Mikhail Vinogradov, Part I: "Love is the best inspiration!"

“In 2004 I fell in love with the one who became my wife – Galina Galkina (Vinogradova, since 2005). That was the turning point in my life, sport and career.” This is the beginning of a nice talk to Mikhail Vinogradov, along which we'll get to know better the man and the coach.

In 2004, Mikhail Vinogradov worked as a lecturer of Economics at the University. Between his hobbies, he could count distance running and chess. Like many Russians, Mikhail knew about orienteering but he had never practiced it before. Step by step, he came to Galina’s sport life: like a sparring-partner, specialist in recovery, mental coach, and then like a personal coach.

One year later, Mikhail started his first O-sessions. He was reading books – “there is a lot of O-literature in Russia”, he adds -, talking to runners and thinking a lot about the Orienteering entity. “In my opinion, the key element for the success in Orienteering, as in chess, is the effectiveness of an algorithm of choosing and the implementation. But I was really surprised that Russian O-runners did not think about it. Moreover almost no one was able to explain what they were doing in the forest during the races!”, he says. To him, another “shocking thing” was that “many Russian coaches believe in distance running training plans in Orienteering. In my opinion this is a dead end! Orienteering is a different sport and you can’t just transfer plans and methods from distance running”, Mikhail concludes.

A new approach

“I realized that I had to develop my own way in Orienteering”, says Mikhail, about the first approaches to our sport. He started to read every scientific paper about sport physiology, biomechanics, psychology, geomorphology, molecular biology and, every time he had a doubt, he questioned the authors, some of them were the best sport scientists in the World. John Hawley from Australia and Michael Joyner from the USA deserve a special word about their support. Also Vyacheslav Kostylev, Tatiana Ryabkina's personal coach, played an important role in Mikhail Vinogradov's coaching philosophy. Mikhail remembers: “We spent hundreds of hours mailing and meeting each other.”

Based on what he had learned, Mikhail Vinogrodavod developed a lot of new tools and exercises. “I was one of the first coaches who started to make special preparation to Sprint”, he assumes. When Mikhail met Galina, her usual results in the Russian Championships were around the top 20-30 and some times the top-10. Mikhail's first coaching success was a strong debut of Galina Vinogradova at WOC in 2008, in the Czech Republic. She got the 4th place at Sprint and the Silver medal at WOC-Relay, with the best first leg time.

A hard task

In 2009, Mikhail Vinogradov had an offer to join the Russian National O-team as a volunteer and in 2011 he started at Halden Skiklubb as main coach. “Halden Skiklubb was like a rocket launching for my coaching level», he remembers. He became a 100% professional coach, spending every free time to improve his skills. It would be easy, in that time, to find Mikhail Vinnogradov running in the forest and searching good legs for Halden SK trainings/competitions. He had a lot of meetings with runners, made common analysis, learned the best runners’way of thinking, studied Norwegian language and read a lot of scientific papers and O-analysis. Also here, a word of acknowledgement to Lacho Iliev, Bjørn Axel Gran, Marius Bjugan and Emil Wingstedt. “They helped me a lot with my adaptation to a new country and to a new profession.”

Mikhail Vinogradov spent days and nights thinking how to beat Kalevan Rasti and Tampereen Pyrinto. “during the main preparation time, Winter and Spring, I slept only few hours per night”, says Mikhail. But such a hard job was repaid! Before Mikhail's period as Team coach, Halden SK had won the Jukola in 2010, but in 2011 the team lost three key runners from this “gold relay team”. Even though, they managed to reach the 2nd place in Tiomila and an amazing victory in Jukola with a new line-up. Moreover, in 2012 the Halden SK achieved the best results ever in the Scandinavian Orienteering history – victory in the four biggest club relays (Tiomila, both men and women, Venla, and 25Manna).

Return to Russia

In 2012 the new administration of the club decided to try something new and Mikhail Vinogradov was dismissed. At the moment, he's searching for a reason: “In fact, as I know, all the Halden SK coaches before me and after me had the job for three years and more and I don’t have an explanation for this decision. I have no idea what was the true reason to stop my successful work”, he says. Knowing that the market for O-coaches is really narrow, Mikhail Vinogradov left Norway and came back to Russia.

Last year, finally, he found a job related to top-sport. He is an expert in the Russian Olympic Committee and a lead expert in Sports Center of Innovative Technologies and Teams Exercise Training. His direct connection to orienteering remains in the role of personal coach of Galina Vinogradova, Valentin Novikov and advisor in the physical and mental training of Olga Vinogradova. “I got my current position because of my love for Galina. I left my old profession, moved to another country, spent 10 years of my life helping Galina to get better and better. Love is the best inspiration!”, he concludes.

Don't lose the second part of the article, tomorrow. There, you'll see Mikhail Vinogradov talking about the present moment of Orienteering.

[Photo courtesy of Natalia Vinogradova]

Joaquim Margarido

  

Thierry Gueorgiou: "Nothing beats experience!"

After a forced stop at the beginning of the season due to an injury, Thierry Gueorgiou is starting to make the first steps towards the good shape. The Portuguese Orienteering Blog spoke to him and sought to understand how this mishap may constrain a season that, indeed, hasn't started yet.

You were one of the most noticeable absences in this early season in Portugal, mainly after having announced your participation at the Portugal O 'Meeting. After all, what happened?

Thierry Gueorgiou (T. G.) - Well, around the New Year's Eve, I was training in Alicante like most of the last years at that time of the winter. During a night training at competition speed, I hit my big toe against a root. That was painful but I was still able to complete the last 10 minutes of the training. After that, I couldn't walk anymore and my toe became dark blue. The next morning, I visited the hospital of Alicante, and the X-ray showed my big toe of the right foot broken in several pieces. The game was over for some weeks.

How did you follow, from home, the Portugal O 'Meeting? What do you think about the victory of Aaro Asikainen? And the second place of Frédéric Tranchand?

T. G. - During the POM, I spent several hours at the gym, biking, rowing, or double pulling, and a couple of times I would follow the live video of the competition at the same time on my phone. Of course, it was great to see a Kalevan Rasti orienteer succeed. Aaro has always had a big potential and still has a lot more to show, I think. I hope he can keep up with the flow during spring. And I also enjoyed the performances of Fredo [Frédéric Tranchand] and Lucas [Basset]. Each year, they get closer to the very top, and I am very much looking forward to training with them again. For sure, they will want to show me I am an old man, but I will do my best to show them that nothing beats experience!

Speaking of yourself, how is your recovery going, and what are the main challenges you face in this process?

T. G. - Well, I have faced some similar injuries a couple of times during my career (stress fracture labelled in 2005 and 2012). Thus, I know the way and the key word: patience. It is still a long time before the important races of the season and my aim is to be ready for Tiomila in May. I have started to run three weeks ago in an anti-gravity treadmill with only 20% of my weight and now I am starting to run in the forest again with a first Training Camp in Alicante where I only use the soft dunes terrains. There will be more Training Camps coming soon (Madrid, England, Scotland) with tougher running surfaces. But the most important just now is not to see the whole staircase, but to concentrate on the next step. As I said, it is a lot about being patient and showing mental strength. Even though, I think the toughest period is behind me and I can't really complain, since there are injuries which take longer to heal. And there were a lot of interesting sports events to watch on TV anyway...

How can this troubled starting disturb and constrain the whole season?

T. G. - All the time, even if I couldn't run, I had a map from Scotland with me when I was training. Just to keep in mind why I was doing this. With all the alternative trainings I've done, I think I kept a good fitness level, but it will take some more weeks to get the specific running muscles in good function again. Running in forest at the moment feels like being Bambi on ice. As I said, it is about showing mental strength, and positive talking now - thus, I doubt it will affect my competition season and I will be ready when it will matter!

What are the next steps in your way returning to your best shape? Being out of the Portugal O' Meeting, usually your first "check point" of the season, what will the first race, where you will evaluate your moment in a more seriously way, be?

T. G. - Of course, if I could have chosen, I would have prefered to start my season with the POM, but anyway there was a tendency of competing too much too early the previous seasons. At least, now I feel super fresh to read a map and will try to keep this eagerness as long as possible. My first races might be in England at JK, if everything goes according to the plan. But it is the Tiomila I have had in mind mostly during the rehab for the day I want to start to compare myself.

The World Championships. What emotions does the idea awaken in you?

T. G. - Like always. It is what takes most of my thoughts and I always try to figure out how can I be best prepared. Also, I know the end is close, which makes me even more motivated.

What are the big goals to the WOC: renewing the title of Long Distance and recovering the titles of Middle Distance and Relay? (Please, say something about each one of these races)

T. G. - Well, it always seems easier to write it than to do it... The Middle Distance is my ultimate goal, I have been struggling since 2011 and I think I will be quite motivated the 4th August, but the key will be to find an offensive but controlled balance - using the energy of the last years, without overplaying. As the Long Distance is the last race, it will be "all-in" and the terrain seems the most interesting as well. For the Relay, even though we lost our Relay master to the enemy, the youngsters are pushing hard and we might have another good chance.

Given the hypothetical scenario of three gold medals in those three races, will you put an end in your career?

T. G. - Hypothetical as you said and a hard question. Of course, it would be tempting. Orienteering for me has always been a perfect mix of the joy of doing something I really love (read “daily life”) and the performance as well (read “result board”). All this is deeply interconnected and it is hard to say which one leads on. I have always thought that the results should not affect any important decision and it should be more about an inner feeling. If not, it is hard to feel relaxed while competing.

One last note, a wish to all orienteers from around the world in this early season.

T. G. - Stay strong and healthy to enjoy every single moment with a map in your hand - there is no better feeling of freedom!

Joaquim Margarido

Trophy Costa Cálida: Andersson and Kinni win at Murcia

David Andersson and Saila Kinni were the winners of the 27th International Orienteering Trophy Costa Calida, set of three stages held in Calasparra over the weekend. Third event scoring for the Spanish Foot Orienteering League, the Costa Calida Trophy was attended by nearly 1200 participants from 12 countries.

World-renowned for its rice of extraordinary quality, the municipality of Calasparra, northwest of Murcia, hosted over this weekend the 27th edition of the International Orienteering Trophy Costa Calida. Third event of the Spanish Foot Orienteering League 2015, the trophy offered a Long Distance stage, a Middle Distance stage and also a Sprint stage, this one scoring for the IOF World Sprint Ranking.

The Swedish David Andersson (Malungs OK) and the Finnish Saila Kinni (Team Finland) started on the right foot, winning the opening stage of Long Distance. Saila Kinni was unstoppable and “crashed” the concurrence, leaving her compatriot Marjo Liikanen (Rajamäen Rykmetti), second placed, at more than seven minutes of difference. In the Men Elite class, Andersson had not so easy task, beating the Estonian Timo Sild (KooVee) and the Swedish William Lind (Malungs OK), respectively second and third placed, by 15 seconds and 57 seconds of difference. On the last day, the Finnish Minna Kauppi (Team Finland) and the French Frédéric Tranchand (Paimion Rasti), got the victories in the Middle Distance stage, but without changing the final order with respect to the winners of the Trophy, David Andersson and Saila Kinni. One last word for the safe triumphs of the Norwegian Kine Hallan Steiwer (Halden SK) and the Spanish Antonio Martínez Pérez (Colivenc) in the Sprint WRE stage.

Final results

Men Elite class

1. David Andersson (Malungs OK) 2:05:46

2. Frédéric Tranchand (Paimion Rasti) 2:06:19 (+ 00:33)

3. Antonio Martínez Pérez (Colivenc) 2:06:54 (+ 01:08)

4. William Lind (Malungs OK) 2:06:57 (+ 01:11)

5. Timo Sild (KooVee) 2:07:56 (+ 02:10)

6. Marten Boström (Team Finland) 2:08:08 (+ 02:22)

7. Aleksi Anttolainen (Team Finland) 2:13:46 (+ 08:00)

8. Roger Casal Fernández (Colivenc) 2:14:03 (+ 08:17)

9. Mikko Sirén (Team Finland) 2:15:03 (+ 09:17)

10. Miika Kirmula (Team Finland) 2:16:44 (+ 10:58)

Women Elite class

1. Saila Kinni (Team Finland) 1:50:48

2. Saara Norrgrann (Paimion Rasti) 1:59:44 (+ 08:56)

3. Sari Anttonen (Team Finland) 2:00:24 (+ 09:36)

4. Marjo Liikanen (Rajamäen Rykmenti) 2:00:31 (+ 09:43)

5. Venla Niemi (Tem Finland) 2:02:31 (+ 11:43)

6. Léa Vercellotti (Maximus Madrid) 2:02:55 (+ 12:07)

7. Jannina Gustafsson (Team Finland) 2:03:12 (+ 12:24)

8. Outi Ojanen (Kangasala SK) 2:03:50 (+ 13:02)

9. Sanni Kïvela (Team Finland) 2:06:33 (+ 15:45)

10. Anna Närhi (Team Finland) 2:06:44 (+ 15:56)

Full results and further information at http://www.costacalidaorientacion.com/.

Joaquim Margarido

Ronaldo Almeida: "It is a huge mistake that we continue to accept one single point of view for the Brazilian Orienteering"

In the beginning of each season, Portugal becomes a kind of "Mecca" for orienteers from all over the world and, in the recent years, some Brazilians have honoured us with their presence. Ronaldo Almeida is one of those personalities who spoke to the Portuguese Orienteering Blog at the end of the first day of the Portugal O' Meeting. A conversation which has both an outflow and a challenge.

We can see you again in Portugal in this time of the year. What is the meaning of your choice?

Ronaldo Almeida (R. A.) - The quality of the maps and the type of training is, in this time of the year, better in Portugal than in any other part of the world. I am able to compare with other countries, but the training volume and the quality of work leads me to say that, at this time of the year, the best place on the planet to any orienteer is here.

Still, there aren't too many Brazilian athletes visiting us. When will it be possible to watch the “boom” of Brazilian orienteers coming to Portugal?

R. A. - I think that Brazilians still are a little afraid to leave the country. Many feel that Orienteering in Europe is too difficult, that they are not prepared for this kind of competitions and they can't do that. But that's because they haven't come and tried. Those who come for the first time want to return again.

Even taking into account the difference of terrains, is the training in Portugal useful for the rest of the season in Brazil?

R. A. - Yes, it's very useful. I'm competing in the Elite class and my results may not be as good as they could be, but the experience I take from each course is amazing. I'm the coach of a team from the Brazilian Navy and I am here also monitoring some of our best athletes. We all intend to take advantage of this opportunity in order to have a very positive season in Brazil.

How is the Orienteering going in Brazil?

R. A. - The Orienteering in Brazil is improving every year, but unfortunately this evolution is much slower than we would like it to be. We know that the best options for the evolution of Brazilian Orienteering aren't being taken and we don't understand why. There is a lot of work to do, there is too much to improve. We have very good junior athletes, which is something new between us, and some of them are even already starting their international season. We hope that within a few years, Brazil can be recognized not only for the events that we organize but also for the results achieved in the major international competitions.

I realize in your words that Orienteering in Brazil remains very settled.

R. A. - Yes. There are things that we would like to see, as it happens in major international competitions. In countries much younger in Orienteering than Brazil, I had the opportunity to realize that the sport has improved really fast which made us really sad. We know there are many people working very hard, but we'll find out what is holding the Brazilian Orienteering back, solving the problems that have to be solved and taking Orienteering towards its recognition.

We had in 2014, in Brazil, the first international event under the aegis of IOF in South America. What advantage did Brazil take from the organization of the World Masters Orienteering Championships?

R. A. - For Brazilian athletes, to exchange experiences with athletes from around the world was really great. Talking to people who are deeply involved in Orienteering, which are themselves directors of other clubs, we realize the possibilities of Orienteering, not staying in this “sameness” that we see in Brazil, clinging to very traditional things, without changes, it was the best of what the World Masters brought us. It was this legacy and also the will of some people responsible for the clubs in Brazil to organize events within a new philosophy, like that existing in countries where the sport had a dazzling development.

Very recently, we saw your application with one list for the Brazilian Orienteering Confederation's Direction being denied in a controversial process. Would you explain us what happened?

R. A. - We realized that some administrative measures have been wrongly taken by the Brazilian Orienteering Confederation. I would like to say that the Confederation did, in the past, a fantastic job and what Orienteering in Brazil is today is owed to the current Administration. Many good things were made, but also many good things were left to be done. We won and we lost, but we must realize that the number of wins, good deeds, is decreasing every year in Brazil. Countries around us expect very different results and events from those that we have offered, the Elite athletes are having a much lower recognition than they actually deserve and some national races present unacceptable technical mistakes. The Brazilian community is very grateful to the current Administration and to what it has done so far, but sixteen years of a single Administration is enough. It is a huge mistake that we continue to accept one single point of view for the Brazilian Orienteering, that the power remains on the hands of one person. Many of the actions are unilateral and do not help the competitor community as a whole, but only a small group. This must change.

And to change this, you and your list would like to present an alternative, claiming the right to be polled.

R. A. - Exactly. We only ask for removal of any administrative obstacles, that things can be done clearly and that people can actually choose their way. I can tell you that more than half of Brazil's club leaders would like a change, but unfortunately the current administration prevents this from happening.

Will we have to wait another four years?

R. A. - We do not know. We filed a lawsuit last week, we turned to the Justice Department and we will await the outcome of our action. It can happen within a few weeks, but it can also take years until we have a decision. But something will happen, and we just hope that orienteers can be given the freedom to vote, to choose the way forward the next Administration.

To finish our talk, I would ask you a wish to all Brazilian orienteers.

R. A. - I sincerely hope that the athletes can be much more recognized than what they are today and that our institutions, the regional federations, can be more valued than they are. This is the way to develop activities to show the Orienteering to the Brazilian society.

Joaquim Margarido

Isia Basset: "When you are invaded by Orinteering you can't ever stop"

It started as a “family matter” and it is now “a very serious matter”. Orienteering entered in Isia Basset's life at the age of eight and revolutionized it completely. Today, she is one of the rising stars of French and World orienteering and her ambitions have a perfect parallelism to her enormous talent. Come know her a little better.

How did you meet Orienteering?

Isia Basset (I. B.) - I started doing Orienteering very young, at the age of 8, at the time my parents and my older brother began to take interest in the sport. I liked it, I participated in many national races, but it was only at the age of junior when I started training more seriously with my older brother Lucas [Basset], in search of a place in the National Team of France.

And why Orienteering? Why not Athletics or Swimming?

I. B. - Well, firstly it was because Orienteering was a family matter, was something particular, that joined us, leading us to the forest to do something that we really liked. I learned to run later, but I stayed focused in the orienteering. I've never done Athletics. And why not? I do not know. I know that Orienteering is a sport that pleases me greatly. When you are invaded by Orinteering you can't ever stop.

What responsibility has your brother in the process?

I. B. - He has a very big responsibility. Mainly because it was he who dragged us to the races every weekend. After that, also my two younger brothers started doing Orienteering. Anyway, we are four siblings and we all are in Orienteering on a very serious way.

Despite being too young, I'm sure that you have had a special moment in Orienteering. Would you like to share it with us?

I. B. - The first special moment was my first Junior World Championships in 2011. I managed to exceed my own expectations and I realized that, with training, I could get really interesting results. Currently, my reference is the World Junior Championships in 2013, in Czech Republic, where I got the 4th place in the Long Distance and the 5th place in the Middle Distance. Those were two good results and I hope to repeat them in the coming years.

This is not the first time that we have seen you at the Portugal O 'Meeting. Why the Portugal O' Meeting?

I. B. - This is my third participation, having been here in 2010 [Figueira da Foz] and 2013 [Idanha-a-Nova]. The Portugal O' Meeting is a very interesting competition, which always attracts a large number of participants. In France, for example, we don't have an event like this, with such strong competition, particularly speaking of Women Elite. And even though I live in a region of France where the snow isn't usually a problem, it is always a pleasure to run in these conditions. Portugal is perfect!

How do you rate this organization of the Portugal O' Meeting 2015?

I. B. - I really enjoyed. I didn't see any mistake in the organization and the competitions were very interesting, even if the terrain was technically very accessible. But it is a very beautiful forest, very clean, where you can run easily. For me it's specially important because I feel that there is a lot of work to do in terms of my physical shape. The shape is still not the best and competitions of this level allow us to understand what to do.

Are you happy with your results?

I. B. - Yes, very happy. I begin to explore my potential to the maximum and achieving results that make me very happy.

What are the major goals for this season?

I. B. - Last year, I was at the World Championships in Italy, and I would love to be able to repeat the experience, being in this year's World Championships, in Scotland. I can't say, at the moment. In what or which distances I will participate, as I must, necessarily, have good results in the selection races that will be in the World Cup. So, really important for me, there will be two events this season and I have, for one of each, a precise goal.

Motivated?

I. B. - Very motivated. Comparing to last year, I could see a huge improvement over this last week. I will still stay a few more days in Portugal, we will make some more technical training, but it was a good start to the season and that opens excellent perspectives.

Thierry Gueorgiou is one of the outstanding figures of Portugal O' Meeting and he was absent, this year, by injury. Would you like to leave him a word?

I. B. - Thierry is the French Team's mentor. He made our level rise enormously and we all are very grateful for that. Right now, I just hope that he can quickly restore from his injury and that he may be at the highest level in the World Championships.

And a word to all orienteers worldwide.

I. B. - A good season for everyone and continue to love this sport.

Joaquim Margarido