The results of the Nokian Tyres World Orienteering Championships 2021 are also important for qualifications for future events. Qualifications for The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA in mid-July next year are largely decided by the WOC results. And the number of starting places per country in the WOC 2023 Long Distance competition is also determined by the results of WOC this year.
The World Games 2022 qualifications
The full qualifications rules for The World Games 2022 can be found here.
At The World Games, there are spots for 40 men and 40 women to participate in the orienteering competitions. The competitions consist of a Sprint, Middle Distance and Sprint Relay. Therefore, qualifications are largely based upon qualifying national teams consisting of 2 women and 2 men. In addition specific qualifying spots are allocated on a regional basis, to reigning world champions and as discretionary spots to merited athletes whose federations have not otherwise qualified.
2 teams were already qualified for The World Games, USA as the host nation and Canada (CAN) gaining the regional place allocated for North America. They will both participate with 2 men and 2 women.
Based upon the WOC 2021 results from the Sprint, Sprint Relay and Middle Distance competitions, the following nations have qualified and will participate with 2 men and 2 women.
- Sweden (SWE)
- Norway (NOR)
- Switzerland (SUI)
- Czech Republic (CZE)
- Finland (FIN)
- Russia (RUS)
- France (FRA)
- Denmark (DEN)
- United Kingdom (GBR)
- Austria (AUT)
- Poland (POL)
An additional spot has been allocated for the European region, based upon the combined results of the women’s and men’s relay competitions at WOC. This spot has gone to Germany (GER) who will also participate with 2 women and 2 men.
Regional qualifying spots for the Oceania, Asia and South America regions will be determined by the end of January 2022 meaning that 6 women’s and 6 men’s spots are vacant until then.
In addition to the above team spots, personal qualifying spots have been allocated to Tove Alexandersson (SWE), as reigning World Champion at Sprint, Middle and Long, and to Isac von Krusenstierna (SWE), Matthias Kyburz (SUI) and Kasper Harlem Fosser (NOR) as reigning Sprint, Middle and Long World Champions respectively.
Discretionary qualifying spots have been allocated to the following athletes based upon results from WOC 2021 and the European Orienteering Championships 2021 in May.
| Women | Men |
| Salma Hassan Abdelaziz (EGY- representative of Africa region) | Yannick Michiels (BEL) |
| Sandra Grosberga (LAT) | Tim Robertson (NZL)* |
| Eef van Dongen (NED) | Ruslan Glibov (UKR) |
| Evely Kaasiku (EST) | |
| Olena Babych (UKR) |
* Should the NZL team qualify as the regional representatives from Oceania, this spot will be re-allocated at the end of January 2022.
In connection with the final qualifications from Oceania, Asia and South America in January 2022, a list of 5 named reserves per gender will also be published.
The data and calculations regarding the above qualifications are published below:
Summary list of current qualifications
WOC scoring by nation
European Region qualification – WOC Relay scores
WOC scoring details
WOC 2023 Long Distance starting allocations
The results of the WOC 2021 Long Distance, Middle Distance and Relay competitions are used to determine the number of starting spots in the Long Distance race at WOC 2023. This is done by placing nations in 3 divisions with Division 1 gaining 3 starting spots, Division 2 gaining 2 starting spots and Division 3 having 1 starting spot. Normally, nations may be promoted or relegated between the divisions based upon the latest WOC results. However this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, nations can only be promoted to gain further starting spots. The results from WOC 2021 give the following promotions:
Among the men, Estonia (EST) will be promoted from Division 2 to 1 and will have 3 starting spots at WOC 2023 Long Distance. Slovakia (SVK) and Bulgaria (BUL) will be promoted from Division 3 to 2 and will have 2 starting spots.
Among the women, France (FRA) will be promoted from Division 2 to 1 and will have 3 starting spots at WOC 2023 Long Distance. Hungary (HUN) and Italy (ITA) will be promoted from Division 3 to 2 and will have 2 starting spots.