Louise Oram was named a rising star by the Canadian Orienteering Federation and will represent Canada at the world championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 14 to 21.

The Rising Star Award was established by the federation’s high-performance committee to recognize the country’s most promising young athletes and support them in joining the ranks of the world’s best. Oram, 28, is ranked 89th in the world and is the defending national women’s champion in the middle- and long-distance race.

At the 2011 World Orienteering Championships, she placed 37th in the sprint and 36th in the middle-distance. The Canadian women’s relay finished 12th overall in a field of 27 nations.

Last July, she was the fastest woman in the cross-country suffer-fest known as the Knee Knacker, a 48-kilometre trail run that stretches along the Baden-Powell Trail from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove.

The Rising Star Award comes packaged with $1,500 for Oram. The prize is based on past performance, future potential and for contribution to the orienteering community.

Oram started orienteering when she was 12 and is an integral member of the Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club. She organized the B.C. Orienteering Championships in 2009 and the next year planned the racecourse for the Western Canadian Orienteering Championships.

On this weekend, the Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club holds a monthly Why Just Run in Stanley Park. The event is suited for experienced orienteer competitors as well as families, groups and novices. The event begins 10 a.m. on June 17 at the Prospect Point picnic area.

A $5 membership is required, $10 for past members. Race registration costs $10 for adults, $5 for youth under 20 and $20 for families.

For more information, visit gvoc.whyjustrun.ca.

mstewart@vancourier.com

Twitter: @MHStewart