The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) has just decided to award the new World Orienteering Championships 2020 to Denmark. Hosting the first “Urban” WOC in Denmark in 2020 allows for the excellent delivery and an undeniably exciting platform of the event.
Last Saturday Danish Maja Alm was crowned world champion in Sweden and thus defended her title in the sprint distance. Denmark has a strong tradition of orienteering in regards to sporting results and hosting championships such the WOC 2006, JWOC 2010, and the preparations for WMOC 2018.
Three city centers in the middle of Jutland, Vejle, Kolding and Fredericia, will provide the setting for the venues of the races. They each have old historic city centers with a cobweb of backyards, alleyways and smaller streets, which will be challenging for even the best technical athletes.
The quality of the championship races is the backbone of the Danish commitment to deliver an outstanding championship. In Denmark, the athletes will encounter races, which are both technically and physically demanding.
The Danish Orienteering Federation and its local clubs, together with Sport Event Denmark and The Triangle Region will stage the event in 2020.
”It is a great day for orienteering in Denmark. The fact that we have been able to attract the biggest event within our sport is fantastic. The achievement relies on the successful partnership with the local clubs, Sport Event Denmark and the Triangle Region. Now we look forward to continuing the fruitful collaboration in order to plan the best world championship ever,” says Walther Rahbek, president, Danish Orienteering Federation.
Also Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark, is looking forward to preparing for the event:
”We believe that our most important objective is to make the new World Orienteering Championships (WOC) format a huge success. We aim to inspire other orienteering federations and display the great potential of the new split WOC,” he says and the mayor of Kolding supports him:
”We are very happy to play hosts of the new World Orienteering Championships 2020 and we are confident that the event will add value to our region. Through the event we can display our epic city centers to the world and we hope to be able to involve a vast number of local citizens, “ says Jørn Pedersen, mayor, Kolding and chairman of the Triangle Region, Denmark.
As it is a tradition at the world orienteering championships to add a series of spectator races prior to the championships Denmark expects approximately 1500 amateur runners for this recreational run in addition to the 500 elite runners in the world championships.