The Organizing Committee of the 2023 European Orienteering Championships once again hosted, after a first visit in February, the IOF-International Orienteering Federation, which came from Sweden for further site inspections in Veneto with the Advisor Jari Kymäläinen.

For the EOC Committee, meetings were held with Gabriele Viale, EOC General Manager, Mauro Gazzerro, President of FISO Veneto, Tommaso Scalet, EOC Technical Director, Stefano Zonato and Francesco Buselli, mappers of the Verona races, Giuseppe Simoni, Race Director of Soave, Aaron Gaio, mapper of the Vicenza races, and Paolo Piaserico, Viorteam representative for relations with the territory in Vicenza.

The International Federation, together with managers and officials of the Municipality of Verona, visited the area reserved for quarantine, which the athletes will be able to use as a meeting place before the final on 4 October. This race will decide the continental Sprint champions in the streets of the historic centre.

Among the various representatives were the Commander of the Municipal Police of Verona Luigi Altamura, the Manager of the Sport Office of the Municipality of Verona Fabio Salvadego, the Head of the Events of the Municipality of Verona Ornella Bigi. In the following meeting at Palazzo Barbieri, topics such as the use and enhancement of the competition arena and the race courses were addressed with the aim of planning the arena’s structures, as well as the overall logistics.

The Sprint course was then assessed considering its TV show points, together with the press, the race jury and the anti-doping rooms. Finally, reconnaissance also in the Borgo Venezia university district. The inspection was also sealed by a final meeting with the mayor Damiano Tommasi.

Also in the meetings in Soave, presided over by the Councilor for Sport of the Municipality Denis Adami, and in Vicenza, with the presence of the competent municipal officials, the race arena, the competition area, and all of its logistic were discussed.  

“The International Commissioner – declared Gabriele Viale, 2023 EOC General Director – verified the progress in the organization and its respect for the previously-set timeline. In Verona, to give greater prominence on TV live at the Arena and at Palazzo Barbieri, we have agreed on a small change in the arrival and departure corridors. In Soave we met great collaboration from the Municipality led by Mayor Matteo Pressi. In Vicenza, great support from the sports clubs Viorteam and Erebus Orienteering Vicenza together with local volunteering realities. We are also proud of two charity partners such as the Don Mazzi Youth Centers and the Città della Speranza Foundation. We have worked in all the locations to optimize the race courses in order to facilitate the inhabitants of the historic centre. We will be up to an event of such prestige and sporting level”.