Latvia is host for this year’s World Masters Orienteering Championships, which start with the Sprint races in Riga on Saturday and Sunday. 3 700 orienteers have entered in categories M/W35 up to M/W 90 from countries all over the world.
Finland has the biggest entry, with more than 700 competitors, followed by Sweden and Norway. The biggest class is M70 with 368 participants, and for the women it is W60 and W65, both with just under 250. There are 4 competitors in each of W90 and M90.
The Championships start with the Sprint Qualification in a residential area on the western side of the river, and the following day the Sprint Final takes place on the same terrain as used for the World Championships Sprint last year – the heart of the medieval city – albeit with a different location for the arena.
Pine and spruce forest on inland sand dunes, including some 20 metre high hills, are promised for the Forest Qualification and Middle Final, whilst the Long Final is on seaside sand dunes with “various hill sizes”, much of the land being a nature reserve. As usual with sand dune terrain, the races can be expected to be hard both technically and physically.
Full details about the event can be found on the website wmoc2019.lv. Lists of class winners will be posted here after each Final.
Programme
Saturday 6 July Sprint Qualification
Sunday 7 July, a.m. Sprint Final
Tuesday 9 July Forest Qualification
Wednesday 10 July Middle Final
Friday 12 July Long Final