42 Nations at the Start: The Biggest WOC Ever!

Media Release / Press Release No 6

A record number of 42 nations has registered for the OL WM 2003 (August 3 – 9, 2003). 335 athletes and 99 officials are expected in Rapperswil/Jona. These figures make the 20th World Orienteering Championships in Switzerland the biggest event of this kind ever.

The previous record was set in 1995 in Germany when 38 nations reached out for titles and honors in the forests around the Westphalian Detmold. With respect to the overall number of participating athletes, the Finnish organizers of the last WOC in Tampere 2001 held the previous record with a participation of 323 competitors. At the end of the registration period the organizers of the OL WM 2003 in Rapperswil/Jona have scored their first big success.

For the first time in history of the WOC, runners from Liechtenstein (new IOF member since April 25, 2003) and Taiwan are expected to start. Out of the 44 full members of the IOF only Brazil and Korea will not be present. In addition, the IOF counts 19 associated members.

The successful efforts of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) to continuously promote orienteering on a worldwide basis are going to affect the relays first of all. On August 9, 2003, the closing day of the OL WM 2003 in Rapperswil/Jona, 33 women’s and 39 men’s relay teams will be assembled at the start line. The mark set at the WOC 2001 will thereby promptly be surpassed by 16 teams (11 and 5, respectively).

Relay excitement at the conclusion of the WOC
In the team competition of the WOC, the reduction from four runners to three within a nation’s relay team will not only lead to a unique racket of a mass start on the first leg, but also contribute to a much more interesting race. The former relay-by-four always favored the traditional orienteering nations from Scandinavia, but also Switzerland and some Eastern European countries did have an advantage because of their high density of top runners. Due to the reduction of the team size the other nations’ odds for a top position rise strikingly. Moreover, the spectators will have the pleasure of a shortened decision time.

The big number of entries has no effect on the field sizes in the finals of the single’s competitions. The admittance for the sprint (51 participants in each final) will be handled according to the rules of the IOF, where each nation and also the incumbent world champions themselves will have a guaranteed entry. Over the long distance and the middle distance, respectively, also 51 male and female runners will take on the battle for WOC gold. To reach the finals, they have to classify within the first 17 in the three qualification runs that are hold in parallel.

Financial support for smaller nations
A group of four private sponsors from Switzerland has made a remarkable contribution to the record participation of the OL WM 2003. Their aim is to allow small federations with only limited means to enter the World Championships with at least one runner. Moreover, their contribution has made it possible to other nations to complete a three-member relay team and hence allowing them to participate in the team competition.

Posted: 2003-05-06 11:47:32