O 19th NEWS N 4 World University Championships http://wuoc2014.cz August 12-16 ORIENTEERING 2014 Olomouc Czech Republic 19th World University Championship Scott Fraser, WOC 2014, Italy, photo WUOC Archive 6 1 O - AA 2 WUOC NEWS NEWS N 4 1 t OPENING WORDS s u g Au Dear Readers, Dear Orienteering Friends, c, ou th C Olom Only one month remains before the 19 World University Orienteering zech Republic, Championships 2014 in the Czech Republic will be ceremonially opened at the Old Armoury in Olomouc. The organisers are finishing all the preparatory work and they are looking forward to welcoming student orienteers from 31 countries from all around the World in the Czech Republic. You are reading the fourth issue of the “WUOC News” bulletin where you will find an exclusive interview with the 2012 World Champion No. COUNTRY MEN WOMAN OFFICIALS in the sprint distance and double overall World Cup winner 1. Australia 4 4 0 Matthias Kyburz from Switzerland, as well as with the Briton Scott 2. Austria 6 6 2 3. Belarus 2 5 1 Fraser who won the sprint silver medal at the World Orienteering 4. Bulgaria 4 4 3 Championships 2013 in Finland. Thereafter, you can read about the 5. Canada 4 2 2 support that were granted to WUOC 2014 by the President of the 6. China 4 3 5 Czech Olympic Committee, Jiří Kejval. The athletes might appreciate 7. Czech Republic 6 6 5 the useful information about the long distance and the sprint events 8. Estonia 4 6 2 terrains. Last but not least, we bring all the participants in WUOC or 9. Finland 6 6 2 WUOC Tour a tip for an interesting cultural and natural trip. 10. France 5 5 4 11. Germany 4 3 1 We wish you pleasant reading and nicely spent July. 12. Hong Kong 1 1 1 13. Hungary 6 4 3 See you in August in the Czech Republic! 14. Ireland 5 0 1 15. Italy 4 4 2 Dušan Vystavěl, Chairman of the Organising Committee 16. Japan 6 4 2 of WUOC 2014 17. Latvia 6 3 0 Tomáš Dlabaja, WUOC 2014 Ambassador 18. Moldova 3 0 0 Jan Exner, WUOC News Editor 19. New Zealand 4 5 1 20. Norway 6 6 2 21. Poland 4 4 1 CONTENTS 22. Romania 2 2 1 23. Russia 6 6 2 WUOC News Interview: Matthias Kyburz 24. Slovakia 6 4 2 Winner’s Tips and Espionage: Nectavské údolí (Valley) and 25. Slovenia 3 1 0 Kroměříž Through the Eyes of the Mapmaker 26. Spain 4 4 1 27. Sweden 6 6 2 News from the Organisation: Czech Olympic Committee 28. Switzerland 6 6 3 Support 29. Ukraine 3 2 3 Interesting Places that are Worth Seeing: Protivanov and 30. UK 6 6 3 Its Nature Beauties 31. USA 5 4 1 Today’s Stars, Tomorrow’s Leaders: Scott Fraser / ALL 141 122 58 DATE AND PROGRAMME OF 19TH WUOC 2014 – AUGUST 2014 Date Morning Afternoon/Evening Place Fri 8. 8. training Long Dzbel Sat 9. 8. training Middle, Relay training Middle, Relay Bukova Five Continents Championship – Sun 10. 8. Prostejov Prostejov Mayor’s Cup Mixed – Relay Test race Mon 11. 8. model Sprint WUOC Opening Ceremony Olomouc Tue 12. 8. WUOC – Sprint Mixed Relay + WUOC Tour Sprint Kromeriz Wed 13. 8. WUOC – Long WUOC Tour 1st Day – Middle Nectava Thu 14. 8. WUOC Tour 2nd Day – Middle WUOC – Sprint Sv. Kopecek Fri 15. 8. WUOC – Middle WUOC Tour 3rd Day - Middle, WRE Protivanov WUOC – Relay, Sat 16. 8. WUOC Tour 4th Day – chasing start + WUOC Banquet Protivanov/Olomouc Closing Ceremony Sun 17. 8. Departures WUOC NEWS INTERVIEW Jan Exner MATTHIAS KYBURZ: I WILL SHOW THIS YEAR THAT I HAVE IMPROVED IN THE LONG DISTANCE Despite still being only 24-years old, he has won almost everything he can. The Swiss orienteer Matthias Kyburz knows the feeling of standing on the top position at the World Orienteering Championships, World Games and the World Cup. Being on one hand, modest at every situation, Matthias Kyburz still has goals to reach on the other. Besides winning a WOC medal in every discipline, he also aims at winning a race at the 19th World University Orienteering Championships 2014 in the Czech Republic. Being still only 24-years old, you have won WOC, World Games is that I like sprints and the overall World Cup. What is the key to your success? because it is 15 It’s of course a mixture of many aspects. In recent years I could minutes full of action. train as I wanted in the strong Swiss team and become better In the course of time, in every training. On the physical side and on the technical side, you have improved I could still improve after my junior career and train injury “free” gradually also in nearly my whole career. forest orienteering. Where, after winning almost everything, do you look for What is your favourite motivation for further trainings and competitions? discipline at the Finding new motivation is no problem. In orienteering I face moment? Is there one in every competition new challenges. One big goal is to win discipline you now a World Championships medal in the forest disciplines. There are concentrate on more still many goals I want to achieve in orienteering. than on the others? I don’t really have one When did you start orienteering? Did you do any other sport as favourite discipline. a child? It really depends on I started orienteering at the age of 13. I was not interested in the course and on the thinking that much during sport before. I played football and terrain. I don’t like to practised gymnastics in regional sports clubs. But I practised do either sprints in many other sports and I was probably never sitting at home on boring terrain or the the couch reading a book. long distance on unsuitable areas. At the moment, I concentrate When did you decide to practise orienteering at the top level? most on the long distance. In the long distance I am the furthest What was the reason for your decision? away from the top runners and internationally I haven’t achieved It was not a real decision. I had from the beginning, quite good satisfying results in that discipline. That’s why this year I have results and that motivated me to go on. At first it was the a special focus on the long distance. I will show at the World regional selection and then the national selection helped me to Championships and also at WUOC that I have improved in the develop and become better and better, and a more professional long distance! athlete. You won the opening World Cup race in 2011, became the sprint You won your first gold medal at EYOC 2006 in the Czech World Champion and the overall World Cup winner in 2012 and Republic. What comes into your mind when you think back to the you won all three individual sprint races and defended the overall 2006 Championships? victory in the World Cup in 2013. Is it possible to compare your My memories about racing in the Czech Republic are really individual WOC gold medal and overall victory in the World Cup? good. I have good memories from the competition in the Czech No, absolutely not. I worked “much” harder for the World Republic, but also from EYOC on my home ground in 2008. Championships title. The hard work for winning WOC resulted They both were high quality events and what is more, I could afterwards in also winning the overall World Cup. I won’t say celebrate in both events with a gold medal. that the overall World Cup is less valuable but today the World Champion title counts just much more. Having won the sprint gold medal at JWOC 2009, you started your career as being a top sprint runner. Did you concentrate on A lot of people consider you being the best orienteer in the World sprint? Or did it just come naturally? at the moment. What do you think about it? I have never focused more on the sprint than on the forest I wouldn’t say I am the “best” orienteer. Technically and physically disciplines. On the physical side, the sprint distance suits me there are other runners who have more skills than me. I consider better. Compared to other runners, my speed is better on hard myself to be one of the best all-rounders. There aren’t many ground then on the soft ground in the forest. Another reason runners who can win in the sprint and in a difficult forest race. ORIENTEERING 2014 19th World University Championship AMS 2014 | Sportovní 3924/1 | 796 01 Prostějov | Telefon: +420 602 730 421 | E-mail: [email protected] | www.wuoc2014.cz 6 1 O - AA 2 I think there is which I haven’t won. That’s why I would like to have good NEWS N 4 1 t a handful of athletes performances at the competitions. But as far as I have heard, s u who can do that and WUOC is much more than just racing. I really look forward to g I see myself in that a great week in the Czech Republic. Au c, group. ou How high amongst your priorities do you place it this year? Cze , Olom When your name European and World Championships were ranked much higher. ch Republic appears in a start list, But afterwards, I place it on the same level as the Military World everyone expects you to win.