Route to Christmas: 2020
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 1
Route Choice Challenges while waiting for the real action: With the upcoming orienteering season indefinitely on hold in large parts of the the world due to COVID-19, regular orienteering route choice challenges may be one way to make sure those orienteering skills don’t get completely rusty. I’ll try to keep these coming daily, but ne
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 2
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we take a look at one of the many routechoice legs used in the run-up to the World Orienteering Championships in Norway last summer. The chosen leg is leg 16 in the M21E course from Smaalenelopet 2019. PS! Please send some tips for interesting legs this way to keep this series going. Legs can be from a
Route to O-Season 2020: Day 3
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from one of the last large competitions in Europe before much of orienteering was shut down due to Covid-19: Lipica Open 2020. The chosen leg is a long routechoice leg from the first stage – leg 5 in the M21E course. Many other courses had a similar leg. Thanks a lot to Matjaz Stanfel for the tip
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 4
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 20202 is from a long distance competition in Sweden in April 2019 – Örjetrampen. The chosen leg is the 7th leg in the M21E course. Thanks a lot to the course setter, Andreas Johansson, for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 5
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one from Sweden: Leg 6 in the M21E course from the second stage in the “MILA Stockholm by Night” series. Thanks a lot for the tip to Simon Hector, course setter. We will let Hector make the introduction to the leg: This leg is from a typical old school Stockholm map which was drawn
Route to O-Season 2020: Day 6
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is the first sprint leg in this series, the first leg from a women course, and the first leg from Hungary. The chosen leg is the 8th leg in the W21E course from Mecsek Open 2019. Thanks a lot to János Kelemen for the tip and prepared routes. The leg is as usually first provided without routes –
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 7
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from a very recent race – the Melbourne Sprint Weekend 2020 Race 1 – a World Ranking Event organized earlier this month in Australia. The chosen leg is leg 19 in the M21E course. Thanks a lot to Patrick Jaffe for the tip! According to Jaffe, the map is a new map of Overnewton College tha
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 8
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we go back to the year Route to Christmas started and present one of the highlights from the 2007 edition of Route to Christmas: A leg from the Swiss Champs Long 2006 in Crans Montana. Back in 2007 the “Route to Christmas” legs were just presented “as is”, with no possibility to
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 9
– Australian granite terrains can make some really good route choice legs – like the 8th leg on the long distance at JWOC 2007. That’s how Christian Bobach put it back in 2007 – and the statement still stands. Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another throwback to the first year of “Route to Christmas”:
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 10
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg in very detailed “fight”-terrain in Norway – from the Norwegian O-festival long distance race. We already visited this race in “Route to Christmas 2019 Day 10″, but then we studied a longer leg. Now we have a quite short leg in the women elite course, towards the end
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 11
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from the Norwegian Championships Ultralong 2019. The chosen leg is not one of the longest legs, as those were mostly run in quite open terrain with mostly micro-routechoices to be made quite close to the line. Instead we take a look at one of the last legs where we are down in the forest. The leg is as
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 12
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from Poland – from the Polish Long distance championships 2019. Thanks a lot to Fryderyk Pryjma for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get
Route To O-Season: Day 13 2020
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from Switzerland in October 2017 – from the 9th National race at Mount Rigi. The chosen leg is the 11th leg in the M21E course. Thanks a lot to Sven Aschwanden for the leg and a long analysis text! Sven writes the following about the course and terrain: The course was a shortened long distanc
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 14
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season is a special one: We go back all the way to WOC Long distance in Japan in 2005, and look at the longest leg in the men’s course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 15
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we move one year forward to WOC Long in Denmark – another classic with a nice, long leg. This was the big day of Finland’s Jani Lakanen, and this leg was were he started gained time on his closest rivals. This is the text from the WOC around the clock magazine describing the popular Finn&
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 16
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season is another oldie: Leg 18 from the 6th Nationaler Baselbieter OL back in 2008 which was features in Route to Christmas in 2008 – but without the possibility to draw your own route and without a properly rotated map sample. Now you’ve got that possibility! The leg is as usually first provided without
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 17
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another classic long leg from a World Orienteering Championships. This time we travel back in time to WOC 2009 in Hungary. The chosen leg is leg 2 in the M21 course from WOC 2009 Long. Update Day 15 Long Leg WOC 2006 Denmark: The article is updated with the story behind “the long leg which nearl
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 18
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a long, long leg from Italy back in 2008: The 12th leg in the Highlands Open Long 2008 in the M21 class. Note: Good suggestions for legs – also/especially nice, historic routechoice legs from WOC/EOC/World Cup with accompanying analysis, are welcome (and needed; with Jukola and WOC just being
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 19
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is one of the real highlights of the long legs in World Orienteering Championships the last 15 years: The long leg in the men’s class from WOC 2008 in Czech Republic. Thanks a lot to Tomas Sokol for the tip and for route choice analysis from the WOC magazine from WOC 2008 media responsible Petr
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 20
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us back to WOC 2017 in Estonia. The tip comes from Markus Puusepp who notes that legs from the WOC 2017 women’s course have not been featured in Route to Christmas, and would therefore be a good fit for Route to O-Season 2020. In Puusepp’s own words: My personal favourite is the leg to t
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 21
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a fresh leg from a contactless middle distance “race” organized by Team Latvia this week. Thanks a lot to Janis Tamuzs for the tip and the analysis! Here is Janis’ intro to the leg: During the quarantine, Team Latvia, similar to orienteers all around the world, are also practicing co
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 22
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us back to another epic long route choice leg from a World Orienteering Championships: The longest leg in the women’s WOC 2010 Long distance in Trondheim, Norway. What a spread in the chosen routes! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 23
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a small tribute to the 25 years anniversary of PWT, as the first PWT events were held all the way back in 1996. This particular leg is from the second PWT stage in the PWT China tour in 2016, in Beijing Garden Expo Park (men’s course). Thanks a lot to Tuomas Kari for the tip, along with routes
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 24
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg – this time a long leg from the Citysprint at Bergen Sprint Camp back in 2017. The chosen leg is leg number 4 which was run in both the men and women’s class. Comment on Route to O-Season: Already at Day 24 – the last day in the original “Route to ChristmasR
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 25
Today we again travel to the country where next year’s World Orienteering Championships is to be organized: The Czech Republic. The year is 2011, and the race is a long distance chasing start World Cup race in the Liberec area. Thanks a lot to John Chandler for the tip and for Eva Jurenikova to dig up her training diary to check out her thoug
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 26
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another long and interesting route choice leg from Switzerland. The chosen leg is the 15th from the M21 course in the first national Swiss Race in 2019. Thanks a lot to Pascal Buchs for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 27
[Updated with further analysis from Milos Nykodym] Today’s leg in Route to O-Season is an interesting leg I found when browsing omaps.worldofo.com from the last week. The leg is from Czech Republic, and was run by Czech national team runner Vojtech Kral along with some other runners. The leg is as usually first provided without routes &
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 28
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a hilly leg from the Danish JWOC test race middle last year. Thanks a lot to Eskil Schøning for the tip and for preparing the analysis! It was a leg in the JWOC middle distance test races in Denmark last year. A lot of junior squads participated, and many have added their route to 3DRerun (or the Dan
Route To Christmas Archive
The Route to Christmas archive is now up and running – providing an overview of every single Route to Christmas since the start back in 2007 and up until now. The archive also includes this year’s Route to O-Season. Nearly 400 o-puzzles collected in one page – enjoy! Thanks to all of you requesting it recently. Check it out here
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 29
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another epic leg from a World Orienteering Championships Long distance – this time from WOC 2011 in France. The chosen leg is the very first leg on both the men’s and women’s course – a leg which posed a big problem for many of the athletes. One of the main favourites –
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 30
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another leg from the epic World Orienteering Championship Long distance in France in 2011. This time we look at leg 13 in the men’s class – which was also leg 6 in the women’s class. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 31
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg from Bergen Sprint Camp – this time from the CitySprint back in 2018. The same leg was used both in the men’s and the women’s course. Thanks a lot to Niklas Profors for the tip. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it an
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 32
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg from the route setting competition of the Norwegian Orienteering Federation, on the map where O-Festivalen 2019 was organized. The chosen leg is the longest leg in the course set by Olav Lundanes. Lundanes finished third in the course setting competition -the winner will be revealed today, so
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 33
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a course from one of the biggest multi-day events in 2019: The Swiss O-week in Gstaad. The chosen leg is leg 28 in the M21E course from stage 2. Thanks a lot to Duncan Bayliss for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you wo
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 34
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another highlight from the Czech Republic – a leg from the Czech Championships 2019 in WOC 2021 relevant terrain. Thanks a lot to Eva Jurenikova for the tip. The course was already used in Route to Christmas (day 5 2019), but today we look at another leg, the second leg. We present the women̵
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 35
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season is another route choice leg from a World Orienteering Championship long distance – this time from back in Italy in 2014. The chosen leg is the 15th leg in the men’s course which offered some interesting route choices. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 36
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season is another epic long route choice leg from a World Orienteering Championships – this time we travel to Scotland for the 2015 WOC in real wilderness! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 37
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 brings us to another great long leg from WOC – this time we travel to WOC in Sweden in 2016 to the long leg to the second control. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 38
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg from Bergen Sprint Camp – this time the 7th leg in the M21E course from the BSC 2014 Nightsprint. Thanks again to Niklas Profors for digging out the highlights from the BSC history. Any good legs with accompanying analysis available there are very welcomed in Route to O-Season
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 39
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another leg from WOC 2016 Long – the 6th leg in the M21E course from WOC 2016 which was one of the most decisive legs. Here Thierry Gueorgiou lost 80% of the time he lost to Olav Lundanes at WOC 2016 Long. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and t
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 40
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another highlight from the Czech Republic – a leg from the Czech Championships 2019 in WOC 2021 relevant terrain. Thanks a lot to Eva Jurenikova for the tip. The women’s course was already used in Route to Christmas (day 5 2019) and Route to O-Season (day 34) – today we look at one
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 41
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is leg 14 in the M21 course from Aguiar da Beira O Meeting 2019 in Portugal last winter. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger): Location You fi
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 42
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 20202 is another leg from WOC long distance in Italy in 2014. This time we take a look at the interesting 4th leg in the men’s class, after studying the 15th leg at day 35. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 43
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another historical WOC long distance route choice leg – this time from WOC 2013 in Finland. The chosen leg is the 11th leg from the women’s class. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the im
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 44
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg from part of the embargoed area for WOC 2021 in Czech Republic. In 2016 a Czech national race was organized on this map – the INNVO-8 Cup. The 17th leg in the men’s leg was an interesting route choice leg which is chosen for this edition of Route to O-Season 2020 The leg is as usually
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 45
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg from the “Sprint course of the year 2018″, the Junior World Championships Sprint in Hungary. The chosen leg is the men’s 8th leg. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 46
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg: Leg 9 in the M21E course from World Cup Sprint race in Switzerland autumn 2019. This leg in was defining for the competition with the top 4 in total taking the top 4 places on the leg (although in different order). The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may t
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 47
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is leg 5 in the W21E course from Finnish Championships Long 2018 – the men’s course from the same race was one of the finalists in “Course of the Year 2018″. This race was featured in Route to Christmas 2018 – but then we took a look at a similar leg in the men’s class. The le
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 48
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is the longest leg in the women’s class in Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) Long 2017 in Finland. The chosen leg is the 11th leg. Note that the longest leg in the men’s class in this event was already presented back in Route to Christmas 2017 – but the men’s leg was
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 49
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us back to Junior World Championships Long in Switzerland in 2016 – and again we take a look at the longest leg in the women’s course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is to
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 50
For the 50th(!) day in Route to O-Season 2020 we travel to Czech Republic and take a look at a leg from the Junior World Championship Long back in 2013. The chosen leg is the 3rd in the men’s course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the ima
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 51
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us to 10Mila! But instead of this year’s edition which is cancelled/postponed, we look back at the 10Mila 2011 – looking at the 11th control of the 6th leg (night leg). The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would a
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 52
We continue with the 10Mila focus in Route to O-Season 2020: Today we travel back to the last leg of 10Mila 2016 in the men’s class. Request: The plan is to present more 10Mila legs the next days – please send me a note at jan@kocbach.net if you know about other interesting 10Mila route choice legs! This leg was decisive in the battle
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 53
We continue with the 10Mila focus in Route to O-Season 2020. Today we take another look at 10Mila 2016 – this time at the 4th leg – “Långa natten”. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click o
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 54
Another day in Route to O-Season 2020 with focus on 10Mila and “Långa natten”. Today we take a look at the 12th control from “Långa” at 10Mila 2013. Thanks a lot to Viktor Antonsson for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 55
Another day in Route to O-Season 2020 with focus on 10Mila and “Långa natten”. Today we take a look at the 3th control from “Långa” at 10Mila 2010. Thanks a lot to Raffael Huber Svensson for the 10Mila 2010 tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack t
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 56
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one in the 10Mila series – this time we visit “Långa natten” from the most recent 10Mila in 2019. The chosen leg is the longest leg – leg 11. Thanks again to Viktor Antonsson for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look a
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 57
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we have another very long leg. We still have 10Mila focus, but instead of the real 10Mila we visit one of several local “10Mila at home” competitions – in this case Nydalen’s “Corona-natten” competition in Oslo. The chosen leg is the long 18th leg. Thanks a lot to T
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 58
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one in the 10Mila series – this time we visit “Långa natten” from 10Mila 2018. The chosen leg is the longest leg – leg 9. Thanks again to Viktor Antonsson for the tip! [More tips needed: We are finished with the 10Mila week, and are ready for other challenges. I have some tips which I fo
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 59
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we travel from Sweden far to the south – to one of the last big events in Spain before the lockdown – Costa Calida 2020. Thanks a lot to Luis Nogueira de la Muela for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you woul
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 60
In today’s edition of Route to O-Season 2020 we are back in terrain relevant for next year’s World Orienteering Championship in Czech Republic. The Czech national team prepared a mass start race for Czech TV (probably for some testing ahead of next year’s World Orienteering Championships), with live GPS-tracking online. One
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 61
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season takes us to (arguably) the most beautiful city in the world for some urban orienteering. The chosen leg is taken from one of the podium finishers from the Norwegian Orienteering Federation’s sprint course setting competition. Course setter is Kristine Fjellanger, and the city is of course Bergen, Norwa
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 62
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us back to a World Cup race in Spain back in 2014. Today we take a look at the women’s course – and the long first leg is the chosen one. Thanks a lot to Agnar Renolen for the tip. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 63
In today’s edition of Route to O-Season 2020 we are back to the mass start race earlier this week by the Czech national team in terrain relevant for next year’s World Orienteering Championship in Czech Republic. See the Route To O-Season 2020 for the 4th leg in the men’s race here. Another interesting leg which was common for the m
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 64
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from the night orienteering veteran relay “Oslo Rundt på Stive Bein” in Oslo (Around Oslo on Stiff Legs), Norway two days ago – we are looking at the 5th control on the first leg (mass start). Yes, that’s right – a night orienteering relay this Friday (thanks a lot to A
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 65
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us back to O-Ringen 2015 – the 6th leg on stage 1. Thanks a lot to course setter Carl-Henry Andersson for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 66
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season takes us to another tour to Bergen, Norway for some urban orienteering. The chosen leg is taken from the winner from the Norwegian Orienteering Federation’s sprint course setting competition. Course setter is Eskil Schøning. The chosen leg is the main route choice leg on the course – the leg to control 12
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 67
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from a recent training race in Huddinge, Sweden. Thanks a lot to Simon Hector for providing the tip and analysis! Here is Simon Hector’s introduction to the leg: This leg is from a training in Huddinge, in the south part of Stockholm, on a totally new map. The training was made to resemble a race
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 68
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we travel to Australia – to the Australian Relay championships. The chosen leg is the 7th leg. As we enter the final part of “Route to O-Season 2020″ we now start getting in to the tips for Route To O-Season that have been put on hold as there is some more work to prepare them (or a
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 69
In today’s Route to O-Season 2020 we have another tip from Norway – this time from the final in the Harry Lagerts night race cup 2016. The chosen leg is the longest leg on the course, a tough one! Thanks a lot to Søren Jonsson for the tip. This is one of the last tips in my mailbox, so we are moving towards the end of this series (we
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 70
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we again travel to Norway – thanks to another tip by Terje Mathisen. This time we check out a Corona-training with lots of nice, long legs in the Oslo area – featuring many excellent runners. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think a
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 71
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg – again we visit Bergen Sprint Camp, a race series where there is a lot of analysis available for the courses. Thanks again to Niklas Profors for the tip – this time we took the trip back to 2015. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a l
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 72
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from another recent orienteering activity in Scandinavia – this time a long distance training in Sweden last week. Thanks a lot to Børge Pedersen for the tip. Børge writes: An interesting long distance. Course setter Thierry Gueorgiou. Here we look at the leg to the 14th control. The leg is
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 73
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one from Czech Republic – this time the Czech Team has been running a long distance race in WOC-relevant terrain. Thanks a lot to Milan Seitler for the tip. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 74
Slovenia is known for its tricky karst terrain – but in today’s leg in Route to O-Season we take a look at a very different Slovenian terrain. This terrain contains of steep slopes which invite to some nice routechoice challenges. Today’s leg is the 17th leg in the SEEOC (South East European Orienteering Championships) Long and Cerkno Cup
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 75
Warning: Long leg ahead! Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from Australia – from the 12th leg in the M21 course from Oceania 2019. The 4th leg on this course was featured in last year’s Route to Christmas. Thanks a lot to Cooper Horley for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 76
Back to Sweden: Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg from the chasing start at O-Ringen 2015 – the 12th leg in the M21E course. Thanks again to Carl-Henry Andersson for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 77
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is leg 10 in Orintos spring race 2019. Thanks again to Carl-Henry Andersson for the tip. Note that there was some snow (5 cm fresh snow in early May!) when this race was run. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 78
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we again visit the race Costa Colida 2020 – this time number leg 19 in the M21E course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger): Location
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 79
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another leg from JWOC 2013 Long which we already visited on day 50. Today we take a look at the 19th leg in the men’s course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may c
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 80
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from World Games Middle distance in Poland back in 2017. The chosen leg is the “long” leg to the second control which was shared by the men and women. Thanks a lot to Nic G for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 81
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another urban leg – this time from Italy and the MOC Camp Final 2019. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger): Location You find other m
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 82
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a leg from northern Norway featured in a small, local competition just last week (Salten karusellen). Thanks a lot to Håvard Berg for the tip, the illustration and the basis for the analysis. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 83
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 takes us to some “exotic” terrain in Belarus – the EYOC long distance last year. This course was also nominated for “Course of the Year 2019″. Thanks a lot to Dmitry Mironov for the tip and for providing GPS-data for the routes. The leg is as usually first provided without
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 84
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one from EYOC 2019 in Belarus. This time there is no possibility to run around on the field, do you dare to go straight? The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 85
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we again travel to Halden and the ongoing GPX-cup. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger): Location You find other maps from the area in omap
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 86
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is again from Norway (lot’s of small, interesting competitions in Norway these days) – a long distance training in the Oslo area. Thanks a lot to Isak Jonsson for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 87
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 20202 is another leg from a small, Norwegian race with top runners on the starting line: The mini KVM Long organized in the Oslo-area. Thanks a lot to Arild Andersen for the tip. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 88
Jukola time! In 3 day’s Jukola 2020 should have been organized – to celebrate Jukola we will take a look at interesting legs from the Jukola and Venla relay in the coming days in Route to O-Season 2020. We start in 2014 on the last leg. It is up to you were we continue tomorrow! Please send me tips about good and interesting routecho
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 89
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another Jukola leg – this time from the 3rd leg (night orienteering) at Jukola 2012. Thanks a lot to John Chandler for the tip (and please come with more Jukola-tips)! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this l
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 90
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another Jukola leg – this time from the long night at Jukola 2019. Thanks a lot to Ladislav Semrad for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to ge
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 91
Today Jukola would have been organized if it were not for COVID-19, and therefore today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another Jukola leg. This time we go back to Jukola 2017 and the last leg of the relay! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (i
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 92
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is again from the Jukola weekend 2017 – but this time from the Venla relay, from the last leg. This is the only real routechoice leg in the course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 93
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another one from Jukola – but this time we look at a forked leg where you can also choose forking control. We are now into the last full week of “Route to O-Season”, we’ll stop at number 100 as the season is starting (although in smaller scale) most places now. The year is 2018,
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 94
In today’s Route to O-Season 2020 we travel back to the long night leg on Jukola 2014. The chosen control is the 17th control in the dark forest… The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it la
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 95
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is from Course of the Year 2010 – the Jukola relay of 2010 which was organized in real wilderness. We have chosen the final leg of the relay – and the route to the second last control. Note that some other legs from this relay were covered in Route to Christmas back in 2010. The leg is as usua
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 96
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is the first leg from Jukola back in 2016. When you solve this leg, try to also write down a comment on which 1st control you choose (left, right or middle) The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 97
In today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 we continue with our Jukola focus, but this time the leg is from an unofficial “replacement relay” for Jukola, the Impivaaran Viesti. Thanks to Caj Snickars for the tip! Here is Snickars’ description of the relay: The relay concept was interesting as it was an “A to B” r
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 98
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is a small celebration of the Norwegian “Mapant-project” – an orienteering map covering large parts of Norway following in the footsteps of mapant.fi for Finland. The first version of Mapant.no, covering around 50% percent of Norway, is set to be published before summer. Read more ab
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 99
Today’s leg in Route to O-Season 2020 is another sample from the Norwegian Mapant-project. This time we travel all the way to the southern edge of Norway, to Lindesnes. Note! There may be “real” orienteering maps in this area, but I could not find any recent ones. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you
Route To O-Season 2020: Day 100 (Final day)
With the orienteering season slowly starting up everywhere these days, it is finally time to conclude the Route to O-Season 2020 series after 100(!) days. Today’s leg is a special one with some history and culture in it. Early in “Route to O-Season” Finnish mapmaker Jussi Silvennoinen, a mapmaker for several Jukola relays, sent
Route To Christmas: Day 1 2020
Ready for some pre-Christmas fun? Today we start the traditional Route to Christmas here at World of O with an interesting route choice leg from the Norwegian Championships Long distance, organized close to Trondheim. The international orienteering season 2020 has been nearly non-existent due to Covid-19, and we also already used 100 legs in Rout
Route to Christmas: Day 2 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is from interesting sandstone terrain in the Czech Republic. This time we study the Czech Championships Middle distance – with several international stars on the startline – based on a tip by Ladislav Semrad. The leg is quite short – but gives you the typical type of choices you meet
Route to Christmas: Day 3 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is an interesting long leg from Hungary. The chosen race is the Hungarian Champs Long distance, and this time we look at the women’s course. Thanks a lot to Zsófia Sárközy and Tibor Vári – both suggesting this very interesting course. Course setter is elite athlete Máté Baumholczer, a
Route to Christmas: Day 4 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is a long and interesting leg from the Swedish Championships Long distance. Thanks a lot to Jonas Wäfler for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to ge
Route to Christmas: Day 5 2020
In today’s Route to Christmas we travel to one of the most interesting orienteering countries, Switzerland. The chosen leg from the Swiss Champs Long distance, and the tip again comes from Jonas Wäfler. The forest is typically “Mittelwald” with many paths/roads, and variable runnability in the forest (white being fast, tho
Route to Christmas: Day 6 2020
In today’s edition of Route to Christmas we travel to flat – but yet interesting – terrain in Finland. The chosen competition is the Finnish Championships, and the chosen leg is the long leg to control 8 in the men’s class. Thanks a lot to Anssi Vesanto for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes
Route to Christmas: Day 7 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is a very long leg from Bulgaria – what a start for the Bulgarian Championships Long distance! Thanks a lot to Todor Kolev for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, yo
Route to Christmas: Day 8 2020
Today’s Route to Christmas features a long leg in the elite women’s class. As on day 4 we travel to Sweden and the Swedish Championships long distance, but whereas the featured men’s leg was a simple “straight or around on the road” leg, this one is more complex where it may be tricky to see any really good solutions i
Route to Christmas: Day 9 2020
Today’s Route to Christmas takes another trip to Finland and the Finnish Championships long distance. This time we look at the 5th leg – also a tip by Anssi Vesanto. In preparation for this leg it could be a good idea to visit day 6 to look at how the routechoice challenges are solved in this type of terrain. And a small reminder: With
Route to Christmas: Day 10 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas takes us to some interesting Swiss Jura terrain. The chosen leg is from the International Youth Orienteering Meeting Long distance organized in the end of October. There was also an elite class in the competition, and routes are from a combination of the M20 and M21E course. The leg is as usually first provid
Route to Christmas: Day 11 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is the first leg from the final of the legendary night orienteering cup “Harry Lagerts Nattcup” in Oslo – a race which has been featured several times earlier in Route to Christmas. Thanks a lot to Søren Jonsson for the tip, and for course setter Kenneth Buch for pointing out the sta
Route to Christmas: Day 12 2020
Today’s edition of Route to Christmas travels to Spain and the middle distance race of Maximum O-Meeting which was organized west of Madrid this February. The chosen leg is the 7th leg, which was common for the men’s and women’s elite course. The men’s class is chosen for analysis as quite few women have uploaded routes co
Route to Christmas: Day 13 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is the first urban sprint leg in this years’ edition. The chosen leg is from the Budapest KO sprint champs. Thanks a lot to Máté Maródi for suggestion, analysis and illustration! This was the final of the Budapest KO sprint. The map is by Teodóra Borhegyi and Tamás Magyar, while the course is a jo
Route to Christmas: Day 14 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is from the final stage from the Lapland O Week – far up north in Finland. Thanks a lot to Antti Vainio for the tip! The chosen leg is the leg from control 17 to 18 quite late on the long course. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how
Route to Christmas: Day 15 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is from a Finnish night orienteering competition – the first race in the Kurko Cup organized last month. The chosen leg is the first leg out from the start – organized as a mass start. Thanks a lot to Arttu Syrjäläinen for the tip! Arttu writes the following about the leg: The chosen leg
Route to Christmas: Day 16 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is leg 18 in the Leg course from Polish Championships Long at Nodate. Thanks a lot to Wojciech Dwojak for the tip and some background info and analysis of the leg. Dwojak was advisor for the event, while Bartlomiej Mazan was course setter. From the very beginning the intention was to have a very long l
Route to Christmas: Day 17 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is leg 6 in the M21 course from Norwegian Championships Ultralong. Thanks a lot to Tibor Vari for the tip! The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger)
Route to Christmas: Day 18 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas 2020 is from Portugal. This time we travel to a junior national team training camp where the athletes ran a competition on an interesting course. Thanks a lot to Tomás Lima for the tip and providing some analysis. Here is some background information from Lima: I believe the main things to take in conside
Route to Christmas: Day 19 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is a really nice route choice leg from Czech Republic! The chosen leg is leg 11 from the Czech Long Distance Championships in september. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click
Route to Christmas: Day 20 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is a leg from the second day of the Swedish 3-day race Kvarnsjötrippeln with some top names on the start list. The leg is as usually first provided without routes – you may take a look at it and think about how you would attack this leg (if the image is too small, you may click on it to get it larger
Route to Christmas: Day 21 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is another leg from the chasing start final of the legendary night orienteering cup “Harry Lagerts Nattcup” in Oslo – a race which was already featured on Day 11. Thanks a lot to Søren Jonsson for the tip, and for course setter Kenneth Buch for pointing out this leg as one of his favourites. The l
Route to Christmas: Day 22 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is from Estonia! The chosen leg is the first leg from the men elite course at the Suunto Games middle distance race at September 7th this year. Thanks a lot to course setter Markus Puusepp for the tip and the analysis. [PS! I still miss one leg in Route to Christmas 2020, for December 24th. If you know about
Route to Christmas: Day 23 2020
Today’s leg in Route to Christmas is a very interesting Runners’ Choice challenge from Sprintliga Oslo, with extensive analysis provided by Oskar Størmer. In my opinion this is how a Knock Out Sprint can be made truly interesting, both for athletes and TV. Future course setters and stake holders: Take a good look at this and read St
Route to Christmas: Day 24 2020
For the final leg in Route to Christmas 2020 we found an interesting relay leg from Finland! The leg is from the Klaaniviesti 3-leg relay in Lappeenranta, Finland. Metsälä describes the terrain as very, very tough terrain. – The hills are steep, the ground is rocky and there’s lots of nasty green. Thanks a lot to Tuomas Metsälä fo