It was in 2007 that the Norte Alentejano O' Meeting presented itself to the world. Starting by the will of the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, since the very beginning it was clear that the potential of the region for the practice of orienteering had found a perfect parallel in the ambition of the northern club to move forward with the proposal of a huge project involving a large number of municipalities and putting this vast region on the map of the world orienteering. Castelo de Vide, Alter do Chão, Crato, Portalegre and Marvão joined the municipality of Nisa successively, transforming the initial dream into an undeniable truth: The Norte Alentejano O' Meeting is, nowadays, one of the most outstanding events worldwide, attracting every year all the major orienteering specialists. 

With a program spread by three stages, the NAOM 2014 will take place on 25th and 26th January, counting for the Portuguese Foot-o Cup 2014. The dam of Póvoa e Meadas will receive the inaugural stage - a Middle Distance course - followed in the afternoon, in the heart of Castelo de Vide, by a stage of Sprint that counts for the world ranking and for the National Urban Circuit 2014. On the last day, we will return to Póvoa e Meadas to another Middle Distance course that will close the event. To the athletes is even offered the chance to participate in the Model Event which will take place on the 24th january and will allow to adapt to the maps and terrains of the competition.

With the entries running at a good pace – there are already 141 athletes representing 9 countries with their presence confirmed - the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos has courses of great technical quality to offer, in beautiful terrains, for two days of the best orienteering. With all the main portuguese athletes and Thierry Gueorgiou, the leader of the world ranking and the winner of NAOM in 2011, in Castelo de Vide, will also be the nº. 2 in the world, the Swiss Daniel Hubmann, his brother Martin Hubmann (nº 9 in the world ranking) and also the protagonist of the great achievement in 2013, the Russian Leonid Novikov, current World Champion of Middle Distance and Relay.

 Everything to follow at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/naom2014/.

 Joaquim Margarido