Routechoice analysis WOC Long Men

Finally the routechoice analysis for WOC Long Men is up! There were not many long and decisive routechoices in the WOC Long distance for men this year were top runners choose different routes – from an orienteering point of view it was more of an orienteering technical challenge. And of course a real physical challenge with the long winning time and the heat. Below you find a brief analysis leg by leg for most of the mens course.

Sorry for some delay in publishing this – I had to do some changes to my software due to the new buffering feature in the GPSSeuranta units (which on the other hand gives us a lot more data). Note that in the illustrations, the first time given is the “GPS time” – i.e. taken from the GPS data – whereas the split time from the timing system is written in paranthesis – and also in the table provided for each split. For the controls in the forked part there was not good GPS coverage – in addition I do not provide the split time tables.

See also the HeadCam video from the first 6 controls and the GPS illustrations from the WOC Long distance.

I hope to update this article with some more comments from routeplanners before the WOC is over.

Start-1

Split times Start-1
1. 07:35 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
2. 07:55 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
3. 08:07 Gernot KERSCHBAUMER (17.)
4. 08:14 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
5. 08:17 Oleksandr KRATOV (11.)
6. 08:18 François GONON (3.)
9. 08:23 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
12. 08:33 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
23. 09:24 Pasi IKONEN (2.)

The first control was one of the most tricky legs in this WOC Long – here several runners already lost their chance to fight for a place in the top. The illustration below illustrates the many mistakes made on this leg very well.

The best choice here was to do as Gueorgiou and Rollier. Follow the path as long as possible, then find the correct place to take the small path down. This part still had very good runnability. Then the key was to know exactly where you were when you crossed the big path – if you didn’t you were “dead”. The terrain at the other side of the big path was really tricky.

Gueorgiou was fastest already from the start – 20 seconds faster than the next runner Baptiste Rollier. Boström, Ikonen and Gonon took a more direct route than Gueorgiou. Even if the runnability was good here, the time it takes to read the map is longer, and this is probably the main reason for the time losses. Hubmann is close to the optimal route, but looses nearly a minute to Gueorgiou.

Leg 1-2

Split times 1-2
1. 01:05 Valentin NOVIKOV (14.)
2. 01:05 Alexey BORTNIK (13.)
3. 01:09 Daniel HAJEK (40.)
4. 01:10 Kalvis MIHAILOVS (38.)
5. 01:12 Jonne LEHTO (25.)
9. 01:16 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
10. 01:16 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
13. 01:16 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
16. 01:19 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
17. 01:19 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
20. 01:23 François GONON (3.)

The second leg was a short leg – down the hill with quite nice features to orienteer after.  Not much happened between the top runners here. Gonon was the slowest of the top runners – but still only lost a few seonds to Gueorgiou.

Leg 2-3

Split times 2-3
1. 01:44 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
2. 01:47 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
3. 01:49 Carl Waaler KAAS (15.)
4. 01:50 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
5. 01:51 Gernot KERSCHBAUMER (17.)
13. 01:59 François GONON (3.)
16. 02:04 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
19. 02:10 Pasi IKONEN (2.)

The third leg looks easy on the map, but still some runners did mistakes here. If you are not accurate in your orienteering here, it is easy to come too high (like the HeadCam runner did). Gueorgiou is again fastest with 1:44 – Ikonen looses nearly half a minute.

Leg 3-4

Split times 3-4
1. 03:42 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
2. 03:44 Tero FOHR (9.)
3. 03:46 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
4. 03:53 Dmitrii TCVETKOV (12.)
5. 03:53 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
9. 04:05 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
14. 04:08 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
28. 04:45 François GONON (3.)

Control 3-4 was a quite easy control – a possibility to get a mental break after some tricky controls. The only viable choice here was to go down on the big path, and take the control from below. Gueorgiou was again fastest with 3:42 with the ideal route. Boström and Hubann loose half a minute by leaving the big path too early – getting a less secure attack of the control. Gonon made a strange routechoice – running too high – loosing more than a minute to Gueorgiou. A few runners (none in the top, see illustration bellow) did not take down to the big path but instead took a more direct option – they lost a lot of time on it!

Leg 4-5

Split times 4-5
1. 01:06 Valentin NOVIKOV (14.)
2. 01:06 Tero FOHR (9.)
3. 01:09 Alexey BORTNIK (13.)
4. 01:10 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
5. 01:10 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
7. 01:11 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
13. 01:15 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
14. 01:15 François GONON (3.)
18. 01:19 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
19. 01:19 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)

4-5 was a short leg running down – with quite easy orienteering due to some features just ahead of the control to ease the orienteering. None of the top runners lost more than 9 second – Boström and Hubmann being the slowest.

Leg 5-6

Split times 5-6
1. 02:17 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
2. 02:19 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
3. 02:23 Carl Waaler KAAS (15.)
4. 02:25 Gernot KERSCHBAUMER (17.)
5. 02:26 Lauri SILD (34.)
9. 02:29 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
12. 02:33 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
14. 02:34 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
15. 02:35 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
43. 07:44 François GONON (3.)

The last 50 meters into the 6th control were pretty tricky – and several runners did mistakes here (like the HeadCam runner did). All of the top runners did this last part into the control well – but Gonon made a big 5:30 minute mistake by running 30 degrees wrong out of the control – searching for the control several hundred meters away from the control (making a “heart shape” for a special person with the GPS track, like somebody on the LiveBlog noted).

Gueorgiou looses 17 seconds to the best runner on this leg.  At this point we have the following standing:

1. Gueorgiou 18.01
2. Rollier 18.34
3. Lundanes. 18.49
4. Kerschbaumer 19.14
5. Hubmann 19.15
6. Novikov 19.31
10. Boström 19.53
13. Ikonen 20.26
25. Gonon 25.24

Gonon is 7.23 behind Gueorgiou – and has he started 6 minutes ahead, he is 1.23 behind in the forest.

Leg 6-7

Split times 6-7
1. 01:57 François GONON (3.)
2. 01:59 Dmitrii TCVETKOV (12.)
3. 02:00 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
4. 02:02 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
5. 02:02 Julian DENT (24.)
15. 02:15 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
23. 02:21 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
36. 02:48 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)

Again a downhill control with not too technical orienteering – the important thing is keeping the direction. Gonon is fastest – trying to gain time after his mistake. Gueorgiou looses 18 seconds to Gonon.

Leg 7-8

Split times 7-8
1. 13:15 François GONON (3.)
2. 13:32 Valentin NOVIKOV (14.)
3. 13:50 Carl Waaler KAAS (15.)
4. 13:59 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
5. 14:02 Marc LAUENSTEIN (8.)
6. 14:04 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
8. 14:22 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
13. 15:05 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
14. 15:09 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)

A long leg with two main options – going direct along the small path – or taking a long right option along the big path (nearly 300 meters longer). Almost all runners take the more direct option – and time differences are mostly due to running speed and the technical difficulties the last part into the control. Gueorgiou looses 44 seconds to Gonon here – most of it the last 50-100 meters into the control. Gonon runs fantastic – seeing Gueorgiou for the first time in the race just as he punches the 8th control.

Both Hubmann and Boström loose nearly two minutes to Gonon on this leg – but took the optimal route.

Leg 8-9

Split times 8-9
1. 01:21 François GONON (3.)
2. 01:29 Marc LAUENSTEIN (8.)
3. 01:30 Mikhail MAMLEEV (16.)
4. 01:33 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
5. 01:35 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
12. 01:37 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
14. 01:40 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
20. 01:42 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)

A short uphill leg – small differenes except Gonon has a super time because he tries to get up into the back of Gueorgiou. No top runners loose any significant time here.

Leg 9-10

Split times 9-10
1. 04:58 François GONON (3.)
2. 04:59 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
3. 05:04 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
4. 05:08 Marc LAUENSTEIN (8.)
5. 05:13 Carl Waaler KAAS (15.)
8. 05:35 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
16. 05:58 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
29. 06:21 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)

A medium length leg in the slope with no real routechoice options. Gueorgiou and Gonon are the fastest here with 4:58/4:59 – the Swiss runners loose 1:00 (Hubmann) and nearly 1:30 (Rollier) seemingly due to unsecurity.

Leg 10-11

Split times 10-11
1. 04:01 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
2. 04:02 François GONON (3.)
3. 04:17 Valentin NOVIKOV (14.)
4. 04:20 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
5. 04:21 Tue LASSEN (37.)
7. 04:23 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
10. 04:27 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
15. 04:30 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
32. 05:34 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)

A leg in the slope with two different options – either staying in the slope (optimal route) or up to the path and down again (a bit less risky, but nearly a minute slower). Gueorgiou/Gonon are again fastest with 4:01/4:02. Rollier again looses more than a minute due to insecurity ahead of the control. The other top runners loose some time – but all less than 30 seconds.

Leg 11-12

Split times 11-12
1. 02:05 François GONON (3.)
2. 02:13 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
3. 02:20 Olle KÄRNER (22.)
4. 02:20 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
5. 02:23 Simonas KREPSTA (21.)
7. 02:25 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
12. 02:31 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
14. 02:33 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)

A short leg in the slope – nothing much happening among the top runners, but Gonon is now running ahead of Gueorgiou for this leg and a few more. Boström looses more than 20 seonds.

Leg 12-13

Split times 12-13
1. 13:07 François GONON (3.)
2. 13:07 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
3. 13:18 Marc LAUENSTEIN (8.)
4. 13:18 Tero FOHR (9.)
5. 13:25 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
7. 13:34 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
10. 13:47 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
11. 13:56 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
18. 14:46 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)

Going left was clearly the best choice – all top runners went this way. Going right is about 200 meters longer but with a few meter less of altitude to gain. Going left  you on the other hand get mental rest. The route planner commented that the right choice is equivalent when thinking all of the course as one, as you save some height on this route.

Looking at the split, Olle Kärner is fastest among the runners taking the right option with 15:48 – that is 1:41 behind Gonon/Gueorgiou going left. Of the top runners Hubmann looses most time here – he looses nearly 50 seconds to Gonon/Gueorgiou.

Leg 13-17

A few short legs with few orienteering technical challenges. Not much happening among the top runners here.

Split times 13-14
1. 00:34 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
2. 00:36 Dmitrii TCVETKOV (12.)
3. 00:38 Mikhail MAMLEEV (16.)
4. 00:39 Valentin NOVIKOV (14.)
5. 00:40 Vyacheslav MUKHIDINOV (18.)
7. 00:40 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
9. 00:40 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
16. 00:42 François GONON (3.)
29. 00:45 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
31. 00:46 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)

Split times 14-15
1. 01:01 Mikhail MAMLEEV (16.)
2. 01:01 Dmitrii TCVETKOV (12.)
3. 01:05 Tero FOHR (9.)
4. 01:06 Vyacheslav MUKHIDINOV (18.)
5. 01:06 Tue LASSEN (37.)
7. 01:06 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
9. 01:07 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
10. 01:07 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
15. 01:10 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
17. 01:11 François GONON (3.)
26. 01:16 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)

Split times 15-16
1. 01:41 Gernot KERSCHBAUMER (17.)
2. 01:42 Jan SEDIVY (27.)
3. 01:42 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
4. 01:45 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
5. 01:45 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
6. 01:45 François GONON (3.)
7. 01:47 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
9. 01:50 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
11. 01:50 Pasi IKONEN (2.)

Split times 16-17
1. 02:05 Tero FOHR (9.)
2. 02:06 François GONON (3.)
3. 02:09 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
4. 02:13 Olav LUNDANES (10.)
5. 02:14 Tue LASSEN (37.)
6. 02:16 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)
7. 02:16 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
11. 02:20 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
15. 02:22 Pasi IKONEN (2.)

Leg 19-20 / 22-23

For the remainder of the course, the GPS data is missing for many runners – and due to the forking I have not included the split times from the timing system (only GPS timing included). I will update this section if I find routes of the top runners – as GPS-data for the best runners on this leg is missing.

From the GPS data it looks like left and right are approximately equivalent. Gueorgiou/Gonon go left and loose around 15 seconds to Kerschbaumer. Boström looses 1:23 taking an extreme right variant.

Leg 21-22/ 24-25

Short leg – but still some routechoice options and quite big differences for this leg length. Gonon and Gueorgiou run different routes here. Lauenstein is fastest – I don’t have his route from the GPS but will try to find it.

Leg 22-23 / 25-26

No big routechoice options – and not the most challenging technical leg – but several top runners loose time. Notably Hubmann looses nearly 2:30 here.

Leg 23-24 / 26-27

Again a short leg with some micro-routechoice options. The runners are getting tired, and one of the top runners do a mistake on each control. This time it is Olle Boström’s turn – he looses 42 seconds on this leg by taking a more left option.

Leg 29-30

Split times 29-30
1. 02:13 Baptiste ROLLIER (4.)
2. 02:22 Carl Waaler KAAS (15.)
3. 02:27 Pasi IKONEN (2.)
4. 02:31 Tero FOHR (9.)
5. 02:34 François GONON (3.)
8. 02:36 Thierry GUEORGIOU (1.)
13. 02:45 Olle BOSTRÖM (6.)
20. 02:54 Daniel HUBMANN (5.)

To the second last control it is again Boström who looses time (30 seconds) – and this time also Hubmann (40 seconds).