French champs and military world champs: time to get some medals ;-)

Even if the end of the season is getting close, the two last weeks were still quite busy in competitions:

First it was the French championships (website here) in Dijon area (where the mustard is from) with quite specific terrains: pretty yellow and green but still rather interesting and challenging:

My performances over there were satisfying even If there were still some avoidable mistakes and that how I went 2nd in long distance behind P. Adamski and 3^rd in Middle distance behind P. Adamski and L. Basset. Furthermore, with young team-mates in relay (R. Devrieux, N. Rio), we still have done good performances but the competitors were better and we finished 4^th a little more than 1 minute to the podium. (Md Split-times results / Ld split-times results / Article from the club in French)

Relay

Middle distance

Long-distance map with Philou’s route (Almost the same route choices but it was too risky to take a GPS watch under driving rain!)

Furthermore, to have a more complete week, we also had a 5000m track and field test run for the French team and a sprint in a narrow streets typical village of Bourgogne. It has been good to see that the shape was still OK while running the 5K in 14’58 despite some wind but with a good cooperation with T. Poupard. And the self confidence in sprint was also back when I did a good performance.

Then, last week it was the World military orienteering Championships in Sweden (website here):

Even if it’s not the main goal of the season and the atmosphere is quite relax, the level on this competition is always really high when it’s 7 guys running per nation with strong teams as Switzerland, Russia… 

There in Eksjö, we were well welcomed with interesting competitions: The middle distance was in a rather fast forest whereas the long and relay terrain was in a wilder Scandinavian terrain so more demanding technically and physically.

I went there without huge ambitions but with the motivation to do clean orienteering to get good experiences. Therefore it went pretty well and I came 5^th at the middle distance, 3^rd in the long and we finished 4^th in the relay with F. Gonon and F. Vanier with three good performances that I can be pleased. (All the results)

(Pictures : Igor Daniel)

Now, it’s time to focus on next season and, of course, all the eyes are looking on the World Champs in Italy (website). That why, our next step is a training camp in Veneto region.