Two or three things I know about it...

1. ASUL Sports Nature won the first ever French Orienteering Championships of Sprint Relay. Formed by Juliette, Marian, Lucas and Isia Basset, the “quatour” got the victory over Nature Orientacion Saint Étienne and ACA Aix-en-Provence. The next day, time for the French Orienteering Championships of Middle Distance which were attended by 2,200 competitors. The winners in the Elite classes were Isia Basset (ASUL Sports Nature), with a two-minute advantage over Eva Jurenikova (ACA Aix-en-Provence), and Lucas Basset (ASUL Sports Nature), with nearly three-minute advantage over Olivier Blanc-Tranchant (O’Jura). Finally, NOSE – Nature Orientacion Saint Étienne(with Thibaut Magne, Jasmina Gassner, Odile Perrin, Rémi Baudot, Amélie Chataing, Clement Flori, Corentin Roux and Matthieu Perrin) got the French title of clubs, with GO78 and ACA Aix-en-Provence following on the podium places. Complete results and further information at http://www.ffcorientation.fr/actus/2017/04/26/retour-sur-le-championnat-de-france-des-clubs/.

2. Great scenery, wonderful weather and challenging courses were the best ingredients of a perfect MTBO weekend in Austria. Starting the best way, Tobias Breitschädel (ASKÖ Henndorf) showed his qualities on the shorter distances and prevailed before Bernhard Schachinger (HSV Ried) and Andreas Rief (OLC Graz), achieving the National MTBO title of Middle Distance. Junior and Relay World champion, Andreas Waldmann (OLT Transdanubien), had problems at the Middle Distance, but managed to perform highly on the second day, winning the Long Distance race with more than 5 (!) minutes over Bernhard Schachinger (HSV Ried). In the Women Elite class, foreign guests were very strong on both days, with Algirda Zaliauskaite, Lithuania, winning the Middle Distance and Hana Garde, representing SK Bratislava, unbeatable in the Long Distance. Best Austrian on both days was Marina Reiner (Naturfreunde Villach). She got the Austrian title in the Middle Distance before Sonja Zinkl (LZ OMAHA) and Michaela Gigon (OLT Transdanubia), second and third placed, respectively. The event was attended by 120 competitors from Austria, Hungary, Lithuania, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Germany.

3. The town of Sobotka, onn the foothills of Slesza mountain, Poland, hosted the second edition of the Central European Youth Orienteering Cup and was just as successful as the Event premiere in the Czech Republic, in 2016. More than 100 young runners, from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany and Slovakia took part in the three-day races in different categories (M/W-16 and M/W-18). The races started with a Sprint event, followed by a Middle Distance race and finishing with an exciting Relay. The Hungarian Csilla Gardonyi (W16) and Ferenc Jonas (M16), and the Czech Tereza Janosikova (W18) won the two individual races and were the biggest names of CEYO Cup. The Czech Vit Horcicka won the Sprint in the M18 class, while Jakub Dekret won the Middle distance race in M1, which was a premiere victory for Slovakia. Relay teams from Hungary were the most successful, beating the Czech Republic in both Men and Women 16 classes. The W18 category turned out to be the most dramatic, with the three best relay teams running for medals and it wasn’t until the final part of the last leg where the results were decided. On the other hand, the two Czech relay teams showed their qualities and easily ranked first and second in the M18 category, while there was a fierce competition for the third place won by Germany. “The event was a good rehearsal for us for the upcoming World Games in July,” said Wojtek Dwojak, the event manager. Hungary will host the Cup next year from 6th to 8th April 2018. Everything to know at http://ceyoc2017.pl/en/.

4. Would you like to create the trailer for the Swiss Orienteering Week 2019 or do you know someone who would be suitable for it? Swiss O Week 2019 has just published an announcement in which organizers are seeking a team that will produce a preview video for SOW 2019. Sought out is a film team that produces a 5- to maximal 6-minute-long preview video highlighting the Swiss O Week 2019. The video will be published on the SOW-homepage as well as other different social media channels that will be covered by SOW 2019. It is planned to use the preview video for the national as well as the international market and will be deployed accordingly. If language and/or text is featured in the video, the English language should be used, if necessary, with sub-titles.The preview video is intended to give first impressions of the used course areas and of the competition centre of the SOW 2019 in Gstaad. It should encourage the viewers to sign-up early for the SOW 2019. Deadline for submitting the offer is 20th May 2017. All information about this subject can be found HERE.

Joaquim Margarido

Swiss Orienteering Grand Slam has already started

In the beginning of a new season, the Swiss Orienteering Federation releases something completely new. It’s called Grand Slam and the winners of the first round are already known: Matthias Kyburz, Judith Wyder, Pascal Buchs and Simona Aebersold.

In recent years, the annual evaluation of the Elite and Junior categories in Switserland has been conducted as a Swiss Orienteering Elite League. For the 2017 season, the system will be completely rebuilt and carried out under the name of Swiss Orienteering Grand Slam. The Grand Slam is based on the four individual Swiss Championships - Night, Sprint, Middle and Long distances – and addressed to the four categories, Men and Women Elite, Men and Women Junior. After the Grand Slam’s four rounds, the top 6 ranked in the ME and WE, as well as the top 3 in the M20 and W20 get the “passport” for the Grand Slam Final, which will take place during the Swiss Orienteering Festival, in Olten region. Elite and Juniors will start in a common category and the winners of the final round will achieve the Swiss Orienteering Grand Slam.

The Swiss Orienteering Grand Slam has already started with the 2017 National Night Long Distance Championships, on 25th March. On 24th June it will be time for the National Championships of Sprint, in Windisch (org. Bussola OK) and the next day will be raced the Long Distance’s Championships, in Saalhöchi (org. OLK Argus). The last “regular” round, the National Championships of Middle Distance, will take place on 09th September, in Schwägalp (org. OLG St. Gallen / Appenzell). The Grand Slam Final will be held on 11th November, during the O-Fest in Olten, and organized by the Grand Slam OK.

Matthias Kyburz and Judith Wyder got the first Swiss titles

As said before, the Night Long Distance Championships were already held. Organized by OLG Pfäffikon, the event took place at Uster, gathering more than seven hundred competitors. Running in safe tracks as much as possible and be familiar with the secrets of night Orienteering were the keys to Matthias Kyburz's success in the Men Elite class. He finished the 15.0 km of his course with the good time of 1:13:51. After a strong start, Florian Howald faced some problems in the fifth control and kept up the pace, being caught by Thomas Curiger and Jonas Egger. Pushing each other along the course, they would get second, fourth and seventh place in the end. Starting earlier, Fabian Hertner ran lone the whole course and saw in the bronze medal the confirmation of a good winter training. Judith Wyder's superiority in the Women Elite class was absolute, and her lead in the finish was more than six minutes. The fight for the immediate positions was really tough, with less than one minute separating the second from the fifth placed. With a safe run, Elena Roos got the second position while Sabine Hauswirth was the third placed. Swiss Night Championships' winner in 2016, Simone Niggli, finished in the fourth position.

In the Women Junior class, Simona Aebersold, Valerie Aebischer and Sofie Bachmann met the expectations, achieving the podium places by this order. Even making a big mistake in the middle part of his race, Pascal Buchs was clearly faster than the Junior World Champion Joey Hadorn and got a comfortable nearly three-minute win.

Results

Men Elite
1. Matthias Kyburz (OLK Fricktal) 1:13:51 (+ 00:00)
2. Florian Howald (OLG Herzogenbuchsee) 1:16:40 (+ 02:49)
3. Fabian Hertner (OLV Baselland) 1:17:54 (+ 04:03)
4. Thomas Curiger (PLC Kapreolo) 1:18:48 (+ 04:57)
5. Martin Hubmann (OL Regio Wil) 1:19:41 (+ 05:50)

Women Elite
1. Judith Wyder (OLG Thun) 57:48 (+ 00:00)
2. Elena Roos (O-92 Piano di Magad) 1:04:05 (+ 06:17)
3. Sabine Hauswirth (OL Norska) 1:04:37 (+ 06:49)
4. Simone Niggli (OLV Hindelbank / OL Norska) 1:04:55 (+ 07:07)
5. Julia Gross (OL Zimmerberg) 1:05:00 (+ 07:12)

Men Junior
1. Pascal Buchs (ANCO) 57:55 (+ 00:00)
2. Joey Hadorn (OL Norska) 1:00:43 (+ 02:48)
3. Timo Suter (OLG Cordoba) 1:01:53 (+ 03:58)

Women Junior
1. Simona Aebersold (OL Biel.seeland) 48:57 (+ 00:00)
2. Valerie Aebischer (OLC Omström Sense) 51:04 (+ 02:07)
3. Sofie Bachmann (OLV Baselland) 56:03 (+ 07:06)

Further information about the Grand Slam can be found HERE. The first round's complete results may be checked at https://www.swiss-orienteering.ch/de/news/ol/1092-swiss-orienteering-grand-slam-die-elitewertung-2.html.

Joaquim Margarido

2017 SkiO Tour: Khrennikov and Alexandersson were the winners

Eduard Khrennikov and Tove Alexandersson were the winners of the 2017 SkiO Tour, which called to Switzerland and Austria 56 Elite athletes from 9 different countries. Erik Rost and Mariya Kechkina got the second position while Stanimir Belomazhev and Alena Trapeznikova were third placed.

After the holiday break, the Ski Orienteering season returned in Switzerland and Austria with the 2017 SkiO Tour. Scoring for the IOF Ski Orienteering World Ranking, the event took place from 7th to 14th January, attracting to the Rhaetian Alps many of the discipline's best experts, for six stages of great, demanding Ski Orienteering.

The two initial stages took place in Davos, with the Russian Mariya Kechkina and the Swedish Tove Alexandersson sharing triumphs in the Women Elite class. Then, the SkiO tribe moved up to Fideris, still on Swiss soil, for the next two stages. Alexandersson performed greatly, reaching her second win and getting the overall lead of the SkiO Tour in the end of the third stage. Alena Trapeznikova, from Russia, was the winner of the fourth stage, but Tove remained first placed in the overall standings. For the last two stages, the ski-orienteers crossed the border towards Sulzberg, in Austria. Here, Mariya Kechkina reached her second victory in the Tour, setting in eighteen seconds the disadvantage to Alexandersson.

Heavy snowfall in the 6th stage

The last stage would be decisive, but... there was a heavy snowfall and the organizers were forced to postpone the start for several times. When the start was finally given, the initial format (chasing start) had been changed into a mass start, the distance had been shortened and, in the end, the organizers decided do not count the 6th stage to the overall standings. So, Tove Alexandersson reached a tight overall win with 3:18:57, Mariya Kechkina being the second placed, just 18 seconds after Alexandersson. Alena Trapeznikova reached the third placed, finishing 2:40 after the winner. Just one word to the Swedish Magdalena Olsson, 2nd placed in the second stage, the only one out of the top three able to reach a place in the podium in one stage.

In the Men Elite, the Bulgarian Stanimir Belomazhev was unbeatable in the three first stages, always followed by the Russian Eduard Khrennikov, but in the fourth stage he wasn't able to reach better than the 5th place, losing a fifty five-second advantage overall and seeing Khrennikov getting the lead. In the fifth stage – that would be the last one -, the Swedish Erik Rost was stronger than anyone, reaching the second place overall, 2:07 after the winner, Eduard Khrennikov. Belomazhev finished in the third place overall with more 3:32 than the winner. Third placed in the third stage and second place in the fifth stage, Andrey Lamov finished fourth overall, 1:22 away from the podium.

Overall results

Men Elite

1. Eduard Khrennikov (Russia Orienteering Federation) 3:22:30 (+ 00:00)

2. Erik Rost (Alfta Osa OK) 3:24:37 (+ 02:07)

3. Stanimir Belomazhev (Bulgarian Orienteering Federation) 3:26:02 (+ 03:32)

4. Andrey Lamov (IFK Mora OK) 3:27:24 (+ 04:54)

5. Martin Hammarberg (Sundsvalls OK) 3:28:30 (+ 06:00)

6. Andrey Grigoriev (Krasnoyarsk) 3:32:08 (+ 09:38)

7. Peter Arnesson (Bottnaryds IF) 3:34:04 (+ 11:34)

8. Sergey Gorlanov (Russia Orienteering Federation) 3:36:48 (+ 14:18)

9. Linus Rapp (IFK Mora OK) 3:39:48 (+ 17:18)

10. Mattis Jaama (Varska OK Peko) 3:45:35 (+ 23:05)

Women Elite

1. Tove Alexandersson (Alfta Osa OK) 3:18:57 (+ 00:00)

2. Mariya Kechkina (Russia Orienteering Federation) 3:19:15 (+ 00:18)

3. Alena Trapeznikova (Russia Orienteering Federation) 3:21:37 (+ 02:40)

4. Anastasiia Kravchenko (Khabarovsk krai) 3:30:28 (+ 11:31)

5. Tatyana Oborina (Russia Orienteering Federation) 3:30:37 (+ 11:40)

6. Antoniya Grigorova (Bulgarian Orienteering Federation) 3:47:29 (+ 28:32)

7. Emma Bergstroem (OK Vargen) 3:59:25 (+ 40:28)

8. Daisy Kudre (Varska OK Peko) 4:05:57 (+ 47:00)

9. Andreya Dyaksova (Bulgarian Orienteering Federation) 4:23:25 (+ 1:04:28)

10. Doris Kudre (Estonian Orienteering Federation) 4:32:05 (+ 1:13:08)

Full results and further information at http://www.skiotour.com/index.php/en/.

The Portuguese Orienteering Blog would like to thank you Andrey Lamov and Stanimir Belomazhev for their help to clarify the “cancellation” of the 6th stage.

Joaquim Margarido

Christian Spoerry: "The focus has to be in event quality and not in new formats"

The transition into retirement can be filled with fear and anxiety but this is not the case of Christian Spoerry, to whom everything seems to be flowing quite smoothly. He talked about a weighed decision to the Portuguese Orienteering Blog, reviewed his career and analyzed the current SkiO moment.

I would start by asking you to introduce yourself. Who is Christian Spoerry?

Christian Spoerry (C. S. ) - I was born and grew up in Switzerland, a bit outside of Zürich, in a non-orienteer family. I started my sports career in xc-skiing, in a very active ski-club. At the age of 15, I tried ski-orienteering as a complement. After high-school, I moved to Umeå, in Sweden, to combine my university studies with my sports career. After five years of bachelor and master studies I went on with doctoral studies.

How hard was it to take the decision of retiring from the high competition level and how are you dealing with your “new life”?

C. S. - The transition has being quite smooth. I'd already decided, two years ago, that the 2015/2016 season would be the last one on international level and since I have always combined my sportsmanship with studies and work, I was well prepared. I still like to train - even if I have reduced the training time from 15-20 hours to about 5 hours per week -, and I still compete in a few races.

The first record in your IOF Eventor file is from a “free of punching” race in Vålådalen, Sweden, at the age of 17. Do you still remember those moments?

C. S. - This was my first race in Sweden, when I was an exchange student for six months at the Ski-orienteering high-school in Mora. I started out in ski-orienteering inspired by the successes of Remo and Boris Fischer, from my ski-club, at the Junior World SkiO Championships. After having skied my first international races in the Czech Republic in 2002, I realized that I should improve my orienteering skills and applied to Mora Skigymnasium in Sweden. I met many good friends there who have also been some of the hardest competitors throughout my career, such as Erik Rost and Andrey Lamov.

What's the most beautiful part of being a top orienteering skier? And what's the most difficult part?

C. S. - First of all, ski-orienteering is just a great sport and it's really fun in those moments when you’re able to navigate at full skiing speed on bumpy tricky tracks and still feeling that everything is under control. I also like to attend the competitions with the team, meeting friends and going to places that, otherwise, you’d never visit, such as Schuchinsk in Kazakhstan, Rusutsu in Japan, Lake Tahoe in California or Dospat in Bulgaria.

The most difficult part was not being able to compete on my level in nearly half of the seasons, due to airway problems with allergic asthma and recurrent infections. Luckily, I got cured from these troubles and I could compete without medication during the last four years.

Could you tell us some of the most pleasant moments along your career?

C. S. - The most pleasant was definitely to finish second in the Long Distance at the European SkiO Championships 2015, on home soil, in Lenzerheide. It was a big relief to finally reach the podium after many years of hard work, especially after a knee injury in spring 2015. The medal in the Relay at the World SkiO Championships 2007. in Moscow, came a bit earlier in my career to provide the same joy, even though it’s always nice to win with the team. The worst moments were when I got lost...

During your career, you surely met all the strong names of our sport. What was your most impressive rival?

C. S. - Erik Rost, because he is very consistent and hardly ever makes a mistake. Peter Arnesson's golden week in Kazakhstan 2013 was also very impressive.

How has Ski Orienteering evolved in the last ten years? Is it going in the right way?

C. S. - Many things have improved. The international race calendar, for example, is planned earlier and with GPS and TV production we get more visibility. Unfortunately, there’s still lots of mistakes in the organizations, with a real impact in the competition’s fairness. It’s very important to have excellent IOF Event Advisers when the organizers are a bit unskilled. At the same time, organizers in the Nordic countries have a lot to learn with the small SkiO countries with regard to creating a good atmosphere. I believe the focus has to be in event quality and not in new formats. I really like the way the World Cup is established, where you have to show good skills in very different types of terrains and track-systems.

I would ask you to comment on three particular topics: “Doping”, “Olympics” and “Environment”.

C. S. - Having my background in life science, I’m very interested in doping issues. The global sport is definitely in a big crisis and, given all scandals, even I start questioning myself about the purposes of professional sport. I hope the lack of money has protected us so far from doping, even though we have had one known doping case in Ski-O. I, myself, have only been tested once during my sports career and that is, of course, far too little.

To be part of the Olympic Games would, for sure, be great and would make it possible to spread our sport. I think to get there we should focus, besides lobbing, on event quality and try to keep the spirit and fair-play of our sport.

Even if global warming is apparent and winters get shorter, there has never been a cancelled international competition because of lack of snow during my international career. International competitions should be concentrated between January and March, when snow conditions are still good. Big problems are, of course, the training possibilities and national competitions in many countries. Uncertain snow-conditions demand a high degree of flexibility from both organizers and competitors.

If you could go back in time, would you choose a different sporting life?

C. S. - I would maybe start earlier with foot-orienteering, trying to improve myself as a youngster in it. There are many other outdoor sports I would have liked to have picked up, but I don’t regret to be focused on ski-orienteering.

What's the best advice you can give to the youngsters who are trying the SkiO for the first time?

C. S. - Have fun and, if you like it, go hard! In a small sport as ski-orienteering you might have to fight and organize a bit yourself to get the right premises. For sure you’ll get the chance to meet many friends and travel to special places, as well as taking part in a great sport.

The new season is starting now. What will you miss the most from “the good old days”?

C. S. - I will miss the preparation training camps and the feeling of being in really good shape when skiing. How will I feel like, following the international races online instead of being part of it, I don't know yet...

[Photo: Martin Jörg]

Joaquim Margarido

IOF Athlete of the Month: Sabine Hauswirth

Sabine Hauswirth had a tentative start in orienteering, struggling with the anxiety of getting lost. But the love of the sport meant that she carried on, finally making it to the national team. Even a brief retirement from the sport couldn’t keep her away for long, and now she is one of the very best.

Name: Sabine Hauswirth
Date of Birth: December 8th 1987
Place of Birth: Belp
Living place: Belp, ten kilometer from Bern, the capital of Switzerland
Work: Orienteer / part time worker for OCAD
Coaches: Brigitte Wolf, Vroni König-Salmi (national coach), Thomas Bührer (physical trainer), Andrea Binggeli (mental trainer)
Clubs: ol norska (Switzerland), Halden SK (Norway and international)
Highlights: WOC gold relay 2014, EOC gold relay 2014, 2 second places in individual World Cup races, number 4 overall 2016, 7th middle WOC 2016, 10th WOC long 2016
IOF World Ranking: 13 sprint, 8 middle and long
Home page: www.sabinehauswirth.ch

From getting lost to retirement and injuries to becoming one of the world’s best

The start wasn’t the best and in early senior age, Sabine Hauswirth retired. Now she’s one of the very best, but there is still something missing.

Hauswirth grew up in Belp, 10 kilometer southeast of Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
– I grew up with two sisters and one brother in a big house with a wonderful garden where we had much room to play and run around, the soon 29-year-old says.

Sabine got to know orienteering at an early age.

– All family members did some orienteering, but now it’s mainly me and my father. Through him, I found the way to the orienteering sport, but because I love a lot of different sports I first started with doing orienteering when I was about 13 years old.

Active outdoor childhood

Sabine loved to spend time outside and took part in a lot of different activities in her childhood and as a teenager. Climbing trees, cycling to school, athletics and cross country skiing were only some of her activities. In the local athletics club, Satus Belp, she did pentathlon until she was about 18 years old.

– My favorite discipline was running, especially the 1000 meter. But I also did some triathlons, even though I was not able to do the crawl style swimming. Therefore, I was often the last one out of the water but then I could make up some places on the bike and at the running.

Picking up the map and compass

One of her first memories from orienteering is a training where she got lost before she had even reached the first control.

– I was always a little afraid of getting lost and therefore anxious of going alone into the forest, but finally I found out which sport I wanted to continue. That was orienteering.

– When did you understand that you are one of the very few that can do incredible well?

– I do not know if I have understood that yet, she smiles.

Took a break from the top level

Sabine took part in JWOC both in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, her last year as a junior, she won a medal in the relay when Switzerland took bronze. Silje Ekroll Jahren was on the Norwegian team who won. Silje has been living in Bern for some years and runs for ol norska together with Sabine.

There was a time in early senior age when Hauswirth started to think that she might not be able to reach the world’s top level.

– After competing at my first WOC in 2009 I started my studies in geography and suddenly found it difficult to fit everything together – training, studying, work to earn some money and having a relationship. Therefore, I quit the national team after the season 2010 because I wanted to focus on my studies.

The return

Sabine wasn’t away from the top level very long, for she soon understood that her time in top level sports wasn’t over yet.

– When I took the break, I realised that orienteering is the best sport I have ever done, and I started to miss the competitions in foreign countries. After one year, I decided to make a comeback, and since then I have been sure that I really want to become better and I have put orienteering first. I wanted to find out where that could lead, and I also knew that I had a lot more potential if I only managed to train regularly, and be more efficient and disciplined.

Struggles with injuries

It took some years to reach great success. After a foot injury in 2012, she missed taking part in the World Championships in Switzerland, although she was a reserve.

– It took me a long time to find my way back to a good shape. It wasn’t until the 4th place at the Word cup in Turkey in February–March just over two years ago that my results started to improve.

The secret to success

– Why are you doing so well?

– I guess one part of my success is based on the orienteering break I had. I really want to become better and try to fulfill my potential. On the other hand, maps are a passion for me and whenever I am without a map I feel a little lost. Nevertheless, my memory of places is very good and it has already helped me many times to find my way back. But it is not just the orienteering technique. During the past few years I was lucky enough to be free of major injuries, so I could build up a good physical base level, which is paying off now.

Sport and work

Sabine has finished her bachelor in geography and is currently on a break from studying to be able to focus on orienteering. But because the Swiss cannot live on the sport she has a part-time job, about 20 percent at OCAD Inc.

– The job is also related to geography and especially cartography. I was happy to find a job which combines what I learnt during my studies and my sport and I am also extremely glad that they let me work flexible hours, which means that I am working more in winter and less during the summer when there are a lot of competitions.

Fast boyfriend

Sabine’s boyfriend Rolf Wermelinger used to do a lot of orienteering until he was 20 years old. Wermlinger was member of the regional squad, but never reached the highest level.

– His running speed was always fast but he was not willing to invest more time in the map reading. However, from time to time he still does some orienteering and he especially likes relays. He ran the long night course at Tiomila, and has done for the past two years.

When they lived together in Halden in Norway he did a bit more orienteering and enjoyed the club trainings, and he also cycled a lot and competed in “Grenserittet” and other cycle races.

The Norwegian stay

During the last two years, Sabine has in total spent about six months living in Halden in Norway, just 20–50 kilometres from where WOC was organized in Strömstad.

– It was a great opportunity to get more self confidence in the Nordic terrain and the club trainings were always very well organised. I also enjoyed the club life and made a lot of new and good friends. I would like to thank Halden SK for the great support! It is always a pleasure to run for that club.

The last two years with Halden SK have been very exciting and Sabine is looking forward to more years with the Norwegian club.

Double champion

– In 2016 you’ve been better than ever, but in 2014 you won relay gold at EOC and WOC, what would you describe as your biggest success?

– It’s hard to say! 2014 was a special season. It was my first EOC and then we won the relay gold. Only some weeks later we managed to win the WOC relay too. That was incredible. Running relays is always something special, if you win it is great to celebrate with your teammates and it is not just your achievement but that of the whole team. That makes it special, but on the other hand it is even harder if you do not perform well so that you destroy a good team result. However, in 2016 I managed to perform well the whole season apart from the World Cup in Poland. Winning Jukola together with the Halden Coolchicks is one of the best things I ever experienced!

The fan club

Sabine has her own fan club – The “Sabe Fan- und Gönnerclub”. It was founded in spring 2014 and its goal is to support Hauswirth on her way to the international top. All members pay an annual membership fee and in return there is a fan club event at least once a year. At the moment, the fan club counts about 75. New members are always welcome on, find out more here.

The future

Sabine is looking forward to more championships.

– If everything goes as planned I will continue at least until 2018 when EOC is in Switzerland. I have never had the opportunity to compete at an international championship in my home country, but going on what I have experienced at the World Cup races in Switzerland I presume that it will be great. Obviously WOC 2019 in Norway also highly attracts me, but I have not decided yet if I will continue for that long.

– There is one thing still missing?

– Of course, I dream of an individual WOC or EOC medal, but so many factors are essential to deliver a top performance on the day X. Some of them can be influenced and some others can’t, however I am working on it and as long as I have the opportunity to compete in orienteering on a high level I will fight for that individual medal.

Text and photo: Erik Borg

[See the original article at http://orienteering.org/athlete-of-the-month-october-2016/. Published with permission from the International Orienteering Federation]

World Cup 2016: Victories of Leandersson and Wyder in the Sprint, Kyburz and Alexandersson got the winning overall

With victories in the Sprint of Jonas Leandersson and Judith Wyder, came to the end the 2016 World Cup in Orienteering. Matthias Kyburz and Tove Alexandersson ensured the overall victory.

The heart of Aarau hosted, in early afternoon, the last stage of 2016 World Cup in Orienteering. The Sprint race had the participation of 37 male athletes and 38 female in the main Final, being marked, among other reasons, by the farewell to the high competition of the Swiss Baptiste Rollier. The men's race had in the Swiss Florian Howald's leadership its first great moments. Keen to take the risk to the last consequences, the Swiss ended up doing some route choices that proved to be less profitable and when, in the 9th control, the Swedish Jonas Leandersson took over the leadership, the situation wouldn't change till the end. Leandersson reached an excellent 20-second victory, finishing the season in the best way, “avenging” the 5th place in the Sprint Final of the World Championships, which took place in his home country. The second place went to the Swiss Matthias Kyburz, who had, the day before, secured his third triumph in the World Cup overall (after having previously won in 2012 and 2013). The third place fell to another Swiss, Martin Hubmann, 24 seconds after the winner.

Judith Wyder, Switzerland, was the great figure of this final round of the World Cup 2016. After the victories in the two first stages, Wyder returned to shine at the highest level, beating convincingly her most direct opponents in today's Sprint. It was an undisputed victory, started to build immediately after the start and founded on the best options along the course. Preceding Wyder at the start, the bi-champion of the World in Sprint, Maja Alm, Denmark, would spend 15:08, setting the fastest time so far. But the lead didn't last 30 seconds, as Wyder would record a final time of 14:37, before the applause and incitement of her public. At a time when the first place was no longer in question, the doubt was if the Swedish Tove Alexandersson would be able to reach the second place. But a small hesitation in the very last control determined her final third place, one second behind Maja Alm. After all, this result didn't constrain Alexandersson's leadership in the 2016 World Cup in Orienteering, whose conquest she gets for the third year in a row.

Results

Men Elite

1. Jonas Leandersson (Sweden) 14:12 (+ 00:00)

2. Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland) 14:32 (+ 00:20)

3. Martin Hubmann (Switzerland) 14:36 (+ 00:24)

4. Tim Robertson (New Zealand) 14:39 (+ 00:27)

5. Florian Howald (Switzerland) 14:42 (+ 00:30)

6. Emil Svensk (Sweden) 14:46 (+ 00:34)

Women Elite

1. Judith Wyder (Switzerland) 14:37 (+ 00:00)

2. Maja Alm (Denmark) 15:08 (+ 00:31)

3. Tove Alexandersson (Sweden) 15:09 (+ 00:32)

4. Rahel Friederich (Switzerland) 15:11 (+ 00:34)

5. Helena Jansson (Sweden) 15:12 (+ 00:35)

6. Elena Roos (Switzerland) 15:23 (+ 00:46)

Complete results and further information at http://www.o-worldcup.ch/en/.

[Photos: © International Orienteering Federation / facebook/IOFarena]

Joaquim Margarido

World Cup 2016: Long Distance gold for Kyburz and Wyder

“Playing home”, the Swiss athletes continue to demonstrate an enviable power, getting triumphs behind triumphs. After yesterday victory in the Sprint Relay, today it was the turn of Matthias Kyburz and Judith Wyder winning the Long Distance. With these triumphs, Kyburz recovers a title achieved in 2012 and 2013, while Wyder puts some pressure on Tove Alexandersson, postponing the final decision for the last day.

The Roggenhausen map, in Neue Kantonsschule Aaurau, Switzerland, hold the World Cup Final in Orienteering 2016's second stage. Quite demanding from a physical point of view, the first part of the Long Distance course turned out to be decisive for the final standings. Revealing a better condition than his opponents, the Swiss Matthias Kyburz reached, from the beginning, an advantage that would prove to be valuable, considering a less good performance in the final controls. During the first part, it worth highlighting the Austrian Gernot Kerschbaumer, who stayed practically glued to Kyburz for several controls. In the final part of the competition, particularly in the technical loop that preceded the last four controls, it was possible to see Kyburz and Kerschbaumer loosing seconds after the seconds, with Lundanes approaching to the front and to threaten the Swiss' leadership. In the end, Kyburz would record the time of 1:24:47, reaching his fifth victory of the season in scoring stages for the World Cup, whose overall winning just to ensured today. The three immediate places were occupied by Norwegian athletes, with Lundanes finishing 21 seconds after Kyburz, Carl Godager Kaas at 02:02 and Magne Dæhli at 03:19 from the winner. The second best Swiss athlete, Florian Howald, would occupy the 11th place, while Daniel Hubmann, current leader of the IOF World Ranking, had a mishap in the middle of his race, being forced to abandon.

The women's race was well balanced in the initial phase, with the Swiss Judith Wyder and the Swedish Tove Alexandersson confirming their favoritism and leading alternately the course, with only a few seconds of difference between them. It was on the way to the 6th control that Wyder made a big mistake, allowing the Swedish to take a clear leadership. Further ahead, however, in the very technical 10th control, Alexandersson would waste the precious advantage, giving the lead to the Swiss. From that moment, Wyder didn't lose anymore the command of the operations, while some less fortunate options of Alexandersson in the immediate controls ended by making another Swiss athlete, Sabine Hauswirth, to reach the second position. In the second half of the race the places didn't change and Judith Wyder eventually got her third victory of the season in a stage scoring for the World Cup 2016. A triumph of Wyder in the last race, tomorrow, can still means an overall victory in the World Cup, but, even though, she'll have to wait Tove Alexandersson finishing 15th or even worse, which is quite improbable.

Results

Men Elite

1. Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland) 1:24:47 (+ 00:00)

2. Olav Lundanes (Norway) 1:25:08 (+ 00:21)

3. Carl Godager Kaas (Norway) 1:26:49 (+ 02:02)

4. Magne Dæhli (Norway) 1:28:06 (+ 03:19)

5. Jonas Leandersson (Sweden) 1:28:15 (+ 03:28)

6. Gernot Kerschbaumer (Austria) 1:28:16 (+ 03:29)

Women Elite

1. Judith Wyder (Switzerland) 1:13:14 (+ 00:00)

2. Sabine Hauswirth (Switzerland) 1:15:16 (+ 02:02)

3. Tove Alexandersson (Sweden) 1:15:57 (+ 02:43)

4. Svetlana Mironova (Russia) 1:19:13 (+ 05:59)

5. Julia Gross (Switzerland) 1:20:54 (+ 07:40)

6. Maja Alm (Denmark) 1:22:02 (+ 08:48)

Complete results and further information at http://www.o-worldcup.ch/en/.

[Photo: © Orienteering Wold Cup Final. Rémy Steinegger / www.steineggerpix.com]

Joaquim Margarido

World Cup 2016: Switzerland wins the Sprint Relay

The Sprint Relay opened the final round of the World Cup in Orienteering of the current season. In Aarau's rainy afternoon, the Swiss team confirmed the favoritism, reaching a hard win before its public. With this result, Switzerland turned out to be the winner of the 2016 Sprint Relay World Cup in Orienteering.

The Orienteering season is coming to an end and the city of Aarau, in northern Switzerland, receives over the weekend the final round of the World Cup 2016. With 155 competitors from 20 different nations entered (83 Men and 72 Women), the event's program opened with a Sprint Relay, providing also a Long Distance stage, tomorrow, and even a Sprint stage, the last big race of the season, next Sunday. The present day was, then, dedicated to the collective race, with the presence of 24 teams.

The command along the race belonged mostly to Sweden, with Lina Strand to be the fastest in the first leg and, later, with Jonas Leandersson reaching also the best time in the third leg. A sensational second leg of the Swiss Matthias Kyburz made that the gap between Swiss and Swedes wasn't too wide at the the entrance for the last leg, where the advantage of Helena Jansson over Judith Wyder was of eight seconds. The truth is that Wyder proved unshakeable before her most direct opponents, beating all the concurrence by a wide margin and giving to Switzerland a particularly tasty victory with the final time of 56:08. Spending 39 seconds more than the winner, Helena Jansson was able to hold the second position to Sweden, while the world bi-champion of Sprint, Maja Alm, achieved the second best time in the decisive leg, making Denmark to recover four places in the standings and reach the bronze medal.

With this race, the Sprint Relay World Cup in Orienteering met the season's winner. With a win, a second and a third place recorded in the previous rounds, Switzerland and Denmark reached the final stage tied, whereby the Swiss victory also meant the triumph in the overall competition with a total of 280 points. Denmark finished second with 240 points, while Sweden ended in the third place with 220 points.

Results

1. Switzerland (Rahel Friederich, Matthias Kyburz, Daniel Hubmann, Judith Wyder) 56:08 (+ 00:00)

2. Sweden (Lina Strand, Emil Svensk, Jonas Leandersson, Helena Jansson) 56:39 (+ 00:31)

3. Denmark (Cecilie Friberg Klysner, Tue Lassen, Sören Bobach, Maja Alm) 58:03 (+ 01:55)

4. Russia (Anastasia Rudnaya, Dmitrii Nakonechnyi, Artem Popov, Galina Vinogradova) 58:13 (+ 02:05)

5. Norway (Silje Ekroll Jahren, Hakon Jarvis Westergard, Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, Ingjerd Myhre) 58:22 (+ 02:14)

6. Finland (Sari Anttonen, Topi Raitanen, Marten Bostrom, Merja Rantanen) 58:23 (+ 02:15)

Complete results and further information at http://www.o-worldcup.ch/en/.

[Photo: © Orienteering Wold Cup Final. Rémy Steinegger / www.steineggerpix.com]

Joaquim Margarido

JWOC 2016: All maps!

Joaquim Margarido

JWOC 2016: Swiss' best ending with two more gold in the Relay

Culminating an unforgettable week, Switzerland returned to perform at the highest level on the last day of the Junior World Orienteering Championships JWOC 2016, getting the gold in the Relay, both Men and Women classes. On home ground, the Swiss team ends the competition with seven out of eight gold medals, achieving what no other nation had achieved so far in 27 editions of JWOC!

The Junior World Orienteering Championships JWOC 2016 has finished. Saved for the last day, the great Relay party was exactly that, a great, big party in the beautiful surroundings of Tarasp castle. In the Men class, the French Quentin Rauturier and the Swiss Thomas Curiger - one of the great stars of this Championships - shared the first place at the end of the first leg, but Switzerland quickly would stand out from the other teams in the second leg thanks to a brilliant performance of Riccardo Rancan. At the start for the last leg, the closest team had a disadvantage of 46 seconds for the lead, and it was ... Switzwerland's second team. Junior World Champion of Sprint and Long Distance, Joey Hadorn would eventually confirm the Swiss advantage, reaching his third gold medal of the Championships. The total time spent by the three Swiss athletes was of 1:41:26, 2:28 less than Sweden and 3:41 less than Finland, respectively second and third placed.

The story in the Women class is much the same way, with the Swiss Paula Gross finishing the first leg in the fifth position, 1:49 after another Swiss athlete, Velrie Aebischer, who led then. Sofie Bachmann was unstoppable in the second leg, leaving Simona Aebersold with an advantage of 1:15 to manage in the last leg. The final time of 1:39:01 to Switzerland and nearly five minute advantage on the second ranked lets one realize that the “golden girl” of these Championships didn't just manage the advantage, thus ensuring the seventh gold medal for the home team and the third on her personal account. Better than Aebersold in this leg only even Anna Haataja, allowing Finland to climb seven places in the standings and reach the silver medal. The third position fell to Norway, 5:07 after the winners.

Results

M20

1. Switzerland (Thomas Curiger, Riccardo Rancan, Joey Hadorn) 1:41:26 (+ 00:00)

2. Sweden (Anton Forsberg, Simon Hector, Isac von Krusenstierna) 1:43:54 (+ 02:28)

3. Finland (Topias Ahola, Anton Kuukka, Olli Ojanaho) 1:45:07 (+ 03:41)

4. France (Quentin Rauturier, Mathieu Perrin, Arnaud Perrin) 1:46:25 (+ 04:59)

5. Norway (Dag Blandkjenn, Elias Thorsdal Molnvik, Olai Stensland Lillevold) 1:46:37 (+ 05:11)

6. Czech Republic (Vojtech Sykora, Matous Furst, Vojtech Kettner) 1:46:48 (+ 05:22)

(…)

25. Portugal (Ricardo Esteves Ferreira, João Bernardino, João Novo) 2:08:30 (+ 27:04)

W20

1. Switzerland (Paula Gross, Sophie Bachmann, Simona Aebersold) 1:39:01 (+ 00:00)

2. Finland (Leenuukka Hanhijarvi, Enni Jalava, Anna Haataja) 1:43:54 (+ 04:53)

3. Norway (Ingrid Lundanes, Anine Lome, Ingeborg Eide) 1:44:08 (+ 05:07)

4. Sweden (Elin Carlsson, Tilda Johansson, Johanna Oberg) 1:46:00 (+ 06:59)

5. Great Britain (Megan Carter Davies, Julie Emmerson, Sarah Jones) 1:46:24 (+ 07:23)

6. Hungary (Virag Weiler, Luca Szuromi, Csenge Viniczai) 1:47:11 (+ 08:10)

Complete results and further information at http://www.jwoc2016.ch/.

[Image: jwoc 2016 switzerland – www.steineggerpix.com / photo by rémy steinegger]

Joaquim Margarido

JWOC 2016: Middle gold for Aebersold and Curiger

Two high level performances have paid to Thomas Curiger and Simona Aebersold the titles of Middle Distance. In the last individual final of the Junior World Orienteering Championships JWOC 2016, the national Swiss flag rose twice in the podium's tallest mast for the second time in this edition.

The beautiful surroundings of Susch-Lavin hosted, this morning, the Middle Distance Final of the JWOC 2016. Along a hill-side broken-up, in a quite detailed terrain, the athletes have been challenged at their most by demanding courses, both technically and physically.

After the convincing performances in yesterday's qualification race in Ftan, where he got the first place, as well as the Sprint and Long Distance races that earned him two silver medals, the Swiss Thomas Curiger managed to improve one single step on the podium, still enough to get the well-aimed gold. Very stable and fully focused along the course, Curiger completed the 3,800 meters in 24:21 (far below the 25 minutes expected for the organizers), beating the twice gold medalist in this JWOC and his team mate Joey Hadorn by 49 seconds. Audun Heimdal offered to Norway its first medal in this JWOC edition by finishing third with more 1:11 than Curiger. The previous Middle Distance World Champion and winner of one of yesterday's qualifying heats, Olli Ojanaho, Finland, was today far below the expectations, finishing 19th, 2:51 behind the winner.

In the Women class, Simona Aebersold came to personify the great champions, those who can get up after a defeat and rise to the highest level. Indeed, Simona managed to overcome the failure of the Long Distance final, recording today a fantastic performance, adding to the title of Sprint won last Sunday, a superb win in the “supersonic” time of 24:06 for a distance of 3,100 meters. Second placed and, perhaps, the biggest surprise of the Championships so far, the Polish Aleksandra Hornik finished 1:50 after the winner, while the Swedish Johanna Oberg, the other top favorite, along with Simona Aebersold, got the third position with the time of 26:17. After the Middle Distance, the medal table is clearly dominated by Switzerland, with five gold, four silver and one bronze. Finland, with one gold and one bronze medal (both by Anna Haataja) is in the second placed, while the third place is shared by Russia and Poland, with one silver medal each. Sweden, with three bronze medals, and Norway, with one bronze, close the list.

Results

M20

1. Thomas Curiger (Switzerland) 24:21 (+ 00:00)

2. Joey Hadorn (Switzerland) 25:10 (+ 00:49)

3. Audun Heimdal (Norway) 25:32 (+ 01:11)

4. Anton Forsberg (Sweden) 25:35 (01:14 +

5. Noah Zbinden (Switzerland) 25:40 (+ 01:19)

6. Isac von Krusenstierna (Sweden) 25:53 (+ 01:32)

W20

1. Simona Aebersold (Switzerland) 24:06 (+ 00:00)

2. Aleksandra Hornik (Poland) 25:56 (+ 01:50)

3. Johanna Oberg (Sweden) 26:17 (+ 02:11)

4. Megan Carter Davies (Great Britain) 27:28 (+ 03:22)

5. Anna Haataja (Finland) 27:31 (+ 03:25)

6. Hanna Mueller (Switzerland) 27:37 (+ 03:31)

Complete results and further information at http://www.jwoc2016.ch/.

[Image: jwoc 2016 switzerland – www.steineggerpix.com / photo by rémy steinegger]

Joaquim Margarido