National orienteering races

A few years after the European Orienteering Championships (EOC2018), and after the national races in Campra 2022, Ticino is ready to once again host a major event dedicated to this sport. A national EOC competition weekend, valid for the WRE, is scheduled for April 20 and 21, 2024 in the beautiful terrains of the Vallemaggia.

These races were originally scheduled to take place in 2020, only to be cancelled due to the pandemic. The registration fees the participants did not ask for reimbursement made up a sum of 5'269 CHF, which was donated to Casa Martini in Solduno.

VM2024 will be a unique occasion for all fans of orienteering: in Vallemaggia, competitors will face exciting and very different terrains, ranging from the small and intricate village centres, characterised by narrow streets and sudden changes of direction, to beech forests dotted with irregular boulders, dry stone walls, small valleys and sudden changes of slope.

On Saturday 20 April, a national sprint race will take place in the villages of Aurigeno, Maggia and Moghegno.

The final race is scheduled for Sunday 21 April with the Swiss Medium Distance Championships (MOM), which will take place in the woods above Lodano and Aurigeno.

There will also be many tourist activities available for participants who wish to stay in the region before, during and after the weekend of races. Not only are there plenty of interesting tourist destinations in the Vallemaggia region to choose from, but it's also easy to get to the towns of Ascona, also known as "The Pearl of Lake Maggiore", and Locarno, a culturally rich city.

During their stay in Vallemaggia runners who decide to explore the region will have plenty of options: they will be able to go on excursions suitable for all levels and all ages (among others, the Sentieri di Pietra), visit museums (such as the Museo di Valmaggia in Cevio), practice other sports (such as bungee jumping, cliff or indoor climbing, pump track, mountain biking) or discover some cultural places of great historical and scenic value (among others, the church of Mogno, the Val Bavona villages, and the village of Bosco Gurin).

Finally, there will be plenty of opportunities to try local gastronomic dishes, with traditional grotti and more contemporary restaurants serving traditional dishes (polenta cheese, meat) as well as modern interpretations of local dishes.

For all the above reasons VM2024 will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore a region with so much to offer.

In the coming weeks, registration for the competition will be open and more details will be provided.

We look forward to seeing you in Vallemaggia!

More information about the region: https://www.ascona-locarno.com/en/esplora/vallemaggia