From 1961 to 2011 – the IOF 50 years today
Posted on | May 21, 2011 | Category: News
The IOF was founded 50 years ago today – 21 May 1961. One of the main goals of the new federation was to stage Championships in orienteering: first European Championships in 1962 and 1964, and then World Championships in 1966 – even if all the participants still came from Europe.
The first World Orienteering Championships were organised in Fiskars, Finland in 1966. This year’s IOF World Orienteering Championships in France are the 28th in the row. World Championships have also been introduced in ski orienteering (since 1975), mountain bike orienteering (2002) and trail orienteering (2004).
The World Orienteering Championships have come a long way since Fiskars, where the only distances were long distance – then classic distance – and relay. Much has happened since then, and we will not stop here. We continue our efforts to shape the best possible World Championships (WOC) for orienteering. For news about the plans for the future of the WOC, please go to the WOC in the future page.
This is were it all started: Fiskars, 1966.
Photo: Rolf Heinemann
IOF President Erik Tobé (to the right) and the medallists of men’s classic distance at the first World Orienteering Championships: 1) Åge Hadler NOR, 2) Aimo Tepsell FIN, 3) Anders Morelius SWE
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