INTERNATIONAL ORIENTEERING FEDERATION On-line Newsletter • Issue 1 • February 2014

In this issue A Word from the IOF President...... 2 Winter Olympic Day in the Czech Rebublic...... 3 World Masters Orienteering Championships in Brazil....4 New TV break-through...... 6 North South East West: ...... 8 Behind the Scenes: IOF Council members...... 12 Evaluating quality standards in MTB Orienteering ...... 14 World Cup 2015, Tasmania ...... 16 News in brief...... 17

Inside Orienteering is pub- lished by the IOF six times a year. You can receive an email notification whenever a new issue of Inside Orienteering is released: http://orienteering. org/resources/publications/ inside-orienteering/. For cur- rent news, reports and inter- views from IOF Events, please visit the IOF website: www.orienteering.org. Tyumen welcomes Good reading! Anna Jacobson ski orienteers in March Editor-in-chief Photo: Elena Fedotova A Word from the IOF President

The Games of Ice and Snow

As I write these few words, I am spend- indeed removed from the winter and there is to be significant TV broadcast- ing a considerable amount of time summer programmes. ing from that event. This is exactly the watching and thoroughly enjoying the kind of initiative which we need to Olympic Winter Games from Sochi. As Orienteering needs to be ready to take to raise our profile. an enthusiastic participant in the take advantage of whatever opportu- of curling, I am especially interested in nities result from this review and that From a practical point of view, we will seeing my country succeed in winning means continuing to build the profile keep everyone informed of the deci- medals in the “Ice Cube”. By the time of our whole sport around the world sions the IOC makes and any subse- this is published then perhaps the re- in ways which I have described previ- quent implications for our future cam- sults will be known! ously. These include improving the paigns. In the meantime, let’s all con- quality and broadcasting reach of our tinue to build the quality of our events As I watch the Games from Sochi I TV coverage, building relationships and build our networks of influence. have become even more convinced and networks at national and inter- that orienteering would be a great ad- national level with the world’s sport- Above all, let’s enjoy the great games dition to the winter or summer Olym- ing decision makers and increasing the of ice and snow from Sochi and realise pic Games. The International Olympic revenue streams available to us. None that we are one of the very few Committee, under their new Presi- of this is easy but with a collective ef- which take place on ice and snow dent Thomas Bach, is reconsidering fort between the IOF and its member which is not in the Winter Games yet. how they consider new sports for the federations, I believe we can achieve Games. The IOC had previously said our dream. that they were opening considera- tion of the sports for the 2022 Winter I am looking forward to attending the Games but that process is now on hold European Ski Orienteering Champion- until they have reviewed the whole ap- ships in Tyumen, Russia shortly and proach to how sports are added and I am especially excited to hear that

2 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING Successful Ski Orienteering premiere at the Winter Olympic Day for Children in the Czech Republic

The 6th Winter Olympic Day for Chil- dren of the Czech Republic brought a huge success for Ski Orienteering. In Nove Mesto na Morave, 112 athletes from all the 14 regions of the Czech Republic competed in four classes (W14, W16, M14 and M16) in three races – Sprint and Middle distance and two-person Mixed Relay.

In the W/M16 classes, Martina Wankova and Ondrej Stary from the Photos: Dusan Vystavel Region of Hradec Kralove became the Queen and King of Ski Orienteering. Veronika Gallova and Stepan Nemecek from the Region of Liberec dominated the W/M14 classes.

The Organisers did an excellent job, given that only standard courses with Mass start in the Mixed Relay in class M/W 16. artificial snow could be set. Course planner Petr Marecek prepared three demanding races in these difficult conditions.

“This is the first time that orien- Sarka Plhalova (W14) concen- teering has had an opportunity to trating before the sprint race. become a part of the Youth Olympic Winter Day. Many thanks go to Radan Kamenicky, President of the Czech Orienteering Federation, and to the Vice-president Ivan Mateju, who both worked a lot to make this happen. 112 young athletes took part in the events. Radan Kamenicky as the Event Direc- tor managed to negotiate the number of 8 competitors and 2 coaches from each region, which was the same as the number for traditional sports – cross-country skiing or biathlon. It is unbelievable that orienteering – which is not an Olympic sport yet – is the only one sport that is a part of the programme of both summer and winter Youth Olympic Days in Czech Republic. We, the Czech Orienteering Federation, will try to do our best to ensure that orienteering remains a part of these Games,” said Dusan Vystavel, a member of the Czech Orienteering Federation Board and the Chairman of the European Working Group.

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 3 World Masters Orienteering Championships in Brazil: “Good terrain for veterans, different technical challenges from race to race”

The last issue of Inside Orienteering (December 2013) contained a wealth the Event Centre in the city of Porto of travel and tourist information and advice regarding going to Brazil in Alegre on Saturday 1st November, on which day there will also be a Sprint November for this year’s World Masters Orienteering Championships model event. (WMOC). Plus quite a bit about WMOC itself, of course! In this issue we tell more about what the terrain will be like; what kind of orienteering chal- “The Qualification will take place lenges will be waiting for competitors in the southern-most region of Brazil. in an urban park in down-town Porto Alegre on the Sunday morning,” says Øivind. “The park is flat with small height differences and scattered trees Clive Allen spoke with the Senior Sprint races or groups of trees, greater patches of Event Adviser for WMOC, Øivind open land and some small lakes inside Holt, , who has now visited We start with the Sprint races – a Qual- the park. There is a network of gravel Brazil three times as SEA. He says the ification race and a Final. Two quite roads, and many small paths where event will offer good terrain for veter- different venues will be used, on suc- you will find benches to sit down for ans, with different technical challenges cessive days. These are the two days a break.” No likelihood of many com- from race to race. following the Opening Ceremony at petitors doing that!

4 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING “There are playgrounds for children, cattle it may be quite slow. With re- some courts and a skateboard duced visibility, navigation will often area. No built-up areas and no car traf- be quite challenging in natural forest. fic inside the area, only bikers. There may be several people watching since 2. Planted eucalyptus normally has the park is frequently used by town good visibility. In areas of younger people,” tells Øivind. The bikers, of- trees there may be a lot of grass, slow- ten as inconsiderate as car drivers of ing the speed. The tall forest is nice! people on foot, are the only potential hindrance to free progress. 3. The greater part of the competi- tion areas will consist of planted pine WMOC then moves en bloc to the with trees standing 3 metres apart in town of Canela, 120 km north-east of rows. In some younger plantations the Porto Alegre at an altitude of approxi- trees are pruned, leaving branches and mately 800 metres. Here, on the Mon- needles on the ground, giving a feeling Øivind emphasises that “It will be day, the Sprint Final will take place. of running on a soft carpet. In older good terrain for veterans, with differ- plantations with little undergrowth, ent technical challenges from race to “The competition area is in a park these areas will give very fast running.” race.” All arenas will be easily acces- with no car traffic and no bikes, only sible by car, with car parks close by. a few buildings and some fenced-in ar- Øivind tells that there are “also eas. The area is a mix of relatively open some clear-felled and thinned out ar- “Nordic summer at its best” grass lawns with scattered trees, quite eas, normally with clear vegetation often used for picnics, and areas with boundaries. Yellow and green features The temperature range can be expect- denser vegetation. There is a network may be used as control sites. There are ed to be between 16 and 28 degrees. of narrow roads, paved walking paths networks of forest roads and trails due “I have experienced everything from and smaller paths through the forest to the intensive forestry in the areas of blue sky for several days in a row to bits. The height difference is 30-40 planted forest.” torrential rain (120 mm in 24 hours),” m.,” tells Øivind. says Øivind. “I would say most days There are some barbed wire fences a Nordic summer at its best. There is Long distance races in the forests; fences will generally less humidity at the higher elevation be mapped as legal to cross (symbol of Canela.” A rest day (but with a model event 522). Gates and places to cross will available) follows the Sprint Final, be marked on the competition maps. The main industry of the twin towns then the format used for many years Canela and Gramado is tourism; visi- for the Long distance races: two Quali- The mapping for WMOC is being tors will find a variety of good places to fication races, then a rest day, then the done by experienced Brazilian map- eat and shop. The area is a well-known Final. Canela will be the Event centre makers, mostly employed by the Mili- wine district and there is the oppor- for all three races, which use an area tary but seconded to the WMOC 2014 tunity for wine-tasting and tours at a located 700–850 m above sea level. project. LIDAR-style laser-plotted con- number of vineyards. It is also called tours are not available, but GPS instru- the “land of hortensia” (hydrangea), so All three competition areas are quite ments are used extensively in map- there should be no shortage of colour similar, on undulating terrain with few making in Brazil. in the surroundings! intricate contour details. Boulders are normally too small to be mapped, but there are some rock faces and small- er crags. WMOC 2014 programme As for the nature of the forest itself, Saturday 1st November: Sprint model event, Opening Ceremony there are three categories, as described Sunday 2nd November: Sprint Qualification, Porto Alegre by Øivind: Monday 3rd November: Sprint Final, Canela Tuesday 4th November: Rest day, Long distance model event “1. Natural forest is quite often a Wednesday 5th November: Long distance Qualification 1 mix of quite large old trees and dens- Thursday 6th November: Long distance Qualification 2 er undergrowth with smaller trees and Friday 7th November: Long distance Final, Prize-giving, Closing Ceremony bushes. In areas used by grazing cattle, runnability is OK. Where there are no

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 5 Tove Alexandersson interviewed by the Swedish television SVT after winning a World Cup race in January. Photo: Anna Jacobson. New TV break-through for orienteering

By Clive Allen ing to be televised to a greater extent with similar TV requirements to those and with more resources than any of ski orienteering, as well as covering The World Championships finals in other Ski Orienteering event hitherto. other sports such as diving and . Finland last year were televised in full Special expertise in orienteering such to a bigger audience than ever before, The production will be by a local TV as GPS tracking and course planning with extensive coverage in Scandi- company called Tyumen Arena and will be taken care of by skilled per- navia and Switzerland and also, for led by the well-known Czech TV Pro- sonnel from Nordic countries and the the first time, in the USA. The Junior ducer Karel Jonak, who was responsi- Czech Republic. World Championships also enjoyed ble for the Junior World Champion- full TV coverage in the organising ships production last year and has ex- Up to 400,000 viewers! country, the Czech Republic. And now perience from a number of previous this year’s European Ski Orienteering world-standard events. The company The biggest company that will broad- Championships (ESOC), to be held in is used to televising international bi- cast the programmes is the Russian Tyumen, Siberia in early March, is go- athlon and cross-country skiing events VGTRK, host of one of the main sports

6 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING ESOC Race Programme

The arena for all the races will be the “Pearl of Siberia” Ski Centre at Tyumen.

Friday 7th March: Mixed Sprint Relay Saturday 8th March: Sprint, interval start Sunday 9th March: Long distance, mass start Tuesday 11th March: Middle distance, interval start Wednesday 12th March: Relay

All the ESOC races count also for the 2013-2014 World Cup. On Friday 14th March there will be an additional World Cup-only race, over Ultra-Long individual distance.

channels in Russia. “They will take a cause the possible tracks are marked coverage at one end of the spectrum 1-hour long edited version for trans- in green on the map.” and highlight cuts at the other. mission at a later time,” says Vadim Konyshev, the Event Secretary for ES- Up to sixteen cameras will be de- “We hope to satisfy any customer,” OC. “The Tyumen channel “Tyumen ployed around the arenas (start, re- states Karel Jonak. “Full live coverage time” which broadcasts in the Tyu- lay changeover and finish areas) and offers either full live race (Sprint indi- men region will provide on-line ‘as out on the courses. State-of-the-art vidual, Mixed Sprint Relay) or the “red live’ transmission from each race, at action cameras on snow mobiles and groups” in the finals (Middle distance). a peak viewing time. Apart from the mini-helicopters (“octocopters”) will To cover the Long final and the Relay, Long race, the “Tyumen time” channel be used, along with the latest graphical a combination of a shortened trans- will allocate 2½ hours for each race. and production techniques. “We will mission of the first part of the race Overall there is a potential audience of use new innovations in a way that will and live second part will be used. This between 200,000 and 400,000,” con- show the core values of the sport of Ski work-flow meets standard broadcast- tinues Vadim. Orienteering as well as possible,” con- ing durations”. tinues Per Frost. And with Karel Jonak Final details of timings and chan- in charge, we can be assured of a pro- There will also be daily race high- nels, and which other TV stations and duction of the highest quality. lights: “Each race day a 52-minute pro- countries will take the transmissions, gramme of highlights will be made, are still to be finalised; at the time of For viewers who will not have TV including the most interesting and de- writing, everyone in sports TV in that coverage in their home country, a cisive moments as well as interviews,” part of the world is fully engaged with live web stream will be arranged with tells Konrad. Finally, a compilation transmission of the Winter Olympics. commentary in English provided by programme of the best moments from Per, who has worked as a commenta- the Championships will be produced. Sixteen cameras tor on Swedish radio and also as are- na speaker at several World Cup and The races are mostly scheduled for “Viewers who have followed orienteer- World Championship races in Ski Ori- the afternoon in Siberia, while it is ing in recent years will recognise lots enteering. 9–10 in the morning in central Eu- of elements of the coverage, including rope. Full details of the transmissions GPS tracking and replays of decisive Variety of distribution formats and which TV stations will carry them route choices,” says Per Frost, a mem- will be published on the event web- ber of the TV production team. “And The production company is offering a site www.esoc2014.ru and on the IOF the less experienced viewer will be able variety of distribution formats to other homepage as soon as they are avail- to follow tracking in SkiO easily, be- countries’ TV stations, with full live TV able.

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 7 North South East West is a regu- lar feature in Inside Orienteering. In every issue, we focus on one North South East West of the IOF’s 76 member nations. In this issue we showcase: Estonia.

Estonia: Towards WOC 2017

In the first article of 2014 in the “North South East West” series, we visit Estonia. Mati Poom and Sixten Sild take us on an orien- teering journey around the small- est of the Baltic republics, from its birth and development through to the 2017 World Championships in Otepää. Past, present and future under one single banner: Passion for orienteering!

By Joaquim Margarido

The , lying on the Inno Ling, Leho Haldna (now IOF Senior Vice President), Are Leesik and Sixten Sild in the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, is USSR Championships relay 1989. marked by many changes, both eco- nomic and political. Despite its small area, the territory has always held an important place in the eastern Eu- ropean scene and the changes have come from Danish, Swedish, German and Soviet influences several times through history. But in regard to ori- enteering in Estonia, the main influ- ence has been Finland, in the north across the Baltic Sea.

It was indeed the Finns who brought orienteering to Estonia, with a concept which, basically, was not so different from the present. “The foundations of Estonian orienteering have never been in the military, in spite of the fact that the first official competition was held by the Defence Guard in 1926, on June 26th that year”, says Mati Poom, one of the leading profiles in Estonian ori- enteering since the end of the 60’s.

Aleks Kaskneem, the Grand Old Man

After the first competition, the out-

A map from Estonia – Finland match in 1969.

8 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING Sixten Sild: Time to remember a historic bronze medal

by Joaquim Margarido had no problems in qualifying for the not beat my result. At last, only the WOC in Mariánské Lázne. “Everything great and famous WOC runners Jör- With a bronze medal in Long Dis- went well, apart from the case that was gen Mårtensson and Kent Olsson tance at the World Championships stolen from the Aeroflot hotel room beat me. My team-mate Alexeev was (WOC) in 1991 (at Mariánské Lázne, on my way to the main trial competi- probably the most unlucky man, in in what was then Czechoslovakia), tion for the WOC team. I arrived at the fourth place.” Sixten Sild has been the most suc- competition without my belongings, cessful Estonian foot orienteer un- so I had to run with borrowed equip- The last and most memorable til now. Sixten himself takes up the ment”, he remembers. of Sixten Sild’s impressions, about story: “Orienteering was quite a big those magic moments: “All this hap- sport in the , but the Sixten Sild was “one of four lucky pened a couple of days after the po- World Championships remained a guys” who got the chance to run the litical putsch in Moscow, which ini- dream for a long time for the Soviet Long Distance race. His memories are tiated the declarations of independ- athletes because the USSR didn’t ap- entertaining: “As I was, supposedly, ence in the Baltic countries. So I en- ply for IOF membership until 1986”, the weakest one of these four, I was tered the WOC as a Soviet runner, he says. placed near the beginning of the start but I won the medal as a citizen of field. Later it turned out to be an ad- the independent Republic of Estonia. A serious injury during final train- vantage as the weather got very hot There were many supporters from ing destroyed Sixten’s chances of on that day. I had no pressure on me Estonia at that WOC, and one can participating in the 1987 WOC (Gé- and just had a solid race with a cou- imagine their joy for independence, rardmer, France) and we had to wait ple of doubtful route choices. My lead- which was immediately decorated until Skövde (Sweden), two years ing position in the finish was not a with an (unexpected) WOC medal. later, to see him for the first time in big surprise for me to begin with, be- Probably the best memories from the big event, where he achieved an cause all the favourites were starting these days are the sincere congratu- excellent 14th position. behind me, but the tension climbed lations from all orienteers, regardless higher and higher when the favourites of their origin. Even the Soviet team In 1991 he was 27 years old and finished one after another and could leaders were pleased and heartfelt.” skirts of became the centre of onships in foot orienteering were held nearer future and longer term”, Mati the attention. From 1926 to 1935 there in 1959, and the first ski orienteering concludes. were at least four nationwide events. event was the following year. In 1960 It’s in this period that the name Aleks the first night relay – the Jüriöö race - Facts and figures Kaskneem arises, a scout who caught was arranged with the mixed 5-mem- the virus of orienteering and later be- ber team (M-W-M-W-M) format. This The sport plays an important role in came its ‘Grand Old Man’ in Estonia. night relay has, since its very begin- Estonian culture. As in most other “He brought his experience to the ning, been a big and important open- countries, the Olympic sports get the post-war Soviet period and so built a ing-season event and in April 2014 main attention of the state and sports bridge between the pre- and post-war it will be held for the fifty-fifth time. enthusiasts. Football is growing, but periods”, Mati recalls. traditionally basketball has been the Two more milestones biggest sport in Estonia. Volleyball al- In the complicated post-war peri- so has long traditions. od there were no orienteering activi- In 1960 orienteering was recognised and cross-country skiing have been the ties. Devoted people had perished or as an independent sport after hav- most popular individual sports. Today become scattered all over the world, ing been just a part of hikers’ activi- there are many new sports emerging, but the main reason was the secrecy ties. And on 10th July 1992 the EOF but nevertheless orienteering has quite of topographical maps. The first post- was officially granted membership a high status in Estonia. Comparing war event took place in 1958 with 94 of the IOF, “after a positive result by the financial support from the state to participants and the first Estonian ori- telephone voting on 27th September the different sports, the EOF is among enteering leader was Aleks Kaskneem, 1991”, remembers Mati. “We have had the best-supported non-Olympic fed- the Chairman of the Hikers’ Orienteer- happy days with many medals from erations. ing Committee which was founded the former USSR Championships and in 1959 and was a forerunner of the later from the European and World There are 34 member clubs in the present Estonian Orienteering Feder- Championships and also a harder peri- EOF, and more than 5,500 different ation (EOF). od in the early nineties. But orienteer- people taking part in at least one ori- ing has always been popular in Esto- enteering start every year. The biggest The first Estonian National Champi- nia and will for sure remain so in the weekend events attract 500–600 par-

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 9 ticipants, and the average is 250–300 participants. Almost all orienteering events in Estonia are arranged by the EOF member clubs. Most income for the organisers is the entry fee.

There are national championships in foot orienteering (sprint, middle, long, night, relay, extra long), ski orienteering (sprint, middle or long, sprint relay) and mountain bike (MTB) orienteering (middle, long). Trail ori- enteering is just at the beginning of its development in Estonia, and two to four small events have been held annually in the last four years.

The Rogaine is also very popular Sixten Sild and Mati Poom. in Estonia and the EOF is a member of the International Rogaining Fed- The EOF has had a couple of projects The Baltic Championships eration. The TA OK Rogaine event is financing the drawing of school maps, considered to be one of the biggest and some years ago a Swedish book The co-operation between the Orien- Rogaine events in the world. Another for school teachers – “Att orientera i teering Federations of the three Baltic popular type of orienteering in Estonia skolan” - was translated into Estonian countries has always been very impor- is indoor orienteering. The High Jump and distributed to many schools to tant. Sixten Sild explains the compe- Olympic Champion in 1972, Jüri Tar- support the teachers’ efforts. tition’s format: “We organise Baltic mak, enthusiastically organises a series Championships in FootO every year, of indoor events every winter. FootO the biggest discipline in turn. Belarus and St. Petersburg have joined this event in the last six years. Periodically, the EOF publishes its Talking about development, how can There are individual Long Distance own orienteering magazine, “Orien- we compare FootO, MTBO and SkiO in and Relay events in the programme teeruja” (“The Orienteer”), which start- Estonia? Sixten Sild answers: “FootO for classes M/W16, 18, 20, 21, with ed in 1994 as a newspaper and now has always been the biggest of these calculation of team score, and it is run has quite a stable print-run of 600 three disciplines, but SkiO has always at the same time as the Open Masters copies. All issues of the magazine (ex- been the orienteering activity that Baltic Championships.” cept for the latest ones) are available most Estonian orienteers participate in the EOF’s web archive, at http://ori- in during the winter. MTBO came to From 2013 there are also Baltic Cham- enteerumine.ee/ajakiri/raamatukogu/ Estonia at the very beginning of its de- pionships in MTBO, which are organ- index.php. velopment in the world, but the num- ised in turn together with the Nation- ber of practitioners is still smaller than al Championships. The co-operation Orienteering and schools SkiO. However we have always been extends also to SkiO, in coordinating able to keep up with the best practice every country’s calendar and thus sup- “Orienteering is included in the school abroad.” porting participation in neighbouring curriculum as part of physical educa- countries’ events. tion but, actually, the level of this edu- Up to 1991, behind the “iron cur- cation depends on the teachers”, says tain”, Estonia was, together with Lat- MTBO World Championships Sixten Sild, another of the well-known via and Lithuania, one of the leading 2013: a huge success! names in Estonian orienteering activi- republics in the development of orien- ties today. He explains: “Unfortunate- teering in the Soviet Union. After 1991 Last year the town of Rakvere hosted ly most of the teachers don’t have ap- Estonia took an active part in the inter- the World Mountain Bike Orienteer- propriate experience and know-how in national orienteering movement and ing Championships. The organiser was orienteering, and orienteering exercis- regularly organised major IOF events. Rakvere OK, a club in the northern es occur when local orienteering clubs “Luckily we have always had some ori- part of Estonia. This was its first IOF come to help them. So the orienteering enteers at least on the level of top-20 major event, but the club could count skills of young students mostly depend in the world in FootO, SkiO and MTBO on experienced orienteers from other on the activity level of orienteering disciplines, and it helps a lot in keep- clubs to bring the competence needed clubs and their co-operation with the ing pace with international develop- to the organising team. One very im- school teachers.” ment”, Sixten concludes. portant person to mention here is the

10 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING Information Technology Chief, Tarmo Sixten’s sons Lauri (to the left) Klaar, who has had this role at all IOF and Timo Sild dominated the CISM major events held in Estonia. World Military Orienteering Cham- pionships 2013. The City of Rakvere was very hospita- ble and helped make the event a real vate our best sportsmen, ensure success. Rakvere orienteering club at- recruitment, and so on”, he says. tracted more volunteers than ever be- fore at IOF major events held in Es- The last words are still with tonia. There were approximately 100 eyes on the future: “I wish that we volunteers in addition to club mem- can see orienteering in the pro- bers and orienteers from other clubs. gramme of both the summer and winter , but at the “One of the reasons for organising same time I wish we will not lose IOF major events in one’s homeland is too much of the values and the to offer domestic sportsmen a favour- essence of our sport. Actually, we able opportunity to perform at their could become the first sport to best and to raise the profile of the sport be included in the programme of here”, says Sixten. Estonia had Tõnis both summer and winter games.” Erm, with two previous WMTBOC medals, together with Lauri Malsroos and Margus Hallik who had been with World Orienteering Championships 2017 in Estonia: him in relays for several years. Sixten Sild has no doubts: “They deserved this Preparations already well under way chance to show up in front of their na- by Joaquim Margarido tive supporters, and Estonian orien- reached fundamental agreements with teering could expect positive report- Estonia has been appointed by IOF the State Government and the local ing in the domestic and international as organiser of the 2017 World Ori- authorities and started seeking spon- press.” As it turned out, Estonia was enteering Championships, and the sorship. Our intention is to co-operate even more successful than anticipated, event will take place in Otepää, a small as much as possible with the organisers and Tõnis Erm got one of the six state town popularly known as the “winter of WMOC 2016, which will be held in sport awards for his results in 2013. capital”, in Valga County, southern Tallinn”, says Sixten. Estonia. Big goals for the future In Sixten’s experience, “foreign ori- Sixten Sild provides some interesting enteers are often surprised about the Each passing day there is a page of his- comments about this major event and reduced runnability of Estonian ter- tory that turns. The future is tomorrow the application process: “Our strong- rain – they mostly find it to be worse and we need to realise what the major est clubs and event organisers have than expected. Variable vegetation, challenges are that Estonian orienteer- dreamt of a WOC in Estonia for many often high grass and fallen trees, re- ing faces from now on. In brief, what years, and we felt like it’s the right duce both runnability and visibility. about the future? Again Sixten Sild an- time now. Before submitting the ap- It makes orienteering quite tricky for swering: “Without doubt, the World plication, we gathered the leaders of those not accustomed to these condi- Masters Orienteering Championships all the experienced clubs in south-east- tions. As Estonian terrain has very lit- in 2016 and WOC 2017 are the ma- ern Estonia and asked ourselves if we tle rock detail, it is often perceived as jor challenges that we are facing now. really wanted it and if we were ready “diffuse” by Scandinavian runners.” With a population of 1.3 million peo- to do the job. Everyone supported the ple, Estonia is clearly the smallest na- idea and expressed readiness to con- For those planning to prepare for tion ever to organise a WMOC and a tribute, but the decisive moment was the WOC 2017, Sixten provides a WOC. We really need to mobilise all when Markus Puusepp said that he was suggestion: “Try bigger events in the active orienteers and to unite them to- ready to act as Event Director.” south-eastern part of Estonia from wards a common goal.” 2015 to 2017. We will select terrain Competition areas chosen for the events which is as relevant to “The financial side of WOC 2017 is WOC terrain as possible.” the most difficult task we can fore- And about the preparations: “Now we see. If we succeed in organising these are at the stage where we have chosen “Regarding each particular event, two events, we reach our other goals the competition areas and arena sites. one can ask the WOC Event Director automatically – we increase the num- The Federation and clubs are about or organising club how relevant the ber of orienteers, raise the profile of to formally establish the appropriate terrain is compared to that for WOC orienteering, attract the media, moti- organisation for the WOC. We have 2017”, he concludes.

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 11 Behind the scenes is a regular feature in Inside Orienteering. In every issue, we will write about someone working for the IOF. Behind the Scenes In this issue you meet IOF Council mem- bers. In this issue we present IOF Vice Pres- ident Mike Dowling (AUS).

IOF Council members

What is your profession?

I am a teacher at a Senior Secondary College in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The College is for young people from 16 to 18 years and is a step between high school and university or work. My specialisations are 3D visualisation and animation, multimedia and visual design. I’m also have a lead role in our College’s marketing and promotion team and our digital learning team.

What are your hobbies? Mike working as the course setter for The World Games 2013. Photo: Anna Jacobson. Aside from orienteering, they are travelling (visited 35 countries at last petition against New Zealand and my operates at the same time. In addition, count), bushwalking (Tasmania has eldest daughter is trying out for JWOC I have coached many juniors over a some of the best walking anywhere), in Bulgaria this year. number of years who have been for- reading, listening to music, tunate to represent Australia at JWOC and gardening. I have pretty well done almost every- and currently coach two juniors who thing there is to do in our sport. My have good chances of JWOC selection What is your orienteering back- wife and I are co-coaches of the Tasma- this year. Incidentally my daughter is ground? nian Schools Orienteering team who not one of them as I think it is best take part in our Australian Schools that parents don’t be coaches of their I started orienteering in 1976 when I Orienteering Championships in late children. was 17 years old. My athletics coach September every year. This is a jun- was an orienteer as was a fellow where ior competition between all the Aus- I have also done lots of mapping and I was working at the time. They sug- tralian states and territories and New high level course setting, although not gested I give it ago and have been Zealand attend as well. Over the last so much of late now that Council work hooked ever since. Our whole family three years we have been the champi- takes up much more of my time. I was are orienteers. My wife is one of the on Australian state on two occasions the course setter and main mapper top orienteers for her age group in and were second last year behind Vic- when the World Cup first came to Aus- Australia and our two daughters are toria. Unfortunately we are yet to de- tralia when we hosted a race here in successful junior orienteers. Both have feat the very strong New Zealand team Tasmania in 1988. I have made about represented Australia in junior com- in the Southern Cross Challenge that 60 odd maps and set courses on most

12 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING occasions when Tasmania has host- ed national or international com- petitions. I also develop our major carnival websites.

In fact Tasmania will be hosting the opening round of the 2105 IOF World Cup in conjunction with the Oceania Regional Championships. These are open Championships Discussing the Mixed Relay map with José Fernando Gomez and of course I think that north- Rueda (to the left), the Technical Delegate at the World ern hemisphere readers of Inside Games 2013. Photo: Anna Jacobson. Orienteering should definitely take the chance to visit Tasmania for the Championships and enjoy what we sport truly global. have both for the orienteering and Board of Orienteering Australia from all the other great things to see and 2002-2007. That was a very satisfying do here. And it’s much warmer in time to be involved as during that time What is your responsibility area in Tasmania in January. Hanny Allston, a fellow Tasmanian, the IOF Council? won gold at both JWOC and WOC and I am one of our three Vice Presi- During the 1980’s I was a half de- Adrian Jackson also won gold at World dents with responsibility for Market- cent Elite orienteer and was fortu- MTBO Championships. ing, a member of the Event Supervi- nate enough to be in the Australian sory Board (ESB), and Council contact team when WOC came to Austral- In 2005 I became a member of the Foot for FootO Commission and FootO Ath- ia in 1985. After stopping being an Orienteering Commission which was letes’ Commission. I also led the pro- elite orienteer I became involved my first foray into the IOF. ject to review the IOF World Ranking in the national team in our man- System. agement group going to WOC in As to why be involved in the politi- 1993 (USA), 1995 (Germany) and cal side of orienteering? I think for 1997 (Norway). me orienteering has added such rich- What would you like the IOF to ness to my life experiences and been achieve in 5 years? In 20 years? Which of the orienteering disci- the source of many wonderful lifelong plines have you tried? friendships. The sport has so much to Over next 5 years to get orienteering offer on so many levels and I felt that better accepted in more TV markets and other broadcasting mediums as a Aside from foot orienteering I have I could offer something to help make well-accepted high quality sports prod- done some MTBO and a little bit of our sport better and give back to some- uct, be seen as a cool sport by kids, be TrailO. No SkiO as snow is too un- thing that has been so good to me. stronger financially and to be closer reliable in Australia. Why did you want to become a to Olympic inclusion. In 20 years to When did you become involved member of the IOF Council? be a true global sport where our high in orienteering politics, and level events are broadcast world-wide, why? The opportunity arose to become a are held world-wide and where hyper member of the IOF Council when long realistic gaming technology seamless- ly merges with the race broadcast and I first became involved in orienteer- serving Vice President Hugh Cameron GPS systems so the viewer can be in ing politics when I was elected Pres- from Australia retired from Council in the “shoes” of the competitors in the ident of Orienteering Tasmania in 2010 and Orienteering Australia sup- “virtual” forest as the race unfolds. 1987. I was also President for three ported my candidature. It was very big And we are in the biggest sports fest years from 2007-2009. I was the shoes to fill to follow on from Hugh in town, the Olympics. Director, High Performance on the but my motivation is to help make our

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 13 Evaluating quality standards in MTB Orienteering: “Learning from experience is an important way to avoid making mistakes in the future”

By Joaquim Margarido now evaluated two full years (2012 – This online survey was done for the and 2013), and we’re happy to share second time in 2013, and there are al- Once again the IOF MTB Orienteering our experiences with others most 3½ times more responses than (MTBO) Commission has sought to in 2012. A total of 62 people (includ- analyse the quality of MTBO compe- Shouldn’t the organisers them- ing teams) gave feedback on the four tition at world level. For this purpose selves ask for feedback about events in 2012, while 159 respons- the Commission invited those inter- their own events? es were received for the three World ested to answer a questionnaire about Cup rounds last year. When we com- the three most important events of – Organising a major event such as pare the number of responses with the the 2013 international calendar: the a World Cup round involves a lot of number of participants, we see that European Championships (Poland), work and I don’t think that organis- overall about 46% of all participants the World Championships (Estonia) ers would have the time to conduct filled in the questionnaire in 2013. Not and the World Cup final round (Por- a survey themselves, although it’s al- surprisingly there are more answers tugal). These three events have all been so in the organisers’ own interest to when the organisation of an event assessed from various angles by the re- know what the participants thought gives reason for complaint; this means spondents to the questionnaire. Some about their event. There’s no need for that negative feedback is more readily final conclusions are presented here by organisers to be afraid of being eval- given than praise, which I think is a Ursula Häusermann (SUI), a member uated, because in my opinion most shame. So for 2014 I hope for lots of of the Commission. people who give feedback via the on- feedback but well-organised events! line questionnaire try to do so in a fair What was the IOF MTBO Commis- way. On the contrary, the event evalu- I’d like to add that the feedback from sion’s main aim in launching this ation might even be a motivation to participants via the online question- questionnaire? organise everything as well as possible. naire is not the only way that the MT- Moreover, learning from experience is BO Commission assesses event quality. – The online questionnaire, which can an important factor to avoid mistakes Some Commission members always at- be filled in by competitors, coaches, in the future. tend the events as well, which gives us media people, spectators etc., is one of the chance to see or experience things the “tools” that helps the MTBO Com- Did you consider the number of for ourselves and to talk to participants mission to assess event quality. Evalu- responses to be a sufficiently rep- face to face during the event. Further- ation is very important and crucial to resentative sample of all the par- more, the Event Advisers and organ- improving event quality further and ticipants in the three World Cup isers inform the IOF in the form of to developing our sport. MTBO has events last season? written reports about how the event went and about particular incidents or problems.

What do you feel about the re- sults?

– The results show that two of the three World Cup rounds were very well organised, but unfortunately one got a lot of negative feedback. It’s no secret that the quality of this event was well below average. Therefore it could be expected that the answers in the online questionnaire wouldn’t be favourable. Two or three questions will be optimised for the 2014 ques- tionnaire, but all in all I’d say that the responses can be considered as being quite a truthful indicator of the qual- ity of an event. Photo: Joaquim Margarido Joaquim Photo:

14 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING Photo: Joaquim Margarido

Do you want to tell me anything the eyes of a competitor and, last but er with the Event Advisers, the MTBO about those items whose set of not least, ask your Event Adviser for Commission tries to give as much sup- answers gave strong indications to help, if necessary, and make use of the port to the organisers as possible. the Commission that something many useful resources you can find on must be done to prevent further the IOF website. Will we continue to receive an in- problems in the future? vitation to participate in this kind Will the treatment given to the of questionnaire promoted by the – As I already mentioned, the event results and the conclusions gener- Commission? quality of one event in 2013 was un- ate a set of recommendations, or fortunately quite poor and gave reason may it even lead to a proposal for – Yes, definitely! The MTBO Com- for serious concern within the MTBO changing some rules? mission appreciates the competitors’ Commission and the IOF Council. feedback very much. What I can say From the graphs, it’s clearly visible in – Yes, sure, it often happens that rules for certain is that the responses and which areas the problems occurred: amendments become an issue when remarks from the athletes and coaches maps, accommodation & food, public- evaluating an event. This is quite nat- won’t just disappear in a “black box”! ity & media and bike mechanic servic- ural as the rules (should) evolve with es. The first two points are really vital the sport. Proposals for rules changes Finally, I ask you what you would for the competitors. A poorly organ- come also from Event Advisers or the like to see happen in 2014. ised event isn’t only a disappointment Athletes’ Commission. Basically, the for the MTBO Commission, it’s most MTBO Commission evaluates event – Well, I’d like to get more than 100 of all so for the athletes. Therefore it’s quality by analysing the feedback from feedback responses on each event in clear to the Commission that we must competitors and by studying the event 2014, and I’d be happy to see no red or do everything in our power to prevent reports from organisers and advisers. orange graphs in the event evaluation similar problems in the future. The results of this evaluation are the for 2014. So I wish good preparation basis for the education of Event Advis- and good health to all MTBO athletes If I may, I’d like to give some tips to ers and for documents for organisers and lots of success to the organisers organisers: Allow enough time for your and Event Advisers, e.g. the Guidelines with their event! work – especially mapping – and plan for Organisers and the Handbook for well ahead, try to anticipate possible Event Advisers, documents which can The evaluation results can be found on the problems, look at your event through be found on the IOF website. Togeth- IOF website in the MTBO section.

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 15 Tasmania promises a spectacular opening to the first round of the 2015 World Cup!

The first round of World Cup 2015 will open with a sprint prologue race 1940 a swing bridge was erected across and opening ceremony in a fantastic setting - the Cataract Gorge in the river. Today, set among the lawns and gardens are a pool and Launceston, Tasmania. It would be difficult to find a more spectacular restaurants and bbq areas. A chairlift venue for a World Cup sprint! operates over the basin offering visi- tors fantastic views. The Tasmanian 2015 World Cup trict with several dozen wineries spread along its slopes. round will be combined with the In more recent times the gorge cliffs Oceania Orienteering Championship have become a major area for rock Recently named Australia’s Most in a carnival extending over two weeks climbers. While the flow of water Family Friendly City, Launceston, with with events in Launceston in the north through the gorge has been limited a population of over 100,000, is a well of the island state, the Tasmanian mid- by a dam further up-river, after rain appointed city with excellent restau- lands, the East Coast and then the it becomes an awesome torrent. This rants, museums and art galleries. The state capital, Hobart. has been the venue for Slalom Canoe streetscape includes many of the early World Cup and World Champion- historic buildings dating back to its Eu- Launceston will be the centre for the ships. And all of this is just minutes ropean settlement. Orienteers arriving first three events. The WC prologue from the city centre! and carnival opening ceremony will in time for New Year celebrations will be able to enjoy the family friendly be held in the Cataract Gorge basin This is the venue for the World Cup hospitality of the city with waterfront area with the WC Sprint and Oceania Sprint Prologue which will be followed celebrations and traditional fireworks. Sprint Championships at the Tasmania by the official opening for the World University campus the following day, Cup round and the Oceania Champi- But hidden from the city along a while the Oceania Relays will be held a onships. Runners will have to navi- 15 minute walk through the narrow short distance from Launceston in the gate a network of tracks through the Cataract Gorge along the South Esk foothills of Mount Barrow. gardens and bush including a route River is the First Basin with its lawns choice across the river. Launceston is one of Australia’s old- and gardens spread around a deep gla- cial lake and surrounded by steep for- est cities being established in 1803 at When athletes from around the ested rocky hills – a natural stadium! the point where the North Esk and world compete here in the World Cup, In 1804 explorer William Collins in- South Esk rivers combine to form the they will be meeting in a spectacular vestigating the river found his way to Tamar River which then flows 50 kil- and spiritual place where indigenous the gorge: “Upon approaching the en- ometres to the coast. Before this Eu- people would have been meeting for trance I observed a large fall of water ropean settlement, the valley was first 30,000 years and where over the last over rocks, nearly a quarter of a mile inhabited by the indigenous Tasma- 200 years families have come to ex- up a straight gully between perpen- nians over a period of 30,000 years. plore and relax. Once a major fruit producing area, the dicular rocks about 150 ft high. The Tamar Valley is now a prime wine dis- beauty of the scene is probably not surpassed in the world”. This article was written by John Bram- Early European set- mall who lives in Launceston. John was tlers reportedly felt President of Orienteering Australia for uneasy in the Austral- several years, and attended the 2002 IOF ian bush and import- Congress where the Leibnitz Convention ed many exotic trees to was discussed and endorsed. John signed “tame” this wild envi- the convention on behalf of Orienteering ronment. In the early Australia. Now after 12 years, John says 1900s they developed he is excited at the prospect that he will extensive park and gar- be part of an event that truly fits with den areas in the gorge the Leibnitz Convention. The venue is basin where these trees superbly spectacular, and it is favoured are now a garden oasis by the people of Launceston and tourists within the wilder Tas- and really well suited for media coverage. Tasmania offers spectacular views manian bushland. It On a warm summer’s evening the World for the orienteers coming to the took 8 years to build a Cup athletes can expect to be sharing the World Cup Opening Round in 2015. Photo: John Brammall walkway through the area with families as they swim and pic- gorge to the basin. In nic and walk the numerous tracks.

16 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING News in brief

WMTBOC Long distance qualification system under revision

The IOF is currently revising the qualification system for the World MTB Ori- enteering Championship Long distance final. The main motivation for the revision is that the old system does not allow the flexibility to allocate start slots to quickly developing overseas nations that are unable to take part in the World Championships every year. In the middle ranks there also seems to be a major gap in performance between the best rider of a nation and the team strength of the given nation.

The IOF MTB Orienteering Commission is proposing a revised system WMOC first where start slots are allocated to athletes instead of federations. All nations are still guaranteed one start slot in the A Final. For more details regarding entry deadline the proposed model, please see the full description. approaching National federations have been asked to submit comments on the pro- posed system by 23 February 2014. The early bird deadline for the World Masters Orienteering Cham- pionships 2014 to be held 1-8 No- vember in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is 20 Six on the podium in February.

the World Championships To enter with the lowest price, make sure the organisers receive As announced at the Joint Meeting of the IOF Council and Commissions, your entry by that date! For more and consequently on the IOF Twitter and Facebook pages, the IOF Council information, please visit the event has decided, after listening to the IOF Athletes’ Commissions, to go back to website wmoc2014.org.br/en. having six athletes on the podium in most medal ceremonies. This has been the tradition since the 1980s.

In detail, the award ceremonies’ podiums will look like this from now on: Approval for World Championships: 6 individual, 3 relay World Cup overall: 6 individual, 3 relay (when applicable) Emit Touch Free Junior World Championships: 6 individual, 6 relay World Masters Championships: 3 individual in MTBO

The IOF Council has decided to Buy live TV broadcast from European grant provisional approval for the use of Emit Touch Free Punching Ski Orienteering Championships System in MTB Orienteering World Ranking Events. The provisional ap- There will be live TV broadcasting from the European Ski Orienteering proval will expire in two years and Championships in Tyumen, Russia. The races to be broadcast are: Mixed it is possible for Emit to seek final Relay on March 7, Sprint on March 8, Long Distance on March 9 and Re- approval for World Ranking Event lay on March 12. level after a minimum of one year period. The price for all broadcasts will be 5000 EUR, but it is also possible to or- der one-day packages, and/or daily highlight packages. For more informa- tion, please contact Mr Per Frost (per (at) perfrost.se), or check out the event homepage: http://esoc2014.ru/direct-television-broadcasting/

www.orienteering.org INSIDE ORIENTEERING | 17 News in brief Official Sprint Relay World Cup in 2015

The IOF Council has decided to make Sprint Relay an official part of World Cup 2015 in their recent meeting in Helsinki. The overall programme for Live TV from World Cup 2015 was also confirmed as follows: WOC 2014 Event 1: Sprint prologue and final in Tasmania, Australia (2-3 January) Event 2: Middle distance in Tasmania, Australia (8 January) There will be live TV coverage from all Event 3: Long distance in Tasmania, Australia (10 January) the 2014 World Orienteering Cham- Event 4: Long distance in Halden, Norway (3 June) pionships finals in July in Italy. The Event 5: Sprint relay in Halden, Norway (5 June) broadcasts will be produced by Gear- Event 6: Sprint in Lysekil, Sweden (6 June) box Production Company with the Event 7: Middle distance in Uddevalla, Sweden (7 June) renowned Czech TV producer Karel Event 8: Sprint relay in Inverness, Scotland, Great Britain (1 August) Jonak. Event 9: Sprint in Inverness, Scotland, Great Britain (2 August) Event 10: Middle distance in Inverness, Scotland, Great Britain (4 August) The price for the packages ranges Event 11: Long distance in Inverness, Scotland, Great Britain (7 August) from 300 eur to 25 000 eur depend- Event 12: Sprint Relay in Switzerland (2 October) ing on the size of the package. If you Event 13: Long distance in Switzerland (3 October) or your federation are interested in the Event 14: Middle distance in Switzerland (4 October) TV broadcasts from the World Cham- pionships, please contact IOF Sports Director Björn Persson bjorn.persson. New World Ranking: [email protected] for more informa- gender equity, world wide tion as soon as possible. awareness, high level events Updated WADA The World Ranking scheme for foot orienteering has been changed for 2014. Prohibited List The basis for the changes was to recognise the importance of the most pres- tigious IOF events as major contributors to the World Ranking Scheme; to ensure that all nations who conduct a World Ranking Event have partici- The 2014 List of Prohibited Substanc- pants contributing to the World Ranking Scheme and to improve the value of es and Methods took effect on Janu- the Regional Championships as contributors to the World Ranking Scheme. ary 1, 2014.

IOF Vice President responsible for the World Ranking review, Mike Dowl- The List – which was approved by ing, comments: “The analysis of data shows the Council decision achieves the WADA’s Executive Committee on Sep- remit aims. We now have our major events, WOC and World Cup, making tember 11, 2013 – can be viewed at more of a contribution to an orienteer’s World Ranking score. We provide a WADA’s website or through the free means by which our Regional Championships make more of a contribution iPhone application. to an orienteer’s World Ranking score. We have a wonderful promotional opportunity with the possibility of our athletes achieving the perfect rank- The List can also be accessed us- ing score. We ensure gender equity by having all World Ranking Events re- ing other mobile devices via the mo- gardless of where they are held in our family now contributing to the World bile site. Ranking Scheme”.

Gender equity, no more zero-points events worldwide, and promotion for IOF on Facebook: the best events and best athletes – these are the keys for the new foot orien- www.facebook.com/IOFarena teering world rankings! IOF on Twitter: The IOF provides background information and calculations on a specific www.twitter.com/ World Ranking 2014 page. Please view the page here: World Ranking (foot IOFOrienteering orienteering) 2014.

18 | INSIDE ORIENTEERING