Scottish Orienteering 6-Day Event Company
The 6-Day Company is pleased to announce that a further payment to Scottish clubs will be made from the surplus generated by Moray 2023 as a thank you for supporting this event. After the success of Moray, it was announced that an interim payment of £5,000 would be made pending the financial outcome of WOC 2024. The financial strength of the 6-Day Company is important as it helps to guarantee the future of the event and it was felt that a payment of £10,000 prior to the conclusion of WOC could result in the Company reserves falling below our stated policy.
As you will be aware, an urban WOC was very challenging to deliver and its balanced budget was dependent on financial contributions from Scottish orienteering of approximately £80,000, as well as significant contributions from national and local government of £500,000 and British Orienteering of £40,000. Now that the dust has settled, the financial picture has been finalised and we are pleased to report that WOC met the revised budget. The event was a great success and costs were successfully controlled after SOA members agreed to support the event financially back in 2023. Therefore, the Board of the Company now considers that a second and final payment of £5,000 can be made. This will be paid to clubs shortly on the same allocation basis as the initial amount.
We are pleased to say that preparations for Royal Deeside 2025 are well advanced though there are a small number of important posts still to be filled. Volunteers for these posts are welcomed – watch out for announcements regarding these positions. We are looking forward to another successful event as over 1,800 people have already entered.
Looking further ahead, possible areas for 2027 (our 50th anniversary!) are being considered but, at this stage, no specific area has been identified and a coordinator and central organising team have still to be appointed. We hope to have plans in place by the summer but this depends on the Scottish orienteering community continuing to support the event by volunteering for major roles both as central organisers and for teams on the day.
The success of the 6-Day series is vital for the future of Scottish orienteering and the events have been instrumental in supporting the activities of Scottish orienteering generally. Since 2000, the 6-Day Company has contributed over £1m (in today’s money) to orienteering in Scotland through payments to the SOA, to clubs from successive events and by the provision of new and updated maps. The 6-Day Company has a separate Board from the SOA but is 100% owned by the SOA (i.e. you as members) with regular annual payments of over £40,000 being made to the SOA partly to run orienteering in Scotland and partly to pay for an assistant coordinator for 6-Day events.
As many of you will be aware, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold these events. Finding sufficient suitable areas with available parking and getting enough volunteers to run the events (central team officials, organisers, planners and controllers) has not been easy and, increasingly, last minute decisions have had to be made not necessarily to the advantage of competitors. The 6-Day Board will be reviewing its future strategy given the changes that have taken place in orienteering generally over the last few years.
The Board have been considering options for the future and now need the participation of clubs and members to ensure that the 6-day events are fit for purpose going forward. We will be arranging meetings and using monthly newsletters and Community Conversations to engage with clubs and members. Further details will be announced shortly.
The 6-Days is internationally recognised as one of the major multi-day orienteering events and is the SOA’s blue riband event. It is vitally important for Scottish orienteering. Its future depends on your support and its future strategy should take account of your views so please don’t miss this opportunity to have your say on its future.