World of O News
Valentin Novikov is the most experienced Russian orienteer. At WOC Relay he took care of the last leg in the golden Russian team, with a style that earned him nomination into the “Achievement of the Year” category of the 2006 Poll. He was by far the fastest orienteer of the day and also thank to his smashing run Russia won their first Relay gold from World Championships.
I guess that when looking over, you must be satisfied with the 2006 season.
TYes, it was much better for me than the previous one and I was really glad I could take part in all the top events again.
The WOC 2006 ended up with your great performance in Relay, but before that in Long and Middle, even if you seemed to have been in your top shape, you two times lost great amounts of time at the end of the course, which twice cost you a medal. Have you analyzed that?
Well, the reasons were quite different. In the Long distance my main problem was that I had decided to use special athletic shoes, which were super light. However, the Long distance final was the first time I used them. I knew it was risk, but I was also aware that the Long distance would involve a lot of track-running this time, which was why I finally decided to take the risk. However, running in these athletic spikes required different running technique to which my legs weren’t used and after about 80 minutes on the course, I strted to suffer with cramps in my thigh muscles, which got really severe at the end of the course. When I got to the finsih shoot, I could barely move due to the pain and when I crossed the finish line, my legs were virtually powerless. And then, on the way back to our accommodation my stomach couldn’t hold anything, not even water. It was only in the evening I could eat my first food…
During the Middle distance you seemed to have been in full strength again. But again you missed a lot of time at the end of the course.
Yes, but this time the story was quite different. I arrived at WOC in great shape and thank to the one day of rest I had after the Long, I could regain my strength and recover completely. But what happened on the final loop of Middle distance course had nothing to do with my shape. At the series of very short legs in the open area with heather, my compass slipped along the map slightly and as a result when going to control 17 I started to orienteer as if I had been running towards the 18. And as you could see, here it was were I lost the chance to win a medal, maybe even the gold.
I think this must have been really disappointing, but it might have also been a reason for your outstanding run in the Relay. Did you get any extra motivation from this?
I would say so. I knew I was in my top shape at the WOC and with every event this shape was getting better and better, in fact I think it culminated in Relay. And of course, once you are running at WOC, you want to show your true class, especially when the whole orienteering world is watching you. And I knew I could do better than what I showed in Long and Middle, and Relay was my last chance in WOC to prove that. I think I have rarely run in Relay with greater motivation.
Valentin Novikov – Achievement of the Year 2006
Nominated forAs anchor bringing Russia to a historic World Championship gold in the Relay. Novikov’s run on the last leg was one of the highlights of the 2006 World Championships.
Other achievementsBronze medallist from Middle distance at the European Championships. 5th place holder from the WOC Middle distance. 3rd in the overall World Cup standings.
StoryValentin Novikov is Russia’s most experienced and one of the best orienteers. In 2004 he was Russia’s most successful orienteer in the World Championships, after he claimed silver in Middle distance and helped the country to another silver in Relay with solid run on the last leg. Last year, however, he missed the World Championships for reasons which are very well known. Things had calmed down over the winter and this year Novikov was back, competing for his country in major Championships. He won bronze in the Middle distance at the European Championships in Estonia. At the WOC in Denmark he competed in Long, Middle and he was also Russia’s anchor in Relay. If in the Long and Middle luck wasn’t particularly playing into his cards, in Relay he displayed a really out-of-this-world performance and with the best time on the last leg brought Russia to the premiere Relay gold medal in the history of the sport. He crowned his successful season with his best achievement in the overall World Cup, when he finished as third best in the overall standings of the series.
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» Runner profile Valentin Novikov
» Poll: Best of Orienteering 2006
