LIGURIA: THE PRE-WOC LAUNCHES THE 2026 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Pre-WOC training and competition week — featuring the knock-out sprint in Arenzano and the sprint relay in Pegli — marked an important milestone on the road to the 2026 World Championships. Many medal contenders took part, with several national teams bringing extended squads to gain valuable experience ahead of next July’s event in Liguria.
On the individual side, victory went to newly crowned European champion
Cécile Calandry (France), who surged ahead in the final sprint to beat
Pia Young Vik (Norway) and
Simona Aebersold (Switzerland), the latter having led the final from the very first meters.
Among the men,
Tuomas Heikkilä (Finland) came out on top of a strong field of finalists, after a dramatic series of lead changes in the closing stages.
Fabian Aebersold (Switzerland) took silver, while
Mathieu Perrin (France) claimed bronze.
All the knock-out races took place in
Arenzano, using the same competition arena but different urban areas, on courses designed by
Alessio Tenani and
Marcello Lambertini.
The
sprint relay in Pegli saw
Norway, competing with its top lineup, take a clear win ahead of
Finland and
Switzerland. The race also served as a testing ground for many nations experimenting with new team combinations, making the event both exciting and unpredictable.
Now, all eyes turn to
2026.
The build-up will begin in
March (9–22) with two weeks of training — first in the Savona area, then in La Spezia — including two
WRE events in Pietra Ligure and Albenga, which will also open the Italian Cup season, followed by two races in
La Spezia, marking the city’s debut on the international orienteering stage.
In
May (11–17), attention will shift back to the
Genoa area for another training week and
test races, before the major rehearsal scheduled for
June 22–26: a full
WOC simulation with model event, sprint qualification and final, knock-out rounds, and sprint relay.
Step by step, new embargoed areas and maps will be unveiled, leading up to the grand finale — the
World Championships week, July 6–11, 2026.
See you in Liguria!
