2024 Orienteering World Cup Kicks Off in Olten with Knock-Out Sprint and Individual Sprint Races

The international orienteering season is set to kick off with the Orienteering World Cup 2024. This year, the first round of the competition will take place in Switzerland, featuring a Knock-Out Sprint on Saturday and an individual sprint on Sunday. The races will be held in the city of Olten, known for its flat and fast racing terrain in urban and park areas, as well as its old town center with narrow streets and footpaths that will provide challenging orienteering courses.

In Switzerland, a total of 250 athletes from 32 countries have registered to compete. Among them is World Cup title holder Tove Alexandersson from Sweden, who is aiming for her 10th consecutive title this year. Despite winning his sixth World Cup title last year, Swiss athlete Matthias Kyburz will not be competing as he is focused on preparing for the Olympic marathon.

If you’re looking to follow the action live from Olten, there are plenty of opportunities available. High-quality TV broadcasts will be available on IOF TV and various national TV channels, with commentary in both English and French. A special discount package is currently being offered on IOF TV, allowing viewers to watch all four races from Olten and next weekend’s World Cup sprint races from Genoa for 30 EUR or purchase each race separately for 9 EUR.

The schedule for World Cup Round 1 includes the Knock-Out Sprint Qualification on Friday afternoon followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals on Saturday. The individual sprint final will take place on Sunday with live broadcasts available on IOF TV. Fans can also follow the Knock-Out Sprint Qualification live on IOF LIVE for more information and updates visit the organisers’ homepage and follow them on social media.