Swiss Orienteer Riccardo Rancan, born in 1996, has been moving steadily up the rankings in one of the strongest nations world-wide in the sport. A specialist in urban sprint races, he has now made his big break-through with two gold medals at the World Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The first was in the 4-leg Sprint Relay won by Switzerland, where he posted the second-fastest leg time on the second leg, bringing the team up from fourth to second place. Two days later, he achieved a decisive victory in the individual Knock-out Sprint.
With these top performances he qualifies for the Orienteering competitions in Chengdu next year, which will be his second time at The World Games. Here he tells of his training for top events and his preparation for The Games.
Riccardo, congratulations on becoming a two-time World Champion in 2024! How did it feel to win gold in both the KO Sprint and Sprint Relay events, and how do you plan to carry this momentum into The World Games 2025?
"It was very emotional to win with my team-mates and then to surprise myself with another win in the Knock-out discipline. It felt very rewarding after many years of trying to get better and chasing the dream of becoming world champion one day. It’s still a bit surreal to think that I’m a double world champion now and fulfilling my childhood dream!
I will try to take the self-confidence with me for the ongoing years; I know that I can perform at my best when it counts the most. And my dedicated preparation for the main event of the season seems to have paid off."
Reflecting on your experience at The World Games in Birmingham 2022, what were some of the key lessons you learned that you believe will help you as you prepare for Chengdu 2025?
"I learned to enjoy the atmosphere of so many different sports and use this as an inspiration for my own races. I really like to ‘switch off’ in the days before the race and think of something other than orienteering. But when it comes to the race day, my ambition is to perform at my best and focus on my own.
Another lesson was that no matter how big the competition is, in the end it’s an orienteering race where it matters how precisely you navigate through the course."
Orienteering is a sport that demands both physical and mental sharpness. How do you balance these aspects during high-pressure competitions like the World Championships and The World Games?
"In my preparation leading up to a big event, I train both aspects with various types of training. Especially at the training camps, with lots of training which simulates the competition, we train to find the right balance of pushing to our physical limit while making smart decisions. On race day I trust my routines which I’ve built during my preparation period. It’s a lot about confidence in your own technique to perform with a cool head during important races."
Your second favourite sport at The World Games is floorball, which also requires strategic thinking and quick decision-making. Do you find any similarities between orienteering and floorball that have influenced your approach to training and competition?
"One similarity which comes to my mind is the stop-and-go ability, which is also a demand in sprint orienteering (urban terrains). I do some specific interval training to get better at it. Another similarity is the ability to analyse a certain race situation (mostly in the Knock-out Sprint format) and adapt your strategy quickly depending on your strengths."
Looking ahead to The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, what are your expectations for the event, and how do you envisage it being a ‘great show’ for both athletes and spectators?
"I expect a well-organised event where athletes from all around the world come together to compete in all the different sports. But from my experience, the true value of such an event is the exchange among each other, with athletes from different sports, and learning from their approaches, mindsets etc. I really look forward to the opportunity to watch new sports and meet new people."
The International World Games Association (IWGA) is a non-profit-making international sports organisation recognised and supported by the International Olympic Committee. The IWGA comprises 38 International Member Sports Federations. It administers and promotes The World Games (TWG), a multi-sport event held every four years that features around 35 sports on its programme. The next edition of TWG will be in Chengdu (CHN) from 7-17 August 2025. 5,000 participants from more than 100 countries are expected to take part in this 12th edition. The latest Games were hosted by Birmingham, Alabama (USA).
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