For the second time in this year, the
Portuguese Orienteering wears its best suit to receive an
international event entirely directed to the youngsters.
After the unforgetable World School Sports Orienteering Championships ISF, held in eastern Algarve on last April, is now the turn of the
municipalities of Peniche, Caldas da Rainha and Óbidos to receive the
European Youth Orienteering Championships EYOC 2013. Let the party
begin!
Portugal was the country chosen to
replace Israel in the organization of the EYOC's 15th edition. Due to
political instability in that country of the Middle East and for
safety reasons, the European Working Group was forced to return to
the “ground zero”, early on this year, a process that was “almost
done”. The first contact to see the possibility of Portugal
organize EYOC 2013 was on beginning of 2013. On two or three weeks,
an application was prepared, conclusive enough, leading the EWG to select
Portugal as the EYOC 2013's organizer. “This was on the end of
February, only eight months from the beginning of the event”,
recalls Antonio Amador, EYOC 2013's Event Director, adding that "on
this short time we do all the necessary to have a great event, not
only technically with good terrains and courses but also with all
necessary logistics for the participants have an unforgettable stay
in Portugal”.
And this is, precisely, what is
expected to happen on EYOC 2013. With the “headquarters” settled
at the fantastic place of INATEL Foz do Arelho, to the participants
is offered the possibility to enjoy a stunning view over the Obidos
Lagoon, on its confluence with the vastness of the Ocean, margins by green
covered, the Berlengas islands well in the distance. And if this set
of buildings - once the Francisco Almeida
Grandella's magnificent palace - made History during the First Portuguese Republic, it is
about History and stories that will make the three-day EYOC 2013, an
event that will hopefully be a milestone in life of 362 athletes from
32 countries that will be present here (responsible for
organizing the EYOC 2014, Macedonia was the last country to entry for the
event).
The program
The Sprint final, within the walls
of the medieval town of Óbidos, open the hostilities next Friday afternoon. Saturday morning will be devoted to the Long Distance
race, in Ferrel's forests. And again Óbidos, on the map of Vale
Benfeito on terrains in all similar to the day before, to the EYOC
2013's epilogue, with the Relay race on Sunday morning.
The competition will be held in
four different classes (M/W16 , for those born in 1997 or later, and
M/W18, for those born in the years 1995 and 1996), with each country
submiting a maximum of four athletes per event and by class,
excluding the Relay, where this number is confined to three athletes
in each team. It should also be noted that the mapping of the event
has the signature of Luís Sérgio, also the responsible for setting the course of Sprint. José Fernandes and Bruno Nazario
are the course setters of Long Distance and Relay, respectively.
The athletes
Last but not least, the athletes.
They are the soul of any event and this, in particular, is of
particular importance in the life of any young orienteer. Just ask the
Swiss Daniel Hubmann or Matthias Kyburz, the Russian Andrey Khramov
or the Danish Emma Klingenberg, who here won the first medals on
their remarkable international careers. Just ask also Diogo Miguel,
extraordinary winner on that eventful journey of Eger (Hungary ), on
June 22, 2007, providing to the Portuguese Orienteering the first
gold of its history.
It is therefore with a sense of
victory that all participants, without exception, will be at the EYOC 2013.
Although, we should allocate some favouritism to the Czech Republic,
great dominator of previous editions of the event, followed by
Switzerland, Sweden and Russia. Among the “remarkable "
presences here, a special mention to the Polish Anjelika Maciejewska, gold medal twice in EYOC 2012 and one of the stars of the recent
World School Sports Orienteering Championships ISF. Also the Latvian
Uldis Upitis, the Spanish Yara Bores Escudero, the Slovaks Dusan
Slama and Martin Smelik or the British Dane Blomquist are names to be
taken into account, especially after their recent victories in WSOC
ISF 2013. But our attention goes, justifiably, for the World Champion
of School Sports on Middle Distance, António Ferreira, sure that
he'll seek to repeat in Peniche and Óbidos that same gold that made
him to chance to achieve the top of the podium in Monte Gordo (Vila Real de Santo
António), last April 17th.
Joaquim Margarido
[Sponsorized by Orievents
and EDP renewals]
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