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 3rd 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 11th control, even if I passed
it on my way the 17th : 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.
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: 12th
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 1st 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.
-Long-Distance in Lavarone: 14th
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 15th). 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 12th WOC gold medal!
(Results – GPStracking (Unfortunately, my lost signal doesn’t allow to see my special
route-choices)
- Relay in Campomulo: 3rd
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 1st
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 1st 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..jpg)
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 3rd WOC relay medal for France (and my 2nd
WOC bronze medal), I guess we can be very pleased with this great 3rd
place!
(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
