World Orienteering Champs in Lausanne

This year, the biggest orienteering event of the season started last Saturday with the sprint in the Olympic capital:

Although I had not shown a good form in international sprint events this season before WOC (EOC sprint was catastrophic and too many route-choice mistakes in St-Galle world cup), I felt ready and quite confident to face this competition thank to solid sprint performance and good preparation in France.

The qualification was held in between the building of the University of Lausanne and the EPFL. It was a rather classic campus-sprint race where the main technique was to decide which side to go around buildings without big traps; whereas we could expect a very tricky orienteering challenge with routes in different levels. I achieved the main goal to qualify for the final quite well as I was the fastest of my qualification heat.

(Result, map)

On the afternoon, it was serious things with the final: The course was really challenging with decisive route choices decision right from the beginning so it was a bit confusing if we would like to start too fast... Starting in the last position, my race went OK event-if I’ve done some hesitations, passages missed and all my route-choices wasn’t optimal, so I crossed the finish line with the 5^th best time rather satisfied of my performance but behind the Swiss domination. However, it was before I realized that I forgot to punch the easiest control of the course: I MISS PUNCHED the spectator control! :-(  I could almost run on it as it was in the middle of the compulsory route in the arena but completely forgot it… Finally, I continue series of MP in sprint in important competitions (after JWOC 2007, WOC qualif 2009, WUOC 2010 …) almost always around the arena. I may think to change something in my sprint technique routine or focus?

(Split-times results, Map with GPS, , Video streaming from Norway)

Then, after this huge disappointment, it was important to refocus for the next event: the long qualification on Sunday. In a more open and runable forest than expected, it went quite well for me even-if I got lock some times in some green areas and I took my ticket for the final with the 3^rd time of my heat.

(Results)  

So now, it’s time for some rest days cheering French team-mates in middle distance before the long distance final on Thursday thanks to the good live coverage.