World Ski O Champs

[andy]

BO Site

Some names people will recognise in there, will be exciting to see how some of our top foot orienteers get on with skis on their feet!

Is this the first time we've sent a team to this event?

[Gross]

Typical Nopesport jobbie.... check your history.... GBR are medal winners.... check your history... find out how much of a 'superstar' my daugheters middle name waas...Megan Arja

[andy]

Hi Gross! Informative as always

A quick google suggests the Women's relay team were 3rd in 1975, a medal yes but hardly a spectacular history, and well before my time!

any more recent history info?

[Scott]

Indeed, Britain sent teams pretty regularly in the 70s and 80s, and picked up Bronze in the Women's relay at the inaugural event in 1975 (admittedly only three teams actually finished, but it still counts ). I don't think we've come even remotely near to troubling the podium since then, although someone else might know otherwise?

[Becks]

Another one to watch out for with a GB connection (ex Oxford) is Ali Crocker. She's a very good skier in her own right and has been doing Ski O specific training all winter - she could do well!

[Gross]

Hi Gross! Informative as always

A quick google suggests the Women's relay team were 3rd in 1975, a medal yes but hardly a spectacular history, and well before my time!

any more recent history info?

Glad to put yopu right A bronze medal seems a bit more spectactular than the history of the women's foot O team

Arja Hannus was on of the great athletes of her time and WOC Champion in both foot O and ski O.

[smf]

GBR are medal winners.... check your history...

I think you should check your history,

Glad to put yopu right A bronze medal seems a bit more spectactular than the history of the women's foot O team

Individual/Classic/Long- Yvette Hague - Bronze 1993, Silver 1995.
Short - Yvette Hague - Silver 1995, Gold 1999.
Sprint - Heather Monro - Bronze 2005.

[Gross]

GBR are medal winners.... check your history...

I think you should check your history,

Glad to put yopu right A bronze medal seems a bit more spectactular than the history of the women's foot O team

Individual/Classic/Long- Yvette Hague - Bronze 1993, Silver 1995.
Short - Yvette Hague - Silver 1995, Gold 1999.
Sprint - Heather Monro - Bronze 2005.

but note I said foot o team.... not individuals but maybe the bronze at EOC in Lvov counts as more spectacular than 3rd out of 3......

[ryeland of doom]

It was a big deal at the time. A GB medal in orienteering! Then the sport was nearly completely dominated by Scandinavians who were ahead of everyone.

[harry]

GB may have been the last team to finish the race in '75 but for Brits it's an achievement just to get a team on the start line. The same Women competed in several other Champs and often finished amongst the top 5 or 6. -Such results will be a bit tough for us to repeat in 2011!

Check out ISSkiOM: http://bit.ly/f4WDWu

I'm training with the Kiwi team! In NZL they actually have snow and a couple of ski-O competitions though (edit: training in Trondheim that is, it's my 4th Winter here in Trondheim and the s-Kiwi team's 3rd) I've only done 4 ski-O competitions before so I feel like "Eddie the Eagle". The selection criteria was to get within 150% of the best, I was using about 100% longer than Marte Renaas (no.1 in World Ranking).

My goal for my leg of the relay is to ski <10 min/km, the best will use about 5 or 6 min/km, - depending on the course setting - and the relay legs will be about 5km. So I expect to lose at least 20 minutes to the top teams but the other girls will hopefully be a lot closer since they are competitive skiers. If touch free punching like they are using at ski-EOC this week is approved by IOF for ski-WOC it will be an advantage - it's amazing how fast the top ski-O'ers even get through the controls when it's normal EMIT units hanging from trees - mega-faff!

Anyway it will be fun and I hope our team will inspire other Brits to try ski-O. I know there are a lot more who do some cross country skiing and ski-O is really fun. It usually involves weekends skiing from nice cosy cabins. Recommended!

[JK]

Other medals of note in the past were Anne Brearley (based in Trieste for many years) at World Masters, she has had at least 2 silvers.

The last relay performance by a British team were I believe our chaps at the 2001 World Junior SkiO Champs: 9th out of 14 ... just behind the Italians!

Speaking of which. Those interested might like to take a look at the European Champs in Lillehammer which started today. They also incorporate the European Youth and World Junior Champs as well as the World Ski Masters. I counted at least 4 Brits taking part.
http://www.skio2011.com/

Cheers

JK

[Mrs H]

Yes our own Adventure Racer's on the list - any other nopers?

[EBenham]

I tried Ski-O in early January in Norway. I had tried XC classic skiing 5 days before the event and did it on classic skis so I was pretty slow - perhaps due to the numbers of falls. I tried skating the day after and had a bit more success at ski-O.

It was certainly great fun and if we ever start getting more Scandi winters it would be fun to get training.

Becky Hoare has been out training with the army for biathlon so from what I remember her saying in March last year - she was handy on ski's - I would hope she gets some good results.

Good luck to team!

[cbg]

Some ski background of those selected:

Men:
Emmitt Andrews BAOC M40:
Skied a number of seasons with the Army; 25 min behind Army best over 2 races Jan 11.
Nick Barrable SYO / OK Ravinen / JOK / SAX / SLOW / SPOOK:
Undoubtedly skis in Sweden; ultra fast runner/orienteer!
Richard Barrett BAOC / SBOC M40:
Skied with Army for about 12 years; national squad early 90s.
Donald McCarthy BASOC / Ärla IF (Middle, Sprint)
Based in Scandinavia (sorry Don, know less about you!)

Women:
Sarah Hale OK Kåre W18?:
Stan's daughter; skied National Champs 2010 & 2011 - 5th Classic; Ski club: KORSNAS IF SK
Rebecca Hoare BAOC W21 (this year):
Skied for first time last season, selected for national biathlon development squad; working this winter!
Helen Palmer NOC / Wing OK (Relay)
See her own post!

Best of luck to them all - it will be a fantastic experience and is costing them a pretty penny. Hint: Live in Scandinavia or join the Army!

[JK]

True it isn't cheap, especially for those of us who don't come under either category!

I am hoping this can be a stepping stone for future years though. Those on the team who haven't had that much Ski experience will almost certainly be a lot better in subsequent years.

For anyone interested in what a modern SkiO map looks like, take a look under the map pages under SkiO on the new IOF web site. There are quite dense track networks, especially of the dashed lines (0.8-1.2m wide, hard to skate in).

GL to all our Masters guys this w/e !

JK