World Orienteering Championships
The World Orienteering Championships is an annual orienteering event organized by the International Orienteering Federation. The first World Championships was held in Fiskars, Finland in 1966. They were held biennially up to 2003. Since 2003, competitions have been held annually. Participating nations have to be members of the International Orienteering Federation.
Originally, there were only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance replaced the short distance in 2003. In 2014, a sprint relay was added with two men and two women participating and with starting order woman-man-man-woman.
History
The IOF was founded on 21 May 1961 at a Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark by the orienteering national federations of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Their main goal was to standardize the sport and streamline international competition rules. A group of people work with these tasks, and at the 1963 IOF Congress, the work was approved and a technical committee was created. This led to the first international orienteering competition; the 1962 European Championships in Løten, Norway. The first European Orienteering Championships consisted of only one competition; individual. In the following EOC, in Le Brassus, Switzerland, the relay event was added to the competition program. These two EOCs are considered forerunners to the first World Orienteering Championships in 1966.In 2019, the World Orienteering Championships was split into two events: Urban WOC consisting of sprint events only, and Forest WOC consisting of forest events only.
Format
The competition format has changed several times. From the beginning in 1966, the World Championships consisted of only two competitions: an individual race and a relay. In 1991, a short distance race was added and a sprint race was added in 2001. The middle distance replaced the short distance in 2003. On IOF's 23rd congress in Lausanne in 2012, it was decided that a sprint relay event would be added in the 2014 World Championships in Italy. The sprint relay is competed in urban areas and consists of four-orienteer mixed-gender teams with starting order woman-man-man-woman.Current competition format
The current championship events are:| Distance | Notes | |
| Long distance | 90–100 min | Previously called classic distance |
| Middle distance | 30–35 min | Replaced short distance in 2003 |
| Relay | 3 × 40 min | Three-person teams |
Event timeline
ImageSize = width:800 height:132
PlotArea = right:10 left:65 top:5 bottom:20
DateFormat = yyyy
Period = from:1966 till:2026
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1966
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:2003
AlignBars = justify
- there is no automatic collision detection,
- so shift texts up or down manually to avoid overlap
Colors =
id:knockout value:rgb
id:sprintrelay value:rgb
id:sprint value:rgb
id:short value:rgb
id:middle value:rgb
id:individual value:rgb
id:classic value:rgb
id:long value:rgb
id:relay value:rgb
PlotData=
width:20 align:center mark: shift:
bar:Knockout fontsize:S from:2020 till:end color:white text:Knockout Spr.
from:2020 till:2021 color:knockout
from:2022 till:2023 color:knockout
from:2024 till:2025 color:knockout
at:2020 mark:
bar:SprintRelay fontsize:S from:2014 till:end color:white text:Sprint Relay
from:2014 till:2019 color:sprintrelay
from:2020 till:2021 color:sprintrelay
from:2022 till:2023 color:sprintrelay
from:2024 till:2025 color:sprintrelay
at:2014 mark:
bar:Sprint color:sprint
from:2001 till:2002
from:2003 till:2019 text:Sprint
from:2020 till:2021
from:2022 till:2023
from:2024 till:2025
at:2001 mark:
bar:Middle
from:1991 till:2003 color:white text:Short Distance
from:1991 till:1992 color:short
from:1993 till:1994 color:short
from:1995 till:1996 color:short
from:1997 till:1998 color:short
from:1999 till:2000 color:short
from:2001 till:2002 color:short
from:2003 till:2020 color:middle text:Middle Distance
from:2021 till:2022 color:middle
from:2023 till:2024 color:middle
from:2025 till:2026 color:middle
at:1991 mark:
at:2003 mark:
bar:Long
from:start till:1991 color:white text:Individual orienteering
from:start till:1967 color:individual
from:1968 till:1969 color:individual
from:1970 till:1971 color:individual
from:1972 till:1973 color:individual
from:1974 till:1975 color:individual
from:1976 till:1977 color:individual
from:1978 till:1980 color:individual
from:1981 till:1982 color:individual
from:1983 till:1984 color:individual
from:1985 till:1986 color:individual
from:1987 till:1988 color:individual
from:1989 till:1990 color:individual
from:1991 till:2003 color:white text:Classic distance
from:1991 till:1992 color:classic
from:1993 till:1994 color:classic
from:1995 till:1996 color:classic
from:1997 till:1998 color:classic
from:1999 till:2000 color:classic
from:2001 till:2002 color:classic
from:2003 till:2020 color:long text:Long Distance
from:2021 till:2022 color:long
from:2023 till:2024 color:long
from:2025 till:2026 color:long
at:1991 mark:
at:2003 mark:
bar:Relay
from:start till:1981 color:white text:Relay, 4 men, 3 women
from:start till:1967 color:relay
from:1968 till:1969 color:relay
from:1970 till:1971 color:relay
from:1972 till:1973 color:relay
from:1974 till:1975 color:relay
from:1976 till:1977 color:relay
from:1978 till:1980 color:relay
from:1981 till:2003 color:white text:Relay, 4 men, 4 women
from:1981 till:1982 color:relay
from:1983 till:1984 color:relay
from:1985 till:1986 color:relay
from:1987 till:1988 color:relay
from:1989 till:1990 color:relay
from:1991 till:1992 color:relay
from:1993 till:1994 color:relay
from:1995 till:1996 color:relay
from:1997 till:1998 color:relay
from:1999 till:2000 color:relay
from:2001 till:2002 color:relay
from:2003 till:2020 color:relay text:Relay, 3 men, 3 women
from:2021 till:2022 color:relay
from:2023 till:2024 color:relay
from:2025 till:2026 color:relay
at:1981 mark:
at:2003 mark:
Venues
| Year | Dates | Location |
| 1966 | 1–2 October |  Fiskars, Finland |
| 1968 | 28–29 September |  Linköping, Sweden |
| 1970 | 27–29 September |  Friedrichroda, German Democratic Republic |
| 1972 | 14–16 September |  Staré Splavy, Czechoslovakia |
| 1974 | 20–22 September |  Viborg, Denmark |
| 1976 | 24–26 September |  Aviemore, United Kingdom |
| 1978 | 15–17 September |  Kongsberg, Norway |
| 1979 | 2–4 September | Tampere, Finland |
| 1981 | 4–6 September |  Thun, Switzerland |
| 1983 | 1–4 September |  Zalaegerszeg, Hungary |
| 1985 | 4–6 September |  Bendigo, Australia |
| 1987 | 3–5 September |  Gérardmer, France |
| 1989 | 17–20 August | Skövde, Sweden |
| 1991 | 21–25 August | Mariánské Lázně, Czechoslovakia |
| 1993 | 9–14 October |  West Point, United States |
| 1995 | 15–20 August |  Detmold, Germany |
| 1997 | 11–16 August | Grimstad, Norway |
| 1999 | 1–8 August | Inverness, United Kingdom |
| 2001 | 29 July–4 August | Tampere, Finland |
| 2003 | 3–9 August | Rapperswil/Jona, Switzerland |
| 2004 | 11–19 September | Västerås, Sweden |
| 2005 | 9–15 August |  Aichi, Japan |
| 2006 | 1–5 August | Århus, Denmark |
| 2007 | 18–26 August |  Kiev, Ukraine |
| 2008 | 10–20 July |  Olomouc, Czech Republic |
| 2009 | 16–23 August | Miskolc, Hungary |
| 2010 | 8–15 August | Trondheim, Norway |
| 2011 | 13–20 August | Savoie, France |
| 2012 | 14–22 July | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| 2013 | 6–14 July | Vuokatti, Finland |
| 2014 | 5–13 July |  Trentino-Veneto, Italy |
| 2015 | 1–7 August | Inverness, United Kingdom |
| 2016 | 20–28 August | Strömstad-Tanum, Sweden |
| 2017 | 1–7 July |  Tartu, Estonia |
| 2018 | 4–11 August |  Riga, Latvia |
| 2019 | 13–17 August | Østfold, Norway |
| postponed | Triangle Region, Denmark | |
| 2021 | 4–9 July | Doksy, Czech Republic |
| 2022 | 9–13 July | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
| 2023 | TBA | Graubünden, Switzerland |
| 2024 | TBA | TBA |
| 2025 | TBA | Kuopio, Finland |
Multiple winners
Men
Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes per type.| Rank | Athlete | From | To | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Thierry Gueorgiou | 2003 | 2017 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 23 |
| 2 | Olav Lundanes | 2010 | 2019 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 17 |
| 3 | Daniel Hubmann | 2005 | 2019 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 28 |
| 4 | Øyvin Thon | 1979 | 1989 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 5 |  Andrey Khramov | 2005 | 2015 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 6 | Petter Thoresen | 1989 | 1997 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 7 | Valentin Novikov | 2004 | 2013 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| 8 | Matthias Kyburz | 2012 | 2018 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 9 | Bjørnar Valstad | 1991 | 2004 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 10 | Tore Sagvolden | 1979 | 1987 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 11 | Rolf Pettersson | 1972 | 1979 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 12 | Jonas Leandersson | 2012 | 2018 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 13 | Morten Berglia | 1981 | 1987 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 13 | Jørgen Rostrup | 1999 | 2005 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 15 | Thomas Bührer | 1991 | 2003 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 16 | Magne Dæhli | 2012 | 2019 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 17 | Egil Johansen | 1976 | 1979 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | Emil Wingstedt | 2003 | 2007 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 19 | Bernt Frilén | 1970 | 1974 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 20 | Søren Bobach | 2014 | 2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 21 | Åge Hadler | 1966 | 1972 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 22 | Christian Aebersold | 1991 | 1995 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Arne Johansson | 1972 | 1976 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Karl Johansson | 1966 | 1970 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Eskil Kinneberg | 2017 | 2018 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 26 | Jörgen Mårtensson | 1981 | 1997 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| 27 | Jani Lakanen | 1999 | 2013 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 28 | Janne Salmi | 1995 | 2001 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 29 | Carl Godager Kaas | 2010 | 2016 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 30 | Matthias Merz | 2005 | 2012 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 31 | Gustav Bergman | 2012 | 2019 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 32 | Emil Svensk | 2018 | 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Women
Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes per type.| Rank | Athlete | From | To | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Simone Niggli-Luder | 2001 | 2013 | 23 | 2 | 6 | 31 |
| 2 | Tove Alexandersson | 2011 | 2019 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 21 |
| 3 | Minna Kauppi | 2004 | 2013 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
| 4 | Maja Alm | 2012 | 2018 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 |
| 5 | Marita Skogum | 1983 | 1993 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| 6 | Annichen Kringstad | 1981 | 1985 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 7 | Judith Wyder | 2011 | 2018 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | Helena Bergman | 2012 | 2018 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 |
| 9 | Hanne Staff | 1997 | 2004 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 10 | Liisa Veijalainen | 1972 | 1981 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | Karin Rabe | 1978 | 1989 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| 12 | Arja Hannus | 1981 | 1991 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Anne Margrethe Hausken | 2005 | 2016 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 14 | Annika Billstam | 2007 | 2015 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 14 |
| 15 | Heli Jukkola | 2003 | 2007 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 16 | Ulla Lindkvist | 1966 | 1972 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Merja Rantanen | 2008 | 2017 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 18 | Vroni König-Salmi | 1997 | 2008 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 19 | Marlena Jansson | 1991 | 1999 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 20 | Anna Bogren | 1993 | 1997 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 21 | Karolina A. Højsgaard | 2003 | 2009 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 22 | Ida Bobach | 2011 | 2016 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Natalia Gemperle | 2016 | 2019 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 24 | Kristin Cullman | 1974 | 1978 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 25 | Gunilla Svärd | 1997 | 2004 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 26 | Outi Borgenström | 1974 | 1981 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 26 | Dana Brožková | 2006 | 2011 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 26 | Ingrid Hadler | 1966 | 1974 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 29 | Kirsi Boström | 1993 | 1999 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 29 | Emma Klingenberg | 2014 | 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 31 | Lina Strand | 2016 | 2019 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 32 | Karolin Ohlsson | 2018 | 2019 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Mixed
;Sprint Relay| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2014 | |||
| 2015 | |||
| 2016 | |||
| 2017 | |||
| 2018 |