A top-tier weekend has come to a close in Ascona-Locarno, Switzerland, where the charming narrow streets and historic squares hosted the first round of the 2026 Orienteering World Cup. This crucial event, entirely dedicated to Sprint disciplines, saw our athletes face off against the world’s elite in an electric atmosphere between Lake Maggiore and the Ticino mountains.
The competition kicked off on Friday with the Individual Sprint. On a technical and lightning-fast course that put map-reading skills under extreme physical stress to the test, our athletes fought with great grit. Fabio Amadesi finished 94th (17:09) after a challenging race. In the women’s category, Caterina Dallera took 75th place (18:27), followed by Jessica Lucchetta in 82nd (19:04).
Caterina Dallera reflected on her performance:
“I am not satisfied with the sprint result; I had higher expectations after the intense winter training, both physically with Pietro and technically with Svetlana. I certainly learned a lot from this defeat, and it served as a lesson. However, the season has just begun, and I will do my best to bounce back.”
Sprint Relay On Saturday, Caterina showed great character in the Sprint Relay, running the first leg for Italy 1 and finishing 11th.
“I ran the start of the relay, a race that wasn’t very technical but where physical strength was key. I’m happy that until the arena passage, I was only 13″ behind the leaders. I struggled with the climbs in the last 4 minutes, but it was a great sign that gives me confidence for future relays.”
Although Sunday’s Knock-Out races were reserved for the top 36 Sprint qualifiers (where fellow Italian Francesco Mariani shone with a 7th place finish), Fabio, Jessica, and Caterina head home with an invaluable wealth of international experience. Racing in the “living room” of Locarno and under the porticoes of Ascona was a significant test ahead of the upcoming seasonal goals.
Stay tuned for all the updates and behind-the-scenes action from the team!