THE FISO ITALIAN CUP IN ORIENTEERING COMES TO VERONA PROVINCE WITH THE 2 DAYS LAKE GARDA – MONTE BALDO

Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, orienteering runners armed with map and compass will compete at altitude on the Gardesan Prealps, in the municipalities of Brenzone and San Zeno di Montagna.

Following the success of the 2023 European Championships, the development of orienteering in the Baldo area continues with the 2 Days Lake Garda – Monte Baldo, a competitive orienteering race that will serve as the fourth and fifth stages of the FISO Italian Cup (Middle and Long distance) on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, respectively.

Set against the stunning Veronese balcony over Lake Garda, orienteers will be tasked with finding the fastest route using only a compass to reach a precise sequence of control points, known as “lanterns,” marked on a topographic map provided at the start. The two high-altitude races, organized by PWT Italia in partnership with FISO – Italian Orienteering Federation, are held with the collaboration of Funivie del Baldo, Funivia Prada Costabella, ASD Orient Express Verona, and the patronage of the Municipalities of Brenzone and San Zeno di Montagna.

SATURDAY, JUNE 7: MIDDLE DISTANCE

Monte Baldo (2218 m above sea level), known as the “Garden of Europe”, and Lake Garda, with its crystal-clear waters, will offer, through maps created by Stefano Zonato and Augusto Cavazzani,a rich technical challenge combined with unmatched natural and scenic beauty. Among the favorites vying for victory in the Italian Cup stages, under the coordination of event manager Gabriele Viale, is Anna Pradel (US Primiero), and Damiano Bettega (GS Pavione) and Samuele Tait (Gronlait Orienteering Team) for the men.

In Stage 1 Prada Costabella – Monte Baldo (June 7, 3:00 PM), runners will arrive at the breathtaking viewpoint of Prada at 1,550 m a.s.l., an open alpine pasture area with sparse rocky zones and small, deep valleys orthogonal to the slope. The Middle Distance courses will reach up to 1,600 m a.s.l., demonstrating good runnability despite elevation changes and numerous control points.

SUNDAY, JUNE 8: LONG DISTANCE

In Stage 2 Prada Pralongo – Monte Baldo (June 8, 10:00 AM), the Long Distance race will take athletes through a mixed beech forest with excellent visibility, offering great technical and competitive value. The courses will develop between 1,200 and 1,300 m a.s.l. in mature beech woodland, weaving through a maze of depressions and terrain features, with limited rocky areas and paths. Throughout the entire race, speed will be decisive—right to the final meter. Registration for the two-day event, also open to newcomers and amateurs, is available on  orienteering.it and at the Event Center (Hotel Edelweiss) in Brenzone sul Garda.

ORIENTEERING AND CARTOGRAPHY IN THE LAND OF EUGENIO TURRI

The Mondini Refuge on Monte Baldo, which will host the event headquarters, is named in honor of Eugenio Turri. For this reason, on Saturday, June 7, at 11:00 AM, a special tribute will be paid to the memory of the renowned landscape scholar with the conference: “Orienteering and Cartography in the Land of Eugenio Turri”, held at the Baito.

A storyteller, university professor, and collaborator of the De Agostini Geographic Institute, Turri published the book Il Monte Baldo in 1973, portraying the “mountain of the Veronese people” as a living museum where one can understand the complex mechanisms of natural phenomena.