World Champs a la Italiana

This year main focus of the orienteering international season was on the north of Italy in Trentino and Venice with the world championships in the beginning of July. (WOC website). As it has been always fun to go training in such nice place and as we could appreciate the warm welcome provided by the Italian, and then enjoy a good competitions week, we can consider to be really privileged ;)

Bronze medal in the Relay + else could have been better

About my performances, I guess it’s always positive to remember the success, but it still very important to analyze the things that didn’t work as well as expected as it’s the best way to improve for the next goal: athlete’s life is a never ending learning system!

- Sprint in Burano-Venise: PM

The WOC sprint was held in a quite special place, and it was also marked by a rather atypical logistic: That how all the runners and coaches were brought on boats to reach the islands hoping not to be seasick before the start. First, Burano (by the way, very colorful and original place to be visited) offered us really interesting navigation in narrow streets for an interesting qualification-race. On my side, by taking it very safe, even despite few longer route-choices, there was no risk to miss the qualification in 3^rd place of my heat.

(Result) 

The final was again much more chaotic for me: After missing to punch the spectator control in WOC 2012 despite a good run, jumping one control before realizing the mistake later during the race last year, I ended disqualified this year again by missing one control! But the miss punch was only the result of a global disaster: The rather simple beginning went quite well, but I got trapped twice by fences loosing 2 times 10’’, that made me already quite angry. Then, after just some 300 m running to the changing map, I entered the tricky Venice area without the necessary calm and focus spirit needed, leading to a lot precipitation, lost control, and a vicious circle… (I’ve jump over the 11^th control, even if I passed it on my way the 17^th : Sometime hard to understand…)

To conclude, even if the performance was catastrophic; we can remember that it was an interesting experience to prepare and to participate to this particular event.

 (Results - Map)

Then, what is good with a rather busy competitions program is that there is not much time to be too disappointed or to complain: you have to focus on the next event!

- Sprint-Relay in Trento: 12^th

As a new discipline introduced this year in the WOC program, it was somehow very motivating to prepare for this event (and relay is always great fun!). Considering that this type of competition is a real ‘drop-out race’, it seems close to impossible to come back in a good position from behind. Furthermore, the storm during the race made the ground very wet and slippery, and even bigger differences occurred in between offensive runners fighting for medals and safer-scared runners trying to avoid falling down. This 1^st sprint-relay hasn't been so good for the French team, but we learn and we are of course eager to improve for next times.

(Results – Maps)

-Long-Distance in Lavarone: 14^th

A great long distance in a hilly, open and fast forest was waiting for us. On my side, the beginning went well until I decided to try special-own route-choices that didn’t pay-off (Ex: All around by the track left to go to the 15^th). Then, a bit tired physically and mentally, the orienteering was far less offensive and efficient that led to a lot of time lost through the end. May be not enough long-distance training or too many competitions before to keep on going the whole course?

The French team had a brilliant day thought with T. Guergiou’s victory and 12^th WOC gold medal!

(Interesting andcomplete analysis by Jan Kocbach)

(Results – GPStracking (Unfortunately, my lost signal doesn’t allow to see my special route-choices)

 - Relay in Campomulo: 3^rd

For sure the most exciting event of the week, the relay didn’t disappoint expectations. With the best team-mate you can dream on (F. Gonon and T. Guergiou), I had the great chance to run the 1^st leg, but also a little pressure considering the team expectation and my catastrophic performance of last year on the main position that killed all the chances of the team after 2 controls of the Finnish forest… But taking it very safe, letting Fabu (Swiss 1^st leg runner) taking decision in the beginning, and doing my job when we had different forking, it went well this year coming back in             the 3 teams’ breakaway group with the Swiss and Swedish runners.

Then, the battle for the victory in between these 3 leading teams was hard, and we had to accept to get the bronze medal. Remembering all the bad luck and disasters of the French relay team of the last few years, and as the 3^rd WOC relay medal for France (and my 2^nd WOC bronze medal), I guess we can be very pleased with this great 3^rd place!

(Highlight video)

(Results – GPStracking)

Promenade on the European roof # Mont-Blanc

After a tough competition week, nothing is better than getting some fresh air on the mountain. That how we got to Chamonix awesome area for some hiking days with the main goal to climb on the top of the “Mont Blanc”. For me, it has been an idea from many years, so when I heard the proposition from E. Jurenikova to go over-there after WOC, of course, I couldn’t refuse! Even with very little experience and no real preparation for me and not so much equipments, we got to the top as a symbol with quite an international team and we even managed to come down “safe and sound”!

Quite breathtaking and unbelievable experience

Now the plan is not exactly to rest yet as there are still some World UniversityOrienteering Champs, World MilitaryChamps and few Finnish national competitions in the program…

Pictures: World Of O runners

                WOC 2014