Edinburgh’s Freddie Carcas (Interlopers), along with brother and sister athletes, Peter and Grace Molloy, from Linlithgow and members of the Forth Valley club, have been chosen as part of a 10 strong Great Britain team for the Sprint World Orienteering Championships taking place in the Scottish capital from 12-16 July.
Freddie brings with him experience of a track scholarship at university in Boise, Idaho.
Often thought of as a countryside sport, WOC 2024 will be staged in the intricate urban terrain Edinburgh has to offer, with the iconic landmarks providing the perfect backdrop for the elite courses.
This free event will enable fans to watch the world’s best orienteering athletes tackle challenging routes which weave through the city’s historical and cultural attractions.
Also, there are free family activities on offer throughout the week, including orienteering mazes, fun races and all the action on live screens. The orienteering maze and big screen will feature in Princes Street Gardens on Friday followed by fun races for kids and adults alike at The Meadows, as well as another orienteering maze, from Saturday 13 July until Monday 15 July.
With Great Britain finishing second in the medal table at the last Sprint World Orienteering Championships in Denmark in 2022, the host nation will be looking to go one better and top the table.
Grace Molloy, who is in contention for one of the top places said: “I’m excited to race in a city as iconic as Edinburgh, especially as it is 30 minutes from my home, and I’m looking forward to truly challenging the best athletes in the world. This is the first WOC where I’ve had the speed to match the top women and I’m hoping to achieve top 10 positions in the individual races and a medal in the relay.
The five-day orienteering festival also features amateur races for all ages and levels, with competitors as young as 10 and some in their 80s.
The ‘WOC Tour’ will allow competitors, from those relatively new to the sport up to experienced recreational athletes, to experience the best of urban orienteering.
The first elite races will be the Individual Sprint taking place in Leith on the morning of Friday 12 July, with finals in the afternoon finishing in Princes Street Gardens.
The action continues on Sunday 14 July at Heriot Watt University with the Team Sprint Relay.
On Tuesday 16 July the Knockout Sprint qualifications take place at Wester Hailes with the finals finishing on St John Street in Central Edinburgh.
WOC 2024 will be broadcast on Eurovision Sport (www.eurovisionsport.com), the European Broadcasting Union (IBU’s) new free streaming platform and on the IOF YouTube channel.
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