This is the 7th time that orienteering is represented in the 12th edition of The World Games. In 2025, 80 athletes from 24 Federations participated, assisted by 32 team coaches. The IOF with IWGA and local organisers worked extensively on providing well-organised, exciting competitions.

Middle event  |  Friday 8 August – Racing in 35°C heat  
After a spectacular opening ceremony last night at the Tianfu International Conference Center, The World Games kicked off today with the first medals of the entire games being contested in the Middle distance.

The team had one previous model training session in an adjacent area to come up-to-speed with the very unique, mosaic-style orienteering amongst the intricate orange groves in a very rural area. It was not the same technical challenge today, it was reasonably straightforward provided you had your wits about you. The heat was the main adversary for everyone, turning the finish arena into something we could only call describe as a battle zone. We fared better than most, but still had to be doused with copious amounts of ice and water to get body temperatures back down to an acceptable levels after finishing. The 35+ degree heat and 60% humidity was simply too much for many, with a significant number of people needing medical treatment or not finishing the course.

Tim had the best result with a 4th place, narrowly missing out on a medal by only 21 seconds. Joe described it as brutally hot and humid, Zara commented that it was like a unique Chinese cooking contest.

We look to the Sprint after a rest day tomorrow. The Chinese organisers really are putting on an incredible display of organisation emulating the Olympics. The logistics and planning are beyond what we have experienced before.

NZ RESULTS:
Tim: 4th, +2.47
Joe: 15th, +14.11
Laura: 19th, +18.23
Zara: 32nd, +35.39

Sprint event  |  Sunday 10 August – Final individual event  
The Sprint distance was held at the Horticultural Expo facility. The venue featured an intricate network of gardens and pathways. Temperatures were significantly lower than in the middle and the men raced during moderately heavy rain.

Tim and Joe both had solid races, but upon finishing both realised they missed the key gap to the 4th control. This oversight kept them out of medal contention. Otherwise they were both satisfied with their runs in slippery and wet conditions.

Laura described the area as “Splash Planet on steroids” with a strong run, nearly catching her sister-in-law, Sweden’s Emma Bjessmo, but after that point a few small errors crept in.

The Sprint Relay is the focus now, as the final orienteering event of the World Games. The team order will be: Laura, Tim, Joe, and Zara.

Sprint results:
Tim: 9th, +0.47
Joe: 11th, +0.50
Laura: 24th, +3.52
Zara: 33rd, +5.36

Relay  |  Monday 11 August  – Thrilling relay finish in 5th place  
The Sprint Relay concluded the orienteering at The World Games and fulfilled the NZ team mantra for the week – to “bring glory to the country and strive to achieve the top 6”. Surrounding the iconic Jinyun Tower the terrain was equally technical and complex. The Robertson duo had NZ leading the relay after two legs in a fast-paced and fiercely contested challenge. Then Joe and Zara battled with the top teams for a very satisfying 5th place, just ahead of the Aussies. A fantastic way to wrap up a truly memorable Games, filled with countless intangible cultural experiences that will stay with us for years.

A heartfelt thank you to all our kiwi supporters back home, and especially to Sarah Stewart for her invaluable support on the ground in China.

Relay result:
NZ – 5th, +3.50
Aus – 6th, +3.53

Many thanks to the team Manager Matt Ogden.
Full World Games results here 
Please read the following tribute to the Italian orienteer who did not return from the 2025 World Games.