Article on Ali Crocker

[Becks]

Many of you will remember Ali from her time at Oxford. She's just had a fantastic weekend at the US Team Trials, and will be going to WOC as their number one athlete. ESPN Women, which is connected to one of the major networks over here, just did a really cool profile of her on their website:, with a brilliant picture at the top:

http://w.espn.go.com/espnw/features-pro ... top-foot-o

Mrs H, are the prizes allowed to wing their way across the atlantic?! (It wasn't me that got this sorted btw).

[bendover]

The modern sport of orienteering -- also called adventure running -- is a fast-paced, physically and mentally challenging endeavor

anyone else think that 'adventure running' is a way better name for our sport than 'orienteering''?

[awk]

anyone else think that 'adventure running' is a way better name for our sport than 'orienteering''?

I'll probably be in a minority, but, no, actually I think it's rather a naff phrase. We should do as quite a few of the continental nations do, and call it something along the lines of orienteering racing, O-racing or whatever, like motor racing, or horse racing etc in this country. Orienteering is the map reading bit; we just miss out the racing bit in the UK name.

[bendover]

good point. i guess i'm just bored of having to explain what 'orienteering' actually is. people just don't get it. the term doesn't say 'sport'.

we've probably been here before anyway....

[AndyO]

Indeed we have Ben, but I won a prize (a Buff) in a [Nope] competition to describe orienteering a few years back

Only prize I've ever won at orienteering

[Gonzo]

What a great, informative article. It would be good to see that type of coverage in the UK.
Was it written by an enlightened editor or their national federation I wonder???

[Becks]

Nope, it was written by an ESPN writer who spent a couple of hours with Ali. She was worried as the interview mostly went "So, you dropped two sports with the potential for a little bit of fame and fortune, and took up this crazy sport no one's ever heard of instead?" but it seems the reporter really got a sense for both the sport and Ali's enthusiasm from that. There was no proof reading from USOF from what I know. Contact was made by Caroline Luis from Boston, the reporter is her friend.

For those who don't know Ali her enthusiasm is pretty much impossible to ignore. She's a great ambassador for the sport.