The organizers of the EGK European Orienteering Championships in Neuchâtel have decided to hold the competitions from 13 to 16 May 2021 without spectators on site. The amateur sport event, the EGK Swiss 5 Days Orienteering, will be postponed by a year.

Despite challenging organizational conditions caused by the corona pandemic, the EGK European Orienteering Championships should be carried out successfully. The focus is on the health of the athletes and everyone involved. For this reason and due to the still applicable restrictions for events in Switzerland, the title events from 13 to 16 May will take place in Neuchâtel without spectators on site. The competition program remains unchanged: on Ascension Day will be the sprint relay, on Saturday the knock-out sprint and on Sunday the sprint.

For several weeks, the organizers of the Swiss Cup Association and of ANCO have been working on a detailed protection concept for the EGK European Orienteering Championships and at the same time the first orienteering World Cup round of the season. The OC around president Matthias Niggli is in close contact with the authorities of the canton and city of Neuchâtel as well as the International Orienteering Federation (IOF). The details of the protective measures which is also based on experience gained from the IBU Biathlon World Cup and will provide corona tests for the people involved, will be presented in the official bulletins to the teams in the coming weeks.

The organizers ensure planning security with their decision not to admit spectators on site. Thanks to digital offers, orienteering fans and a large public should nevertheless be able to follow and to observe and support their favorites. The fascination of orienteering will be broadcast home not least thanks to live transmission of the Host Broadcaster “SRF Sport”. All three final competitions of the EGK European Orienteering Championships can be seen live on Swiss television and online. Additional digital offers should ensure a complete range for spectators.

The corona pandemic has also an impact on the amateur sport event, the EGK Swiss 5 Days Orienteering. The multi-day orienteering event with planned 2000 participants was scheduled parallel to the international orienteering championships. However, the organizing club ANCO (Association Neuchâteloise de Course d’Orientation) has had to decide to postpone the event again for another year. Due to the applicable regulations and restrictive measures related to Covid-19, a successful implementation of the EGK Swiss 5 Days in May 2021 is not conceivable for all parties.

Due to the postponement of the event, the EGK Swiss 5 Days Orienteering will keep its attractive concept of five stages over the Ascension weekend from 25 to 29 May 2022. Swiss Orienteering has confirmed the date and the approval of the local authorities is expected shortly.

The organizers of the EGK European Orienteering Championships and the EGK Swiss 5 Days Orienteering would like to thank all participants, sponsors and partners for their support and understanding. Only thanks to a good and constructive cooperation is it possible to hold both events under particular conditions. A big thank you!