When O-Ringen was held in Gothenburg from 18 to 25 July, Chalmers was one of the event's main partners. Throughout the week, the university welcomed thousands of participants, families and visitors through activities that combined orienteering, technology and research. Ahead of the competition week, the first-ever scientific conference focusing on the role of orienteering in research and higher education was also held.
At O-Ringen Square, located in the temporary O-Ringen City at Stora Holm, Chalmers hosted an activity area where visitors could explore and take part in everything from engineering challenges and hands-on experiments to technology demonstrations and orienteering-related research.
Researchers and student ambassadors organised activities that highlighted both the research carried out at Chalmers and the university's educational programmes. The aim was to spark curiosity about science and technology, particularly among children and young people, while also providing insights into the breadth of Chalmers' research and education.
"It was fantastic to see so many children successfully tackle all the tricky challenges in the tent. Visitors of all ages and backgrounds showed tremendous enthusiasm, and the atmosphere was outstanding throughout the week," says Karin Helmér, student ambassador and coordinator of the activities in the Chalmers tent during the week.
Around 5,000 visitors per day over the eight-day event had the opportunity to try chemistry and physics experiments, learn about drones and autonomous vehicles, and participate in activities related to orienteering and problem-solving.
One of the researchers on site was Marco Della Vedova, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He brought along an orienteering game developed by participants in the Tracks course Digitalization in Sports. In the game, players see a route through the forest from a runner's perspective and must determine the runner's location on the map.
"It was great to see how quickly many people became competitive and wanted to test their navigation skills," says Marco Della Vedova.
The game originated as a student project at Chalmers but was also used as part of a scientific study during O-Ringen. Using eye-tracking technology, researchers examined how orienteers solve this type of navigation task.
"We started with a student project, developed it into a game that people could enjoy during O-Ringen, and at the same time used the data for scientific research. That kind of connection between education, research and the orienteering community is exactly what I find so exciting," says Marco Della Vedova.
Chalmers Sprint brought orienteering to the heart of the city
One of the week's most high-profile events was the Chalmers Sprint. Part of the O-Ringen elite programme, the competition brought together some of the world's leading orienteers for a fast-paced, spectator-friendly sprint race through central Gothenburg.
Urban orienteering offers a different type of challenge from the traditional forest stages. Streets, squares, parks and buildings demand rapid decision-making and precise map-reading, while making the sport more accessible to spectators and passers-by. The sprint race is traditionally one of O-Ringen's largest spectator events, and Chalmers student ambassadors were present at the competition area to meet visitors and share information about studying and student life at Chalmers.
International conference on orienteering, research and higher education
During O-Ringen's opening weekend, Chalmers hosted O-Conference 2026, the first international conference dedicated to exploring the role of orienteering in research and higher education.
The conference brought together researchers, educators and practitioners from several countries to discuss how orienteering can inspire research and teaching in areas such as artificial intelligence, geospatial data, cartography, psychology, sports science and education. The underlying premise was that orienteering is much more than a sport. It offers unique opportunities to study navigation, decision-making, spatial thinking and learning in complex environments. At the same time, it can be used as an educational tool to develop skills such as problem-solving, collaboration and strategic thinking.
"Orienteering was the common language in the room," says organiser Marco Della Vedova. "We had researchers from many different disciplines, but our shared understanding of the sport helped us appreciate each other's perspectives and sparked interesting discussions."
He also highlights the diversity among participants in terms of research fields, academic experience and gender balance. This created an environment where researchers at different stages of their careers could exchange ideas on equal terms.
"Orienteering is a sport that constantly requires you to think, make decisions, process information, navigate and solve problems under pressure. Perhaps it is no coincidence that many accomplished orienteers also hold PhDs," says Marco Della Vedova.
He would welcome the conference becoming a recurring event.
"I believe the first edition demonstrated that there is genuine interest and enough exciting research connected to orienteering to continue bringing this network together."
Participants at the first international O-Conference.
