EMTBOC 2015: Meet Kevin Haselsberger (Austria)

Name: Kevin Haselsberger Age: 25 Home location: Villach, Austria Profession and educational background: Sport and training scientist. Years in sport of any kind: 22 years. Years in MTBO: 9 years. What got you started: My geography teacher. IOF World Ranking: 15th position MTBO World Cup 2015: 8th position

What is your best moment in MTB Orienteering so far?

- Winning the bronze medal at MTBO WOC with the Austrian team in Hungary 2012.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

- I really like to train and the feeling of how the body reacts to this is one of the best. I´m enjoying spending time with my best friends at competitions and training camps in foreign countries.

What one or two things do you currently do in your training that are keys to your success?

- At the moment I´m trying to do as many MTBO competitions as possible, to improve my skills in map reading. Furthermore, I am training less but more intensive than in latest years.

What are your goals for the European Championships, in Portugal?

- A “heavy” Medal.

What is your biggest challenge in the competition, and how do you intend to manage it?

- The biggest challenge for me is the navigation. In a competition, I´m never allowed to ride at the maximum speed that I have learned. I attempt to spend all my active energy in map reading, I try not to think about biking in a competition…

What would be your ultimate achievement for the season?

- A medal in Liberec at the WOC and Top 6 in WC overall

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?

- Life is like an orienteering race!

Anything else you’d like to share?

- I can't wait to come to Portugal and I hope the weather is really hot.

[Photo credits: Donatas Lazauskas]

Joaquim Margarido