World Cup Opening 2026 Locarno Ascona: All You Need To Know

Jan Kocbach 1 hour ago Orienteering News Leave a comment

The 2026 Orienteering World Cup starts in the Italian-speaking south of Switzerland on Friday with an individual sprint in Locarno. A sprint relay on Saturday and a Knock-Out Sprint on Sunday finish off the opening weekend.

Locarno sits at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore, offering the kind of fast, technical sprint terrain that rewards sharp decision-making: narrow alleys, sudden direction changes and a maze of passages through the historic old town.

Reigning overall World Cup champions Simona Aebersold (SUI) and Kasper Fosser (NOR) are both running in Locarno. Aebersold, who has now claimed the overall title in both 2024 and 2025, describes this as her best winter of training ever and calls the home World Cup “always something special.” On the men’s side, Tino Polsini – who won the final KO Sprint at the 2025 World Cup Final – is also among the favourites after strong terrain-specific preparation. Max-Peter Bejmer, who took the men’s overall title in 2025, has chosen to focus on forest distances this season and is not competing this weekend.

Program World Cup Round 1

Friday, 24 April – Individual Sprint (TV from 15:30)

13:30 First start
13:50 First start Men
14:00 First start Women

Saturday, 25 April – Sprint Relay (TV from 16:00)

16:10 Race starts
17:10 First team to finish

Sunday, 26 April – Knock-Out Sprint (TV from 12:55)

10:48 First start Quarter Final Women
11:30 First start Quarter Final Men
13:09 First start Semi Final Women
13:50 First start Semi Final Men
14:28 Start Final Women
14:43 Start Final Men

All times are CET.

Links & Live

World Cup 2026

The first half of the 2026 international season is dominated by Sprint races, with the second World Cup round being organized in Sweden in the end of May, and the World Orienteering Championships being organized in Genova, Italy in early July.