Porto City Race 2016: Maps

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2016: Esteves and Covas Costa won the Queen Stage

Ricardo Esteves and Tânia Covas Costa were the big winners of today's Porto City Race stage. Facing tough and challenging courses, both athletes finished the event in the best way, achieving good victories in its most important stage.

After a rainy night, the beautiful city of Porto woke up with sun and the excitement of an international Orienteering event. Organized by Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, the event had the participation of close to five hundred orienteers from 15 different countries, trying the tricky spaces of Asprela Universitary Campus, in the northern part of the city, in a stage scoring for the City Race Euro Tour 2016 and for the Portugal City Race 2016.

Showing a good shape in the fall of the season, the winner of the 2016 Portuguese Cup's ranking in the M18 class, Ricardo Esteves (ADFA), got a comfortable triumph in the Men Senior class with the time of 32:33, which was his third victory in as much stages along the weekend. Two athletes from .COM took the immediate positions, João Magalhães being second placed with more 2:45 than Esteves, and João Novo taking the third place with the time of 36:08. The Spanish Maikel Rodriguez (Budiñoraid), current leader of the Portugal City Race 2016, finished in the fourth position, 4:56 after the winner.

More balanced, the course in the Women Senior class had in Tânia Covas Costa (.COM), a surprising winner, over a really combative Triin Jäädmaa, Estonia. The difference between the two athletes was of 1:34, with Covas Costa recording 34:25 in the end. Joana Fernandes (.COM) took the third place with more 1:40 than the winner, while Filipa Rodrigues, the young winner of the two previous stages, mispunched. Portugal City Race's current leader in this class, Sara Miranda (Individual), finished 10th with the time of 47:17.

Results

Men Senior

1. Ricardo Esteves (ADFA) 32:33 (+ 00:00)

2. João Magalhães (.COM) 35:18 (+ 02:45)

3. João Novo (.COM) 36:08 (+ 03:35)

4. Maikel Rodriguez (Budiñoraid) 37:29 (+ 04:56)

5. Pedro Duarte (ADFA) 37:56 (+ 05:23)

Women Senior

1. Tânia Covas Costa (.COM) 34:25 (+ 00:00)

2. Triin Jäädmaa (Estonia) 35:59 (+ 01:34)

3. Joana Fernandes (.COM) 36:05 (+ 01:40)

4. Joanne Pickering (WIM) 37:09 (+ 02:44)

5. Patricia Casalinho (COC) 40:25 (+ 06:00)

[Click on the image to see the photo album]

Further information and complete results at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/portocityrace.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2015: The word to the winners

Big winners of the Porto City Race 2015, the British Jack Kosky and Sophie Kirk talked to the Portuguese Orienteering Blog about their experiences in Portugal. A relaxed conversation which withdraws the great convergence of opinions about the value of the course, the organization and the City Race Euro Tour.

Like many British orienteers, Jack Kosky and Sophie Kirk departed from London to Porto for one special weekend. The active tourism is among the activities of their choice and, in a fashionable city like Porto, an Orienteering event is very welcome. “I think I've never been in Portugal before”, say Sophie, joining to the sentence a hearty laugh. But quickly corrects, “perhaps at the Portugal O'Meeting, I'm not quite sure.” These are days of break in her professional activity and a holiday in Porto, a city to discover, is the reason why she's here. “And I still have two more days of vacation”, Sophie says, smiling from ear to ear. The purpose of a tourist visit is also the reason of Jack Kosky's option for the “Invicta”, but here the situation is somewhat different: “Last year I was in Porto in this time, as a tourist, but I lost the Porto City Race. Seeing the city, I understood how interesting would be to compete here, in a very hilly city, with many narrow streets, for a very nice orienteering. This year I could confirm that”, he confesses.

Speaking of her race, Sophie Kirk emphasizes that “it was quite fast and tricky as well. And it was quite hot and quite long too, so I got really tired in the end.” Sophie points the keys for her victory: “I didn’t make too many mistakes, I just try to keep running.” Kosky highlights the running part as his ultimate weapon, stating that “I train more running than Orienteering and it might helped today.” But he underline “the small technical sections along with longer legs, in the hills, on the heat... it was an absolutely physical and technical challenge”, giving full marks to the course setter. Also the organization, in a global way, deserved the appreciation of both, with Jack Kosky to applaud a particular effort: “I could see a lot of publicity around the city, there was so many sponsors on the map comparing with London, for example. When we run in the middle of the forest, nobody see us, but this is an urban race and it was nice to see what happened here. The organizers have done really well, calling the people.”

The concept of the Euro City Race Tour, combining tourism and Orienteering, equally pleases both. Again Jack Kosky taking the word, based on his personal experience: “I like to plan my trips with a purpose and it’s nice to go somewhere with a sport activity in mind. You see the place in a different line, you understand better those who live there, you see different parts of the city that you wouldn’t visit otherwise. It’s nice to mix sport and trip, so I think that the concept for the City Race Euro Tour is great.” And Sophie Kirk suggests that the circuit should include more cities. But which ones? On her face, the expression of a decision everything but easy, but finally a name: "Berlin". Jack Kosky, on the other hand, puts forward the name of Venice without even thinking twice: “I’ve never ran there but some of my friends did it and I think it’s really fun. And we could see another country joining the circuit”, he concludes.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2015: Moments

Saudações orientistas.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2015: Maps

Saudações orientistas.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2015: Triumphs of Jack Kosky and Sophie Kirk

Held today, on Pasteleira map, the third stage of Port City Race 2015 put an ending in the event. Hardly contested, the queen stage had in the British Jack Kosky and Sophie Kirk the big winners.

Point of departure and arrival of the third and final stage of the Porto City Race 2015, the Pasteleira Park was the epicentre of the queen stage, held this morning and scoring for the City Race Euro Tour 2015. Organized by the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, the event offered great challenges to about three hundred participants, more than half of which competing in the Open classes.

A week after the London City Race 2015, where he was 23rd placed, the British Jack Kosky took a big win today in the Men Senior class, covering the 8.400 meters of his course in 52:10. Repeating the outstanding performance that earned him, yesterday, the triumph in the Final of the Portuguese Urban Circuit 2015, Nélson Baroca (CA Madeira) was the second placed, with 59 seconds more than the winner. Winner of the Sprint stage that took place yesterday at S. Roque Park and Monte Aventino Sports Centre, the British Mark Burley (Bristol OK) finished in the third place with a time of 53:26.

Remaining winners

The winner of the Women Senior class was the British Sophie Kirk (Octavian Doobsters), finnishing the 5.600 meters of her course in 41:26. To this result she adds the triumph in the night Sprint stage that opened the Porto City Race 2015 and follows to the excellent 8th place achieved last week at London City Race 2015. The French Heloise Cavalier (RO Paris) and Marie Desrumaux (Valmo), took again excellent results, occupying respectively the second and third positions, with 1:39 and 2:07 more than the winner. Tania Costa Covas (.COM) was the best Portuguese athlete in the race today, finishing in sixth place with 5:45 more than the winner.

In the other classes, the rule remained and while the Portuguese dominated in the lower age groups, the foreigners, mostly British, were the great rulers in the Veterans classes. The highlights go to the youngster Helena Lima (COC), for the veteran Mary Ross (interlopers), for the Super-Veteran Annamari Vierikko (HS) and for the Ultra-Veteran Christopher Branford (WIN), which made a full of victories in the three stages disputed.

Results

Men Senior

1. Jack Kosky (UDOC) 52:10 (+ 00:00)

2. Nelson Baroca (CA Madeira) 53:09 (+ 00:59)

3. Mark Burley (Bristol OK) 53:26 (+ 01:16)

4. Robert Kelly (AIRE) 56:55 (+ 04:45)

5. Maikel Rodriguez (AROMON) 58:37 (+ 06:27)

Women Senior

1. Sophie Kirk (Octavian Droobers) 41:26 (+ 00:00)

2. Heloise Cavalier (RO Paris) 43:05 (+ 01:39)

3. Marie Desrumaux (Valmo) 43:33 (+ 02:07)

4. Merill Mägi (OK Kape) 43:47 (+ 02:21)

5. Sally Calland (WIM) 47:04 (+ 05:38)

Winners other classes

Youth M/F - Tomás Lima (COC) and Helena Lima (COC)

Junior M/F - Ricardo Ferreira (ADFA) and Joana Marques (Ori-Estarreja)

Veteran M/F - Eduard Garcia (Farra-O) and Mary Ross (INTerlopers)

Super-Veteran M / F - Gavin Clegg (Quantock Orienteers) and Annamari Vierikko (HS)

Ultra-Veteran M / F - Christopher Branford (WIM) and Liz Drew (Happy Hearts)

Initiation - Afonso Guimarães (CCachapuz OK)

Open Short - Daniel Pereira (EB Apulia)

Open Middle - Eduardo Camilo (Individual)

Open Long - Gonçalo Gomes (Seri)

Further information and complete results at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/portocityrace.

Joaquim Margarido

City Race Euro Tour 2014: Lithuanian brothers won Portuguese stage

Confirming their favouritism, Jonas Vytautas Gvildys and Tekle Emilija Gvildyte were the winners of the Euro City Race, the final stage of Porto City Race's third edition. Counting for the City Race Euro Tour's ranking, the event had the participation of 750 athletes from 12 countries.

They came from the Lithuanian city of Kaunas and were the big winners of the Euro City Race, the queen race of the Port City Race 2014. At Foz Velha, an amazing tangle of streets that converge to the beautiful “meeting point” where the Douro River embraces the sea, the brothers Jonas Vytautas Gvildys and Tekle Emilija Gvildyte were the fastest, winning with huge merit the right to rise to the highest place of the respective podiums. “It was quite nice that I could run faster, but I felt that the things aren't still okay due too much days of rest; I missed a lot of trainings and I can feel it right now”, Jonas Vytautas Gvildys (OK Medeina) said. Credited with a time of 45:45 for the 8.0 km of his race, the Lithuanian added: “I was fighting all the course, trying to do my best, but it was tough”. Winner in the Women class, Tekle Emilija Gvildyte (OK Medeina) spent 43:02 to 5.7 km and she also showed satisfaction in the end: “I decided to come to Portugal because I like Sprints, I've never been in Porto and it's nice to be with my brother”, were her first words. And she wasn't disappointed: “I really enjoyed the city, this fantastic weather and the quality of the races”, she said. Soon, the return to Portugal? The answer of the two brothers is fast and clear: “Yes, for sure!”

This edition of the Porto City Race started with the Porto City Race by Night, a night Sprint full of excitement and energy that took place in the Historical Centre of Porto, World Heritage classified by the UNESCO. In a very demanding map, from a physical standpoint, the Portuguese João Mega Figueiredo (CN Alvito) and Tekle Gvildyte were the winners. The vast and beautiful green spaces of Porto City Park hosted the second stage of the Porto City Race 2014, having in the Relay its main attraction. Formed by Sergio Duarte, Rodrigo Magalhães and João Novo, the Portuguese team of .COM was the winner of the Men's Relay, over the Amigos da Montanha team by nearly two minutes apart. Greater was the advantage of the British team of SLOW - Helen Gardner, Esther Bonmati and Tekle Gvildyte – wining by almost twenty-two minutes over the Portuguese team of Ori-Estarreja. The offer of this wonderful morning included also a Score race, whose challenge of 1000 points to a timeout of 90 minutes was accomplished by 26 of the 150 participants. Bruno André (Individual) and the Italian Mara Pegoretti (AD Trento Orienteering) were the big winners. Counting for the City Race Euo Tour's ranking – joining the city races of London, Edinburgh and Barcelona -, the Porto City Race 2014 was organized by the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, Municipality of Porto and Portuguese Orienteering Federation, calling this year to the “Invicta” city an amount of 750 participants from 12 countries.

Complete results and further information at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/portocityrace.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2014: Third edition comes in October

For the third year in a row, the Invicta receives an international orienteering event. We talk about Porto City Race 2014, an event focused in some of the most emblematic places of the city and that, over three days, has to offer entertainment and excitement, pleasure and discovery, to meet Porto - World Heritage Site.

From 3rd to 5th October, the city of Porto returns to host a major Orienteering event. Spread over three stages, with separated standings, the Porto City Race 2014 is an event of urban Foot orienteering, organized by the Grupo Desportivo Quatro Caminhos, with the partnership of Municipality of Porto, through the Porto Lazer. Open to people of any age, participating individually or in groups, the event is part of the City Race Euro Tour, along with the cities of London, Edinburgh and Barcelona.

Committed to double the entries registered in the previous edition and overcome the barrier of one thousand of participants, the organization of the Port City Race 2014 selected for the present edition the best of the Porto's natural and built heritage, offering a rich and varied program. The first stage will be carried out over the historic centre of Porto, on the evening of 3rd October. Next day dawn, it will be the City Park to welcoming, almost simultaneously, the Relay and the Score race. Finally, the queen stage that ends the 2014 edition of the Port City Race, will be held at Foz Velha, on the morning of 5th October, scoring for the ranking of the City Race Euro Tour and the Urban National Circuit. Among the “notables” who offer their image to the event, as Ambassadors, we can see “the man of the ultra-marathon Spartlathlon”, João Oliveira, and Pedro Henriques, former football referee, sports commentator and columnist.

The entries to the Port City Race can be made online via Oasis platform, or from the address inscrever@gd4caminhos.com, mentioning the name, date of birth, ID card, cellphone, class and stages of participation. Entry fees are stipulated by the Portuguese Orienteering Federation, with values ranging from € 1.50 (Schools) to € 7.00 (non-federated, older than 20 years). The registration for Open Classes may be made up to the day of the event, being, however, subject to the availability of maps. Sign it right now on your agenda and accept the challenge in scenarios of charm and beauty, with a map and a compass in your hands.

To know more about the Porto City Race 204, please visit the event webpage at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/en/portocityrace.

Joaquim Margarido

Porto City Race 2013: In Oporto's heart

The Invicta received the Porto City Race's second edition. Showing a different city to the eyes of many - even the locals! - the race had in Andreia Silva and Joaquim Sousa the big winners.

With the second edition of the Porto City Race, orienteering spread once more its charm and beauty by the streets of the Invicta. Point of departure and arrival of the participants, the Crystal Palace proved to be the most beautiful of the Arenas, lining up gradually by an enthusiastic population, anxious to discover a different Porto. And different because its closed streets, narrow alleyways, staircases that prance and seem to have no end, and in the most unexpected moment, offering a romantic view of a small atrium houses engaged with each other, little "shrines" in a street corner or the river shining down there.

The organization, signed by the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, called to the Invicta five hundred participants from twelve countries, numbers truly interesting taking into account the “youth” of the event. The fantastic work of promotion, allied to the “Porto World Heritage” brand, have been pluses for the special effect and the link between tourism and sport ended up working perfectly. The number of participants in the Tourist Course surpassed the athletes of the 28 competition classes, with people of all ages to meet some of the most precious jewels of the Historic Center, with maps and compasses in hand.

Joaquim Sousa and Andreia Silva, from Clube de Orientação do Centro, were the big winners of this second edition, after to have achieved the same result last year. Despite his age, Joaquim Sousa has prevailed with a sensational record of 58:16 against 58:34 of Diogo Miguel (Ori-Estarreja). In the Women Elite class, Andreia Silva reached a tasty victory iwith 1:07:50, beating Paula Nóbrega (Ori-Marão) by the significant margin of eight minutes.

Full results and more information at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/en/portocityrace2013

[Photos by Susana Luzir and Orievents]

[Sponsorized by Orievents and Criobaby]

Joaquim Margarido