In Alghero, the final stage of the international orienteering event Five+Five Sardinia 2025 – part of the Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia project – concluded with the overall awards in memory of the young orienteering champion from Trentino, remembered fondly.

His final cartographic work, before the tragic, premature passing last summer during the World Games in China while representing the Italian National Team, had taken him to Alghero in July, working on the Maria Pia beach map. Orienteering was a true passion for Mattia Debertolis – from his beginnings as a talented PWT Italia athlete to his promising career as a course setter.

The international Five + Five Sardinia orienteering event concluded in the Catalan city with a memorial dedicated to him – part of the Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia 2025 project, the result of collaboration between Sardegna Ricerche and SSD PWT Italia, under the patronage of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Gutturu Mannu Regional Natural Park, Porto Conte Regional Natural Park, Porto Conte Ricerche, FISO Sardinia, the City of Alghero, and the Municipalities of Sassari, Pula, and Santadi.

The 29-year-old Trentino champion was honored through commemorative awards presented by the Debertolis family to Max Peter Bejmer, the Swedish talent and newly crowned World Cup winner – also 2022 World Champion in the mixed relay and European silver medalist – and to the Swiss athlete Anja Probst.

The 4 km race was recognized by the International Orienteering Federation as a World Ranking Event, awarding points for the elite world ranking. With compass in hand, 500 orienteers from 25 countries set out to find the fastest route through the 18 control points, known as “lanterns,” placed throughout the historic center of Alghero, with start and finish at Giardini Manno, and along the city’s scenic bastions.

“We are honored to host this major international event in Alghero,” said Mayor Raimondo Cacciotto, joined by Ornella Piras, Councillor for Tourism, Economic Development and Productive Activities.
“It brings attention to a sport that combines nature and active tourism, culture and outdoor activity. This is the direction we want to pursue: making Alghero a true city of sport, with a program that embraces not only culture but also regional, national, and international sporting events.”

“The race was dedicated to Mattia Debertolis,” said Alfio Giomi, President of the Italian Orienteering Federation (FISO).
“He was officially remembered for the first time at an orienteering event through a commemorative course realized in collaboration with the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi. A tribute that will continue two days later in Bassano del Grappa, during the celebrations for FISO’s 40th anniversary.”

“In Mattia’s honor, we promised — to his parents and brother present here — to keep setting courses, celebrating life through our sport, and never stop moving forward,” said Gabriele Viale, General Manager of PWT Italia.
“With 5+5 Sardinia, this wonderful island has become a global crossroads for orienteering, welcoming the best specialists from around the world alongside legendary figures who have written the history of our sport. This edition united the new stars of today with timeless champions, achieving an unprecedented level of technical and competitive excellence.”

“With Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia we’ve built a bridge between sport, research, and territory,” stated Carmen Atzori, General Director of Sardegna Ricerche.
“In recent months we’ve tested an innovative model where physical activity becomes both the subject and tool of scientific research. Through rigorous scientific protocols and collaboration with universities and centers of excellence, we’ve produced new evidence on how orienteering supports health, cognitive function, and active aging. This goes beyond the sports realm — it means making Sardinia an open-air laboratory for innovation applied to well-being and quality of life. With the support of the regional technology parks in Pula and Alghero, science meets the community and the land, contributing to the island’s sustainable growth and competitiveness within the framework of regional research and innovation policies.”

Attending the closing ceremony on behalf of Sardegna Ricerche were Enrico Mulas, Head of the Management Support Service, and Marina Masala, Head of the Circular Economy and Sustainability Projects Unit.

OVERALL PODIUMS OF THE TWO WEEKS

From September 29 to October 10, the competitions spanned 10 Sardinian locations.
The overall elite champions of the first (Cagliari) week were Mischa Lubasch (Switzerland) and Emma Waddington (Canada), who topped the standings across five stages: Su Guventeddu Beach – Batteria Boggio (Sunset Sprint, Sept 29), Piscinamanna (Sprint, Sept 30 – Middle, Oct 1), Santadi (Middle, Oct 2), and Pula historic center (Sprint, Oct 3).
Second place went to Kasper Hott and Bigna Hotz, while Holger Hott (World Relay Champion 2005, Middle Distance World Champion 2006, and 2004 World Cup winner) and Alena Dlabajova completed the podium in third.

In the second (Sassari) week — featuring races at Porto Conte Ricerche (Sunset Sprint, Oct 6), Lake Baratz (Middle, Oct 7), Porto Ferro Beach (Long, Oct 8), Fertilia (Sprint, Oct 9), and Alghero (Sprint, Oct 10) — the elite podiums were led by Max Peter Bejmer and Anja Probst, followed among the men by Janne Salmi (two-time World Champion and four-time World silver medalist) and Andrin Grundler, and among the women by Annalena Zinniker and Alena Dlabajova.

THE “ORIENTEERING 4 RESEARCH” PROJECT

Research on the role of orienteering in counteracting physical and cognitive decline was presented during the scientific conferences “Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia: Research in Motion”, organized with the support of Sport e Salute.

Speakers included Prof. Lucia Cugusi and Prof. Andrea Manca (Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari) with “Effects and applicability of a 3-month orienteering program on healthy elderly subjects and individuals with mild cognitive impairment: the ORIENTAge Project”;
Prof. Filippo Tocco, Scientific Director of the SLAM Laboratory of Sardegna Ricerche and the University of Cagliari, with “Cardiocirculatory, respiratory and metabolic adjustments during physical exercise and mental tasks”;
and Prof. Federico Schena and Prof. Cantor Tarperi (Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona), who presented findings from the “Study on the effects of orienteering on age-related physical and cognitive functions.”

Finally, Dr. Emma Waddington, PhD, MSc., Advancement Coordinator at McMaster University Advancement (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada), presented her research “Navigating towards better brain health with orienteering.”