World Orienteering Championships

The World Orienteering Championships (or WOC for short) is an annual orienteering event organized by the International Orienteering Federation. The first World Championships was held in Fiskars, Finland in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003 (with the exception of 1978 and 1979). Since 2003, competitions have been held annually. Participating nations have to be members of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF).

World Orienteering Championships
Sprint event at WOC 2013 in Vuokatti, Finland
Statusactive
Genresporting event
Date(s)July–August
Frequencyannual
Location(s)various
Inaugurated1966
Previous event2023
Next event2024
Organised byIOF

Originally, there were only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race (roughly 20–25 minutes) was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance (roughly 30–35 minutes) replaced the short distance in 2003. In 2014, a sprint relay was added with two men and two women participating and with starting order woman-man-man-woman.

History

The IOF was founded on 21 May 1961 at a Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark by the orienteering national federations of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.[1] Their main goal was to standardize the sport and streamline international competition rules. A group of people work with these tasks, and at the 1963 IOF Congress, the work was approved and a technical committee was created. This led to the first international orienteering competition; the 1962 European Championships in Løten, Norway. The first European Orienteering Championships (EOC) consisted of only one competition; individual. In the following EOC, in Le Brassus, Switzerland, the relay event was added to the competition program. These two EOCs are considered forerunners to the first World Orienteering Championships in 1966.

In 2019, the World Orienteering Championships was split into two events: Sprint WOC (even-numbered years) consisting of sprint events only, and Forest WOC (odd-numbered years) consisting of forest events only.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the first sprint only WOC 2020 was cancelled. Instead Sprint and Sprint Relay was added to the WOC program for 2021 following the old championship program, otherwise there would not have been sprint comptitions in the world championships for four years (2019-2022). In 2022 the first sprint only WOC was organized in Denmark, and the new competition format Knockout Sprint made its debut.

Format

The competition format has changed several times. From the beginning in 1966, the World Championships consisted of only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race (roughly 20–25 minutes) was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance (roughly 30–35 minutes) replaced the short distance in 2003. On IOF's 23rd congress in Lausanne in 2012, it was decided that a sprint relay event would be added in the 2014 World Championships in Italy.[2] The sprint relay is competed in urban areas and consists of four-orienteer mixed-gender teams with starting order woman-man-man-woman.

Current competition format

The current championship events are:

Forest WOC (odd years)
Distance Target Time Notes
Long distance90 minPreviously called classic distance
Middle distance30–35 minReplaced short distance (20–25 min) in 2003
Relay3 × 40 minThree-person teams
Sprint WOC (even years)
Distance Target Time Notes
Sprint12–15 min
Knock-out sprint5–8 minFirst held in 2022
Sprint relay4 × 12–15 minFour-person teams, two men and two women.

Event timeline

Venues
YearDatesLocation[3]
19661–2 OctoberFinland Fiskars, Finland[4]
196828–29 SeptemberSweden Linköping, Sweden[5]
197027–29 SeptemberEast Germany Friedrichroda, German Democratic Republic[6]
197214–16 SeptemberCzechoslovakia Staré Splavy, Czechoslovakia[7]
197420–22 SeptemberDenmark Viborg, Denmark[8]
197624–26 SeptemberUnited Kingdom Aviemore, United Kingdom[9]
197815–17 SeptemberNorway Kongsberg, Norway[10]
19792–4 SeptemberFinland Tampere, Finland[11]
19814–6 SeptemberSwitzerland Thun, Switzerland[12]
19831–4 SeptemberHungary Zalaegerszeg, Hungary[13]
19854–6 SeptemberAustralia Bendigo, Australia[14]
19873–5 SeptemberFrance Gérardmer, France[15]
198917–20 AugustSweden Skövde, Sweden[16]
199121–25 AugustCzechoslovakia Mariánské Lázně, Czechoslovakia[17]
19939–14 OctoberUnited States West Point, New York, United States[18]
199515–20 AugustGermany Detmold, Germany[19]
199711–16 AugustNorway Grimstad, Norway[20]
19991–8 AugustUnited Kingdom Inverness, United Kingdom[21]
200129 July – 4 AugustFinland Tampere, Finland[22]
20033–9 AugustSwitzerland Rapperswil/Jona, Switzerland[23]
200411–19 SeptemberSweden Västerås, Sweden[24]
20059–15 AugustJapan Aichi, Japan[25]
20061–5 AugustDenmark Århus, Denmark[26]
200718–26 AugustUkraine Kyiv, Ukraine[27]
200810–20 JulyCzech Republic Olomouc, Czech Republic[28]
200916–23 AugustHungary Miskolc, Hungary[29]
20108–15 AugustNorway Trondheim, Norway[30]
201113–20 AugustFrance Savoie, France[31]
201214–22 JulySwitzerland Lausanne, Switzerland[32]
20136–14 JulyFinland Vuokatti, Finland[33]
20145–13 JulyItaly Trentino-Veneto, Italy[34]
20151–7 AugustUnited Kingdom Inverness, United Kingdom[35]
201620–28 AugustSweden Strömstad-Tanum, Sweden[36]
20171–7 JulyEstonia Tartu, Estonia[37]
20184–11 AugustLatvia Riga, Latvia[38]
201913–17 AugustNorway Østfold, Norway[39]
2020postponed until 2022Denmark Triangle Region, Denmark
20214–9 July Czech Republic Doksy, Czech Republic [40]
202226—30 June Denmark Triangle Region, Denmark
202311—16 July Switzerland Graubünden, Switzerland[41]
202412-16 July United Kingdom Edinburgh, United Kingdom
202523-29 July Finland Kuopio, Finland[41]
2026TBA Italy Genova, Italy[42]

Multiple winners

Men
Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (men)

Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Rank Athlete From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1France Thierry Gueorgiou20032017145423
2Norway Olav Lundanes20102019104317
3Switzerland Daniel Hubmann20052019811928
4Norway Øyvin Thon197919897108
5Switzerland Matthias Kyburz2012202265112
6Russia Andrey Khramov2005201563312
7Sweden Gustav Bergman2012202254413
8Norway Petter Thoresen198919975128
9Russia Valentin Novikov2004201345211
10Norway Bjørnar Valstad1991200443310
11Norway Tore Sagvolden197919874318
12Sweden Rolf Pettersson197219794206
13Sweden Jonas Leandersson201220184037
14Norway Morten Berglia198119874015
Norway Jørgen Rostrup199920054015
16Switzerland Thomas Bührer199120034004
17Norway Magne Dæhli201220193216
18Norway Egil Johansen197619793205
19Sweden Emil Wingstedt200320073137
20Sweden Bernt Frilén197019743115
21Denmark Søren Bobach201420163104
22Norway Åge Hadler196619723036
23Switzerland Christian Aebersold199119953003
Sweden Arne Johansson197219763003
Sweden Karl Johansson196619703003
Norway Eskil Kinneberg201720183003
27Sweden Jörgen Mårtensson1981199726210
28Finland Jani Lakanen19992013 2518
29Finland Janne Salmi199520012417
30Norway Kasper Harlem Fosser201920222417
31Norway Carl Godager Kaas201020162406
32Switzerland Matthias Merz200520122349
33Sweden Emil Svensk201820192002

Women
Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (women)

Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Rank Athlete From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1Switzerland Simone Niggli-Luder20012013232631
2Sweden Tove Alexandersson20112023199331
3Finland Minna Kauppi2004201395317
4Denmark Maja Alm2012202177317
5Sweden Marita Skogum1983199363110
6Sweden Annichen Kringstad198119856006
7Switzerland Judith Wyder2011201853412
8Sweden Helena Bergman2012201846818
9Norway Hanne Staff1997200444412
10Finland Liisa Veijalainen197219814408
11Sweden Karin Rabe197819894329
12Sweden Arja Hannus198119914105
13Norway Anne Margrethe Hausken2005201635311
14Sweden Annika Billstam2007201533814
15Finland Heli Jukkola200320073328
16Sweden Ulla Lindkvist196619723306
17Finland Merja Rantanen200820173148
18Switzerland Vroni König-Salmi199720083137
19Sweden Marlena Jansson199119993126
20Sweden Anna Bogren199319973115
Sweden Lina Strand201620223115
22Sweden Karolina A. Højsgaard200320092518
23Russia Natalia Gemperle2016202125512
24Denmark Ida Bobach201120162406
25Sweden Kristin Cullman197419782305
26Sweden Gunilla Svärd199720042226
27Finland Outi Borgenström197419812215
Czech Republic Dana Brožková200620112215
Norway Ingrid Hadler196619742215
29Finland Kirsi Boström (Tiira)199319992204
Denmark Emma Klingenberg201420152204
32Sweden Karolin Ohlsson201820212103

Mixed
Main article: List of World Orienteering Championships medalists (mixed events)
Sprint Relay
YearGoldSilverBronze
2014  Switzerland Denmark Russia
2015 Denmark Norway Russia
2016 Denmark  Switzerland Sweden
2017 Sweden Denmark  Switzerland
2018 Sweden  Switzerland Denmark
2021 Sweden Norway  Switzerland
2022 Sweden United Kingdom Norway

All-time medal table

(Updated after WOC 2022)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Sweden685957184
2 Norway525146149
3  Switzerland473843128
4 Finland24433299
5 France1471132
6 Denmark1210729
7 Russia11121538
8 Great Britain46515
9 Czech Republic34512
10 Hungary3126
11 Czechoslovakia25815
12 Ukraine1359
13 Austria1102
14 Latvia1023
15 Australia1001
–Independent Athletes[43]0202
16 New Zealand0112
17 Soviet Union0022
18 Belarus0011
 Belgium0011
 Germany0011
 Italy0011
 Netherlands0011
Totals (22 entries)244243246733

See also

References
  1. "History". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  2. "Sprint Relay in the World Orienteering Championships from 2014". International Orienteering Federation. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  3. "World Orienteering Championships". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  4. "World Orienteering Championships 1966". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  5. "World Orienteering Championships 1968". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  6. "World Orienteering Championships 1970". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  7. "World Orienteering Championships 1972". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  8. "World Orienteering Championships 1974". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  9. "World Orienteering Championships 1976". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  10. "World Orienteering Championships 1978". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  11. "World Orienteering Championships 1979". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  12. "World Orienteering Championships 1981". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  13. "World Orienteering Championships 1983". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  14. "World Orienteering Championships 1985". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  15. "World Orienteering Championships 1987". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  16. "World Orienteering Championships 1989". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  17. "World Orienteering Championships 1991". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  18. "World Orienteering Championships 1993". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  19. "World Orienteering Championships 1995". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  20. "World Orienteering Championships 1997". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  21. "World Orienteering Championships 1999". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  22. "World Orienteering Championships 2001". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  23. "World Orienteering Championships 2003". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  24. "World Orienteering Championships 2004". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  25. "World Orienteering Championships 2005". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  26. "World Orienteering Championships 2006". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  27. "World Orienteering Championships 2007". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  28. "World Orienteering Championships 2008". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  29. "World Orienteering Championships 2009". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  30. "World Orienteering Championships 2010". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  31. "World Orienteering Championships 2011". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  32. "World Orienteering Championships 2012". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  33. "World Orienteering Championships 2013". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  34. "World Orienteering Championships 2014". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  35. "World Orienteering Championships 2015". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  36. "World Orienteering Championships 2016". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  37. "World Orienteering Championships 2017". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  38. "World Orienteering Championships 2018". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  39. "World Orienteering Championships 2019". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  40. "World Orienteering Championships 2021". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  41. "World Orienteering Championships 2023 awarded to Switzerland and WOC 2025 to Finland". International Orienteering Federation. 2019-08-08.
  42. A historic Council meeting, IOF
  43. Due to the Russian doping scandal, russian athlethes competed under neutral flag in 2021.
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