Comments on: Pasi Ikonen in 2001: Using compass = Bad development

By: Jon Arne

Jon Arne — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:23:15 +0000

Exactly. TG opened my eyes for full speed no mistakes, it is all about the art of finding the fastest and safest route and that is not easy, in fact it is harder than just reading all the details along the shortest route on the leg…

By: Ronen

Ronen — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:07:51 +0000

I remember being fascinated by the fact Pasi has won at 2001 without a compass, i witnessed it with my own eyes as i too participated on that championship.
After a while i started running (training and competing) without a compass, and like Pasi, i felt it being like art. Yes, orienteering speed has gone slower, but accuracy has gone better by far, thus the total time completing a course has reduced. The feeling of knowing exactly where you are – all the time – makes orienteering a blast.
That said, i do use a compass from time to time, mainly on important events, just for the sake of ‘knowing its there for me’, but not really needing it.

By: Thomas Tröße

Thomas Tröße — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:41:29 +0000

I think the compass is a helper especially for (short distance) direction control. In my opinion running straight after the compass needle (with control only over the distance and the direction, not the terrain) is not orienteering, and a terrain that requires long distance “blind flying” is not worth to do orienteering in it. :)
And last but not least the compass helps a lot when you are lost ;)

By: Jan

Jan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:56:01 +0000

… took Pasi 10 years to find out about that:) Orienteering with a compass can still be art – just look at TG..