The Portuguese Orienteering Blog
bets on plurality as its hallmark. Follows with the same interest all
Orienteering disciplines, feels the same taste in writing about a World Cup stage or an event in a Saharawi refugee camp and
don't choose the interviewees depending on their gender or age. Hence
some may wonder seeing lately so many youngsters sharing their
experiences here on the blog - and I'm talking about Sara Hagström,
Veronika Kubinova, Olli Ojanaho or Angus Robinson, to mention only
the most recent. Today, on the Portuguese Orienteering Blog's
tribune, we welcome again a young athlete. Simona Aebersold is
only 17 years old, having been born in Bern on 13 April 1998. She
lives currently in Brügg and studied, during the last year, Grammar School. And
she is “only” the current Junior World Orienteering Champion in Sprint!
I'm sure you'll understand that we
have to start our interview talking about your gold in Norway, last
July. Can you remember that glorious Sprint course?
Simona Aebersold (S. A.) - Well,
I remember that it was a very beautiful day with a lot of sun. I was
already quite nervous the day before but when I woke up the
nervousness was even bigger. I knew that it was my first time at JWOC
and therefore I hadn't expected so much of the first race. I saw it
as an establishment and my aim was a top 15 place.
At the start this nervousness went away
and I could concentrate myself on the race. I didn't know that my
speed was so high, so I couldn't believe that, in the finish, the
speaker said that it could be a medal or even the golden one. I guess
that a big part of my success was also thanks to my preparation. I
hadn't especially focused on this Sprint race but rather on the whole
week. For the Sprint I put a lot of effort in looking at the maps and
drawing several courses. When I saw where the quarantine was located,
I knew approximately where the start had to be. That was a big relief
which took a lot of pressure away. I think during the time after my
finish, until knowing that I won, it was like being in another world.
I just remember that I was running next to the arena and was
listening to the speaker in the background. I also have to say that
was great to see so much swiss people and also people from my Finnish
club, Tampereen Pyrintö, in Norway.
How important is that medal for you?
S. A. - This medal
means so much to me. Especially because I was only dreaming about
winning a medal at JWOC once. I didn't even think that
I could win a medal already this year, not to mention a gold one.
But I think it is a matter of team spirit that helps us to have such
success. If you're having a nice time with your team mates it is much
easier to do a good race at those competitions. I'm really happy that
I managed the step to the best juniors in the world. This gives me
the confidence that I'm on the right way.
How did you start in
Orienteering? Was it a “family matter” or something related with
friends or school?
S. A. - I grew up in an
Orienteering family, with my father as a former competitor at World
Championships. So I was taken to all the competitions already as a
little child. Later on, with about 8 years, I started to compete in
national orienteering events. As the whole family was competing at
the national events, it was easy for me to get there. So, at the age
of 14, I got into the regional squad and since this Autumn I'm a
member of the national junior team.
Did you feel engaged with
Orienteering since the very first experience or is it possible to
point a precise moment when you said to yourself: “ - That's it,
Orienteering is my sport”?
S. A. - I'm not able to point
out a precise moment because I was kind of connected to orienteering
since I was a little child. I was always fascinated by orienteering
and my big dream was to once win a gold medal at World Championships
in the Elite class. And I always said that Orienteering is more
interesting than Athletics because of the map you have to read. When
I'm running in Scandinavian terrain, I always think that it was the
right decision to do orienteering because it is so much fun to run in
the forest. Also a big moment was this year's JWOC. I realized how
much fun it is to run for medals at World Championships in such
beautiful terrain.
How do you manage your studies with
a demanding physical activity like Orienteering?
S. A. - At the moment I'm
studying at a college and I'm preparing for my final exams next
summer. There is some kind of sports program which I attend. So I
can adapt my school timetable to my trainings and the teachers are
mostly very flexible concerning my absences. Fortunately, I'm going
to have my final exams next spring, so afterwards I can focus full
time on Orienteering. I'm really looking forward to pass a year out
of school in Tampere!
And what about your school mates? Is
Orienteering a very popular sport in your school/city?
S. A. - Orienteering is not very
popular in my school. There's rather football, which everyone knows
or Gymnastics because there are a lot of gymnasts studying at my
school. Thinking that, ten years ago, nobody knew Orienteering, it's good to notice that today there are only a few that don't
know my sport. Whereas in my village there are a lot of people
knowing Orienteering.
How committed are you with
Orienteering?
S. A. - Actually, I spend a
certain time every day with Orienteering because of my daily
training. And, as you have a lot of trainings with friends, you
surely talk about orienteering. If there's only a running workout
planned, there's surely either a map or a discussion about
orienteering at home. As we say: Once an orienteer always an
orienteer!
Have you other important moments in
your career that you'd like to share?
S. A. - One big moment in my
career is definitely the winning of the silver medal with Sofie
[Bachmann] and Sandrine [Müller], also in Norway, this summer. It
was such a great feeling when Sandrine came down the hill in silver
position because of the nerve-racking course of the race.
And of course there were my two Sprint
titles at EYOC last year and the year before which represented great
experiences in international competitions. But there's also the
experience in Scandinavian terrain in the two big Relays - Jukola and
Tiomila -, which were very important to me. I gained a lot of
experience in Scandinavian terrain.
What are your goals for the next
season? Are you already preparing yourself for that?
S. A. - At the moment I spend a
lot of time with the national junior team. We are preparing
intensively for our big goal next season, the JWOC in our country.
For me it's a very good opportunity to learn new things by talking to
the other athletes, maybe even to some of the best in the world. I
can take advantage from the training camps in foreign countries. But,
for me, the most valuable thing is that we are a good team with a lot
of fun. Therefore, we also have fun practicing our sport and are
looking forward to all the great meetings with the whole junior team.
My main goal is
definitely the JWOC in my homeland. Especially because
it will take place in Switzerland, I have a lot of opportunities to
prepare myself. I want to fight for the medals and confirm the good
shape of last summer. We've already had one training camp last year
and one this year in the region of this big event. In addition, I
also spent some time in Engadin, beside the stays with the national
junior team. The other goal is, of course, the JEC in Great Britain,
where I can still run in my age class W18. I've never been in this
country before but I'm exited how it's going to be.
Are you prepared to “jump” the
most important step, joining the Elite class?
S. A. - I think I am ready and I
also competed in some races of the Elite class this year. But there's
still a lot of time until that step and I'm enjoying my time as a
Junior. I'm now, maybe, on the right way to the Elite class, but I
still have to gain a lot of experience until this big step. Next
season I'll be only in my second year as a Junior so I have much time
to think about and how to prepare myself for that.
Would you like to share your biggest
wish?
S. A. - That's a difficult
question... On the one hand I always wanted to stay in Finland for a
longer time. This big wish is now coming true as I'm staying there
from next summer to prepare optimally for JWOC 2017 in this area. I
really like the terrain up there and also the mentality of the people
living there. I'm really looking forward to running in the finnish
forests. On the other hand, there's of course the wish to once
winning a medal at World Championships in the Elite class. But
there's, as I've said before, still a lot of time until the next big
step from the Junior team to the Elite class.
Now that a new season is about to
come, I ask you a wish to all orienteers all over the world.
S. A. - I wish that they can
fulfil their dreams and enjoy orienteering as much as I do!
[Photo: Swiss Orienteering]
Joaquim Margarido
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