Highland to host 2015 World Orienteering Championships

At a press conference today the International Orienteering Federation announced that British Orienteering will host the 2015 World Orienteering Championships. There was competition to stage the event with Sweden submitting a strong bid; however the strength of the British Orienteering bid won favour with the IOF.

The Championships will be based in Inverness during August 2015 and will utilise the world class terrain along the Moray coast and in the Cairngorms National Park. The Scottish 6 Days will run in parallel to the Championships and will bring 5000 competitors to the area boosting the local economy by an estimated £2 million.

The foundation of the British bid is the strong partnership which has developed between orienteering organisations, government agencies and the local community who all have a shared vision for the event.  The partners are: British Orienteering, the Scottish Orienteering Association, EventScotland, the Scottish 6 Days Event Company, and The Highland Council.

Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport said, “Congratulations to the bid team and I am delighted we will be welcoming the World Orienteering Championships to Scotland in 2015. It is a wonderful legacy from 2014 that we will continue to have world class sporting events in Scotland beyond this milestone year. It further demonstrates our capability at staging such major events and further enhances our active messaging across the country.”

Lyn West, Chairman British Orienteering said “We are delighted to have been awarded the 2015 Championships and look forward to working with the IOF and our other partners in delivering an exciting and memorable event”
Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said “It is great for British Orienteering and Scotland to have successfully won the bid to host the World Championships in 2015. I am sure that with the continued hard work of the partnerships established, Scotland will prove to be the perfect stage for this event.”

Colin Matheson, Professional Officer Scottish Orienteering Association  said “Scotland has been recognised by the international orienteering community as having world-class areas for staging major events.  In the run up to 2015 we look forward to hosting the JK2012 International Orienteering Festival as well as the Scottish Orienteering 6Day Event Company in Moray 2013.  We look forward to meeting orienteers from across the world at these and other competitions before the main event in 2015.”

Lynne Walker, Chairman Scottish Orienteering 6-Day Event Company said “We are honoured to be involved with the partnership formed to stage the prestigious WOC 2015 event and associated public races. We will do our utmost to deliver an unforgettable experience for everyone.”

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chair of The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport committee said “we are absolutely delighted to be welcoming the World Championships back to the Highlands.  We saw a lasting sporting and economic benefit the last time the championships were in the area and I’m sure it will be bigger and better this time round.  We will prepare our best Highland welcome for everyone involved”

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