JWOC ’22 Portugal Event Recap

July 10-16, 2022

• Team Announcement
  • Alexis Merka
  • Anna Campbell
  • Bridget Hall
  • Kirsten Mayland
  • Lily Addicott
  • Zoe Sibthorp
  • Benjamin Brady
  • Holden Sopoti
  • Keegan Harkavy
  • Victor Frolenko
• Official Website
  • Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
• Event Coverage at IOF Live

Summary: TeamUSA sent a strong team of 6 women and 4 men to Portugal this year to compete at JWOC ’22. A majority of the team arrived a week early and got in some solid training in the very hot and rocky terrain around Aguilar. Unfortunately, the extreme heat and fire danger would force the country to close all access to forested areas which effectively killed the middle, long and forest relay events for the competitors.

The organizing team pivoted to make the best of the situation and the sprint competition and sprint relays were held with some modifications (extra teams, unofficial teams) so everyone got a chance to run. Additionally a non-championship urban relay (3 person teams, Men’s & Women’s) was put together in a nearby town which included the twist of running through a local nursing home facility.

JWOC ’22 isn’t over yet though – the organizers did not hold a closing ceremony and plan to hold the canceled forest races in early November at the same venues. It will be a huge expense to send our team back to Portugal to round out the competition, but hopefully some of our TeamUSA athletes will be able to make the journey depending upon their school schedules. Stay tuned…

Update: JWOC ’22 Part 2 Team Announcement | JWOC ’22 Part 2 Event Recap

July 4-9, 2022 – Pre-JWOC Activity

• Jul 3 – Travel / Sightseeing Progress – Seattle Contingent (19 photos ) – Junior Team Facebook
• Jul 4 – Double Training Day (23 photos) – Junior Team Facebook
• Jul 5 – T-6 Days – Long Training (42 photos) – Junior Team Facebook
• Jul 7 – Fourth Day of Training (28 photos) – Relays, Middle & Gelato – Junior Team Facebook
• Jul 7 – Aguiar Antics – Training recap, athlete insights, MAPS! & photos – TeamUSA Blog
• Jul 8 – JWOC Training Reel – from Sherri Brady’s Instagram feed
• Jul 8 – Forest Races Cancelled – Junior Team Facebook
• Jul 9 – Sharp Looking Sprinters – Orienteering USA Facebook & Instagram

Sun July 10, 2022 – Opening Ceremony

• Team Photo & Official Athlete Photos – Junior Team Facebook
• Sprint Relay medal event added – Junior Team Facebook
  • TeamUSA will field 2 medal eligible teams – 2 Women/2 Men – teams tba
  • 2 TeamUSA women will tentatively run on an unofficial team with South Africa
  • Rumors of a possible non-championship 3-person sprint relay later in the week.

Mon July 11, 2022 – Sprint @ Carapito

• Sprint Recap (32 photos incl maps) – Junior Team Facebook
• Random Photo Drop – Sprint (7 photos) – Orienteering USA Facebook
  • {Some of these photos also in the Sprint Recap collection}
• Highlight Video – Good shot of Bridget at about 1:18 – Junior Team Facebook
• Official Results, Maps, Split Analysis – from JWOC ’22 Live Center

Tue July 12, 2022 – Long @ Carapito

Forest Races cancelled due to high heat and fire risk.

• Forest Race(s) cancelled due to high heat & fire risk.
• More photos from Opening Ceremony & Sprint (11 photos) – Junior Team Facebook
• The Forests are Burning and we are Sprinting – TeamUSA Blog
• Sprint Relay Teams Announced – Junior Team Facebook & Instagram

Wed July 13, 2022 – Sprint Relay

• Preliminary thoughts & updates (15 photos) – Junior Team Faceboook
• Sprint Relay Photos from Evalin (lotsa photos) – EvalinMae Photography Smugmug
• Sprint Relay Photos from Christophe Amerijckx (10 photos) – OUSA Facebook
  • Full Gallery (508 photos) from Christophe Amerijckx – Junior Team Facebook
• A few photos (4 photos) – Barb Bryant Facebook
• Official Results, Maps, Split Analysis – from JWOC ’22 Live Center

Thu July 14, 2022 – Middle Qual @ Quinta das Lameiras

Forest Races cancelled due to high heat and fire risk.

• Sprint Relay Photos (54 photos) – mix of JWOC & Evalin images – Junior Team Facebook

Fri July 15, 2022 – Middle Final @ Quinta das Lameiras

Forest Races cancelled due to high heat and fire risk.

• Forest Race(s) cancelled due to high heat & fire risk.
• TeamUSA & Swiss Team World Games Watch Party (3 photos) – Junior Team Facebook

Sat July 16, 2022 – Urban Relay @ Dornelas

Forest Relay cancelled due to high heat and fire risk. A substitute (non-championship) urban relay was produced on short notice in the town of Dornelas.

• Urban Relay @ Dornelas – livestream video coverage on YouTube
• Photos from Men’s & Women’s Urban Relay (31 photos) – Junior Team Facebook
• Official Results, Maps, Split Analysis – from JWOC ’22 Live Center

Coming November 2022

No closing ceremony at this time. Decision was made to hold the forest races in early November. Hopefully some of our TeamUSA athletes can make the trip back to Portugal in the fall to close out JWOC 2022.