In memory of the young orienteering champion

With the international orienteering event, from September 29 to October 11,
the Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia project in support of research, innovation, and tourism will come to a close.

Ten Sardinian locations are ready to transform, from September 29 to October 11, into thrilling open-air maps for over 500 orienteers from 25 nations. The countdown has begun for the itinerant orienteering competition Five + Five Sardinia, which will conclude the larger Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia 2025 project, the result of collaboration between Sardegna Ricerche and SSD PWT Italia, with the support of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the Regional Natural Park of Gutturu Mannu, the Regional Natural Park of Porto Conte, Porto Conte Ricerche, FISO Sardinia, the City of Alghero, and the municipalities of Pula and Santadi.

An intense series of challenges will lead athletes to “navigate” through unspoiled areas of great natural and technical value, further enhanced by newly developed maps, relying solely on a compass to find the fastest route to reach the correct sequence of checkpoints, called controls.

The competitions will be hosted at:

  • Su Guventeddu Beach – Batteria Boggio (Sunset Sprint, September 29)

  • Piscinamanna (Sprint, September 30 – Middle, October 1)

  • Santadi (Middle, October 2)

  • Historic center of Pula (Sprint, October 3)

  • Porto Conte Ricerche (Sunset Sprint, October 6)

  • Lake Baratz (Middle, October 7)

  • Porto Ferro Beach (Long, October 8)

  • Fertilia (Sprint, October 9)

  • Alghero (Sprint, October 10).

IN MEMORY OF MATTIA DEBERTOLIS

At the request of the family, PWT Italia, and the Italian Orienteering Federation—represented in the Catalan city by President Alfio Giomi—the final stage will host the Mattia Debertolis Memorial, in memory of the young Trentino champion who passed away prematurely in August following a sudden illness at the World Games in China.

At the end of the race—recognized by the International Orienteering Federation as a World Ranking Event awarding points for the elite world ranking—a special prize named after Debertolis will be presented to the most promising young orienteer, in recognition of technical skills and fair play.

“Mattia, the jewel and captain of PWT Italia, was actively collaborating in the organization of the event: the Alghero map, near Maria Pia Beach, is the last mapping project signed by him before heading to the World Games,” says General Manager Gabriele Viale. “As with the women’s relay title won earlier this month, we are trying to transform the emotions tied to this tragedy into energy, holding on to his memory even more strongly. PWT Italia therefore returns to Sardinia with a beautiful mix of forest and urban stages, through historic centers and breathtaking landscapes. For the first 5 days we’ll be in the south, based in the Sardinia Technology Park in Pula, then move to the north, based in Porto Conte Ricerche in Alghero.”

SPORT AT THE SERVICE OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

“With Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia we have demonstrated that sport can become a powerful engine for research and innovation: competition in the field and moments of in-depth study integrate to produce evidence—with rigorous data and protocols—on how physical activity improves health, well-being, and cognitive functions, and supports active aging. It is a model that combines scientific excellence, enhancement of the territory, and sustainable development,” says Carmen Atzori, General Director of Sardegna Ricerche.

“Through Five + Five Sardinia, our most evocative landscapes, home also to two locations of the Regional Technology Park, become an open-air laboratory where science and sport engage in fruitful dialogue. It is the culmination of a broader project involving schools, universities, and research centers to make Sardinia a benchmark in innovation applied to sport and wellness.”

Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia, part of the Sport and Wellness 4 Research project, was created from Sardegna Ricerche’s intention to analyze, through orienteering, the interaction between physical exercise and performance enhancement, between environment and psycho-physical well-being, in collaboration with PWT Italia. A key element was the creation of a network of partnerships with academia and the sports world to develop initiatives that translate scientific discoveries into effective and sustainable practices.

In this context, with the support of Sport e Salute, two scientific conferences will be held:

  • Saturday, September 29 (Sardinia Technology Park, Building 2 – Loc. Piscinamanna, Pula)

  • Monday, October 6 (Porto Conte Ricerche, Provincial Road 55, Alghero)

titled “Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia: Research in Motion”, where the results of ongoing studies on the role of the sport in counteracting physical and cognitive decline will be presented.

  • Prof. Lucia Cugusi and Prof. Andrea Manca, from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sassari, will present “Effects and applicability of a 3-month orienteering program in healthy elderly and in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: the ORIENTAge project”.

  • Prof. Filippo Tocco, Scientific Director of the SLAM Laboratory of Sardegna Ricerche at the University of Cagliari, will present on “Cardiocirculatory, respiratory, and metabolic adjustments during physical exercise and mental tasks”.

  • Prof. Federico Schena and Prof. Cantor Tarperi, from the Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement at the University of Verona, will present evidence from the “Study on the effects of orienteering on age-related physical and cognitive functions”.

  • Finally, Canadian researcher PhD Emma Waddington, MSc. Advancement Coordinator at McMaster University Advancement in Hamilton, Ontario, will present her research “Navigating towards better brain health with orienteering”.

5+5 Sardinia is only the final act of a long journey that began in March with the involvement of schools, starting from the organization of the provincial phases of the Student Championships in orienteering, leading up to the Regional Finals to crown the island’s young champions. Various training initiatives also took place, including a first high-level course, a training pathway to allow Sardinian teachers to gain federal coach certification, and a corporate team-building event involving employees of Sardegna Ricerche.