(Runner’s interview nr 13)
He has got World Championship medals from all possible disciplines, and maybe therefore it’s hard for him to say which distance is his most favourite. “I like them all,” says the Swiss star DANIEL HUBMANN, the defending EOC Champion in long distance and the reigning WOC Champion in sprint. In which race will he be the most successful this year?
How has your training for the EOC been going on? So far I didn’t make many specific trainings for this EOC. I was in Dalarna last autumn to get an impression of the terrain. In February I was in Portugal for two weeks and I often had the feeling that the way you have to orienteer was quite the same in the coast terrain like in Mora.
Photo: www.worldofo.com
What are your plans for the upcoming weeks until the EOC starts? Are you planning any special kind of training with the EOC focus? I’ll stay in Switzerland for the next weeks with main focus on the WOC in July. But on the 2nd of May I’ll go to Sweden, first to Tiomila and then up to Falun/Mora where I will do the fine-tuning of my EOC-preparations.
If one says Sweden, what comes to your mind first? A forest with elks.
The EOC is hosted by Dalarna county. Have you got any experience with orienteering in this region? If so, how do you like the terrain here? Does it suit you? Actually I represented a Dalarna club a few years ago (VB OL, 2003-2004) and I spend a few weeks in Smedjebacken preparing for the WOC in Västerås in 2004. And as I said I was in Mora and Falun last October for a few days. I liked it really much and did enjoy orienteering in these nice forests.
The EOC programme includes 7 races within 7 days. Are you planning to run all disciplines? No, the full program is not realistic for me. Since a few weeks I have had problems with my foot. It’s the same problem I had two years ago with my left heel, but now it’s the right one. I have to be careful in order to have the problem under control and therefore it’s an option for me to skip the long distance.
In which disciplines do you think you have the highest chance for the top result? Is that discipline also your most favourite one? As the current World Champion in sprint I might have the best chance there. But I guess my chances are quit equal. I can’t say which my favourite discipline is, because I like them all.
Photo: www.worldofo.com
What do you expect from the EOC? Well organized competitions with good TV-production where they manage to show all the nice things orienteering has to offer.
Is there anything you perceive as particularly challenging in regard to the EOC 2012? Orienteering is always a challenge, but at this EOC I think it will be crucial to find the right mix between high speed and map control.
Your “favourite” questionnaire:
Favourite movie: The Rock
Favourite music: Bon Jovi
Favourite food: Italian Food
Favourite athlete: Can’t choose one, because I have many like Gebrselassie, Cologna, Absalon, Messi,…
Favourite sport (except of orienteering): Biking
Favourite hobby: Watch sports on TV
Favourite motto (quote): Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Daniel’s profile on WorldOfO: http://runners.worldofo.com/danielhubmann.html
Daniel’s homepage: http://www.danielhubmann.ch
Runner’s interview no 12 Linnea Gustafsson
Runner’s interview no 11 Fabian Hertner
Runner’s interview no 10 Lena Eliasson
Runner’s interview no 9 Peter Öberg
Runner’s interview no 8 Thierry Gueorgiou
Runner’s interview no 7 Annika Billstam
Runner’s interview no 6 Ida Bobach
Runner’s interview no 5 Simone Niggli
Runner’s interview no 4 Jerker Lysell
Runner’s interview no 3 Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg
Runner’s interview no 2 David Andersson
Runner’s interview no 1 Dana Safka Brozkova
