Jukola/Venla

[NeilC]

Team Nope had some problems with changeovers, but the navigation was generally sound.

Still trying to work out which is the least embarassing explanation for my 42 minute split to the first (1.6km) radio control.

Pressure of the event?
Complex terrain?

Nope just that I was at the corner of the changeover area waiting to Becky to enter the arena, whilst the aforementioned runner, having run a storming lap, was waiting at the changeover fence. For 32 minutes

A great spectacle and race and by no means intimidating - there were a lot of poor orienteers out there as well as the elite. Best moment was being next to JD's team when the TV control showed that Hubmann had pulled 15 sec ahead of TG on a different route choice near the end.

Thanks to Team Nope Banter for a great weekend. I'd definitely like to run this again -although suspect that I'll have to look for a new team now.

[Mrs H]

So - out of interest - and just incase Young Neville and Mr H get their wish of entering a MADO team next year - what is the recommended method of hand over - given the numbers (and presumably poor light some of the time) involved?

[mharky]

Using the results terminals; you put your brikke in an emit unit conected to a computer and it brings up the progress of your team at each of the radio controls & finish.

[harry]

Jon Duncan = relay legend. He has British, Norwegian, World Championship titles in relay.

He has won Tio Mila with Halden SK and now Jukola with KOK. I asked him if there are any relays left worth winning and he told me that was the big one but he still needs to win the JK relay!

Great first leg, just 12 sec back and he is the type of personality that brings the best out of his teammates and cares passionately about the relay. Every relay team needs a JD to help make a group of talented & determined individuals into a winning team!

Can be relied on to produce the goods, whatever task he's given on his leg. This terrain it was so important to get a great start and hang near the lead throughout the relay and he delivered again. Best British performance of the year so far?

[madmike]

So - out of interest - and just incase Young Neville and Mr H get their wish of entering a MADO team next year - what is the recommended method of hand over - given the numbers (and presumably poor light some of the time) involved?

No magic answers. Get to the handover pen open early it's better to wait an hour for the incoming runner than have him/her wait 3 or 4 minutes for you. Keep coming back to the handover line and checking every 45-60 secs even when you are warming up. In the dark make lots of noise coming in. Use the checker as Mharkey says. Make sure you are not in the loo in the handover pen when your runners comes in - not us but did happen to another team!

Even though we botched 2 handovers (4 mins and 30 mins) that was down to us not really any excessive difficulty in linking up. Do the basics well and you'll not have a problem.

Young Nev and Mr H are right though - my first JUKKOLA and it was awesome - get out there in 2010 MADO

[graeme]

Jon Duncan = relay legend. ... Best British performance of the year so far?

Like I said, I have nothing but admiration for Jon. But...

I think the whole point of being a great first leg running is *not* to produce an outstanding performance, rather to reliably, boringly, produce a good performance every time out. There are several people who I would expect to go round a bit faster than Jon, but also are more likely to mess it up and be significantly slower.

Anyway, well deserved result Jon, and INT membership is available for JK-winning
purposes: we'd have been well up in the domestic relays this year if only we'd had a decent first-leg runner.
and lets promise not to mention that Tio run.

[J.Tullster]

Aye, crackin stuff by JD! To be honest there's not many people I'd expect to go round faster in a relay than Jon!
Also big shout outs to the Scotland team and good runs from the other Brits running, OJ, Camel etc.
Good stuff team Nope...apart from the 32mins!
32mins!! Can't understand how you managed that!? Did you get stuck int he portaloo or something?

[EddieH]

Jon ran 2nd leg at WOC and WHAT a performance - definitely not a keep with the pack sort of job

[Kitch]

But.... I think the whole point of being a great first leg running is *not* to produce an outstanding performance, rather to reliably, boringly, produce a good performance every time out.

From the sound of this you fail to appreciate that at World / Tio / Jukola keeping your team in the race (i.e within 2 minutes on 1st leg) requires an outstanding performance - even if it need not stand out.


just to be sure that folks realise that Jon is human he told me he'd been shitting himself for 2 days prior to Jukola.

why ?
for one - they knew they could win.
for two - he said he was lucky to be in the team !!

Pressure. Can you handle it ?

[Kitch]

So - out of interest - and just incase Young Neville and Mr H get their wish of entering a MADO team next year - what is the recommended method of hand over - given the numbers (and presumably poor light some of the time) involved?

what's to recommend ?? - its just a mistake you cannot let happen.
Its no different to finding a control in the forest.
make a plan
stay alert
cover all the bases.

It was fantastic to watch the Scottish team switch on as we neared the race.
After a fun few days before had there was gradual but automatic shift to race mode, people discussed strategies, in the forest, for changover timings, for changeover, , headlamps, batteries, backups, check your codes, map exchange - its not only the incoming runner that is responsible for picking up the right map, the out going runner has to accept it.
attention to detail.

Why were we so consistent ?
Because everone was running for the team.
everone missed a little a minute here or there, but no-one blew it, no-one binned 5 or 10 minutes.
That's because everyone did the things they needed to do to make sure that didn't happen and they did those things as a responibility to the team and themselves.
This is why running in relays, particularly these "ultimate" races provides such fantastic experience.
If you care about your team result then you enforce the disciplines that produce a good run. The more you put yourself through those disciplines the more ingrained they become.

[Becks]

Seeing JD grinning on that podium made the stupid amount of travelling and ridiculous lack of sleep absolutely worth it (I only just got back to Edinburgh, having slept for no more than 6 hours for the last 5 nights!). Absolutely fantastic!

I can only echo the sentiments that everyone has to do this event once in their lifetime. Watching the coverage in the arena, with the hush that fell when Georgiou and Hubmann split and seeing Hubmann rocketing down that track - nothing compares. Being there on the run in whooping as Kristiansand ran in - unforgettable.

And as for the 32 minutes - I just got tracked down on Facebook by not one, but two of the Swedish men who were kind enough to lend me their coats while I was stood on the box waiting - so every cloud has a silver lining! Maybe we'll just make you run first next year Neil

Thanks Team Nope for an awesome weekend. Loved it.

[madmike]

So - out of interest - and just incase Young Neville and Mr H get their wish of entering a MADO team next year - what is the recommended method of hand over - given the numbers (and presumably poor light some of the time) involved?

Mrs H,
having thought about this a bit more and reflected on the weekend at length. I think the other thing you might want to consider, if you want to learn from our experience, is taking 8 out from MADO i.e. have a team manager making sure everyone is in the right place at the right time, monitoring progress, communicating etc.

[Mrs H]

Good idea Mike - i think I'll volunteer for that bit!

[Jagge]

Jukola 2010:

Embargoed area (red)

Map next to Jukola map (blue)

Topo map

[ifor]

Looks like back to the more normal terain there. All very white on the map next to it.

I wonder if Bok are up to a team next year....