In a few months’ time, it will be thirteen years since Ori-Estarreja organised, in 2013, the first National PreO Classic Championship. The stage was the picnic area of Praia da Tocha — and since then, the sand dunes have become terrain to be explored.
Over the years, this terrain has inspired several organisations: in 2014, Dunas PreO and Dunas TempO (the first National Championship of this discipline); in 2015, the PreO event of the Portugal “O” Meeting, in the Dunas de Vagos; and in 2017, the PreO da Boa Hora, in Vagueira, held simultaneously as the National and Iberian PreO/TrailO Championships.
Dune terrain has consistently established itself as technically demanding for TrailO — and, in particular, for PreO.
With the evolution of the discipline and the introduction of PreO Sprint, Ori-Estarreja has once again decided to focus on what it does best: delivering high-quality technical challenges.
At the Portugal “O” Meeting 2026, we invite athletes to accept this challenge and compete in the Precision Orienteering stage, set in a unique environment.
The competition will take place along the boardwalks of Praia de Mira, on terrain that promises one of the most technical and intense Precision Orienteering experiences — possibly even more demanding than the PreO Sprint at ABOM 2025, in Aguiar da Beira.
The map, carefully surveyed by Daniel Silva and selectively revised by Rafael Miguel, covers the entire dune environment at a scale of 1:3000, with a 2-metre contour interval. The result is an extremely detailed and accurate map, where micro-contours and every vegetation element can play a decisive role in the decision-making process.
The planning of the POM 2026 PreO Sprint benefited from the contribution of all Ori-Estarreja athletes who are part of the Portuguese National Squad training group, with the final course layout being the responsibility of Nuno Pires. Control placement was further supported by André Pedrosa.
Our objective is clear: to provide control points that represent genuine challenges of interpretation and decision-making — technically demanding, fair, feasible, and unambiguous.
We hope correct answers come naturally, and that mistakes are merely the result of competitive pressure.
In the end, it all comes down to Alphas and Zeros.
Is the control in the correct position… or not?
