The World Masters Orienteering Championships kick off in Pays de Neuchâtel, Switzerland on Saturday. The event will be huge: more than 4100 participants run in the championships classes, and some 400 in open classes. For example, anyone aiming to win M60 will first have to beat 445 competitors! But the competitions are not only attracting a big number of participants, they are also introducing a new class: M95. Erkki Luntamo, Finland, will turn 96 in November and is looking forward to winning his 13th gold medal at the World Masters Orienteering Championships before that.

Stair running and Swiss Jura

World Masters Championships Sprint distance will take place in an urban environment with small parks and narrow streets in the old town of Neuchâtel. To be able to master the old town terrain, the participants were encouraged to train running stairs before the sprint final. Long distance final takes place in a terrain used for the 1981 World Orienteering Championships. The terrain, called ”the best of Swiss Jura”, contains many contour details and requires good concentration throughout the course.

For more information on the events, please visit the organisers’ homepage.
Results from the World Masters Orienteering Championships will be published on the IOF homepage.