NAOM 2016: Moments (1)

© Joaquim Margarido

NAOM 2016: Comments

I'm not very happy with my race today. I did a lot of small mistakes, here and there, and I wasn't technically offensive enough. Also physically I start too feel the tiredness of these days of training but the terrain was great. I think it would be really pleasant to run here with nice weather conditions, but well. I think I'm improving my shape. I had some injury troubles in the Autumn, this Winter I fell my shape not as good as I would expect but I think it will come slowly. Tomorrow we'll see but I'll try to improve.

Lucas Basset, FFCO

I think it was a good race. I did a few mistakes but small ones, I never was far away from the controls. Some times I wasn't pretty sure where they were, but it was a really fun race in amazing terrains. Normally it's a good sign to stay two minutes behind Thierry in this time of the season, so I think my shape is okay for now. He is really fast and there's a lot of work to do, of course, but I'm very happy with my performance.

Olav Lundanes, Halden SK

It was a very technical, interesting course. Unfortunately, my shape isn't good enough to take pleasure of it. After a Training Camp week I'm a little tired and fighting with an injury in my Achiles tendom and this isn't the best way to face any course. Otherwise, the map and the terrain were really interesting. I came to Portugal looking forward training well and get some sun. The weather, definitelly, is quite aggressive and about the training I got some good things, other not so good. But I keep on going with my Winter training and we'll see the results along the season.

Isia Basset, JO Grenoblois

The race today was a great fun. The terrain was tricky but really interesting also and I think I managed it quite well. A very technical race but really nice. I think my race was very good and I'm satisfied.

Magne Daehli, Halden SK

The race was very difficult but really fun. I did two mistakes, not big ones, but, after the Portugal O' Meeting, it was a hard race. I felt very tired and I'm not in the best moment, but it was a very interesting Middle Distance, in a great terrain, and I'm very pleased. Tomorrow I'll try to fight for the victory overall, so the legs can help me (laughs).

Anastasia Rudnaya, MS Parma

It was a great race, really difficult technically and very slippery in some parts, so it was hard to be physically engaged all the time. I did some small hesitations, trying to figure out how to escape the slippery parts. It wasn't an easy task but I must be happy with my performance. We had here, again, an amazing terrain, very similar to those of POM 2007, in S. Pedro do Sul, the kind of terrains that I really like the most. I can't imagine how it should be in a sunny day, but the weather conditions were what we got and we have to take pleasure of it, anyway. Tomorrow we'll have another great course and we must profit such terrains.

Thierry Gueorgiou, Kalevan Rasti

Joaquim Margarido

NAOM 2016: Gueorgiou and Alexandersson won Middle Distance WRE

With victories of Thierry Gueorgiou and Tove Alexandersson, started today in Castelo de Vide the 10th edition of Norte Alentejano O' Meeting. In a Middle Distance under truly adverse weather conditions, both athletes had good performances, giving a huge step towards the victory overall.

Closing a short but intense period of three international events that attracted to Portugal, as a whole, more than two thousand athletes from all over the world, took place this morning, at Amieira and Barregão's map, the first stage of Norte Alentejano O' Meeting 2016. Organized by the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, Municipality of Castelo de Vide, Portuguese Orienteering Federation and International Orienteering Federation, the event returned to Castelo de Vide for the fourth time in ten editions, keeping for the first day its highest point, a Middle Distance scoring for the IOF World Orienteering Ranking. Entered the course 900 athletes, many of them occupying important places in the world top lists.

The Men Super Elite class was dominated by the French Thierry Gueorgiou (Kalevan Rasti), concluding his course in the distance of 6.7 km in 38:20. The Norwegian Olav Lundanes (Halden SK) took the second position with a time of 40:09, while the also Norwegian Magne Dæhli (Halden SK) was third, spending more 3:05 than the winner. The best Portuguese in this class was Manuel Horta (GafanhOri) in the 64th position with a time of 55:34. In the Women Elite class, the Swedish Tove Alexandersson (Stora Tuna OK) was faster than any one else, finishing the 4.5 km of her course in 32:15. The Finnish Marika Teini (SK Pöhjantahti) and the Russian Anastasia Rudnaya (MS parma) took the following positions, spending more 3:41 and 4:47, respectively, than the winner. Spending more 18:27 than the winner, Mariana Moreira (CPOC) concluded her course in the 49th place and was the best Portuguese in this class.

In the end, Thierry Gueorgiou and Olav Lundanes spoke about their races. First the Norwegian: “I think it was a good race. I did a few mistakes but small ones, I never was far away from the controls. Some times I wasn't pretty sure where they were, but it was a really fun race in amazing terrains. Normally it's a good sign to stay two minutes behind Thierry in this time of the season, so I think my shape is okay for now. He is really fast and there's a lot of work to do, of course, but I'm very happy with my performance.” And Thierry, finally: “It was a great race, really difficult technically and very slippery in some parts, so it was hard to be physically engaged all the time. I did some small hesitations, trying to figure out how to escape the slippery parts. It wasn't an easy task but I must be happy with my performance. We had here, again, an amazing terrain, very similar to those of POM 2007, in S. Pedro do Sul, the kind of terrains that I really like. I can't imagine how it should be in a sunny day, but the weather conditions were what we got and we have to take pleasure of it, anyway. Tomorrow we'll have another great course and we must profit such terrains.”

Results

Men Super Elite

1. Thierry Gueorgiou (Kalevan Rasti) 38:20 (+ 00:00)

2. Olav Lundanes (Halden SK) 40:09 (+ 01:49)

3. Magne Dæhli (Halden Sk) 41:25 (+ 03:05)

4. Jarkko Huovila (Halden SK) 41:45 (+ 03:25)

4. Sven Hellmüller (SW Ori Team) 41:45 (+ 03:25)

Women Elite

1. Tove Alexandersson (Stora Tuna OK) 32:15 (+ 00:00)

2. Marika Teini (SK Pöjantahti) 35:56 (+ 03:41)

3. Anastasia Rudnaya (MS Parma) 37:02 (+ 04:47)

4. Ida Marie Næss Bjørgul (Halden SK) 37:40 (+ 05:25)

5. Amilia Björklund (Sävedalens AIK) 38:04 (+ 05:49)

To see the complete results and further information, please visit the event's webpage at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/en/naom2016.

Joaquim Margarido

NAOM 2016: Middle Distance WRE maps

Joaquim Margarido

Norte Alentejano O' Meeting 2016: Step by step

With the IOF stamp, Portugal receives next weekend the last of three events scoring for the World Orienteering Ranking this season. After the Lisbon International Orienteering Meeting and the Portugal O' Meeting, it's now time for the Norte Alentejo O' Meeting, in Castelo de Vide, with more than one thousand participants taking part.

For the fourth time in ten editions, Castelo de Vide is once again the World Orienteering's epicenter, welcoming the Norte Alentejano O' Meeting 2016. After two years in a row holding one Sprint stage scoring for the Sprint Ranking, this year the queen stage will be the Middle Distance on the first day, counting for the IOF World Orienteering Ranking. Organized by Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos, in partnership with the municipality of Castelo de Vide, the Portuguese Orienteering Federation and the International Orienteering Federation, the event has already began to shake the whole region, with names like Thierry Gueorgiou, Tove Alexandersson or Olav Lundanes sounding familiar to the local people.

The party will start in a couple of hours with two Model Events in two different maps. But tomorrow onwards everything will be different... and for real! Two Middle Distance stages will occupy the competition during the weekend and there will be also room for a Urban Night Sprint, on Saturday, in Castelo de Vide centre. 

NAOM 2016 detailed program

12th February 2016 (day 0 – Friday)

10:00 – Event center opening
10:00 – Model Events
18:00 – Event center closing

13th February 2016 (day 1 – Saturday)

08:30 – Event center opening at the Arena
10:00 – Middle Distance WRE – Amieira / Barregão
13:30 - Middle Distance WRE - Prize Giving Ceremony
19:00 – Start Night Sprint "Salgueiro Maia" – Castelo de Vide

14th February 2016 (day 2 – Sunday)

08:30 – Event center opening at the Arena
10:00 – Middle Distance – Amieira / Barregão.
13:30 – Award Ceremony

Note: All timings are in local time (GMT timezone).

Participants

1.018 athletes, 238 clubs, 21 different countries. These are the numbers of NAOM 2016 at the date of closing entries. Number two in the IOF World Orienteering Ranking, Thierry Gueorgiou is the big favorite for the victory overall. After winning the Portugal O' Meeting, last tuesday, the best orienteer of all times will want to perform well again and reach his second NAOM, after the victory in this same place in 2014. Like in Penamacor, Gueorgiou will have to count with the fight of his team mates of Kalevan Rasti, Fabian Hertner, Baptiste Rollier and Jan Prochazka, but also with Olav Lundanes, Frederic Tranchand, Magne Daehli, Lucas Basset and many others. In this set we have to include Øystein Kvall Østerbo and Tiago Romão, winners of NAOM in 2010 and NAOM 2012, respectively. 

As for the Elite Women, Tove Alexandersson is back to this part of the country, but this time to compete! Big star in the recent two first rounds of the World Cup in Ski-Orienteering, the Swedish change the northern white icy fields for the green flourish terrains in Alentejo and she is, of course, the big favorite to the final victory. Winner of NAOM 2010, Eva Jurenikova, and NAOM 2014, Amelie Chataing, both will challenge Alexandersson. Furthermore, they did, along with Anastasia Rudnaya, a great Portugal O' Meeting and everything can happen. And we can't forget the young Swiss girls, Sabine Hauswirth, Julia Gross and Rahel Friederich, and the "kiwi" Lizzie Ingham. It's going to be a great NAOM, that's for sure!

Terrain and useful information

12th February 2016 - MODEL EVENT - QUINTA DAS LAVANDAS

The model event maps can be picked up in the registration office at Centro Cultural de Castelo de Vide.
On the terrain the control points are marked with wooden stakes with respective control number.
The access to the Model Event is by a rural road relatively narrow and the parking space is small. It is advised to who chose the two trainings to start first by Póvoa e Meadas.

Terrain: Open land with scattered olive trees with several details of rocks and vegetation.
Cartographer: Raquel Costa
Map: Field Work - December 2014
Scale: 1/10.000

GPS: 39°26'54.9"N / 7°26'43.1"W

12th February - MODEL EVENT - PÓVOA E MEADAS

Terrain: Open land with scattered olive trees with several details of rocks and vegetation.
Cartographer: Raquel Costa
Map: Field Work - January 2014
Scale: 1/10.000

GPS: 39°30' 34.03'' N / 7° 31' 31.45'' W

13th February – MIDDLE DISTANCE WRE – AMIEIRA / BARREGÃO (new map)

Map (New): Amieira / Barregão at Scale 1/10.000
Terrain: Open land with scattered olive trees with several details of rocks and vegetation.
Cartographer: Tiago Aires e Raquel Costa (March 2015)
Course Planner: Tiago Leal
IOF Adviser: Joaquim Patricio

Warnings:
- Arena - Includes: Secretariat, IT, speaker, pre-start, finish, babysitting and bar.
- The Parking area will be along the M524 road, which will have one direction of circulation only.
- Due to the high number of rocky areas that might be slippery, it is recommended to use running shoes with spikes.
- During the event, most of the courses will cross the M524 road. We inform that traffic will not be interrupted during the event and therefore request the utmost care while crossing the road.

Distances:
- Parking - 500 m from the arena.
- Start - 1800 m from the arena.

GPS: 39°26'46.2"N / 7°25'40.9"W

13th February - NIGHT SPRINT “SALGUEIRO MAIA” – CASTELO DE VIDE

Map: Castelo de Vide at scale 1/4.000
Terrain: Urban sprint.
Cartographer: Raquel Costa (Dec 2014)
Course Planner: Hugo Borda D'Água
Adviser: Joaquim Patricio

Warning:
- Arena - Praça D. Pedro V in Castelo de Vide. It includes: Secretariat, IT, speaker, Start and Finish.
- There won't be a quarantine.
- There won't be a specific area for parking.
- There is no babysitting service in this stage.
- In Men Elite class the start times have 30 seconds interval and will use base Start system.

GPS: 39°24'54.96'' N / 7°27'20.12'' W

14th February - MIDDLE DISTANCE – AMIEIRA / BARREGÃO

Map (new): Amieira/ Barregão at scale 1/10.000
Terrain: Open land with scattered olive trees with several details of rocks and vegetation.
Cartographer: Raquel Costa & Tiago Aires (March 2015)
Course Planner: Victor Delgado
Adviser: Joaquim Patricio

Warnings:
- Arena - includes: Secretariat, IT, speaker, finish, babysitting, bar;
- The Parking area will be along the M524 road, which will have one direction of circulation only;
- Due to the high number of rocky areas that might be slippery, it is recommended to use running shoes with spikes;
- During the event most of the courses will cross the M524 road. We inform that traffic will not be interrupted during the event and therefore request the utmost care while crossing the road.

Distances:
- Parking - 500m from the arena.
- Start - 100m from the arena.

GPS: 39°24'46.2" N / 7°25'40.9" W

Other information

Tribute to Salgueiro Maia

• On the 13th of February the organization of Norte Alentejano O'Meeting will realize a small tribute to Salgueiro Maia (1944-1992), natural from Castelo de Vide, one of the "Capitães de Abril" (Captains of April), responsible for the revolution that took place in Portugal on the 25th of April 1974. The ceremony will consist in the Night Sprint (2nd stage of Norte Alentejano O' Meeting) that will be named "Salgueiro Maia".

World Ranking Event

• The Middle Distance on February 13th (day 1) will be a World Ranking Event;
• During that race, GPS watches won’t be allowed in Elite classes.

Elite classes

• The Male Elite class will be splitted in two. The best 75 athletes in the IOF World Orienteering Raking, according to the standings in the end of 2015 (31st December), will run in Men Super Elite class and the remaining athletes in Men Elite class;
• In the Middle Distance WRE stage, both classes will count to the World Ranking, following the IOF suggestions.

Results

• The winner of NAOM 2016 will be found through the sum of the times of the two Middle Distance races;
• The Night Sprint won’t count to NAOM 2016 final results.

For further information, please visit the Event's website, at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/en/naom2016.

Joaquim Margarido