Wikipedia

World Orienteering Championships

The World Orienteering Championships (or WOC for short) is an annual orienteering event organized by the International Orienteering Federation. The first World Championships was held in Fiskars, Finland in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 (with the exception of 1978 and 1979). Since 2003, competitions have been held annually. Participating nations have to be members of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF).

World Orienteering Championships
Sprint event at WOC 2013 in Vuokatti, Finland
Statusactive
Genresporting event
Date(s)July–August
Frequencyannual
Location(s)various
Inaugurated1966
Previous event2023
Next event2024
Organised byIOF

Originally, there were only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race (roughly 20–25 minutes) was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance (roughly 30–35 minutes) replaced the short distance in 2003. In 2014, a sprint relay was added with two men and two women participating and with starting order woman-man-man-woman.

History edit

The IOF was founded on 21 May 1961 at a Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark by the orienteering national federations of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.[1] Their main goal was to standardize the sport and streamline international competition rules. A group of people work with these tasks, and at the 1963 IOF Congress, the work was approved and a technical committee was created. This led to the first international orienteering competition; the 1962 European Championships in Løten, Norway. The first European Orienteering Championships (EOC) consisted of only one competition; individual. In the following EOC, in Le Brassus, Switzerland, the relay event was added to the competition program. These two EOCs are considered forerunners to the first World Orienteering Championships in 1966.

In 2019, the World Orienteering Championships was split into two events: Sprint WOC (even-numbered years) consisting of sprint events only, and Forest WOC (odd-numbered years) consisting of forest events only.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the first sprint only WOC 2020 was cancelled. Instead Sprint and Sprint Relay was added to the WOC program for 2021 following the old championship program, otherwise there would not have been sprint comptitions in the world championships for four years (2019-2022). In 2022 the first sprint only WOC was organized in Denmark, and the new competition format Knockout Sprint made its debut.

Format edit

The competition format has changed several times. From the beginning in 1966, the World Championships consisted of only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race (roughly 20–25 minutes) was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance (roughly 30–35 minutes) replaced the short distance in 2003. On IOF's 23rd congress in Lausanne in 2012, it was decided that a sprint relay event would be added in the 2014 World Championships in Italy.[2] The sprint relay is competed in urban areas and consists of four-orienteer mixed-gender teams with starting order woman-man-man-woman.

Current competition format edit

The current championship events are:

Forest WOC (odd years)
Distance Target Time Notes
Long distance 90 min Previously called classic distance
Middle distance 30–35 min Replaced short distance (20–25 min) in 2003
Relay 3 × 40 min Three-person teams
Sprint WOC (even years)
Distance Target Time Notes
Sprint 12–15 min
Knock-out sprint 5–8 min First held in 2022
Sprint relay 4 × 12–15 min Four-person teams, two men and two women.

Event timeline edit

Venues edit

Year Dates Location[3]
1966 1–2 October   Fiskars, Finland[4]
1968 28–29 September   Linköping, Sweden[5]
1970 27–29 September   Friedrichroda, German Democratic Republic[6]
1972 14–16 September   Staré Splavy, Czechoslovakia[7]
1974 20–22 September   Viborg, Denmark[8]
1976 24–26 September   Aviemore, United Kingdom[9]
1978 15–17 September   Kongsberg, Norway[10]
1979 2–4 September   Tampere, Finland[11]
1981 4–6 September   Thun, Switzerland[12]
1983 1–4 September   Zalaegerszeg, Hungary[13]
1985 4–6 September   Bendigo, Australia[14]
1987 3–5 September   Gérardmer, France[15]
1989 17–20 August   Skövde, Sweden[16]
1991 21–25 August   Mariánské Lázně, Czechoslovakia[17]
1993 9–14 October   West Point, New York, United States[18]
1995 15–20 August   Detmold, Germany[19]
1997 11–16 August   Grimstad, Norway[20]
1999 1–8 August   Inverness, United Kingdom[21]
2001 29 July – 4 August   Tampere, Finland[22]
2003 3–9 August   Rapperswil/Jona, Switzerland[23]
2004 11–19 September   Västerås, Sweden[24]
2005 9–15 August   Aichi, Japan[25]
2006 1–5 August   Århus, Denmark[26]
2007 18–26 August   Kyiv, Ukraine[27]
2008 10–20 July   Olomouc, Czech Republic[28]
2009 16–23 August   Miskolc, Hungary[29]
2010 8–15 August   Trondheim, Norway[30]
2011 13–20 August   Savoie, France[31]
2012 14–22 July   Lausanne, Switzerland[32]
2013 6–14 July   Vuokatti, Finland[33]
2014 5–13 July   Trentino-Veneto, Italy[34]
2015 1–7 August   Inverness, United Kingdom[35]
2016 20–28 August   Strömstad-Tanum, Sweden[36]
2017 1–7 July   Tartu, Estonia[37]
2018 4–11 August   Riga, Latvia[38]
2019 13–17 August   Østfold, Norway[39]
2020 postponed until 2022   Triangle Region, Denmark
2021 4–9 July   Doksy, Czech Republic [40]
2022 26—30 June   Triangle Region, Denmark
2023 11—16 July   Graubünden, Switzerland[41]
2024 12–16 July   Edinburgh, United Kingdom
2025 23–29 July   Kuopio, Finland[41]
2026 TBA   Genova, Italy[42]

Multiple winners edit

Men edit

Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (men)

Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Rank Athlete From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1   Thierry Gueorgiou 2003 2017 14 5 4 23
2   Olav Lundanes 2010 2019 10 4 3 17
3   Daniel Hubmann 2005 2019 8 11 9 28
4   Øyvin Thon 1979 1989 7 1 0 8
5   Matthias Kyburz 2012 2022 6 5 1 12
6   Andrey Khramov 2005 2015 6 3 3 12
7   Gustav Bergman 2012 2022 5 4 4 13
8   Petter Thoresen 1989 1997 5 1 2 8
9   Valentin Novikov 2004 2013 4 5 2 11
10   Bjørnar Valstad 1991 2004 4 3 3 10
11   Tore Sagvolden 1979 1987 4 3 1 8
12   Rolf Pettersson 1972 1979 4 2 0 6
13   Jonas Leandersson 2012 2018 4 0 3 7
14   Morten Berglia 1981 1987 4 0 1 5
  Jørgen Rostrup 1999 2005 4 0 1 5
16   Thomas Bührer 1991 2003 4 0 0 4
17   Magne Dæhli 2012 2019 3 2 1 6
18   Egil Johansen 1976 1979 3 2 0 5
19   Emil Wingstedt 2003 2007 3 1 3 7
20   Bernt Frilén 1970 1974 3 1 1 5
21   Søren Bobach 2014 2016 3 1 0 4
22   Åge Hadler 1966 1972 3 0 3 6
23   Christian Aebersold 1991 1995 3 0 0 3
  Arne Johansson 1972 1976 3 0 0 3
  Karl Johansson 1966 1970 3 0 0 3
  Eskil Kinneberg 2017 2018 3 0 0 3
27   Jörgen Mårtensson 1981 1997 2 6 2 10
28   Jani Lakanen 1999 2013 2 5 1 8
29   Janne Salmi 1995 2001 2 4 1 7
30   Kasper Harlem Fosser 2019 2022 2 4 1 7
31   Carl Godager Kaas 2010 2016 2 4 0 6
32   Matthias Merz 2005 2012 2 3 4 9
33   Emil Svensk 2018 2019 2 0 0 2

Women edit

Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (women)

Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Rank Athlete From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1   Simone Niggli-Luder 2001 2013 23 2 6 31
2   Tove Alexandersson 2011 2023 19 9 3 31
3   Minna Kauppi 2004 2013 9 5 3 17
4   Maja Alm 2012 2021 7 7 3 17
5   Marita Skogum 1983 1993 6 3 1 10
6   Annichen Kringstad 1981 1985 6 0 0 6
7   Judith Wyder 2011 2018 5 3 4 12
8   Helena Bergman 2012 2018 4 6 8 18
9   Hanne Staff 1997 2004 4 4 4 12
10   Liisa Veijalainen 1972 1981 4 4 0 8
11   Karin Rabe 1978 1989 4 3 2 9
12   Arja Hannus 1981 1991 4 1 0 5
13   Anne Margrethe Hausken 2005 2016 3 5 3 11
14   Annika Billstam 2007 2015 3 3 8 14
15   Heli Jukkola 2003 2007 3 3 2 8
16   Ulla Lindkvist 1966 1972 3 3 0 6
17   Merja Rantanen 2008 2017 3 1 4 8
18   Vroni König-Salmi 1997 2008 3 1 3 7
19   Marlena Jansson 1991 1999 3 1 2 6
20   Anna Bogren 1993 1997 3 1 1 5
  Lina Strand 2016 2022 3 1 1 5
22   Karolina A. Højsgaard 2003 2009 2 5 1 8
23   Natalia Gemperle 2016 2021 2 5 5 12
24   Ida Bobach 2011 2016 2 4 0 6
25   Kristin Cullman 1974 1978 2 3 0 5
26   Gunilla Svärd 1997 2004 2 2 2 6
27   Outi Borgenström 1974 1981 2 2 1 5
  Dana Brožková 2006 2011 2 2 1 5
  Ingrid Hadler 1966 1974 2 2 1 5
29   Kirsi Boström (Tiira) 1993 1999 2 2 0 4
  Emma Klingenberg 2014 2015 2 2 0 4
32   Karolin Ohlsson 2018 2021 2 1 0 3

Mixed edit

Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (mixed events)
Sprint Relay
Year Gold Silver Bronze
2014   Switzerland   Denmark   Russia
2015   Denmark   Norway   Russia
2016   Denmark   Switzerland   Sweden
2017   Sweden   Denmark   Switzerland
2018   Sweden   Switzerland   Denmark
2021   Sweden   Norway   Switzerland
2022   Sweden   United Kingdom   Norway

All-time medal table edit

(Updated after WOC 2022)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Sweden685957184
2  Norway525146149
3  Switzerland473843128
4  Finland24433299
5  France1471132
6  Denmark1210729
7  Russia11121538
8  Great Britain46515
9  Czech Republic34512
10  Hungary3126
11  Czechoslovakia25815
12  Ukraine1359
13  Austria1102
14  Latvia1023
15  Australia1001
–Independent Athletes[43]0202
16  New Zealand0112
17  Soviet Union0022
18  Belarus0011
  Belgium0011
  Germany0011
  Italy0011
  Netherlands0011
Totals (22 entries)244243246733

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "History". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  2. ^ "Sprint Relay in the World Orienteering Championships from 2014". International Orienteering Federation. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  3. ^ "World Orienteering Championships". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  4. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1966". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  5. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1968". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  6. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1970". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  7. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1972". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  8. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1974". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  9. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1976". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  10. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1978". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  11. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1979". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  12. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1981". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  13. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1983". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  14. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1985". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  15. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1987". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  16. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1989". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  17. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1991". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  18. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1993". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  19. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1995". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  20. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1997". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  21. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 1999". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  22. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2001". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  23. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2003". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  24. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2004". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  25. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2005". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  26. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2006". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  27. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2007". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  28. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2008". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  29. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2009". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  30. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2010". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  31. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2011". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  32. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2012". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  33. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2013". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  34. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2014". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  35. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2015". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  36. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2016". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  37. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2017". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  38. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2018". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  39. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2019". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  40. ^ "World Orienteering Championships 2021". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  41. ^ a b "World Orienteering Championships 2023 awarded to Switzerland and WOC 2025 to Finland". International Orienteering Federation. 2019-08-08.
  42. ^ A historic Council meeting, IOF
  43. ^ Due to the Russian doping scandal, russian athlethes competed under neutral flag in 2021.

External links edit

WOC
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