in Switzerland,
when 207,979 young people at 1381 locations ran an orienteering
course. On Wednesday May 11th, 2016, the IOF hopes to see lots of
young people participating in the World Orienteering Day, in order to
beat the old record together. Having so far 1512 preregistered
locations from 63 countries, the challenging target is 250,000 people
participating in orienteering events simultaneously all over the
world, which promises to be an exciting and inspiring experience.
Nine locations in Portugal
The World Orienteering Day will be
marked by the world governing body opening their new headquarters in
Karlstad in Sweden. Among the dignitaries due to attend the opening
are Brian Porteous, President of the IOF, and Denmark’s Ida Bobach,
winner of two gold medals at the last year’s World Championships in
Inverness. Porteous will lead a special seminar at the Värmlands
Museum entitled “Orienteering Today”, while Boach will talk about
“The everyday life of an elite Orienteer”.
In Portugal, nine locations have
entered so far to celebrate the World Orienteering Day. Águeda,
Braga, Leiria, Marinha Grande, Ourém, Porto, S. Brás de Alportel,
Sesimbra and Funchal, in Madeira Island, are ready to join the World
on this unique occasion. Porto, the second biggest city in the
country, is preparing the Opening of the S. Roque's Park Permanent
Orienteering Course, in the oriental part of the city. This will be
the third Permanent Orienteering Course in the city, after City Park
and Covêlo's Park. The initiative belongs to the Municipality of
Porto, with the technical support of Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro
Caminhos. During the whole day, people will have the opportunity of
testing the Permanent Course and, at the same time, there will be an
Adapted Orienteering Course, very suitable for people who are
differently abled and children aged from 4 to 6. The Municipality is
inviting all kindergarten children to participate in the initiative
and some hundreds of children are expected in S. Roque Park.
For further information, please visit
the WOD's webpage at http://worldorienteeringday.com/.
[Photo: Ulf Palm /
worldorienteeringday.com]
Joaquim Margarido
No comments:
Post a comment