Thierry Gueorgiou and The Olympic Dream
The beginning of Park World Tour in 1996, thanks to the founder’s of PWT including World Champion, Jorgen Martensson assisted in the Mediterranean area by Gabriele Viale with continuing efforts of innovation and determination to promote the inclusion of orienteering in the summer Olympic games.
The Organizing Committee of MOC 2008, in collaboration with Park World Tour Association (Sweden), is cultivating the Olympic dream with the project "Orienteering - The Olympic Dream", next presentation in Athens, the cradle of the Olympics.
Before the transfer to Corfu for the dispute of the first stage of the MOC Tour, a torch will be lit and a banner packed which will be carried by Jorgen Martensson to Beijing, the seat of the upcoming Olympic Games, in the hope that the flag of five circles will soon wave also for orienteering.
A PARADE OF CHAMPIONS FROM NORWAY TO KENYA
Amongst the international athletes listed in the Mediterranean Open Championship of orienteering the name of Thierry Gueorgiou stands out, a 29 year old French undisputed leader of world rankings. For this World Champion, winner of the World Orienteering Championships Middle Distance, for four times (2003-2005 and 2007), this is the beginning of the season and his first time in Puglia.
Opponents to beat for the French champion will be the Russian Alexey Bortnik, winner of the 2007 MOC, the Norwegian Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, already his opponent in sprint races of the World Cup, the Italian-Russian Mikhail Mamleev. To race also the Italians: Giancarlo Simeon, national champion in Long Distance, and Emiliano Corona, representing the Army Sports Centre.
Amongst the women, the Finnish Paola Hapaakoski stands out, a 2006 and 2007 World Champion in the baton race. Primary contenders are co-nationals:
Saila Kinni, Bronze medal in 2007 World Junior and Ulrika Uotila, Silver medal World Junior in 2006, both nationals Under 25, and Elise Egseth, Norwegian national.
A special note to two other athletes: back in Puglia after four years, the Kenyan Peter Gitura and Edmond Bajraktari will make his debut in the MOC Albania, an athlete, who boasts a personal of 3'52''in the 1500 meters and 14'47'' in 5000 meters, will race at home in the historic first official Int. race of orienteering in Albania in cooperation with Albanian Olimpic Committee (2nd Stage of MOC TOUR), scheduled Monday, February 25th, in Tirana.
MOC 2008 INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR
The Organizing Committee of the 2008 Mediterranean Open Championship will also present an international seminar:
“Scientific, Methodical and Informational Aspects of Orienteering”
To be held at 9:00am on Tuesday, March 4th in Bari, Italy in the Aula Magna of the University of Bari.
The seminar, organized by the Faculty of Motory Science and Sporting Activities and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Bari. With the participation of guest speakers: the national technician of FIDAL, Professor Piero Incalza, the collaborator of the Research and Studies Centre of Italian federal athletes and Goran Andersson coach of Orienteering Novergian team.
MOC 2008 CAMP: ORIENTEERING ACADEMY GROWS WITH THE PROVINCE OF TARANTO
The province of Taranto hosts in Castellaneta Marina the headquarters of the Orienteering Academy, the first permanent centre for orienteering in the Mediterranean founded in 2007. Thanks to the growing attention of the Provincial office for the event, MOC 2008 provides its extension to other places, with the production of new cartographic maps in particular, Gravine Park, Jonica Lenne-Chiatona woods, and the territory of Manduria.
MOC 2008: THE COMPLETE PROGRAM - 16 DAYS OF EVENTS
Thursday, February 21
Athens (Greece)
Arrival of the international delegation “Orienteering - The Olympic Dream "
Friday February 22
Athens (Greece), Olympic Stadium
Presentation Project "Orienteering - The Olympic Dream"
Saturday, February 23
Transfer of international delegation to Corfu (Greece)
Sunday, February 24
Corfu (Greece), Historical Centre – 1st stage MOC Tour
Monday, February 25
Tirana (Albania), Lake Tirana Park – 2nd stage MOC Tour
Tuesday, February 26
Bari Historical Centre, Polignano, Alberobello – 3rd stage MOC Tour
Wednesday, February 27
Gravine Park (Matera and Ginosa)
1st stage International Trophy of the Province of Taranto
School Orienteering Day with a demonstration at Ginosa-Palagianello
Thursday, February 28, 2008 MOC Championship
Oria, Historical Centre – 1st stage Mediterranean Open Championship 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008 MOC Championship
Lenne Pineta / Chiatona - Taranto Historical Centre
2nd stage Mediterranean Open Championship 2008 - WRE
(Valid as 2nd stage International Trophy of the Province of Taranto)
Saturday, March 1, 2008 MOC Championship
Policoro, Bosco Pantano – 3rd stage Mediterranean Open Championship 2008
Sunday, March 2
Manduria, Tour de Mura Messapiche
3rd stage Trophy International Province of Taranto
Monday, March 3
Training Castellaneta Marina, Jonica Pineta
Tuesday, March 4
Bari - University of Bari, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, dept. of Bachelors of Science Activities and Motory Sports
International Seminar "Scientific, methodical and informational aspects of orienteering"
Wednesday, March 5
Ruvo, Puglia
Regional meeting "Sportnature ... new paths of sport"
Thursday, March 6
Manduria
Provincial Finals in Taranto Student Sports Games
Friday, March 7
Trani, Historical Centre
Mediterranean Cup - School Orienteering day
Provincial Finals in Bari Student Sports Games
Saturday, March 8
Andria, Castel del Monte
Mediterranean Grand Prix - School Orienteering day
Sunday, March 9
Closing Ceremony and greetings
Follow the Sun
www.orienteering.it/moc2008
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