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Fast-growing sport to host world championships in Limerick next year
One of the fastest growing sports in the world is set to hit Limerick next year as the Treaty City hosts the World Championships.
The Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) world championships takes place in the Mid-West in August 2026, just two years before the sport makes it Olympics debut.
As many as 4,000 athletes from 60 different countries are expected to flock to Limerick for the championships in what is sure to be a great boost for the economy in the county. The Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) world championships takes place in the Mid-West in August 2026, just two years before the fast-growing sport makes it Olympics debut. Pic: OCR Association/ Instagram
The 2026 championships are set to take place at Limerick Racecourse from August 7 to 9, 2026, with the University of Limerick acting as the official Athlete Village.
The exciting announcement comes ahead of the OCR 40m championships, which is set to take place at the University of Limerick later this month.
300 athletes from a wide range of European countries are set to take part in the championships from July 18. It will mark the first time a major international OCR competition takes place in Ireland. The exciting announcement comes ahead of the OCR 40m championships, which is set to take place at the University of Limerick later this month. Pic: UL Sport Arena
President of ORCA Ireland, Sergej Dikun said the Irish leg of the organisation were 'honoured to bring the global OCR community to Limerick.'
Sports Business Development Manager at the University of Limerick added that the sport was on the rise and UL was 'proud to help grow its global footprint by hosting the athlete village and supporting both this and the European championships.
'It shows the scale of what this region can deliver.'
Obstacle Sports are a collection of sports composed of disciplines and events where athletes overcome obstacles in a timed competition, governing body Fédération Internationale de Sports d'Obstacles (FISO) say on their website.
These sports include Nina Competitions; Obstacle Course Racing; Hybrid Racing and Adventure Racing with a range of event formats across all disciplines.
FISO was founded in 2014, formalised in 2018 and recognized as the international governing body for Obstacle Sport disciplines in 2021.
The latest news comes not long after the University of Limerick Sport Arena hosted the European Dodgeball Championships which saw competitors from England, Czechia, Portugal and more descending on the Treaty City.
