Park PWTWorld Tour NOW NEWS NOW Cassie heads for 2003 Mary Fien, a PWT medallist in Hong impressed the World Champion, but Park Kong in 1998, has worked for the the Chinese runner did not feel World Tour ”My goal is to be fully fit for the World organising committee since May and confident enough to start in the Park PWT Championships in 2003 - maybe already will be one of the track and field World Tour. Struggling with minor NOW in 2002 if there are "Sprint" World officials at Stadium Australia. Dorte injuries she withdrew from the OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK WORLD TOUR SUPPORTERS´ CLUB • ISSUE 3/2000, SEPTEMBER Championships then”. Australian Cassie Dahl, a PWT bronze medallist in 2000, Champions’ Week – but may appear Trewin has made a remarkable recovery is part of the Danish TV team among at the final races in her home country after her serious back injury incurred over 21,000 media representatives at in October. „I would still like to improve at the PWT relay in Graz in August. the Olympics. Brigitte Grüniger, a strong my orienteering skills before I compete After undergoing surgery the same newcomer on the Tour this year, will be with the world elite,” states Wang, clearly night, she then had to spend ten days on site supporting her boyfriend Philipp attracted by the sport. Decisive days for the new World Championships in hospital before being well enough Huber, who is representing Switzerland to fly home to Canberra. in one of the toughest events on the Beijing among the finalists programme, the decathlon. Beijing – officially supporting orien- And we can get there! teering as a new Olympic sport – is Let the Games Begin! one of five contenders in the race to ”We can get there if we really want,” host the 2008 Games. Paris, Osaka, While the stars of the sporting world gather for 16 days of top- The Congress, held simultaneously with declares Park World Tour President Toronto and Istanbul are Beijing’s rivals the PWT Champions' Week, said "Yes!" Anders Vestergård, who is spending – all in countries showing interest in class performance and athletic highlights in Sydney, the main to the introduction of "Sprint" World another two months in Sydney as an hosting PWT races during the next decision makers of the International Orienteering Federation will Championships, possibly already in 2001, Olympic researcher. He is preparing his years. The International Olympic possibly as a series of races with the Park Masters thesis on the requirements Committee will select the host city at take their seats in Paris to discuss the new "Sprint" World World Tour concept as a model. facing sports which wish to join the its Session in Moscow on 13-16 July Championships, set to kick off in 2001 - if possible. Cassie Trewin, here with Anette Olympic programme, and Anders has 2001, which is also a place and time Support for a series Trewin, Silvia Titze, Josef Gutman, also joined the Olympic workforce. As suggested for a PWT/World Cham- September can be a decisive month for the future of orienteering, is recovering, fast and strongly, a Field of Play Marshal at the Opening pionships race. as well as for the Park World Tour which gained much appreciation "I would stress that we are talking about a supported now by the local sponsor and Closing Ceremonies, Anders was series of races", were the final words of Helge „MAS Magneticfield System”. the first Finnish athlete to enter the Support the O-goals! at the IOF Congress in Leibnitz, Austria, in early August. G. Simonsen, President of the Norwegian main stadium, before the national teams Orienteering Federation, presenting the ”Since then my parents have been looking marched in. ”I was most proud to be there You can support the orienteering goals proposal to the IOF Congress. An after me, and now I am just about to - as an orienteer and a volunteer - 50 of joining the Olympic Games and overwhelming majority of the 41 nations move back into my own house”, says metres from the stage where the Olympic spreading our sport all over the world present supported the new World Champion- Cassie, five weeks after the accident. cauldron was lit,” says Anders. by joining the PWT Supporter Club. ships - as do the top athletes. "I want to see As she will be unable to run for several As a Club member you will receive a series, and I want IOF to engage the Park months she will attempt to regain her Wang on the run in Shanghai? four issues of PWT NOW! a year, as World Tour crew, with their experience, fitness by gentle exercises. She will also well as special travel offers and PWT enthusiasm and energy, to realise this", says gradually begin to carry out tasks again The Olympic 5,000 metres Champion products. For more information, classic World Champion Bjørnar Valstad. for her employer - the Australian Sports in 1996, Wang Junxia of China, made contact [email protected] Institute. ”At work, I have been testing Golden Final ahead the girls in our national football team and I am now looking forward to Valstad and his partner Hanne Staff are watching them play in the Olympics”, strong contenders for the PWT 2000 titles, says Cassie, who visited the very first and will be chasing current leaders Yuri event of the Games when the Australian Omeltchenko, Ukraine, and Reeta women played Germany in her home Kolkkala, Finland, when the world elite town. Cassie Trewin is also preparing takes off for the PWT Golden Final for the ACT state orienteering 21-31 October. championships in Canberra in mid- By then, a plan for the 2001 "Sprint" October – as course planner together World Championships may have been with her father. established. During September, the Finnish Orienteering Federation is expected to tell Orienteering Olympians the IOF about the possibilities for inclu- Olympic Champion Wang Junxia enjoyed her first orienteering experience, ding another distance at the WOC 2001 accompanied by Jörgen Mårtensson, and is considering a PWT start in in Tampere. Meanwhile in Sydney, the China in October. first Finnish athlete to enter the stadium at the Olympic Games Opening PWT NOW! ISSUE 3/2000, SEPTEMBER Injuries have stopped Carsten Jørgensen her orienteering debut at the O-Ringen Text: Erik Borg, Seppo Veijalainen, Iain Roch- Ceremony was an orienteer. from running the 10,000 metres at the 5-days in Sweden in July. ”She has a ford, Anders Vestergård. Olympic Games, but several other clear talent for the sport and I did not Pictures: Thommy Nyhlén, Erik Borg, PWT Archive, Check out Olympic and WOC orienteers will still appear in the need to help her very much”, says Jörgen Hartinger Consulting, Franz Hartinger. "I want to see a series of races, organised by the Park World Tour", is Layout & Printing: Hartinger Consulting. Bjørnar Valstad's wish to the IOF Council, now, planning for the new news, PWT Champions’ Week reports spotlight during the hot September Mårtensson, who accompanied Wang Publisher: PWT Supporter Club, Jan Fogeby, and Golden Final preview inside! days in Sydney. in the forest. Her performance Dadelgränd 6, 17557 Järfälla, Sweden, ”Sprint“ World Championships. E-mail: [email protected] 20 www.pwt.org Park Park PWTWorld Tour NOW PWTWorld Tour NOW it natural that the "sprint" final is held special committee for the new Sprint The NOF President and many elite in conjunction with the WOC week World Championships to be formed runners prefer a series of competitions. in Finland. It can be just one single under the IOF - have been invited to ”I think it should be four or five races race, but also the last competition in join any new committee yet. spread over five to eight days, with a series. ”We are, as always, willing to co-operate qualification races held earlier in the ”We have only been asked if we can in order to spread and develop our season. The final could be staged in a organise one "sprint" orienteering sport”, states PWT President Anders new developing orienteering country. competition. It is not stated that this Vestergård. Park Orienteering is a much easier way should be a final”, says Jan-Erik „What kind of help can the PWT give to spread our sport”, says Bjørnar Valstad, Krusberg, President of the Finnish the IOF?” the reigning champion at the classic Orienteering Federation - and member ”Starting from the new World distance - and a rising star in the park of the IOF Council. Championships series, we could show the races. ”From a Finnish point of view, we of orienteering world a lot of opportunities course wish that it is the final”, he for improving the overall standards of PWT ready for action continues. race organisation, design, spectator and ”What will happen if Finland cannot media service - spreading the sport to The Norwegian elite runner cannot organise a sprint race at WOC 2001, new orienteering countries and new comprehend a championship version Åke Jacobson?” participants, with increasing media and with only one race. He also thinks it ”The wish of the congress was that the sponsor interest – and which can be would be disastrous if the IOF does new championship should be organised applied to classic distance races too.” not involve the Park World Tour. in 2001, and I think that should be ”For example our PWT concept with ”Who else other than the PWT has the possible even if Finland says no”, says uniform design, a mobile media centre knowledge of organising such the IOF Vice President. and a huge video screen could then be competitions? The IOF would need five used at other IOF Championships and to ten years to gain the experience they A new IOF Committee World Cup races thus adding at once a can now obtain from the PWT.