In the first week of July, the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) took place in the stunning region of Trento, Italy, with the event centre based in the lakeside town of Baselga di Piné. It was amazing to see the town leaning into the sport with the JWOC mascot visible on every roundabout and many of the population showing their support at the opening ceremony.
Across the week, five races were held: the mixed sprint relay, individual sprint, long distance, middle distance, and relay, with a rest day in between. This was my second JWOC, and with the experience of last year behind me, I was incredibly excited heading into the event. The dramatic landscapes of the Dolomites and the technical, high-paced racing did not disappoint!
The first race of the week was the mixed sprint relay—always one of the most thrilling events. Set in a blend of alpine town and park, the course demanded rapid shifts in navigation style, from quick decision-making in the urban sections to the ramping up of speed in the park. With temperatures hitting 38°C, it was a challenging day, and although I enjoyed the adrenaline of the mass start, I found the heat particularly tough to race in.
Next up was the individual sprint, which turned out to be my best performance of the week. I ran a clean race and placed 51st. The team atmosphere was gret and super supportive, especially with one of our teammates achieving an incredible 4th place and earning a spot on the podium!
The forest races began with the long distance—an endurance challenge covering 10.5 km with 500 meters of climb. Staying focused for the full 90 minutes was demanding, and although my navigation held for most of the race, a lapse in concentration near the end cost me two minutes at the third-to-last control, dropping me five places. The middle distance followed, offering runnable forest and more detailed navigation. Guttingly once again a really good run was hampered by a mistake towards the end in a vaguer marshy area, but I was still very happy overall.
The relay was a super fun end to the week. Watching the boys’ race start from quarantine gave us front-row seats to the action and boosted the excitement. I was proud of my run, managing to gain seven places before handing over to our third-leg runner.
All in all, JWOC was an unforgettable experience—racing in new and challenging terrain, connecting with athletes from around the world, and learning from every moment. While there were things I could have improved, I’m ultimately really happy with my performances and progress.
A huge thank you to the Jack Bloor Fund for helping make this incredible opportunity possible!
Jack Bloor Race & Fund 