Forres to take centre stage and welcome the world
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FORRES is set to take centre stage again next year when two national sports events run in tandem here in August 2015.
The announcement that the Highland 6 Days orienteering event and the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) will be partly based in Darnaway Forest, has been met with great excitement by local athletes and sports fans. Forres businesses will also be looking forward to the windfall produced by more than 5,000 athletes and the parties who visit with them.
“This is great news as it guarantees that this area will be a focus for both the 6 days and WOC,” said Moray’s orienteering development officer, Mike Rogers
“The competitors that we expect to come for the 6 day Event will be looking for accommodation and I have heard anecdotally that a lot of it is already fully booked.”
Three of the 6 Day event’s courses are in the local area at Keppernach (south of Nairn) and Darnaway just outside Forres. Glen Strathfarrar and Glen Affric host the other races.
The trails offer a mix of ancient Caledonian Forests, open moorland and birch forest, and complex moraines with Scot’s Pine and deciduous woodland.
Scottish orienteering’s long experience in running the Scottish 6 Days will ensure that Highland, the 20th 6 Days event, will meet its high expectations.
The event will run in conjunction with the World Championships and there will be shared arenas on some days. The 6 Days runners will have the chance to compete on World Championship terrain and spectators will have plenty of opportunities to see the world’s best orienteers in action. Both events will have substantial support from the local community.
The WOC Long, Middle and Forest Relay races will take place at Darnaway and Glen Affric with dates to be confirmed. Forres and Nairn will be used to stage the WOC Mixed Sprint Relay, Sprint Qualifiers and Sprint Final.
Based in Inverness, WOC 2015 will utilise the physically and technically demanding terrain that the area has to offer. From coastal towns to rugged forests and mountains, the challenges will produce worthy world champions.
British Orienteering has a long tradition of competing in and staging successful international events - the World Championships were staged in the UK in 1976 and 1999. Organisers are excited to again welcome international orienteering to the inspiring and unique terrain found in the Highlands.
Event director for the WOC, Paul McGreal, visited Moray in December to give an informal talk at Fogwatt Village Hall following Moravian’s orienteering event at Millbuies.
