Course of the Year: Marika Teini chooses Portugal!

Jan Kocbach November 21, 2018 Orienteering News Comments Off on Course of the Year: Marika Teini chooses Portugal!

– Marika Teini’s favourite course of 2018 is a lot about smooth and offensive execution – in highly technical terrain in Portugal.

Read on for an interview with Teini who got her first international championships gold medal this year with her European Championships Gold medal at the middle distance in Switzerland – and continued to impress with a silver medal in the same discipline at the World Orienteering Championships in Latvia. In this interview Teini tells us about her favourite courses and terrains in 2018.

This interview is part of the “Course of the Year 2018″ contest organized by World of O. In the introduction article you can suggest YOUR favourite course for “Course of the Year 2018″ – there are prizes to be won worth more than 6000 Euro.

It is a lot about smooth but offensive execution

Interview Marika Teini

Q: What was the best forest course you ran in 2018 – and why?

There were plenty of good courses this year, and I actually liked almost all of the international races. Especially the middle distances at the European Championships, the World Championships and at the World Cup in Czech Republic were great – and so was the long distance at the World Cup in Norway. However, the course I enjoyed the most this year was a WRE race in Portugal in February, III Meeting de Orientacao Dao Lafoes. The terrain was a nice combination of fast parts with good visibility and more detailed rock formations and green areas. Though there were no longer legs, you should have a good plan for each leg to avoid bushy areas and cliffs and to execute legs smoothly. I generally like courses with relatively many controls in detailed terrains, because then you have to be sharply focused all the time and it’s a lot about smooth but offensive execution.

Q: What was the best sprint course you ran in 2018 – and why?

The sprint at the World Championships was a really pleasant surprise for me. There were nice route choice challenges, and the course setter had used artificial fences wisely to make the terrain more “unknown” for us runners who had studied the old map of Riga thoroughly. You were able to keep high speed all the time, but at the same time you should be really focused to route choices and execution.

WOC Sprint Men 2018

» See map in omaps.worldofo.com

Q: What was the most interesting orienteering terrain you ran in in 2018 – and why?

This year there were so many interesting and exotic terrains that I have to choose two. The most interesting forest terrain was one where I did a training in South Africa, even though there are actually no trees at all. Kaapschehoop Rockery consists of grassland and rocks of differend sizes, heights and shapes which form rock mazes. There it really is possible to hide controls into small holes where you have to navigate carefully to exactly the middle of the control circle in order to find the control.

I also want to mention one really special sprint terrain I got to visit this year. It was the third stage of the PWT China, and it was held in Beijing Garden Expo Park. The park consisted of different traditional Chinese gardens and temples and it was both a really beautiful place and a real navigational challenge. Almost every leg I got surprised how the terrain actually looked, as it was so hard to imagine what’s waiting for me just based on the map.

Q: What is the most interesting course you ran (or saw) in your own home country in 2018?

I ran only a few training in Finland during the whole summer because of the foot injury I got at the European Championships, but I pick the individual race at the Nordic Military Orienteering Championships held in Rovaniemi. There were different types of forest, from fast pine forest to detailed bare rock and open marshes, and I think the course had a good rhythm of short and longer legs.

Sotilaiden SM- ja PM-kilpailut, D21

» See map in omaps.worldofo.com

Q: What is the most interesting routechoice leg you remember from 2018? Did you take the right choice?

The first one which comes to my mind is the long leg from control 4 to 5 at EOC sprint. First there were some short legs where you didn’t have time to read the course forward, and then you had to make a route choice for a long and complicated leg where there were many different options. I did a pretty straight route choice which I think was best if you could also execute it well.

EOC 2018 - Sprint Final - WOMEN

» See map in omaps.worldofo.com

Q: Did you set any courses in 2018? If so, is it possible to share the best (in your opinion) with World of O’s readers?

I set courses mainly for my own trainings. Those are usually just basic courses or orienteering intervals and I usually draw them old-school way with pen. Unfortunately I don’t have any available at the moment because I’m not at home.

Q: What is the race you look most forward to in 2018?

It’s the World Champs middle distance!

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 2018?

My biggest goal is to do well at WOC middle distance, but also to run a good season overall. I’m changing my training only a little bit towards next year, but of course I am trying to adjust it in order to be better in Norwegian terrains.

Q: Thanks a lot for your answers – and good luck with the new 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 2018″, 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: WMOC 2019 Public Race. July 4th – 12th (Latvia)

Prize offered: Competition + accommodation package for 2 persons including: 5 races (two sprints in Riga, 3 forest races), accommodation 8 nights with breakfast in twin/double room, 4-12 July 2019 . Total prize value: EUR 820.
Watch the world’s best master runners in action and find out how good you are in the same terrains! Be equally prepared for a maze of narrow streets in Riga and a fast run in a perfect dune forest. Watch out – it may be 8 nights! And, certainly, enjoy the sun and beach immediately after your run! Read more: www.wmoc.2019.lv

Event sponsor: 52nd Kainuu Orienteering Week (KOW), June 30th – July 5th 2019 (Finland)

Prize offered: 4 packages, each consisting of 2 free participations for the whole week in any class (competition classes or open courses) at Kainuu Orienteering Week 2019. Total value up to 800 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
Open and International Orienteering Week in Finland, Sotkamo, Tipasoja (WOC2013 terrain)
More information: Kainuu Orienteering Week is the Finlands’s biggest orienteering week and the world´s second oldest orienteering week, as it has been held annually since the year 1966. Kainuu O-Week is held in the Kainuu region of Finland and traditionally the event is held in the beginning of July the week 27. In 2019 Kainuu Orienteering Week will go back to perfect pine forrest and moor terrains of the WOC2013 events. Come to enjoy the orienteering and holiday week for the whole family in the great sceneries and terrains and pure and beautiful nature of Kainuu region in Finland. First entry period will be closed on 30th of november 2018. For more information see www.rastiviikko.fi.

Event sponsor: Murcia O-Festival. February 16th – 24th

Prize offered: Competition and Training Package – including entry to Lorca-O-Meeting and Costa Calida WRE (6 events in total), 9 nights accommodation in Apartamentos Aixa, and a 8-map package to train on diverse terrains between the 2 events. Value about 680 Euro. Transferable to other persons.
9 days of fun trainings and high level competitions in surprising Murcia! More info at https://sun-o.com/en/camp/murcia-o-festival/

Event sponsor: MOC 2019 – March 15th – 17th 2019 (Malta)

Prize offered: Competition and hotel package for two persons: Entry for two person at the 15th anniversary of MOC Mediterranean Orienteering Championship in Malta, including 3 nights accommodation half board. Value about 650 EUR. Transferrable to other persons.
You are welcome to MOC 2019! The 15th anniversary Mediterranean Open Championship Orienteering 2019 is organized on March 15th – March 17th. Great events with World class runners with 3.000 euro of prize money! Follow the sub! Read more at the competition web-page and on www.orienteering.it and www.facebook.com/pwtorienteering

Event sponsor: Durmitor Orienteering Challenge 2019. August 27th – 31st 2019 (Montenegro)

Prize offered: 2 packages – each for 2 people– consisting of: Entry to complete 5 Day Durmitor Orienteering Challenge, + 2 x 2 special T shirts „My life, my sport-Orienteering“ product of Oland. Total value about 620 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
At the end of summer 2019, after WOC in Norway, you can visit the exceptionally nice and beautiful 5 Days of orienteering in the Montenegro mountain pearl Durmitor. For most orienteers this is a new area, offering much more than orienteering. Also excellent conditions for club trainings with new maps and terrains at 1500 meters altitude. More infomation: Dochallenge.me

Event sponsor: 5^th Antalya Orienteering Festival 2018 – October 27th– November 3rd

Prize offered: One Big Antalya O-Meeting package consisting of 1 complete Antalya Orienteering Festival package: Accommodation + Entry for all 6 races for one person. Value about 540 Euro. Transferable to other person.
Antalya Orienteering Festival will be held for the 3rd time in Side by the Mediterranean coast of Antalya, Turkey. We provide 6 different terrains and challenging courses, good maps and good weather for orienteering holiday. See more at www.antalyaofest.com

Event sponsor: Sprint Scotland, June 20th-23rd 2019 (Scotland)

Prizes offered – 2 complete packages for 2 people each – All training / races + event t-shirt. Total value around 400 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
Sprint Scotland will again host 4 days of high quality sprint orienteering in the Stirling/Edinburgh area. 2 training days with warm-up sprint races, followed by a weekend with 3 sprint/urban races (WREs), as well as three talks about sprint orienteering. Short travel from Edinburgh and Glasgow. More information here: http://sprintscotland.co.uk

Software sponsor: OCAD Orienteering 3-year license

Prize offered: One 3-year licence for the software “OCAD Orienteering″. Value about 350 EUR. Transferable to other person (before activation).
More information: OCAD 2018 Orienteering – Perfect to Produce Orienteering Maps. This edition is dedicated for orienteering map making with a step-by-step wizard for analyzing of LiDAR data, mobile geodata capturing, smart editing and drawing tools, generalization tools, desktop publishing, course setting and much more. Read more at ocad.com.

Event sponsor: OOCup 2019 – July 24th – 28th (Slovenia)

Prize offered: 2 packages – each for 2 people – consisting of: Entry for the complete 5 days OOCup competition plus OOCup 2019 T-shirt for each competitor. Total value around 325 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
In 2019 OOcup goes back to where it all started back in 2002. Stunning orienteering areas around Soriška planina will deliver memorable orienteering challenge for everyone. Even though Soriška planina is well known among orienteers, we’ve mapped a lot of new exciting areas, so there will be plenty of unseen for all participants. Gorenjska region with Lakes Bohinj and Bled and Triglav national part is considered as the most beautiful part of Slovenia by many. More at oocup.com.

Event sponsor: 22. International Thuringian 24-Hour relay. May 31st – June 2nd 2019 (Germany)

Prize offered: Two packages, each package consists of one 6-person team for the 24-Hour-Orienteering Relay (min age 15) and one 4-person team for the youth relay. Included in the 24-Hour Relay is also opening party, parking, camping and open-air swimming pool. Total value about 300 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
Description. Be part of the world’s longest orienteering relay starting on Saturday June 1st 2019 at 9:00 AM and finishing on Sunday 2nd of June 2019 at 9:00 AM. The competition takes place in a typical German low mountain range in the middle of beautiful nature. More information here: https://www.24h-ol.de/en/

Event sponsor: VARIANT 5 DAYS – August 13th – 17th 2019 (Bulgaria)

Prize offered: Package for two persons consisting of entry fee and accommodation for Variant 5 Days 2019 – 5 days of orienteering in Stara planina mountains, Kalofer, Bulgaria. Value about 270 EUR. Transferrable to other person.
Enjoy an unforgettable orienteering holiday in the beautiful nature of Bulgaria.Five races in mountain terrain including a chasing start. Variant 5 Days is an affordable way to experience and explore the Stara Planina mountain region near Kalofer, just below the highest peak of the mountain – Botev, 2376m asl. Besides the great terrains there are many sightseeing options around including mineral pools, which makes it a perfect place to visit during the summer of 2019. Plan a trip to Bulgaria now and you will have a splendid vacation in August. Find out more at http://5days.variant5.org or email us at teamcontact@variant5.org. Visit also our facebook page at: com/variant5cup.

Event sponsor: Kapa 2019 – June 28th – 30th (Latvia)

Prize offered: Two family entry packages to Kapa 3days, where each package includes entry for two adults and one child, space for a tent at the event camping and a car parking voucher. Total value around 250 EUR. Transferable to other person.
More information: Kapa 3-days is the largest orienteering event in Baltics with 2000 participants from around 20 countries. It is a nice, long o-weekend for families – from Friday to Sunday. The best new maps and terrains are available, kindergarten at the event centre, fantastic prizes and great atmosphere, including live music in the evening. Just come with your family and relive WOC 2018 as the course planners are the same! This year’s event page: 2019.kapa.lv. Facebook page: facebook.com/Kapa3days, Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/912631195590739/

Event sponsor: Orienteering Adventure 2019. August 7th – 11th (Czech Republic)

Prize offered: Entry fee for two persons with accommodation in hotel Lenka in the event centre during the competitions (6th -11th of August). Value: 250 EUR, transferable to other persons. Note that the package is available only until the first entry deadline (April 30th 2019).
Orienteering Adventure take place in the biggest mountains in Czech – The Giant Mountains. It is a national park nicknamed as “Tundra in the heart of Europe”. You can expect clean mountain forest with poor path network, stone fields, a few rocks, one stage in poor visibility area, sprint in a mountain village, beer relay and even more. Read more here: http://www.o-adventure.cz (In English from early December)

Event sponsor: Easter4 2019 – April 19th – 22th (Slovenia)

Prize offered: One package for 2 people – consisting of: Entry for the Easter4 competition in the beautiful Izola & Kras regions, Slovenia + accommodation in pension (B&B). Value about 250 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
After the 2018 edition on Cres island, in 2019 we go back to Slovenia. The race will be organized by the same team and quality standard as you might be used to from Lipica open, OOcup and Bubo cup. Excellent mixture of tough karst terrain and one Sprint stage, partly on newly mapped areas. Did you know that Swiss star Simona Aebersold took part in all 3 editions so far? More at easter4.com.