WMOC 2025 makes great efforts to meet summer heat issues

Next year’s World Masters Orienteering Championships in Girona, Spain are making great efforts to meet the challenges of the expected heat during the championship races.

With race dates between August 9 – 15, it is likely that the masters athletes will be met by high temperatures. The organizers are very aware of this and therefore work hard to ensure a good experience for the participants.

In addition to the obvious – ensuring shade in arenas and at the pre-start areas, the WMOC organizers have listed a large number of initiatives that will ensure a good championship next year.

  • Weather data for the Girona area shows that maximum temperatures each day can be very high – but also that these maximums aren’t reached until mid-afternoon. In early August, 30°C is reached on most days, but usually not until 11.00am or later. Even on the very hottest days then, 33°C is not often reached until after 12.30. The effect of the heat in the mornings is also usually moderated by a breeze, and by low humidity levels.
  • Start times will be planned so that as many competitors as possible can run during this earlier, cooler part of the day. The first starts will be at 8:30. We’ll be trying to give as many M and W 75’s and older competitors as possible start times that are early within the overall time period for starting, in order to avoid the hotter temperatures.
  • We’ll be taking extra care to make sure that none of the winning times end up being longer than the IOF Rules specify.
  • And some of the forest races will have courses that are shorter than at previous years’ WMOCs:
    • For the Forest Qualification day, age classes M and W 70 and older will all have course lengths planned to give winning times no longer than 35 minutes.
    • For the Long Final day, age classes M and W80 and M and W85 will have course lengths planned to give a 45 minute winning time, and M and W90 a 40 minute winning time.
    •  On the Long Final day, it is usual for the “lower-ranked” finals to be shorter than the A-final. For WMOC 2025, we’ll be making these “lower-ranked” finals even less long than the A-finals, but making sure that they are still technically as challenging as possible.
  • The terrain for both the Forest Qualification and the Middle Final days will be physically very gentle and easy to run in – almost flat, very clean underfoot, and with sandy and soft soil and no dangerous steep or rocky areas.
  • The beech forest terrain for the Long Finals day is at a much higher altitude, and so for this last, longer race you are very likely to be running in a much milder, pleasant air temperature.
  • Both Sprint days will have the same Arena. It is a completely shaded area, and will have large humidifiers. It will be possible to use the municipal swimming pool (and showers) after the races.
  • The Forest Qualification and Middle Finals days will have the same Arena. There will be shaded areas around the Arena, and it will have large tents, humidifiers, and showers. The parking area will be in the field next to the Arena, and the bus stop will be located 50 metres from the Arena entrance. And don’t forget that the beach will be less than 2km from the Arena!
  • The Arena for the Long Distance Finals day is surrounded by shaded areas. Again, there will be large tents, humidifiers, and showers. The parking area and the bus stop will be located 400 metres from the Arena entrance.
  • We’ll be doing all we can to make sure that you stay well hydrated. Out on all the forest race courses there will be lots of extra refreshment points. And we’ll make sure that there’s enough water and cups for even the last starters.
  • Drinking water will also be available throughout the day at all the Arenas, and at (or very near) all start areas each day.
  • And we’ll be trying to cool you down after you have run, too. As well as humidifiers, there will be plenty of medical support, with ice ready for anyone who’s feeling that they’re even just a bit unsteady because of the heat.

Read all about World Masters Orienteering Championships 2025 in Girona, Spain here.