EMTBOC 2015: Meet Jussi Laurila (Finland)

Name: Jussi Laurila Age: 26 Home location: Jyväskylä, Finland Profession and educational background: Studying BBA for sports marketing, working as marketing coordinator in ski resort. Years in sport of any kind: 22 years. Years in MTBO: 12 years. What got you started: Tried MTBO as summer training for ski-O, and found it fun. Always liked orienteering and the higher speeds with the bike just make it much more fun. Other personal information you would like to share: I'm quite avid for watching other sports too, most sports will do. IOF World Ranking: 5th position MTBO World Cup 2015: 1st position

What is your best moment in MTB Orienteering so far?

- Bringing in the win in the World Champs Relay in Hungary 2012 after a tough race. It was the best thing to share that win with the guys after a well-ridden last leg.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

- I aspire to be just a little bit faster and better every day. And meeting all the people I know at races is very nice too.

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

- The balance between exercise and rest is always tricky, the many years peaking the condition at the right moment have been tough. And keeping in mind the general and specific skills needed for a successful race in each terrain. This year, physically it just means I have to be fast uphill and downhill, which is something that has been in mind for quite a while in training.

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

- I'll be aiming to run flawless races, while knowing that the speed will be enough for even the highest podium.

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

- Keeping in mind that I don't always have to find an advantage with a more clever route choice than necessary, and keeping focus while executing the chosen routes. And the way to achieve that is just doing enough proper map training and focusing.

What would be your ultimate achievement for the season?

- Winning in the World Champs. I'm still going for that individual medal.

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

- Just day by day, for now.

Anything else you’d like to share?

- I'm lousy at planning ahead for long periods of time, so sometimes my training is purely done by feel.

[Photo credits: Elina Erkkilä]

Joaquim Margarido

  

EMTBOC 2015: Meet Tatiana Repina (Russia)

Name: Tatiana Repina Age: 24 Home location: Moscow, Russia Profession and educational background: Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Computers Science Years in sport of any kind: 17 years. Years in MTBO: 11 years. What got you started: My first contact with a bike was at the age of 4. I didn't have my own bike, but I was eager to learn to ride. So, I borrowed a bike from an unknown girl and rode without assistance until I mastered riding. Besides, I did various kinds of sport such as swimming, athletics, Foot-O and Ski-O. Orienteering has been the best for me, so when I found out about MTBO I realized: “That’s it!” IOF World Ranking: 7th position MTBO World Cup 2015: 30th position

What is your best moment in MTB Orienteering so far?

- The Gold medal at the World Championships last year in Poland. I had this dream of becoming World Champion and, finally, I achieved it.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

- From people close to me. I feel their support and it helps me to keep going.

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

- Listen to your body and your coach.

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

- I prefer not to talk about my goals. You know, it’s like a bad omen to reveal your plans for the future. However – believe me! - my goals are always ambitious.

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

- My biggest challenge is to cope with my own thoughts during competitions, keep calm and be concentrated and focused on what to do and how to do it. Before the start, I listen to music and mentally pronounce my future actions during the race. At this point I always become a very solitary and reserved person.

What would be your ultimate achievement for the season?

- Take a look at my previous answer about the European Championships.

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

- Believe in yourself and you’ll be invincible!

[Photo credits: Anastasia Bolshova]

Joaquim Margarido

  

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

  

EMTBOC 2015: Meet Davide Machado (Portugal)

Name: Davide Machado Age: 27 Home location: Jamor – Lisbon, Portugal Profession and educational background: Student. Years in sport of any kind: 15 years. Years in MTBO: 7 years. What got you started: Foot orienteering and Mountaineering. Other personal information you would like to share: I love the Sport in general. IOF World Ranking: 31st position

What is your best moment in MTB Orienteering so far?

- The World Championships in Italy 2011, although the first experience has been in Montalegre in 2010. But the 5th place in the Long Distance and the 6th place in the Sprint, achieved in Italy, were undoubtedly the best moments so far. The event itself, also contributed for this very special moment!

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

- Daniel Marques has always been my biggest inspiration in MTBO. His technical quality still impresses me today. Internationally, I would mention Erik Skovgaard Knudsen as my inspiration.

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

- The commitment to training and the passion for what you do, mainly. I think this is the key to any kind of success!

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

- Well, about that, unfortunately I broke my right foot last April 1st and I was forced to stop until now. I've returned to training, but I have to be realistic and consider that the initial goals to the European Championships (top 5) are not possible anymore. I'll be in the European Championships with only two weeks of training and still very conditioned. However, despite not setting any goals, I won't give up and I'll do my best, as always!

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

- Generally, the biggest challenge in a MTB orienteering race is the map reading and the route choice, i.e., the technical part. However, for this event (European), I think the difficult part for me (and this is everything but normal) will be the physical one. The terrains at Idanha-a-Nova are physically demanding and the expected heat will not help those who are not in the best shape, as is my case. Still, I'll bet more on the technical part, as I'm not able to ride too quickly.

What would be your ultimate achievement for the season?

- The main goal has become now the World Championships, in the Czech Republic. I will make a specific preparation to this event and I'll try to achieve my ultimate goals there. The races will take place in a very complicated and difficult terrain, but I'll try, at least, one top 8!

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

- Be sure that what you do and how do you do it makes you happy.

Anything else you’d like to share?

- I keep the dream of achieving a medal in a World Championships!

[Photo credits: facebook.com / MTBOworlds2014]

Joaquim Margarido

  

EMTBOC 2015: Meet Ruslan Gritsan (Russia)

Name: Ruslan Gritsan Age: 36 Home location: Moscow, Russia Profession and educational background: Sports coach, Moscow Regional Institute of Physical Culture. Years in sport of any kind: 25 years. Years in MTBO: Since 2002. What got you started: I did Ski-o and I became World Champion in 2005 [at Levi/Kittilä, Finland]. But then the problems with my back began to limit me in skiing. So, I decided to try MTBO. Other personal information you would like to share: I’m a little bit different from the other bikers because my right eye is unable to see. That is why I prefer uphills, not downhills (laughs). IOF World Ranking: 2nd position MTBO World Cup 2015: 25th position

What is your best moment in MTB Orienteering so far?

- My first two gold medals in the WMTBOC 2015, in Banska Bystrica, were unexpected and the most fun for me.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

- My defeats inspire me.

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

- A good coach and hard work.

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

- To be among the best riders.

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

- The training for a long time before competitions.

What would be your ultimate achievement for the season?

- To reach the podium, both in EMTBOC and WMTBOC.

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

- Don’t ride faster than your head thinks!

[Photo credits: Alexey Smirnov]

Joaquim Margarido