World of O News
– It was terrain all the way! I think I ran for like 100 meters on a real path, Ida Bobach comments. The world’s best long distance orienteer in 2015 – Ida Bobach – is another top elite runner who chooses the WOC long distance as the best course of 2015 – what a tribute to the course setters and the WOC organizers!
Read on for a long interview with Ida Bobach. This interview is part of the “Course of the Year 2015″ contest organized by World of O. In the introduction article you can suggest YOUR favourite course for “Course of the Year 2015″ – there are prizes to be won worth more than 2500 Euro.
Q: What was the best course you run in 2015 – and why?
WOC long distance. It was terrain all the way! I think I ran for like 100 meters on a real path. The course had some very good long legs where the route choice did matter a lot. And you had to do micro-route choices all the time so you really had to stay very focused on the long legs. The course changed a lot and you had to adapt to new challenges throughout the course. And then it fit perfectly to me ;)
WOC Long Women
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
Q: What was the most interesting orienteering terrain you run in in 2015 – and why?
Coles Bay in Tasmania where the World Cup middle distance was held. The terrain was just so different from what we have in Europe and it was really tricky. The ground was hard and you could run fast but all of a sudden the visibility was really poor and you needed to slow down to navigate properly. It was really fun.
World Cup Middle Tasmania - W21
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
Q: Usually the courses in interesting terrains are the ones you remember. But can you remember a very good course you ran in “boring” terrain this year?
Danish Spring long distance. It was a typical North Sealand forest, but the course was quite challenging. You could run really fast but many controls were placed in tricky areas with poor visibility so you had to be quite accurate with your map reading and your compass.
Danish Spring Long WRE
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
(Editors comment: Sorry, this is the men’s course)
Q: What is the worst course you ran in 2015?
The worst course was a training with the national team in Spain in February. It was probably more the terrain than actually the course setting that was the problem. Or maybe it was mostly the lack of reconnaissance. There was a lot of undergrowth and it was horribly to run in. I ended crawling under some hawthorn bushes and getting my skin ripped up.
I was a bit disappointed about the World Cup middle distance in Munkedal, Sweden. I think there was put too much focus on the spectators instead of using all the nice terrain further from the arena. I think it is a shame when courses are set like that.
Världs-Cup medel
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
Q: What is the most interesting course you ran (or saw) in your own home country in 2015?
Danish champs in Sprint in Roskilde was really a good course. It was set by Andreas Boesen who had made a really fun and tricky sprint. I felt like I was two steps behind the whole time, it was so stressful but really fun.
Danish Champs Sprint 2015 W21
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
Q: Did you set any courses in 2015? If so, is it possible to share the best (in your opinion) with World of O’s readers?
I have only set courses on club trainings. The best one is probably this night corridor course where the controls are not drawn on the map. They had the control descriptions, though. There was also a light-version with the controls drawn on the map.
Q: What is the most interesting routechoice leg you remember from 2015? Did you take the right choice?
Leg 2-3 in Swedish League long distance in Fengersfors. I almost did the same as Tatiana Ryabkina who had the best time on that leg, but I was more than 1½ min. slower than she was. I did not find the best way out of the control and I did not simplify the map very well I guess, so I spent too much time looking at the map. It was a really challenging leg.
Swedish League #1 D21
» See map in omaps.worldofo.com
Q:You had a fantastic 2015 season. In your opinion, what are the three key factors which have helped you reach these amazing achievements?
Stable amount of running during the spring with only small injury disturbances, specific training and long pre-WOC camp in Scotland.
Q: What is the race you look most forward to in 2016?
WOC in Strömstad. I can not choose a specific distance because I think they will all be so nice and challenging. I hope to run all the forest disciplines!
Q: What are your goals for next year – and do you plan to change your training and/or focus in order to reach your goals in 2016?
My goal is to get more medals at WOC and EOC. I do not think that I will make big changes in my training since it worked out really fine this year. Of course I will try to optimize my training all of the time and be open to new things.
Q: Thanks a lot Ida – and good luck with preparations for the next season!
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 2015″, and prizes drawn among the ones suggesting and voting. All prizes are transferable to other persons (you don’t have to travel yourself).
Event sponsor: Antalya Orienteering Festival 2016 – 29th October – 5th November
- Prize offered: One big Antalya O-Meeting package consisting of 2 complete Antalya Orienteering Festival packages: Accommodation + Entry for all 5 races + All Transfers + The program consisting of presentations held by Håkan Carlsson. Value about 495 Euro. Transferable to other persons.
- Antalya Orienteering Festival will be held for the 2nd time in Side by the Mediterranean coast of Antalya, Turkey. We provide 5 different terrains and challenging courses, good maps and good weather for orienteering holiday. Swedish National Team Head Coach Håkan Carlsson will join us for analysis and lectures about Sports psychology & Mental training. See more at www.antalyaofest.com
Event sponsor: Fjord-O 2016 – 13th – 17th July
- Prize offered: 3 packages – each for 2 persons – for the full Fjord-O 2016 consisting of entry for 4 races in beautiful terrain with fjord view. Value about 450 Euro. Transferable to other persons.
- The race courses are set among the most spectacular sceneries in «Fjord Norway», with the slogan «with a view to the fjord». Fjord-O Vest is 4 days of competitions allowing time for you to explore the beautiful nature in this area during your holiday. Stryn and Ålesund have many exciting attractions such as the Jugend town of Ålesund, the Geiranger Fjord, a hike up the longest uphill track in Norway to the Skåla summit at 1849 above the sea level or a visit to the famous Briksdal Glacier. See more at fjord-o.no.
Event sponsor: Portugal “O” Meeting 2016 – February 5th-9th 2016
- Prize offered: 4 packages – each for 2 persons – transferable to other person. Consisting of entry to complete 4 day Portugal “O” Meeting 2016 – 4 official races + 1 Urban Night (Middle, Urban Nigth, Middle, Long-WRE, Long). Value about 390 EUR.
- POM is the world’s biggest winter time orienteering event, and is considered by many as the official opening of the competition season for its high quality organization and for receiving the top runners of the world. We expect to have 2000+ runners – last year POM had 2300 runners! Besides new maps, challenging terrains and courses you’ll be able to experience the rich gastronomy, as the famous cheese, olive oil and honey (considered among the best in the world). Have a chance to enjoy the friendship of locals and explore the beautiful and untouched nature. The WRE day will be the long distance on 8th Feb.More at http://www.pom.pt.
Event sponsor: Slovak Karst Cup 2016. 21st-24th July 2016
- Prize offered: 3 packages for 2 people – each consisting of: entry for 4 competitions (2xmiddle, 2x shortened long), accommodation for 4 nights in camping, 3 training maps, Event T-shirts and headtube.
Value about 360 Euro, transferable to other person(s). - Slovak Karst Cup is the favorite multiday o-event in Slovakia. It is usually organized in karst terrains of Silická planina (plateau) or Plesivecka planina (plateau), which are located in National park Slovenský kras. You can find many depressions, mixed forest, semiopen or open areas there. And also lots of natural and historical attractions in surroundings after competition. For Karst Cup 2016 we have chosen one of the most attractive terrains, which where used partly for JWOC 2012 (open or semiopen areas of Silická planina) and fully for WUOC 2006 (forest area of Plešivecká planina). The competition can be a very good opportunity for training for WUOC 2016 participiants. More at http://www.tuke.sk/obeh/karst
Event sponsor: SIVEN MOC 2016 – March 4th – March 10th 2016
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Prize offered: Full package for 1 person consisting in package for SIVEN MOC camp + entry fee for SIVEN MOC Championship in Bulgaria – March 2016. The package includes 7 trainings as shown on the program, 3 competitions of MOC Championship, 8 nights accommodation. Value about 349 Euro. Transferable to other person.
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XIV edition of MOC, with main sponsor SIVEN, for the first time in Bulgaria. Event centre in Bansko. Find your Bulgaria! MOC stands for Mediteranian Orienteering Championship – MOC is an annual event organized at the beginning of spring season, in southern countries with softer climate. More info at www.sivenmoc.com and www.
orienteering.it
Event sponsor: Orievents / NAOM 2016. 13th – 14th February 2016
- Prize offered: Competition + training package for 2 persons, consisting of: Entry for NAOM 2016 (13February 2016 – Middle distance + Night Sprint ; 14 February – Middle Distance WRE) + training camp (6 trainings) + 3 days of accommodation in half board. Value about 320 Euro. Transferable to other persons.
- Orievents / GD4C’s Training Camps “Alto Alentejo” are an excellent training opportunity for Orienteering of good quality during the winter. Start the new season in training camps in Alto Alentejo, Portugal! More at www.naom.pt and about the training camp at Orievents.
Event sponsor: Lipica Open 2016. 12th – 16th March
- Prize offered: 2 packages – each for 2 people – consisting of: Entry to complete Lipica Open competition + hard floor accommodation in Postojna. Value about 320 euro. Transferable to other persons.
- In 2016 Lipica open will again be organized as a 5 day event. Again some great terrains! Training conditions in this part of Europe are now better than ever – both on forest maps and on sprint maps of nice little towns on the Adriatic coast! More at www.lipicaopen.com
