Interview: Denisa Kosova about the best orienteering courses of 2019!

– A long run through the Scandinavian forest, only few controls and a deep experience, is Denisa Kosova’s description of her favourite orienteering course in 2019. Read more about Kosova’s experiences in the forest the last year further down.

Denisa Kosova is a Czech orienteer who is knocking on the door to the absolute World Elite. Kosova has had a great season with her best WOC result ever at this year’s World Championships Middle (8th place) and best World Cup result this autumn in Switzerland (6th place at Middle). Currently placed 14th in the World Ranking, Kosova is ready to climb even further up on the results lists when improving her physical shape a few notches, as her goal is for the next season. And remember, at the next forest World Orienteering Championships in 2021 she will be racing on home ground …

This interview is part of the “Course of the Year 2019″ contest organized by World of O. In the introduction article you can suggest YOUR favourite course for “Course of the Year 2019″ – there are prizes to be won worth more than 6000 Euro.

Interview Denisa Kosova

Q: What was the best forest course you run in 2019- and why?

The best forest course I ran was the Long selection race in Norway in July which was organized by Halden SK. I never ran a course like this, it was really atypical for us. A long run through the Scandinavian forest, only few controls and a deep experience.

– I never ran a course like this, it was really atypical for us

We expected that WOC long distance would be more like this… [Editors comment: This was obviously a really special event – this was also the favourite race, although the men’s course of course, of Lucas Basset in yesterday’s interview, and also pinpointing the difference to WOC Long]

2019 WOC Selection Long D21E World

» See map in omaps.worldofo.com

Q: What was the best sprint course you run in 2019- and why?

After a lot of considerations, it was still the World Cup sprint in China. This year I ran just a few sprint races, nothing special, nothing more interesting (although the MOC training camp was also interesting)… In my opinion, for sprint it is a question of where to draw the line between a good course and a nice terrain. Without nice terrain, it is hard to set a technically demanding course.

And here the first part of the course:

Q: What was the most interesting terrain you raced in in 2019?

The most interesting terrain was “Jakuszyce”. This is my favourite terrain ever!

The place and terrain is beautiful – lots of smaller and bigger marches, blueberries higher than your legs, stones, rocks and so on

We ran the Polish selection races for WOC there (and many other competitions in previous years, because it is a huge piece of forest). The place and terrain is beautiful – lots of smaller and bigger marches, blueberries higher than your legs, stones, rocks and so on. It looks quite easy from the map, but if you visit it, you’ll be surprised! We can say it’s the closest scandinavian terrain to Czech republic..

Here is the course from the Polish selection race:

Here is the course from training camp in the same area:

Q: What was the most interesting course you ran in Czech Republic in 2019?

This I know immediately! It was the Czech champs Long. A tough and demanding course with a lot of interesting routechoices, many details and nice mountain forest! 87 minutes of hard job – our expected winning time was 70 minutes…

All international runners will probably enjoy this experience, because it is relevant to WOC 2021, but first everybody must wait until a cougar which lives there is captured.  [Editors comment: Below are some of the interesting legs on this course].

Q: And what about the most interesting routechoice?

That is also from the Czech long championships, to control number 7.

Nothing extremely long, but I didn’t see the right choice and I was surprised in the finish. I lost almost 3 minutes (I lost around 1 minute in the second part just by execution). [Editors comment: We have chosen this leg for today’s Route to Christmas – head over and test yourself on the leg!]

Q: What was the best course you set yourself in 2019?

It was just a training for my Czech club, but in one of the best terrains, which is close to our new house :)

Q: What is the race you look most forward to in 2020?

Good question. I can say – Euromeeting long/middle and O-Ringen. My heart still belongs to forest orienteering, but it can change during the season, it depends on the current shape…

Q: What are your goals for next year?

I would like to attack TOP 6 again in the World Cup or EOC, and improve my physical shape. Of course, I hope I can be part of the sprint relay team for WOC 2020 in Denmark.

Q: Thanks a lot for your answers, Denisa! Great to see some nice Czech maps again.

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 2019″, 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: Five Days of Italy 2020 – June 28th – July 3rd (Italy)

• Prize offered: BIG competition and hotel package for two persons, consisting of competition fee and hotel accommodation for 7 nights, half board. Value 1.520 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• You are welcome in the Dolomites to  5 days Italy 2020 in Paganella Mountain, Fai della Paganella and beautiful “Dolomiti di Brenta”, amazing Trentino landscape. Read more at www.5daysitaly.it

Event sponsor: 53rd Kainuu Orienteering Week Finland (KOW), June 28th – July 3rd 2020 (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 2020. Total value up to 800 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• Kainuu O-Week is the biggest Finnish orienteering week, and it has been held annually since 1966 in Kainuu, Finland.  The 2020 event will gather 5000-6000 participants from all around the world. The 2020 competition terrain is very suitable for all categories and perfect for running and orienteering – the orienteers will be running in the fast and beautiful pine forest terrain of Haverinen, consisting almost exclusively of pine forest of varying ages, in certain areas the contours are with small features. The visibility is mostly excellent, in some seedling areas slightly poorer. The ground is solid and clean; it is not stony. One river (Varisjoki), a few mires and ponds bring their own contribution to the orienteering tasks and landscape. For more information see www.rastiviikko.fi.

Event sponsor: Andalucia O Meeting – February 8th – 9th (Spain)

• Prize offered: Competition and Training Package with accommodation for 4 persons. The package includes entry to AndaluciaOMeeting 2020 for 4 persons, 3 nights accommodation in 4p Apartment Leo Deluxe and Training Package if you want to stay longer. Total value 650 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• Fun organized (Sportident) trainings and competitions in surprising Huelva! More info at https://sun-o.com/en/event/andalucia-o-meeting-2020/ & https://sun-o.com/en/camp/huelva-organized-camp/

Event Sponsor: EGK Swiss 5 Days 2020, May 20 – 24, 2019 (Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

• Prize offered: 2 packages, each for 2 free entries for the entire Swiss 5 Days Orienteering 2020 and spectator access to the 3 World Cup races. Total value 600 EUR, transferable to other persons.
• More information to these exciting races under: www.swiss5days2020.ch. Neuchâtel, the place to discover!

Event sponsor: Hungaria Cup – August 19th – 23rd 2020 (Hungary)

• Prize offered: 3 entry + accommodation packages, each for 2 persons. Each package consists of 2 free entries for all 5 days in any class at Hungaria Cup 2020 + accommodation. Total value up to 500 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• More information: Hungaria Cup is Hungary’s biggest orienteering competition, held annually since the year 1967. This year we set camp at lake Velence close to Budapest. Terrains will include tricky open areas, mixed forests and a botanical garden. Those interested in more special orienteering challenges can try Paddle-O, Biathlon-O, Mobile-O and Beer-O. Come to enjoy orienteering and all kinds of leisure activities. Did we mention that we also have great wines? For more information see http://hungariakupa.tajfutas.hu/en

Event sponsor: Bergen Sprint Camp 2020 – March 20th-22nd (Norway)

• Prize offered: 2 full packages, each for 2 people. A package consists of 3 high quality sprint races, 2 sprint trainings and 1 dinner + presentation for 2 persons. Total value around 375 EUR.  Transferable to other persons.
• The BSC organizing team warmly welcomes you to the 9th edition of Bergen Sprint Camp. This time as a World Ranking Event, as well as opening of the Norwegian Sprintliga 2020. Friday is the training day, followed by races in the weekend. All race maps will be updated to the new international sprint map standard. We always try our best to make maps, courses and the overall event as good and interesting as possible for every runner, from beginners to elite. All info at bergensprintcamp.com.

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 2019 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 2020 – July 28th-August 1st (France)

• Prize offered: 2 packages – each for 2 people – consisting of: Entry for the complete 5 days OOCup competition plus OOCup 2020 T-shirt for each competitor. Total value around 325 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• In 2020 OOcup goes back to France again – repeating the great success from 2018 in new and interesting terrains! There is good reason for that: Tricky terrain like what we found in the South Jura Mountains (AIN) in France is what OOcup always tries to deliver; ultimate orienteering challenge in beautiful natural surroundings. More at oocup.com.

Event sponsor: WOC 2020 spectator races – July 6th – 11th (Denmark)

• Prize offered: A spectator & race package for two persons for entry for the complete WOC 2020 Tour – including 3 forest races and 3 sprint races.  Add to that a free WOC running top for each. Value about 260 EUR. Transferable to another person.
• Description: Use this unique opportunity to watch the World’s best orienteers in the first ever sprint World Orienteering Championships while enjoying orienteering in great terrains – both forest and urban. For the three sprint races, the WOC2020 arenas will be within walking distance or shared with the spectator race arenas. The forest races will be staged in varied terrain ranging from open heathland, inland dunes and coniferous forest to hilly beech forest. All maps are drawn by the WOC2020 mapper. More information at woc2020.dk/woc-tour/.

Event sponsor: Kapa 3-days 2020 – June 26th-28th (Latvia)

• Prize offered: Two family entry packages including camping & parking. Each family entry package includes an entry for two adults and two children, space for a tent at the event camping and a car parking voucher. Value 250 EUR. Transferable to another person.
• Kapa 3-days is the largest orienteering event in Baltics with 2000 participants from around 20 countries. It’s a special o-weekend Friday to Sunday 26th to 28th of June 2020 in Latvia. The terrains of 2020 have not been used for orienteering ever and are mainly pine forests with different runnability and a lot of special relief forms. As always – a great atmosphere and even live music in the evening at the main Baltic orienteering festival!

Event sponsor: Wawel Cup – July 8th – 12th 2020 (Poland)

• Prize offered: Entry + accommodation package for 2 people. The package consists of entry to full Wawel Cup 39th edition (competition + additional indoor race + training maps) + accommodation on camping/hard-floor + Wawel Cup O-shirt. Value about 250 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• Wawel Cup 2020 is about the return to Jura Krakowsko- -Czestochowska; to the place which is unambiguously associated with Orienteering. We will start the competition with the mass start on Błędów Desert and for the next four days we will face interesting and diverse terrains with lots of rocks. Loads of attractions, additional contests, handicap, emotions, medieval castles, rocks and foremost… good fun – this mixture will let every competitor remember Wawel Cup for long!

Event sponsor: Portugal O-meeting 2020 – February 22th – 25th (Portugal)

• Prize offered: 2 packages – each for 2 persons – consisting of full entry fee for Portugal O-meeting 2020 (2 model events, 4 forest stages, 2 sprint races and Trail-O). Value about 250 EUR. Transferable to other persons.
• Portugal O’ Meeting is already a well-known established international event, perfect for a season start. It’s common to see POM Super Elite winners on the podium of the following international events. The 2020 Edition will be held in Santiago do Cacém and Sines, the southwest coast of Portugal. Terrains are typical Mediterranean forests on all stages. More info at www.pom.pt.