Welcome to the Home Page of the 2nd World Orienteering Championships 1968
The event took place in Sweden, in September 27 and 28, 1968, with Linköping as the central point. The actual competion area was situated about 40 kilometers south of the city.
Organization
In 1965 the International Orienteering Federation commissioned Svenska orienteringsförbundet [The Swedish Orienteering Federation] to organize the event. An Organizing Committee was set up with five sub-committees. Most of the actual work was entrusted to IFK Linköping and Linköpings OK, the two largest O-clubs of Linköping. At most about 420 officials were in action.
Publications
Four bulletins, a program
book, result books and final report were published. A special
cover was used for these and for a picture postcard.
The text of the bulletins and the final report is in German and the text of the
program book and of the result books is in Swedish and German. The reason for
having all official information in German is that the official language of the
IOF in 1968 was German. Consequently are some texts on these pages in German.
Participants, leaders, observers
There were participants from 13 countries. Four other countries sent observers.
Terrain, maps and courses
The following description of the terrain and maps is quoted from the program book:
Das Wettkampfsgebiet bietet reichen Wechsel zwischen verschiedenen Geländetypen an. Partien mit hart hügligem, scharfgeschnittenem und pfadarmem Gelände gehen rasch in Gebiete mit leichtgelaufenem, weichkleinhügligem Gelände über. Dichter Fichtenwald und lichter Kiefernwald werden oft von Seen und Mooren abgebrochen. Pfadreiche Gebiete mit Katenruinen und Kohlenmeilern sind Erinnerungen an alte Kultur. Schwer passierbares Gelände ist auf Karte konsequent markieret. Dieses Gelände kann von folgenden verschiedenen Arten sein: Dichte Neupflanzung, verwachsene Abholzung, ausgelichter Jungwald oder dichtes Laubgebüsch. Das offene gebit auf die Karte ist durchgehend leichtgelaufen. Schwergelaufenes Blochgelände hat seines eigenes Zeichen.
Two different maps were used. One on the individual race and another on the relay. The scale was 1:25000. The contour interval was 5 meters. As can be studied on the maps, there were many different rout choices on several legs. For instance the 2 kilometer leg between control 6 and 7 on the men's course.
Maps are GIF-files.
Individual race. Women (418Kb)
Individual race. Men (437Kb)
Relay (478Kb)
Spectators and TV
About 2000 spectators were present at the finish of the individual event and almost as many at the relay. The individual event was on TV in a 3 1/2 hour long live broadcast. There were TV-cameras at the start, at two controls and at the finish.
Stamps
On September 5, 1968 The Swedish Postal Administration issued two commemorative stamps.
Results
Individual race
September 27
Relay
September 28
Bo Jernberg
IFK Linköping