Course of the Year 2024: Submit your suggestions!

What was the best orienteering course of 2024? World Champs middle distance in Switzerland won in 2023, Pomeranian Sprint Cup won in 2022, WOC Long distance won in 2021, the Norwegian World Champs selection race long distance won in 2019, the World Cup Final Middle in Czech Republic won in 2018 and the World Champs middle distance in Estonia won in 2017.

Other winners are a spectacular sprint between boulders and old buildings in Portugal in 2013 and some great technical orienteering at Portugal O-Meeting in 2012. Who do you think should win in 2024?

The search for the orienteering course of the year  is always fun and interesting – with many nice courses and maps surfacing! The rules are simple: Suggest a course from a competition or training in 2024, and state the reason why you think this course deserves to be “The course of the Year 2024″. The best among all the suggestions will be chosen – and there will be a voting process among the readers of “World of O” in order to name “The course of the Year 2024″. We will also identify the best course in each category: Sprint, Middle and Long.

And please state the reason for your suggestion – that’s where the fun & the passion for orienteering comes in! YOU are the one to decide who takes the prestigious top spot this year- first by submitting suggestions – and then by voting.

Suggestions are submitted as a comment to this post – including link to the map (this is important – I am doubly happy if the link goes to omaps.worldofo.com) with course in a quality which is good enough for the readers to understand the course and the challenges involved.

Please add information about location/date if that is not clear from the link provided. Also include which sponsor prize you are interested in (check them out!) if you win – please do check out the sponsor prizes and choose one, it is much nicer to win something you really want!

PS! Suggestions for Route to Christmas are also welcome; a combined suggestion doubly so!

More than 7000 Euro worth of prizes for YOU

Prizes from sponsors make it more fun to be in on the suggestions and voting. This year we again have some great sponsors and prizes – with a total value of more than 7000 Euro! We hope this means many good suggestions & a lot of interactivity from YOU! See all details about the sponsors & prizes below! Use the comments below, and submit either

1. The course which in your opinion is the best course you run in 2024 yourself!
2. The best course you set this year as a course-setter.
3. The overall best course you have seen/heard about in 2024

Most course-setters surely have to make some compromises, so finding the perfect one is probably not possible. Still, it is interesting to see which is the best course you run or set in 2024!

Our sponsors have contributed a fantastic selection of prizes. These include entry packages for the 5 Days Madonna di Campiglio in Italy, 5+5 Days Sardinia, the 57th Kainuu Orienteering Week in Finland, and the MOC Camp in Italy. From Portugal, we have prizes for the ABOM 2025 and LIOM 2025, while Slovenia offers packages for the Lipica Open and the Easter 4 competition. There are also entries for the OOCup (Slovenia/Italy), the Sudety Cup in Poland, and the Vienna Orienteering Challenge in Austria. Special family-friendly prizes include the Kapa 3-Days event in Latvia. Additional offerings include a 3-year license for OCAD Orienteering Software and personal coaching sessions with the Confident Orienteering package.

Starting point

To provide you with a starting point, I’ve included the legs featured in Route to Christmas so far this year. Do any of these courses deserve a nomination for Orienteering Course of 2024?

Rules

The following rules are given for “The course of the Year 2024″.

• The course must have been run in competition or training in 2024
• Suggestions are submitted as a comment to this post – including link to the map (this is important!) with course in a quality which is good enough for the readers to understand the course and the challenges involved. Please add information about location/date if that is not clear from the link provided. Also include which sponsor prize you are interested in if you win (please do check out the sponsor prizes and choose one, it is much nicer to win something you really want!).
• You must give a reason for why you think this course deserves to be named “The course of the Year 2024″ (or why it is the best course you run/set this year). All reasons are valid. Examples can for example be “varied orienteering challenges”, “extremely technical orienteering”, “high fun-factor”, “fantastic map”, “spectacular orienteering”, “fantastic nature” – a combination of these – or a totally different reason. To get all the way to the top you should probably have a combination of reasons…
• The course may be any foot-orienteering discipline – e.g. a long distance, a middle distance, a sprint distance. It may also be a technical training course – like e.g. a corridor orienteering exercise.
• There will be a voting process among the readers of “World of O” in order to name “The course of the year 2024″. This is your second chance to win sponsor prizes!

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Prizes from our Sponsors

Prizes from our Sponsors always makes it more fun! There will be a prize for the first one suggesting the course which ends up becoming “The course of the Year 2023″, and prizes drawn among the ones suggesting and voting. All prizes are transferable to other persons (you don’t have to travel yourself).

Event sponsor: 5 days Madonna di Campiglio, July 5th – 12th 2025 (Italy)

• Prize offered: 1 package of 10 entries to 5 days Madonna di Campiglio 2025. Value 1.500 EUR. Transferable to other person.
• More information:   Every year, 5 Days brings you to Italy to discover wonderful locations where you can practice orienteering and much more, and in 2025 it will be Trentino‘s moment to welcome you to its Madonna di Campiglio – Brenta  Dolomites. From July 5th to 12th, a corner of paradise will host your vacation, which will allow the whole family to spend pleasant days of sports, but not only. There are numerous proposals aimed at adults and children, so don’t waste time: you have until December 31 to register for 5 Days Madonna di Campiglio – Brenta Dolomites at a discounted price.  Webpage: https://www.5daysitaly.it/

Event sponsor: 5+5 days Sardinia, September 29th – October 11th 2025 (Italy)

• Prize offered: 5 packages, each for 2 entries to 5+5 days Sardinia 2025 (October). Value 250 euro each package. Total value 1.000 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  Follow the Sun: 10 days of orienteering in beautiful Sardinia. – We have found a fantastic place for you. The first week of 5 days will take place near Cagliari, between the Gutturu Mannu Regional Natural Park, overlooking the extraordinary beaches of Pula. The second week of 5 days will take place further north, in the extraordinary landscape around Alghero and the forests of Sorso. Web information: www.pwtitaly.com.

Event sponsor: 57th Kainuu Orienteering Week (KOW), June 29th – July 4th (Finland)

• Prize offered: 4 packages, each consisting of 2 free participations for the whole week in any class (competition classes or open courses) at Kainuu Orienteering Week 2025. Total value up to 920 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  Open and International Orienteering Week in Vuokatti, Sotkamo, Finland. Vuokatti’s competition terrain is a model terrain for Vuokatti-Jukola 2027! You are warmly welcome to spend an experiential orienteering and holiday week for the whole family in Vuokatti, Sotkamo, Finland. During the Kainuu Orienteering Week 2025, we will return to the diverse hill terrain of the Middle Distance Qualifiers from the World Orienteering Championships 2013, which is located right next to the Vuokatti-Jukola 2027 terrains. The terrain in Vuokatti, where next summer’s Kainuu Orienteering Week will take place, will also serve as a model area for the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) 2025 to be held next summer. The World Orienteering Championships and the Fin5 Orienteering Week will be organized in Tahko during the week following Orienteering Week, from 7th to 12th July 2025. Kainuu Orienteering Week is the biggest Finnish orienteering week, and it has been held annually since 1966 in Kainuu Region, Finland. Competition categories are H/D8-95. In open courses KOW offers 10 different skill and distance levels in total.  See more: rastiviikko.fi (#kainuuoweek|#kainuuorienteeringweek|#KOW)  Experience a memorable orienteering week in Vuokatti! Note also the 5th official Kainuu MTBO Week 29 June – 4 July in Sotkamo and Vuokatti – come and enjoy the best MTBO terrains and great landscapes of Kainuu and Sotkamo-Vuokatti.  The following entry steps are: 28th Feb 2025 / 31st May 2025 / 9th June 2025. For more information see www.rastiviikko.fi.

Event sponsor: MOC Camp 2025, March 18th – 20th 2025 (Italy)

• Prize offered: 2 packages, each for one person, for MOC camp 2025 (entries and accommodation) – value 300 EUR per package. Total value 600 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  The MOC Tour 2025 event will take place from March 17th to 27th across Capri, Sorrento, Eboli,  Matera, Cirò and Savelli. This orienteering adventure, held in memory of Nick Manfredi, combines the MOC Tour with the XX MOC Championships and MOC Sprint Camp 2025. And there’s more. March 26th will be Nik Manfredi Day: The MOC Tour will move to Savelli, the singer-songwriter’s hometown, where the last stage of the Tour will take place. The Tour will visit his grave with a dedicated ceremony and a remembrance prepared by Jörgen Mårtensson, then there will be an orienteering competition on the map surveyed by Claes Nideborn (who will also be present for the occasion) and will close with a music party in honour of Nik, as he would have wished.  Visit the site to learn more and register today: https://www.pwtitaly.com/en/event/moc-tour-2025/

Event sponsor: ABOM 2025, February 21st – 23rd 2025 (Portugal)

• Prize offered: 1 package for 2 people, consisting of Aguiar da Beira “O” Meeting 2025 entry fees (model event, Prologue, Middle WRE, Long WRE & PreO), 5 training maps (for each) provided by O-Portugal.pt and 5 night accomodation with breakfast. Total value up to 450 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  ABOM 2025 will offer you the possibility to have 4 races in 3 days, in one of the most challenging and best Orienteering terrains in the world! Do not miss the opportunity to race in the same area as JWOC 2022. Besides, www.O-Portugal.pt will offer you the best training maps one can have! We believe that Aguiar da Beira and ABOM offer the best preparation for a National Team Athlete to get ready for WOC 2025 in Kuopio, Finland. We have highly technical terrains, with stunning pine forests, extensive bare rocks, and numerous rocky details. However, we share even more similarities with Kuopio 2025! The mappers for ABOM 2025 are Janne Weckman and Timo Joensuu, the same mappers as those in Kuopio! And last but not least, Aguiar da Beira will host EOC 2028 – you can start your preparations now! Aguiar da Beira, “The Orienteering Capital”, is waiting for you!

Software sponsor: OCAD Orienteering 3-year Single User license

• Prize offered: One 3-year runtime Single User licence for the software “OCAD Orienteering”.  Value about 400 EUR. Transferable to other person (before activation).
• More information: OCAD Orienteering – Perfect to produce Orienteering Maps. Course Setting Module included! Read more at https://www.ocad.com.

Event sponsor: OOCup, July 27th – 31st 2025 (Slovenia & Italy)

• Prize offered: 2 packages, each for 2 people – consisting of: Entry for the complete 5 days OOCup competition. Total value around 400 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  The 2025 edition will be organized in the Alpine setting of Slovenia and Italy. Some super tricky orienteering and some spectacular views are awaiting for you.  It is going to be GREAT! More at oocup.com

Event sponsor: Sudety Cup 2025, July 31st – August 3rd 2025 (Poland)

• Prize offered: 2 packages, each for 2 people – consisting of entry to Sudety Cup 2025 and including the official Sudety Cup orienteering shirt. Total value up to 400 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  Join us in 2025 from July 31 to August 3 in the heart of Poland’s Sowie Mountains for Sudety Cup – an unforgettable orienteering adventure. Compete in pristine terrains never before used for orienteering, surrounded by breathtaking mountain views. Across four diverse stages, from the rugged slopes of Wielka Sowa to the thrilling chasing start at Grabina, every moment will challenge your endurance and precision. Sudety Cup hosts a World Ranking Event stage, drawing top international athletes, while a kid’s zone and Mini-O courses make it a family-friendly experience. With the Junior World Orienteering Championships 2027 just 30 kilometers away, Sudety Cup is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with similar terrain and kickstart your preparations for this international event. Webpage: https://sudetycup.pl/en/

Event sponsor: Lipica Open, March 8th – 12th 2025 (Slovenia)

• Prize offered: 2 packages, each for 2 people – consisting of entry to complete 5 Day Lipica Open competition. Value up to about 330 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  Traditional season starter in the region that gave Karst its name. Enjoy Slovenian karst terrain already in March. More at www.lipicaopen.com

Content Sponsor: Confident Orienteering & Personal coaching

• Prize offered: Electronic Book “Confident Orienteering, Book 1: Fundamentals” plus three 1-hour online coaching sessions “Online Personal Masterclasses” with the author and orienteering technique coach Aleksandr Alekseyonok, on a topic of your choice in orienteering techniques. The prize can be transferred, but all 3 masterclasses must be completed by the same person. Total value: 300 EUR.
• More information:  If you’re determined to significantly minimise your route execution errors and are ready to put in the effort, this book “Confident Orienteering: A Systematic Approach to Minimising Errors. Book1: Fundamentals” (more info here)  will equip you with the knowledge you need. The 3 online masterclasses will help you applying the methods in the book to your own orienteering. This may include, for example, analysis of your performance on past courses or discussing effective workouts for improving navigation skills. These masterclasses also include 6 hours of analytical preparation by Aleksandr, based on data provided by the prize winner. Online meetings will be held via Google Meet in English. Session times will be scheduled by agreement, no more than once every 2 weeks. All sessions must
  be completed by 31st March 2025. If the prize winner is underage, the masterclasses must be conducted with the mandatory presence of a coach or guardian (parent). Read more here https://confident-orienteering.blogspot.com/.

 

Event sponsor: LIOM 2025, April 25th-27th 2025 (Portugal)

• Prize offered: Entry package for 4 persons, for LIOM 2025. The total value of the prize is EUR 292. Transferable to other persons.
• More information: LIOM 2025 (named PIOM in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2023) will be held in the region of Penamacor and Sabugal. You will have just  waiting for you 2 new forest maps, 3 courses in the forest (2 middle distance + 1 long distance) and 1 course in the old town of Penamacor (sprint). All technical and challenging courses! At the PIOM 2023 we had the “Sprint Course of the Year 2023″! More information is available at https://eventos.coc.pt/liom2025/logo-piom25_site_ds/.

Event sponsor: Kapa 3-days 2025. June 27th – 29th (Latvia)

• Prize offered: Two “family entry packages” to Kapa 3days, where each package includes an entry for two adults and one child, space for a tent at the event campsite, and a car parking voucher. Total value is around 250 EUR. Transferable to another person.
• More information:  Kāpa 3-days, the largest orienteering event in the Baltics, takes place Friday to Sunday, June 27–29, 2025. Attracting 1500–2000 orienteers from around 20 countries, this family-friendly event offers three days of thrilling races and activities. Held on Latvia’s west coast, near Ventspils, the unique coastal terrain provides stunning views of the Baltic Sea. Highlights include two WRE stages & a thrilling chasing start for the elite classes, a sprint relay on the afternoon of Day 2, and live music. Join us to explore Latvia’s west coast and enjoy the Baltic summer! This year’s event page: https://2025.kapa.lv. Facebook page: https://facebook.com/Kapa3days.

Event sponsor: Easter 4, April 18th – 21th 2025 (Slovenia)

• Prize offered: Two packages, each for 2 people – consisting of Entry for the Easter4 competition in the beautiful Dolenjska region Slovenia. Value about 240 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  Easter4 is coming back in 2025! This time we are going to the SW of the country, Dolenjska region. Karst terrain, but a bit faster and less stony what we serve at Lipica open or OOcup. More at easter4.com.

Event sponsor: Vienna O-challenge, September 4th – 7th 2025 (Austria)

• Prize offered: 1 package, including 2 free entries for the Vienna Orienteering Challenge Sprint Weekend 2025 plus one VOC Towel. Total value up to 225 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information:  The Vienna Orienteering Challenge is an exciting 3-day international sprint orienteering event.  The event format is designed to fit perfectly into a weekend, and all event locations are conveniently accessible by public transport. Plan your trip and experience sprint orienteering in Vienna. Welcome to Austria’s most fun orienteering event! Event website: https://viennaochallenge.com.