It is under one month now to the start of the 2022 FISU World University Championship Ski Orienteering set to take place in Jachymov, Czech Republic opening on 22 February. This will be the first in person FISU World University Championship since the 2020 FISU Championship Speed Skating in Amsterdam, Netherlands in March of that year. The 2020 FISU World University Championship Mind Games took place online in October of 2020 from Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Jachymov is in the Karlovy Vary region of the Czech Republic, approximately 150km east of Prague. After an unusually warm end to December resulting in snow melt in the region, snow did return to the Ore Mountains in mid-January helping ensure the terrain will be ready. As the arena for ski orienteering is the natural environment, this snow is more than welcomed by organisers. Over 100 skiers from upwards of 13 countries are expected to compete in Jachymov in this unique sport that combines physical endurance and navigation skills. Over the course of the race athletes will make many route choices as they navigate the network of trails to reach control points in the correct order. All this happens while they ski at top speeds making it both a physical and mental challenge.

This is the 3rd edition of the FISU Championship Ski Orienteering. The first was held in 2016 in Tula, Russia with 54 athletes from 12 countries while Tartu, Estonia hosted the 2nd edition in 2018 with athlete numbers increasing to 72 from 14 countries. It was also an optional sport at the 2019 FISU World University Games Winter in Krasnoyarsk, Russia and was to be on the programme of the cancelled Lucerne 2021 FISU Games. Ski orienteering will become a compulsory event for the FISU World University Games Winter starting in 2027.

The 2022 FISU World University Championships Ski Orienteering takes place 22-26 February and kicks off a busy year of FISU Championships and FISU University World Cups. 22 events are confirmed to take place in 17 countries and four continents. With the snow falling in Jachymov and athletes set to arrive in mere weeks, anticipation is growing not solely for this event but for what should be an exciting year in sport for FISU.

WRITTEN BY DOUG MCLEAN