Sometimes I feel like a Sioux. You know, the people in the New World who moved their homes, tipis, following the movement of their food, the buffalo. Their property ownership law was simple: ”Nobody can own land!”, and with that as a principle they moved around in their world. I think this is a fine idea, and so I can therefore write the
following:
Welcome to MY forest!
Nobody can suggest that MY forest is virginal. I have, for example, had a close to 50-year love affair with these tree trunks, views and sports facilities. There’s been a lot of sweat and panting over these years!
We have given the oienteering world training packets for four places around the town of Falun. One of these, Galgberget, used for the 2011 Elitserien, is meant to be relevant to the sprint races. And relevant it is as far as mapper and mapping standard, but terrainwise it is not that relevant. It is quite simply difficult to find another area with recreational facilities equivalent to Lugnet.
For the other training areas and the model races, the average relevance is good, except for one aspect. The network of ski, mountainbike and walking trails in the Lugnet area can’t be found anywhere else around our small town. I write this so that nobody should feel they’ve been ”cheated” by the training packets.
Incidentally I’m sure you’ve already worked all this out for yourself. The theme for Falun’s part of the EOC event can be spelt out speed-speed-speed. It’s going to be fast, which of course is always a requirement, but the question is whether a sixth gear is needed for these races. At least if you want to your national anthem played in our National XC-Skiing Stadium during the final weekend.
Speed and orienteering technique aren’t always easy to balance against each other. We cannot, even if we would like to, offer ”French” terrain, so instead the aim is to offer several races where the speed/technique relationship must be handled correctly.
As usual the mental aspects of our sport will require full concentration, whether you’re racing at Lugnet, Skattungbyn. To summarize, you will not be presented with unique type of terrain during the coming EOC and public races. On the other hand we can, together, create a unique experience with a spectacular in a perfect orienteering stadium, seats for all spectators. presented through TV cameras, GPS tracking and Per Forsberg’s falsetto. The experience will be completed with national flags, meals in the restaurant tent and the glorious May sunshine.
Peace and love!
Roger Larsson
GPS from Pre-EOC (elitserien) in Falun (Galgberget, one of EOC training maps) June 2011, sprint, course setter Roger Larsson:
women: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110606ElitserieD21/
men: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110606ElitserieH21/
