PWT Italy athletes are part of the Italian team’s selection for the first round of the World Cup in Østfold, Norway. Also present at the event is the Event Manager of the European Sprint Championships Gabriele Viale, who came to Norway for institutional meetings.
The 2023 Orienteering World Cup will start on Thursday 27th April in Østfold, in the south-eastern corner of Norway. A little more than 200 days have passed since the 2022 World Cup Final Round in Switzerland, when the best international athletes competed for the last time, giving us great emotions such as Team Italy’s 5th place in the Relay with Riccardo Scalet in second leg (see news about this). From the Swiss event to the races on the way, a winter of preparation has therefore set in, which will make the races in Norway an important feedback for the athletes in view of the goal events of the year.
The first World Cup Round will begin on Thursday the 27th of April with the Long, continuing on Saturday the 29th with the Middle and concluding on Sunday the 30th with the Relay. All three races take place in the same arena – the KNA Varna go-kart track – which is located about 10 km from the WOC 2019 arena. Also present in the Italian selection are PWT Italy athletes Riccardo Scalet and Sebastian Inderst, who are looking at the event as an important test in their preparation for the WOCs.
Riccardo Scalet says: “The tough and super technical Norwegian forests will certainly offer some high level races, and a good test of the automatisms. I arrive at the event relaxed, and still in full preparation for the world championships, so I will try to race without pressure. I know that the competition, especially on Scandinavian terrain, is very high, but I will do my best to take every positive aspect to face the next two eventful months.
I would like to thank PWT Italia, which will once again this year be in the race with me from the first to the last meter, and my Norwegian club Halden SK, which provided me with great support during these weeks of preparation in Scandinavia.
Follow us live, we will need all your cheers to navigate the Norwegian blueberries at their best!”
Sebastian Inderst also says: “This World Cup Round will be interesting to see where I stand in my preparation for the World Championships in Switzerland, which will be my main goal! However, I am already aiming to do well in Norway, where I will be able to put into practice what I have learned in the Nordic terrain from moving to Gothenburg five years ago.”
Gabriele Viale will also be present at the world event in a dual role; on the one hand to follow the athletes of PWT Italy in their racing commitments, and on the other for a planned series of meetings with the top management of the International Federation aimed at the Italian organisation in October of the European Sprint Championships, also valid as World Cup Final. Gabriele says: “On a racing level, the Scandinavian races will be useful for us to monitor Riccardo’s and Sebastian’s shape, with less than 3 months to go before the WOC in Switzerland, the goal of the year for our athletes, together with the Europeans in October.
As Event Manager of the 2023 EOC, we will have the opportunity to work with the IOF international team on TV productions and brand positioning in the competition arena. We will also be planning the August relay that will symbolically carry the flag of the European Championships and Veneto from the Lofoten Islands to Vicenza, the venue of the final stage of the European Championships. Passing through Lillehammer, Oslo and Gothenburg. Retracing part of the ‘Querinissima’ route.”
Another important aspect will be the setting up of a PWT Italia info point in the race arena, dedicated to the promotion of our events as well as to the promotion of Veneto and the territorial excellences of Lake Garda, Verona, Soave, Colli Berici and Vicenza. For the occasion, official European jerseys and waistcoats will be distributed to the international Ambassadors.
Useful links:
Program:
All times CEST (UTC+2)
Thursday, 27 April
Long distance
9:45 First start women
10:10 First start men
13:30 – 17:30 Web-TV on IOF TV
Saturday, 29 April
Middle distance
12:15 First start men
14:30 First start women
15:30 – 19:00 Web-TV on IOF TV
Sunday, 30 April
Relay
13:00 – 17:00 Web-TV on IOF TV
13:05 Start Men
15:00 Start Women