EOC long distance and middle distance finals, two of four EOC-Tour public races as well as the Swedish selection races for JWOC will be held in the unique terrain north of Skattungbyn, about 15 km NE of Orsa 17th-18th May 2012.
The area has not been used for orienteering since the middle of the 80′s. This area of special terrain has been put aside for a major race and now the time is ripe to present Skatteunge’s forest for the world elite.
Those that ran pre-EOC and Elitserien at Bonäs in spring 2011 may be expecting similar, extremely fast pine heath terrain with sandy ridges. Sure, there are similarities with Bonäsheden but the terrain in Skattungbyn is more varied, many of the ridges are higher, the depressions deeper and the amount of detail greater.
Bring you binoculars
White moss on the ground but also rocky areas will reduce the running speed somewhat. A number of irregular shaped small lakes are scattered over the area. The area is traversed by Ore River, which will be crossed by several bridges. The terrain nearest the river is very fast going but the further north you go, the stonier it gets under foot.
The arena for EOC and the 4-Days will be in the meadows immediately below the village. A place which, we the organisers have chosen carefully to allow the public to follow the competitors both on the run in, on their approach to the last control and also at a spectator
control as they lap.
A large screen with coverage from several controls in the forest and GPS tracking is planned. There is in fact a line of sight between the arena and several parts of the forest which simplifies the TV production as the signals can be transmitted directly. We can
recommend you bring a pair of binoculars.
Orienteering right to the finish
The slope between the river and the arena will demand the last energy from the runners while at the same time the character of the terrain will change. Pine forest will give way to mixed forest and open meadows containing some ravines and cairns. The competitors will have to navigate right up to the last control.
Expected kilometre times in the elite men’s class are 5,5-6 min/km and 6,5-7,2 min/km for the women.
There is already a chance to try out the terrain as part of the area (most westerly part by the lake Ämåtjärn) is open for training. The map is included in the EOC training packet and there are two shorter courses available with controls.
I, Eva Jurenikova, am the course planner for EOC (middle and long) have planned a total of eight courses (A and B finals for both distances) in cooperation with the other 4-Days planners from IFK Mora.
We are all agreed that we must take full advantage of this unique area to offer all our participants, both in the EOC and the 4-Days, as interesting orienteering experience as possible.
GPS from Pre-EOC (elitserien) in Bonäs, Mora (one of EOC training maps) June 2011 middle distance, course setter Eva Jurenikova:
women: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110604ElitserieD/
men: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110604ElitserieH/
GPS from Pre-EOC (elitserien) in Bonäs, Mora (one of EOC training maps) June 2011 long distance mass-start, course setter Björn Wrahme:
women: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110602ElitserieD/
men: http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20110602ElitserieH/
