With the 2016 South American
Orienteering Championships still alive in our memory, we meet Charly Jaep, one of the great workers of the Chilean Orienteering.
With him, we enter an almost unknown story, valuing the past, understanding the present and trusting in the
future!
To see the first steps of Orienteering
in Chile, we have to go back to 1984, to an year in which it was
introduced in the Armed Forces. Joining the process since the
beginning, Brazil was a decisive partner in the sport's rooting in
Chile. The great breakthrough, however, would take place only 10
years later, with the arrival of a few Swedish cartographers and the
design of the first “coloured” maps, according to the
international standards. That same year, the Chilean Army carried out
the first Institutional Orienteering Championships, with technical
advice from the German Dietrich Kühnemuth, one of the “fathers”
of Orienteering in the country.
Throughout this evolutionary process,
we highlight the introduction of Orienteering in the Schools of the
region of San Vicente de Tagua Tagua, where a large number of
teachers continue to enthusiastically dedicate their time to present
the sport to the youngest. Also a note for the foundation, in 2008,
of the “Outdoor Prismaventura”, an Orienteering Circuit in
Santiago, which would give rise to an important club, the Club de
Orientación Prismaventura.
SAOC 2016, a driving force
After a short historical review, time
to start an interview about the present moment of Orienteering in
Chile, calling one of its greatest enthusiasts, Jorge Armando
Espinoza Püschel, better known as Charly Jaep. He was one of the
central figures of the organization of the recent South American
Orienteering Championships - the first South American regional event
under the auspices of the International Orienteering Federation -,
which is labeled as “a driving force of the Chilean Orienteering,
both in competitive and organizational spheres.”
In relation to the SAOC 2016, Charly
highlights “the lessons learned and the constant support of a
cohesive group” and draws on the confidence of the Brazilian Sérgio
Brito, IOF Event Adviser, “who made me believe in my abilities,
both in design maps and setting courses.” The highest word is
addressed to the work team: “Unexperienced in organizing major
events, they have shown an enormous willingness to serve and to offer
a beautiful event to the athletes who have visited us. They taught me
that the team work exists but, above all, that we are a group of
friends who loves Orienteering.”
Lack of maps
Talking about “his” Chile, Charly
Jaep classifies the country's natural conditions for the practice of
Orienteering as “perfect”, ensuring that “Chile has everything that an orienteer can wish for”. He
explains: “Our country has very interesting places to make the most
of a race, with areas of abundant snow, volcanic regions, plains of
native vegetation, large sand dunes and forests along the coast,
without forgetting the North of Chile and one of the most fantastic
places in the World, the Atacama desert. In short, Chile offers all
kinds of terrain and climates for the practise of Orienteering.
- What are the main difficulties
that Orienteering faces in Chile?
“One of our biggest problem has to do
with the lack of maps, a fundamental element for the development of
the sport. Our Federation is still very young and we don't have
support from our government, but I believe that the situation can be
reversed, Orienteering will be strengthened and a new stage will
begin. Another aspect that worries us and which has been a huge
problem is the lack of cooperation on the part of the landowners,
since they don't know anything about Orienteering.”
The booster role of Brazil
An important part in the promotion and
dissemination of Orienteering, not only in Chile but all over the
World, is the Social Media. Referring to the fact that sports such as
Football monopolizing the news, Charly Jaep notes that “we have had
participations in some radio stations and regional channels, allowing
to give a clear idea of what Orienteering is and encouraging its
practise.” With lots of effort, the fruits are appearing:
“Nowadays, the civil society is hearing about Orienteering and many
children and adults are already enjoying the possibility of running
with a map and a compass in the forest”, Charly Jaep says.
- How do you see the booster role of
Brazil?
“Brazil has a significant advantage
in terms of knowledge of the sport and its members develop a work of
constant cooperation. I worked hard with them and appreciate their
willingness in supporting me. Nowadays, Chile knows how to say
“present”, putting into practice what we learn. But Brazil is
undoubtedly a pillar in South America.”
Support and smiles
Strengthening Orienteering in Chile and
expanding it to the civil society are some of the priorities of those
in charge for the sport in Chile, but Charly Jaep also talks about
“creating a database of existing cartography, promoting clinics for
supervisors and cartographers and attracting more people to practise
Orienteering, highlighting the enormous benefits tof its practise”,
says Charly Jaep. Based on these premises and in the constant work of
countless orienteers who, every day, show the Orienteering in the
four corners of the country, Charly Jaep guesses a strongly promising
future: “The constant evolution of Orienteering in Chile will cause
it to grow in a significant way, leading to the rising of new
projects and the establishment of an annual calendar of competitions
with a minimum of 15 events”, he says, proposing a visit to the
webpage O-Chile, at www.orienteering.cl,
to those interested in following the major improvements of the sport
in Chile.
Finally, Charly Jaep shares with us its
greatest joy: “I have worked hard on this project and my
satisfaction is reflected in our achievements. It wasn't easy to get
here, but the experience reached along the years has made of my life
an interesting race. As a coach, cartographer or supervisor, I was
able to know many people, from the youngest to the oldest, and
everyone gave me a piece of their support, offering me a smile. It's
a pleasure to be here, sharing these words with you”, he concludes.
[Photo courtesy of Charly Jaep]
Joaquim Margarido
