From September 28 to October 9, ten days of events, with 500 athletes and over 3,000 tourist visits, born from the renewed partnership between Sardegna Ricerche and SSD PWT Italia
A compass, a map and ten days to explore Sardinia through the lens of scientific research. From September 28 to October 9, Orienteering 4 Research Sardinia comes to a close with a program of events weaving together orienteering, promotion, innovation and outreach in a journey across the island’s territory.
A project born from the collaboration between Sardegna Ricerche and PWT Italia, one of Italy’s most decorated clubs in the discipline: engaged in relaunching Sardinia’s Science and Technology Park, since 2023 the regional agency has been promoting research into the relationship between physical exercise, environment and wellbeing, demonstrating how sport can be a strategic lever for health and active aging, with the support of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the Municipality of Pula, the Gutturu Mannu Regional Nature Park, the Universities of Cagliari, Sassari and Verona, Sport e Salute, and FISO Sardegna.
RESEARCH AND OUTREACH: FROM SWEDEN TO SARDINIA
During European Sport Week, on September 28 (from 9:30 am) in Pula, at the Sardinia Technology Park, the conference “Orienteering 4 Research: Territory, Research, Sport and Innovation” will be held, featuring contributions from the Universities of Cagliari and Sassari, alongside international speakers, cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists and coaches.
The four permanent “Code Hunter” installations built in Pula — at the Rio Pula river area, Batteria Boggio and Piscinamanna — will be officially opened with a hands-on test involving students and teachers, as part of the main initiatives planned under Orienteering 4 Research for the development of cartography in the Gutturu Mannu Park. Using a single free app developed by PWT Italia, the technology turns each location into a low-environmental-impact challenge, drawing on the principles and values of orienteering: anyone can register and, once they find the nearest installation, use its map to take part, searching for checkpoints in the area, interpreting symbols tied to the natural surroundings and navigating with the help of a compass. Finally, in Sassari (October 5), a round table will be held on research and the evolution of cognitive tests for older adults.
The conferences will be enriched by the experience gained in July at the O-Conference in Gothenburg, the first international conference on orienteering in scientific research and higher education, organized by Chalmers University of Technology. In Sweden, Sardegna Ricerche presented its path toward establishing itself as a leading international hub in sport science and healthy aging, positioning Sardinia as a global Living Lab for developing new models of health and quality of life. Held on the occasion of O-Ringen, a race with 125,000 orienteers over five stages, the conference featured speakers including Dario Carbini, Head of the O4R Sardinia Project at Sardegna Ricerche; Prof. Lucia Cugusi and Prof. Andrea Manca of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sassari; and Jessica Lucchetta, researcher at the University of Trento and multiple-champion orienteer with PWT Italia, with coordination by Gabriele Viale, Team Manager of PWT Italia.
RACES OPEN TO ALL
The project will culminate in the Five + Five Sardinia “II Memorial Mattia Debertolis” event, from September 28 to October 9, organized by PWT Italia and recognized by the Italian Orienteering Sport Federation as an International Open Meeting. Host locations will include: Monte Claro Park in Cagliari (Sunset Sprint, September 29), Piscinamanna (Sprint, September 30), the historic center of Pula (Sprint, October 1), the Is Arenas forest (Middle, 2 stages, October 3), the historic center of Badesi (Sunset Sprint, October 5), Baia Paradiso (Middle, October 6), the Sorso forest (Middle, two stages, October 7), Castelsardo (Sprint, October 8), and the Alghero Grand Prix (Sprint, October 9), held in memory of Mattia Debertolis, a young athlete of the national team and PWT Italia who passed away prematurely in 2025. Curious newcomers and beginners will also be able to discover orienteering by signing up in open mode. Acclaimed Sardinian artist Roberto Ziranu will create exclusive artistic trophies for the elite winners of each week, alongside prizes for the top athletes of each individual stage.
TRAINING AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
In schools, training courses have also been held for teachers, coaches and students from secondary schools and the Universities of Cagliari and Sassari, along with student events and races, which included hands-on “learning by doing” sessions in Pula (CA), Cagliari, Oristano, Sassari, Badesi and Sorso (SS). Sardegna Ricerche also involved its own employees in the Orienteering Experience, a team-building activity featuring outdoor sport-medicine research trials.
To support scientific research related to the practice of orienteering, PWT Italia — again in partnership with Sardegna Ricerche, the University of Cagliari, the University of Sassari and FISO Sardegna — has also launched the Orienteering 4 Research Award, open to graduates (bachelor’s and master’s), PhD holders and candidates, and scholarship/research fellowship holders regularly enrolled at, affiliated with, or who obtained their degree from the two Sardinian universities, who have carried out studies on the topic. Applications must be sent by email to info@orienteering.it no later than September 21. The competition will award 4 prizes in total: 2 senior prizes (€1,500 each) and 2 junior prizes (€500 each). Full information is available at orienteering.it
STATEMENTS
“The relationship between physical activity, environment and health is a field of research that closely concerns people’s quality of life, and it carries even greater weight given the demographic changes affecting Sardinia as well. Investing in research in this field means increasing our knowledge on prevention across the different stages of life and putting it to use in public policy. At the same time, developing new solutions can open up opportunities for our economic system, fostering the emergence of innovative wellbeing-related activities and services. In this process, the Science and Technology Park can play an important role, bringing together research, experimentation and expertise. Sardinia, thanks to its environmental and territorial characteristics and the quality of the scientific expertise present on the island, has every condition needed to become a benchmark in this field,” said Giuseppe Meloni, Regional Councillor for Planning and Budget.
“The Science and Technology Park will be at the center of a series of sporting events and important conferences on sport and health. These are strategic themes for Sardegna Ricerche, which is engaged in a comprehensive project to relaunch the Science Park and is convinced that wellbeing and active aging are central themes both for public health and for opening up new markets,” noted Carmen Atzori, General Director of Sardegna Ricerche.