About dear winter / Day

Orientation on skis. Compared to other types of orienteering, winter orienteering is not so numerous, but it is very interesting, and therefore quite popular. Some of the athletes also practice orienteering in the summer, while some specialize in the winter. Orientation skills are very important in summer, but in winter everything happens along the beaten track and the main thing is to choose the right roads. Technically, it is easier – it is impossible to drive completely across. The competition in Madona will be the biggest to be held in the sport this season. About 300 participants from at least 13 countries have applied for them, and about 200 more could participate in the public race, where everyone will have the opportunity to test themselves.

This time it must finally happen. This will be the biggest winter orienteering competition held in Latvia. Previously, the European Championship was also held here in 2013, but in 2006 we hosted the World Cup stage. We had won the right to host the World Cup in 2020 as well, but there was no snow in Latvia at all. First, the competition was moved forward by a month, and then to Sweden. Therefore, it was much easier for us to get to the event now – at that time we had come very far in the preparation process, there were already thorough preparations. We are not protected from the thaw, but at the moment we are very confident that thanks to the abundant snow in December, the championship will take place, because the snow has been compacted, which will prolong its life. However, we hope that we will not have to worry and there will be a lot of snow, because then the event will be of higher quality.

Expectations for youth and juniors. We do not hope for medals in the adult competition, but in the youth groups we have already had medalists in previous years, and they could start well this time as well. Last year, Gustavs Staņa won the bronze at the world junior championship, while Ritvars Lepeškins, Renārs Grasis and Audris Odo Vītoliņš won the bronze in the relay at the European youth championship. Most likely, they will all start this time as well.

With live TV. Television broadcasts of the championship are planned, which will be possible to see in Latvia, and foreign television stations have also shown interest. There will be some fixed cameras on the track, a drone will also film and the camera will follow the best athletes in the most interesting places. Navigation is especially exciting because of GPS tracking, because you can see what paths everyone takes, where they go wrong. Despite the broadcasts, on the final two days, when the relays will be held, I recommend that you come in person – it will be interesting even for those who are not familiar with orienteering. During the relays, the athletes will sneak through the competition center several times and will be more visible to the spectators, besides, a public race will take place immediately after the relays.

Without fluoride. The International Orienteering Federation has become the first to ban the use of waxes that contain fluorine, which is harmful to the environment, for the preparation of skis. Skiing and biathlon had already planned to do this several years ago, but repeatedly canceled the decision, because the presence of fluorine is difficult to control – the equipment that detects it is very expensive, and it can appear if you ski only over the place where fluorine was. We are for green sports, so it was decided that it is important to finally introduce it.

Winter Orienteering European Championship and World Cup stage, as well as Junior World Championship and European Youth Championship

Smeceres sila base in Madona on January 31 there will be a sprint for elites, juniors and young people, on February 1 – average distance, on February 3 – the long distance with a common start, on February 4 – relay, as well as middle distance in public races. On the other hand on February 5 upcoming sprint relay for the elite group and sprint distance in public races.

Read the article in the magazine as well Sports Newspaper in the January issue! If you want to continue reading the contents of the magazine in printed format, you can subscribe to it HERE!