Picture: Last year's GB World Cup Team
COVID-19 As you can imagine this was written before the introduction of the extensive social distancing measures introduced as a response to the spread of the virus causing COVID-19. Many of the events described will be cancelled.
In 2020 it is the first Sprint Orienteering World Championships, with Sprint Relay, Individual Sprint and the new Knockout Sprint. Denmark host, from 6th - 11th July, with the racing in Kolding, Fredericia and Vejle.
The European Championships are hosted by Estonia centred on Rakvere, and are the week of 6th - 23rd August. They include Middle, Long and Forest Relay.
The World Champs are not included in this year's World Cup, the European Champs are (as Round 2). There are two other rounds: Switzerland 20th - 24th May is Round 1, and Italy 1st - 6th October is the World Cup Final.
The Junior World Champs are in Turkey from 28th June - 5th July.
All are accompanied by open races, providing an opportunity for spectating orienteers to take a full-on experience of running and following the international racing.
Near Stockholm, TioMila is 2nd-3rd May.
The "Arctic Circle" Jukola is 13th-14th June.
The World Champs Test Races, in Denmark, are May 30th and 31st. WOC Selection Races Bulletin-1. These are in South-West Denmark and the individual sprint is in the oldest town in Scandinavia, we are told.
In the UK, the British (Long and Relay) Championships are in Southern England in March, and the four days of racing of the JK at Easter are in North-East England around the North Yorkshire Moors. The British Nights are next month at Hambleden near Henley-on-Thames, and there are big championship weekends in the Lake District in May, and also in the North-West but between Liverpool and Manchester in June. The summer festival is at the end of July in Wales (Snowdonia) - Croeso 2020. And the Scottish Champs are on Tentsmuir in late August.
The UK Elite League Calendar - the most competitive races at biggest events.
You may like our news item from last September about selection for the British Teams at the internationals.
Major Senior Internationals
World Cup Round 1 - Switzerland
- 21st May - Long
- 23rd May - Knockout Sprint
- 24th May - Sprint
- 7th July - Sprint Relay
- 9th July - Knockout Sprint
- 11th July - Sprint
European Championships - Estonia
- 20th August - Long
- 22nd August - Middle
- 23rd August - Relay
- 1st October - Long
- 3rd October - Middle
- 4th October - Relay
Domestic Season
Good news - with financial help from The Orienteering Foundation the UK Elite League is bringing GPS coverage to the British and JK.
British Nights: Hambleden, near Henley-on-Thames - 22nd February. Hosted by Thames Valley OC.
(UK Elite League) Royal Deeside - 7th-8th March. Hosted by Mar OC.
Saturday 7th - Johnshaven, Sprint
Sunday 8th - Birsemore, Forest
British (Long): (new area, “looks like it will be good”) near Haslemere, 21st March. Hosted by the South-East Orienteering Association.
British Relays: Hollycombe, 22nd March.
JK Festival – North-East England, 10th - 13th April. Hosted by the North-East Orienteering Association.
(UK Elite League) Midlands Sprint Weekend, Nottingham & Coventry, 25th - 26th April. (Note juniors have competitions in the Lake District instead this weekend.)
Nottingham Knockout Sprint - 25th - well done Notts O.C. for putting on this "NOC-Out" format - a great day in prospect.
The following two days are selection races for the GB Team for the European Champs:
British Middle – Lake District - 9th May. Hosted by Lakeland OC
Northern Champs – Lake District - 10th May. Hosted by Manchester & District OC.
British Sprint Relays – North-West England - 20th June.
British Sprints – North-West England - 21st June.
CANCELLED (15th March): Croeso 2020 (6 days summer festival in Snowdonia) - 25th - 31st July. Hosted by the Welsh Orienteering Association & ERYRI - the orienteering club of North Wales.
Scottish Champs – Tentsmuir - 22nd August.
Senior Home International - 5th and 6th September on Deeside hosted by Mar O.C.
(Southern and Midland Champs arrangements are not yet firm, the Southerns may be 29th November and the Midlands may not happen.)