Author: Tuomas Kari

The final stage of PWT Asia Tour 2024 was set in the areas of Beijing Winter Olympic Park and Shougan Industrial Relics Park, located in west-Beijing. The event center was built around the Olympics’ Big Air hill and the courses travelled in the park and in an old steel factory area – at times on two levels. Many athletes mentioned before their starts to be eagerly waiting to race as they had little information on what kind of terrain and challenges would lie ahead.

Same as yesterday, fastest woman was Emma Bjessmo (SWE), who beat today’s second Shuangyan Hao (CHI) by almost 50 seconds. Jana Peterova (CZE) on third place took her fourth podium placing on the tour.

In the men, the script was similar to previous races with Tomas Krivda (CZE) taking the victory before Yannick Michiels (BEL) and Jonas Hubacek (CZE) on second and third places. Krivda was clearly the strongest today with over a 40 second win margin.

RESULTS
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MAPS

After the PWT event, a local Score-O event was organized in the same area with 3000 participants. The PWT athletes also took part, promoting orienteering to the map enthusiasts.

PWT Asia Tour 2024 is in the books but plans for future races are already set. Follow PWT web site and social media channels for news on the upcoming tours.

Third stage of PWT Asia Tour took place in Olympic Forest Park of Beijing. In addition to the orienteers, the sunny day had driven numerous locals to the park area to watch the autumn colors and fast moving athletes. The courses were physical but varying.

Emma Bjessmo (SWE) found another gear today and was able to secure the victory after two third places. Jana Peterova (CZE) was 23 seconds and Lone Brochmann (NOR) over a minute behind, so Bjessmo had a speed of her own today.

Among the men, Tomas Krivda (CZE) was again the best leaving Yannick Michiels (BEL) and Jonas Hubacek (CZE) to second and third places. Krivda and Michiels seemed to have pretty much similar speed, but small mistakes made the difference today.

Jana Peterova commented that: “I was hesitating a bit in the beginning because it was a forest sprint which I am not so used to. But I managed to get more focus soon and after it was quite okay. After the hesitations in the beginning, I did not make any clear mistakes, so I think Emma was just a little bit faster today gaining a second or two here and there. I enjoyed the race eventhough it was a bit different to what I am used to”.

Yannick Michiels, who took his third second place, commented that: “The course was not so difficult and very fast. I compared splits with Tomas and our speed was quite similar, but I made three smaller mistakes on the long legs hitting some greener areas that slowed me down. So the difference to Tomas became on those longer legs today. My speed is on par with him, so I will need a clean race to be able to take the win in the last race. After three second places, I am motivated to get it done tomorrow”.

The tour will conclude tomorrow, also in Olympic Park, but this time in the Winter Olympic Park of Beijing.

RESULTS

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MAPS

The tour continued today in Qinling Tianzhushan Scenic Area in Shanyang.
Compared to the flattish race yesterday, the terrain was quite different with a steep mountainous scenic area with lots of stairs. The courses went up and down and you really needed strength in the legs to be fast until the end. Besides the WRE, there were around 500 local runners taking part in other classes.

In today’s WRE sprint, the wins and the biggest prize money went to Czech runners as Jana Peterova and Tomas Krivda outperformed all the others. Jana climbed one position from yesterday and Tomas took his second win on the row.

Peterova was in a class of her own today, as the second fastest woman Lone Brochmann (NOR) was almost a minute behind. Emma Bjessmo (SWE) took another third place six seconds behind Brochmann.

Yannick Michiels (BEL) was second and Jonas Hubacek (CZE) third in the men’s class, so it was the same top three as yesterday. Michiels was still a bit in front of Krivda before the final big climbing legs, but Krivda was able to turn it around with a strong finish.

“It has been a good start for the tour. Really exiting locations for the races, yesterday in the old village and today under the mountain. I was really excited to come back here after the last year’s tour. I’ve managed to do quite well in both races by avoiding big mistakes, staying flexible, and running fluently throughout the races. I am happy to be able to keep my opponents behind me and exited for the two more upcoming races.”, said Tomas Krivda, who has started the tour with two victories.

“Fight the hills, fight the stairs, and also fight down the stairs. In my case that was the recipe for success today”, said women’s winner Jana Peterova, and continued that “I had a pretty clean race today – physically I didn’t feel very good, but I think everyone suffered today with jet lag and the tough course. Nice physical course and nice environment under the misty mountain.”

RESULTS
WRE Link

Results & Splits excel:

MAPS

The tour will continue next Saturday in Beijing. Stay tuned.

Manchuan Ancient Town, located in Shaanxi, China, set the stage for the first event of the of PWT Asia Tour 2024. Manchuan can be described as a traditional Chinese old town, which today offered some fast-paced sprint orienteering challenges. But small alleyways, numerous local people spectating in the streets, and completely different architecture from what most runners are used to, made the race trickier than what it looks from the map.

The tour was set off the best by Shuangyan Hao (CHI) and Tomas Krivda (CZE).

The women’s race was super tight as Jana Peterova (CZE) lost only three seconds and Emma Bjessmo (SWE) another three more to Shuangyan Hao, who has several good positions from World Champs sprints.

The men’s race was less tight with Tomas Krivda making a 13 second gap to Yannick Michiels (BEL) and 36 second gap to Jonas Hubacek (CZE).

“I really enjoyed it out there today. It was a lot of fun. It’s my first time in China so I am very excited to see what’s in front of us here. I really enjoyed not knowing beforehand what kind of terrain it would be today. It would be fun to have this kind of sprint experiences more often, where you don’t really know what’s coming. The course was good – quite normal, but the town was very different from my expectations adding to the challenge. I made a clear mistake to the second last control [note. which probably cost her the victory] but otherwise it was mostly OK. It’s cool to be here and I am looking forward to the upcoming experiences here.”, said Emma Bjessmo (SWE) after her race.

RESULTS

Results & Splits excel:

MAPS

PWT Asia Tour is organized in collaboration between Park World Tour, Beijing Learnjoy Sports Marketing, and local Sports Bureaus. The tour will continue already tomorrow with a WRE sprint in Qinling Tianzhushan Scenic Area. The last two events will take place a week later in Beijing.

PWT Asia Tour 2024 is coming!

Program starts from 11th October 2024, meeting at Xi’an airport within 17.00, as the first event will be already on 12th. Departure from Beijing airport on 20 or 21st October 2024.
There will be prize money in all events.

Please all runners interested, write to us before you book your flight ticket.
We will invite 20 MEN and 20 WOMEN

Program:
11-Oct-24 Arrival in Xi’an and bus to Shanyang Country Xi’an
12-Oct-24 PWT 1 Shanyang
13-Oct-24 PWT 2 & WRE Shanyang
14-Oct-24 Rest Day Xi’an
15-Oct-24 Visit to Xi’an Terracotta Warriors Museum Xi’an
16-Oct-24 Leaving for Beijing Beijing
17-Oct-24 Training Beijing
18-Oct-24 Sightseeing Great Wall/ The Palace Museum Beijing
19-Oct-24 PWT 3 Beijing
20-Oct-24 PWT 4 & City Orienteering Beijing
21-Oct-24 Check out and Departure Beijing

More detailed info will come soon: PWT Asia Tour 2024
All cost in China (from Xi’an airport to Beijing) is covered by the organizers.

More info:
Jaroslav Kacmarcik – jkpwt@hotmail.com
Giulia Zenere – giulia@parkworldtour.org
Thomas Tan – tanxp@orienteering.cn

50 students of the Karan International School of Ambah, Morena – Madhya Pradesh India got to experience orienteering for the first time.

Thanks to Dhyanchand Foundation, Mr Kapil (director), the principle of KIS, Mr Sandeep Singh, Mr Deepak and the New Delhi O-Club, Mr Sanjeev Pandey for giving the chance of spreading the seeds of our sport to these new minds.

At the moment, PWT Academy officials are in India to help spread orienteering there. A series of events promoting orienteering are taking place.

Today, 85 students between boys and girls of the Dron Academy of Porsa, Morena – Madhya Pradesh India met orienteering for the first time.

And the girls of this school outperformed the boys!

Thanks to Dhyanchand Foundation, the principle of Dron Academy Mr Raghvendra, Mr Sandeep Singh, Mr Deepak and the New Delhi O-Club, Mr Sanjeev Pandey for making it possible.

The SportIdent equipment was donated by Park World Tour Academy to the New Delhi Orienteering Club, who have been active in spreading orienteering in India.

The second race of the Chongqing event was run today in Yidu Ancient Town, Dadukou, Chongqing. The terrain was divided into two very distinct parts as you can see from the map.

“It was another hot and humid day but a very cool course. First part was in an old village before a steep transport leg to a park above the village. I made 2 small mistakes today but was happy to win both races in Chongqing.”, said the men’s winner Yannick Michiels (BEL).

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As part of the PWT collaboration in China, a two-day event is organized in Chongqing this weekend. The competitions are organized by Learnjoy and Chongqing Orienteering Association, with PWT as the coordinator. There are also few international athletes taking part.

The first race was run today in Dandelion Coldplay Camp, Dadukou, Chongqing. The weather was hot and humid, and the hilly course was a mix of camp site, park, village, and farmer fields. There was also a part in a maze.

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Another tricky sprint in Dongziguan, a village with a new architecture combined with old Chinese style. The men & women elite run the same course and again there was a big number of Chinese runners taking part, including many youngsters.

Thanks to Miki Tse, the Zhejiang Orienteering Association, Firee Sportswear, Thomas Tan and Learnjoy for the organization.

Full results