Leho Haldna: "Every small orienteering event contributes on 24th May 2017!"

World Orienteering Day 2016 was a great success, achieving and surpassing our goals and expectations. The fact did not go unnoticed and many eyes have been opened to orienteering as a truly global sport for lifelong participation.

However, this does not mean at all that World Orienteering Day 2017 will be a success again. Together, we have set an ambitious target – 500 000 participants. The target is very high and looking at the pre-registrations on worldorienteeringday.com we still have some work to do to make 2017 a similar success.

World Orienteering Day is an important event for all of us. WOD has really gotten media attention plus the support of the IOC and a growing number of sponsors. It is a unique opportunity to market orienteering to new participants and partners and to show the strength of our global community of orienteers.

On behalf of the IOF I’m asking for your personal support for World Orienteering Day 2017. We know there are a lot of enthusiasts developing our sport in schools, clubs, regions and federations. Please participate, and ask and motivate others, in organising events especially in schools but also local orienteering events on May 24th!

It’s not too late to start preparing an event. Every small orienteering event contributes on 24th May 2017!

Leho Haldna
IOF President

[http://orienteering.org/world-orienteering-day-2017-a-letter-from-the-iof-president/]