Portugal O-Meeting: International Season Opening

Update! You find full results from POM 2010 here.

In the womens class, the situation is similar. Reading from the end of the start list, we have got Simone Niggli, Anne-Margrethe Hausken, Helena Jansson, Signe Søes, Eva Jurenikova, Julia Novikova, Angela Wild and Heidi Østlid Bagstevold.

The map above is from a training Øystein Kvaal Østerbø had on Quiaios. Quiaios will also be used for Day 3 in Portugal O-Meeting.

Taking over after Spring Cup

As written in the February Top Picks, Portugal O-Meeting seems to have managed to take over Sprint Cup’s position as the international season opening for the orienteering elite (although Sprint Cup still has a quality field). The highest scored World Ranking points ever was at POM 2007 by Thierry Gueorgiou with 1516 points. Damien Renard (2nd, 1473 points) has the third highest World Ranking score ever from the same event. Simone Niggli scored the 4th highest World Ranking points in 2009 at POM 2009.

Maps and results

There are several maps in the area in Omaps.worldofo.com – click this link to see maps in the surroundings. There are also some maps from runners training in this area the last days – for example the training of Alessio Tenani (see e.g. map here, and here).

I will try to update you with maps and results from POM during the next days. As an extra service, news from Portugal O-Meeting have been added on the World of O main page for the duration of the races in order to get the latest news out to World of O readers.

Programme

POM 2010 consists of 2 Long distance events, two middle distance events and an additional Night urban sprint:

• Saturday February 13th: Long Distance – Leirosa’s map
• Saturday February 13th: Night urban sprint – Costa de Lavos’ map (POM extra-competition event)
• Sunday February 14th: Middle Distance WRE – Lagoa da Braças’ map
• Monday February 15th: Long Distance – Quiaios’ map
• Tuesday February 16th: Middle Distance – Lagoa da Vela’s map

Terrain

POM 2010 offers varied terrain – you find terrain pictures and map samples here – below a short summary of the terrain:

• Stage 1. Day 1 – Saturday, 13-02 Praia da Leirosa Long Distance Pine forest terrain with some patches of different trees, with reduced higher grass of shrubbery growth. Presents, some open and one semi-open areas with good visibility. Typical pathways (sandways).
• Day 2 – Sunday, 14-02 Lagoa das Braças, Quiaios Middle Distance – WRE Small-grown pine forest terrain with some patches of different trees and shrubbery, with reduced higher grass growth. Presents micro-contour areas, requiring greater navigation skills
• Day 3 – Monday, 15-02 Quiaios Long Distance Pine forest terrain with reduced higher grass of shrubbery growth. Presents both micro-contour as well as medium contour areas, with good runnability but low visibility. Patterned pathways; altitude between marks 21 and 60.
• Day 4 – Tuesday, 16-02 Lagoa da Vela, Quiaios Middle Distance Pine forest terrain with reduced higher grass of shrubbery growth, with good runnability. Typical pathways (sandways). Presents micro-contour areas, requiring greater navigation skills.

Links

Some useful links for the upcoming POM 2010 competitions:

• Startlist all days
• Program
• POM 2010 homepage