Now there will be a trend among the tallest buildings in Järva

If you’re walking the streets of Akalla or Husby on May 11th and you’re met by people with a map and compass in full swing, don’t worry – district tournaments are only held at orientation races. At the same time, the organizers hope to arouse interest in this sport among the residents of Yarva.

Ben Robertson. Photo: private

Contrary to the steering that most people who went to elementary school in Sweden are accustomed to, the one that is practiced on winding paths in the woods, the steering race takes place in urban environments – between homes and parks.

And when the 2022 Stockholm County Championships sprint is arranged, the competition kicks off in Järva.

On the evening of Wednesday, May 11, the goal was for up to a thousand participants to start at Hasbi Farm, then sneak into various inspections around Hosby and Akala, and finally finish in the spray pond in Akala Village.

There will be food, music and some festivities. Everyone is welcome to cheer on the participants, or perhaps participate themselves – whoever wants to join, you don’t have to be a member of any mentoring club, says Ben Robertson, of Kista SC, who arranges with Solna OK the competition.

In the sport of sprints, there are strict rules for how the runners are allowed to behave. You must show consideration for those moving to where the competition is taking place, and you must not step, for example, on farms, run through hedges, jump over fences, or otherwise damage the ground.

We have marked on the map which parts of the areas are available to run on during competition, and which parts are forbidden, says Ben Robertson.

We hope to arouse interest

At the present day, pilot activities related to routing at the finish line in Akala Village are also arranged. Ben Robertson hopes that, along with the competition, it will spark interest in the sport among the residents of Järva.

– I grew up in the UK and have never coached before, but in Sweden I think you can call it the real national sport. It is actually a requirement for orientation in school, everyone should learn this.

continue:

– Järvafältet and its surroundings are absolutely ideal places for orientation. If we see that there is an interest in sports among those who live here, we hope to be able to build an orientation department here in cooperation with the Swedish Orienteering Association, it will be very interesting.