Jičín will write history, again!
The Czech Republic is known among orienteering public and more specifically among MTBO public as a country that can do classy races. The Czech MTBO Cup is regularly attended by delegations not only from neighboring countries, and if you ask them they like the course settings as well as the Czech MTBO community. Even Jičín is no newcomer to the organization of races for the international orienteering elite. Come and see how Jičín already made history!
In 1984, the first ever World Cup in orienteering took place. And one of the races of this historic event took place in Jičín. Jičín repeated such an event once more in 1986 and in 1994 they even hosted the final race of the entire Orienteering World cup.
To Jičín for the races? Anytime again!
But even then, international competitors did not meet in Jičín for the first time. Since 1966, Jičín's orienteers have organized the Czech Paradise Award, which was also included in the federal ranking. This was followed by the creation of the first five-day races in Central Europe - the so-called "5 days of OB". This event was created in 1976 on the occasion of a week-long tour of runners from Sweden and Australia in the Czech Paradise. Subsequently, the local club organized another 20 annual races. In 1982, a record 4,010 competitors took part in Ostružno. Many of those races were held in Bohemian Paradise, one of the most attractive terrains for foot orienteering in the Czech Republic.
Do you want to see more? Watch this video:
An editor and participant in one person wrote hilarious stories about 5 days of OB in the Danish magazine O-Posten No. 8/1984. Although she had to climb sand rocks and was stung by wasps during her races, to the question: Would you like to go through it all again?, she answered: "Anytime!" Orienteering races under the baton of Jičín simply had their name in the world.
Milk behind the finish line
And definitely not for nothing, judge for yourself: Build 35 meters long bridge across the Jizera river, put together 1500 meters of plumbing for drinking water, build up 60 showers and 100 toilets, ensure a connection between the start and finish with help of seven radio stations, lay down 800 meters of electric cables, prepare 4000 milk bags for competitors in the local dairy at 4 a.m., the introduction of Sinclair-Spectrum desktop computers coupled with a display and printer for quick information in the finish for the elite categories… All this and not only was managed by the Jičín organizers already in 1984, to make the then 5 days of OB go smoothly.
The challenges of organizing the World MTBO championships in 2023 are different but not smaller for sure. The history says that the crew from Jičín is not afraid of it and promises a great event. Therefore, dear athletes, train hard so you can see the event closely next year! We also invite crowds of fans who will once again see history being made. And those of you who don't feel like racing, don't be afraid to join the volunteer-organizer ranks!
author: Valerie Kamererová
More information
www.scjicin.cz
https://web.archive.org/web/20070317154146/
http://www.orienteering-history.info/chist_02.php
OB report from 1984
Bulletin 5 days OL 1985
