World of O News
– For European runners it was an experience like from another planet, the Czech Relay World Champion Tomas Dlabaja answers when asked about the best course he run in 2012. Some of the races Dlabaja considered for “The Course of the Year 2012″ were Portugal O Meeting, Euromeeting in Austria and “Nice Holidays” in the Sandstones in Czech Republic- but in the end he chose a race on the other side of the globe….
– I am lucky that I ran some fantastic races during this season. It was therefore a pretty hard decision-making for me, Dlabaja explains. – After almost one hour of deliberation I can give you the answer. It was the PWT race in Chinese Chongqing in the “agricultural slum”.
This high quality race was not organized by experienced Europeans but by Chinese
The race in question was the third race on the PWT china tour this autumn – and was very popular when it was featured at World of O’s Facebook -page some months ago.
– Race conditions were a disaster. Heavy rain and dangerously slippery ground, but when you crossed the finish line, you told yourself “WOW”. For European runners it was an experience like from another planet. Maybe not the best course, but the best overall feeling. And I add – this high quality race was not organized by experienced Europeans but by Chinese!
You can see the complete course here – but you’ll understand a lot more about the race when you in addition check out this video made by Miguel Silva.
More questions for Dlabaja
As part of the preparations for “Course of the Year 2012″, Tomas Dlabaja answered some more questions related to 2012 and the future.
That day in 2012 I felt like a fish in the water
Q: In which race or training did you have most fun in 2012 – and why?
It was a long distance race in Switzerland. But I don’t mean the World Orienteering Championships. It was the selection race of the Czech national team held in Langenthal [Note! Routechoice is not from Dlabaja]. It was a cool course with fantastic routechoices and physically very demanding. I don’t know why, but sometimes one experiences a day when you are “unbreakable”, when you can “fly”. That day in 2012 I felt like a fish in the water, and here I got important self-confidence for WOC. It was a “kick-off” and such kick-offs are very important in our careers.
Q: What is the race you look most forward to in 2013?
Last year I considered to finish my career. But this year I see new goals and wishes. I am the man who like a way more than its target. My target will be WOC in Finland, because I don’t see a bigger challenge for orienteer. But the way is moving to Finland, discovering new culture, meeting new people and enriching my life.
Q: What is the worst course you run in 2012?
I cannot answer this question, because I know that behind every race there is a lot of work of organizers. They do their best although runners can hate the course… :-(
Q: What is your favourite map (from the top of your head)?
I love terrain of southern Stockholm. Cool contour orienteering, soft marches with cliffs and knolls. Woods arounds my former clubs Söders Tyresö and Södertälje. Especially Tyresta nationalpark (here is the map from Gustav Bergman’s map archive).
Q: Did you set any courses in 2012? If so, is it possible to share the best (in your opinion) with World of O’s readers?
Every year I try to make one new map and set a race there. I want to contribute to orienteering not only as an elite runner. Usually it is only a local winter league, but this year it was an accompanying sprint for the famous summer Czech competition “Nice Holidays”. The main part was around a beautiful castle, but the rest was very limiting. You can see the map here and a short movie here.
Q: What are your goals for next year – and how do you change your training and focus in order to reach your goals in 2013?
Hard question. The older I am, the less results mean for me. I hope I will share my orienteering passion together with identically crazy friends, forever ;-)
Prizes from our Sponsors
Prizes from our Sponsors always makes it more fun! There will be a prize for the first one suggesting the course which ends up becoming “The course of the Year 2012″, and prizes drawn among the ones suggesting and voting. All prizes are transferable to other persons (you don’t have to travel yourself).
MOC 2013
- Prize offered: Hotel + entry package for 2 persons (4 nights accommodation in Hotel Formula B&B + entry fee for MOC 2013+PWT in Matera, value about 600 Euro).
- LET’S ROCK in MOC- Matera 2013! The Mediterranean Open Championship Orienteering 2013 is organized March 15th – March 17th. Great events with world class runners!Read more
Orievents Training Camps
- Prize offered: Training package with accommodation for 2 persons (6 trainings + 3 days of accommodation in half board at Castelo de Vide Hotel)
- Orievents / GD4C’s Training Camps – Alto Alentejo – are an excellent training opportunity for Orienteering of good quality during the winter. The TC will have the technical support of Eva Jurenikova. Start the new season in training camps in Alto Alentejo, Portugal! Read more
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Bubo Cup 2013
- Prize offered: “Family” entry package (Entry for 4 persons for complete Bubo cup, transferable to other people)
- Bubo cup is a new 5 Day orienteering event in Slovenia – with the same quality you are used to from OOCup. The 5 day event taking place from 19th to 23rd of July 2013 will take you through some great orienteering areas in the western part of Slovenia – from Karst terrain above the world famous Postojna cave to the Trnovski gozd plateau (which was the venue of unforgetably tough OOCup 2011). The venue of the mid stage will be Vipava, an old little town in Vipava valley. Read more
Fjord-o Arctic Midnattsolgaloppen 2013
- Prize offered: Entry package for 2 persons (Entry for 2 persons for complete Fjord-O Arctic week)
- Fjord-o Arctic Midnattsolgaloppen is the biggest and most popular event which is regularly organized north of the polar circle. Fjord-o is known for its mix of interesting orienteering with spectacular nature between fjords and mountains. Fjord-o 2013 is organized from June 29th until July 3st 2013. This year it will take place in the Harstad-region. Read more
Nice Holidays 2013
- Prize offered: 2 packages – each consisting of entry fee + accommodation for 2 persons (Entry fee + accommodation in campsite for 2 persons)
- Nice holidays are traditional 2-days, 3-stages orienteering competition organised by TJ Turnov orienteering club in beautiful sandstone terrains of Bohemian Paradise since 1992. Come to the Czech Republic and enjoy challenging middle distance, tricky sprint and tough long distance in hilly sandstone terrain. We are looking forward to seeing you from 23rd to 25th August 2013 in Turnov, Czech Republic. The competition has a limit of competitors set by natural park management usually to max 1000 runners. This year it was sold out in two months. Read more
For the record: All sponsor gifts/income related to “The Best Course of 2012″ goes directly to the WorldofO.com readers.
