Colour, light and joy fill Opening Ceremony of WUC Orienteering

Get your bearings, set & go!

KUORTANE — On a warm summer night, bathed in sunlight, student athletes from around the world assembled in Finland’s Kuortane Sport Institute for the official start of the 21st World University Orienteering Championship. 

Over the next week, the 249 competitors from 33 countries will find their way across the city and countryside, competing over various distances: Long distance, middle and sprint. There is also a relay event which will feature mixed teams of male and female athletes.

The Opening Ceremony kicked off proceedings with a march past by all the teams carrying their national flags, after which the Finnish flag was hoisted and the national anthem of Finland was played. The president of the Organising Committee and Director of the Kuortane Olympic Training Center Tapio Korjus welcomed everyone to Kuortane and the Championship.

“I wish that you will spend time together, cheer each other and make friends with students all from over the world,” he said to the student ahtletes.

The ceremony closed with a taste of Finnish culture with a performance from dance group Wimma Crew from Seinäjoki. 

The very first World University Orienteering Championship was also hosted in Finland in 1978, in the city of Jyväs- kylä. Since then, the WUC Orienteering has established its place as an important event, where the future stars challenge some of the world’s best athletes. The 21st FISU World University Orienteering Championship 2018 will be held from 17-21 July.