MTBO World Championship in Jičín in line with sustainability

"Our sports grounds are forests and cities - we don't need to build halls or stadiums, we make do with what nature gives us, or what has already been built," describes Matěj Burda from the Czech Association of Orienteering Sports, the first and fundamental advantage of "orienteering" towards the care of the environment.

Orienteering sports are not even demanding on energy resources - our own muscles are our drive, and our "sports field" does not need to be heated or air-conditioned. At the same time, our dependence on natural or urban environments strongly motivates us to take care of nature and the landscape, to which we want to return in the future.

"The principles of sustainability are the value we want to strive for when organizing the MTBO World Championship," explains the director of the organizing committee, Pavel Musil. Race centers, or arenas, are built only for the purpose of holding the event for the necessary number of days, and once the event is over, the organizers clean everything up again. The meadow will serve as pasture again and the square as a space for citizens and tourists.

We borrow all the equipment needed for the athletes, organizers and fans (fences, toilets, tents, tables, controls), or we use ready-made infrastructure. "In cooperation with the SŠGS in Nové Paka, we will have stands for controls, wooden pegs and indicators made from the remaining wood, which, with the exception of logos, will be used again at other races and events organized by the Sportcentrum Jičín," adds Pavel Musil.

Other little things will also contribute to the championship's lower carbon footprint. For example, Bernard family brewery beer from tap will be in the arenas poured into glasses and not plastic cups. Food for competitors and organizers will be packed in recyclable packaging. Flowers for the winners will be locally sourced.