European Orienteering Championships

[harry]

The point is WOC is in 2 months time.

Example 2006. Dana Brozkova 31st in the EOC Middle.
At WOC 2006 Dana got a bronze medal.

A lot can change in 2 months. Especially with those who have periodised their training and timed their peak just right. If they have trained mainly base til now and are just starting more higher intensity stuff and prepared mainly for the WOC terrain type you can still expect big improvements. And not just because there will only be 3 per Nation at WOC.

Another example from 2006 is Helen Bridle. Nothing to write home about, even domestically, until Scottish Champs sort of time of year when she started running well and then BOOM 6th place in the WOC sprint. Very scandi-style volume / periodised physical training and mentally and technically well prepared for the sprint in Denmark.
In 2006 Helen was 44th in the EOC sprint and 6th in the WOC sprint.

Wait and see who is fringe in 2 months time.

I could also have put this post more succintly.. starting with f and ending with off.

[harry]

To any others like me from the fringe bunch reading this: also very important to believe in yourself! So if you can't handle the abuse from chod bin and you make the woc team best idea is not to visit nopesport for the next couple of months./ever.. this is not the place to come looking for cheerleaders

[lilywhite]

As always on nopesport, a lot of fuss about nothing. People generally agree but word stuff differently and then people get in a boo.

In summary, relative to other countries, GBR aren't great at orienteering and never have been, but do sometimes get the odd good result. There are plenty of good reasons for this being the case. Relative to their own ability, people often perform very well.

[madmike]

this is not the place to come looking for cheerleaders

harry, harry, harry - ra!, ra!, ra!

But seriously though look at the support for Em as a positive example of this place - there is, i agree, too much negativity

[mharky]

I don't think anybody is going to remember after the forthcoming Olympics that, for instance, in the cycling the limitation is one per nation, and that half of the quarter-finalists in the men's sprint world championships (including one medallist) will not be allowed to compete.

I think everyone accepts that the race between all the top guys at the Tour is a bigger deal than the Olympics, and that's why.

Er? Last time I checked Jason Kenny and Chris Hoy weren't cycling the Tour.

[Mrs H]

......but looking back over this thread it's only Gross who has said anything negative (graeme's been a bit oblique in places).

Everyone else seems supportive and interested. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the sprint and particularly the relays (back in the days when the weather was rubbish) and hope that the WOC coverage is as good.

Harry's posts were very illuminating - but I suspect that even Gross himself might be surprised at such a reaction

[andypat]

Harry does things her own way and is always admirably open and honest. Candid even with her own failings. Not sure if she has a coach, but if so he/she probably having a fit about the possible effects of all this on her focus for WOC - but hey - she's not doing to bad is she?

To be fair to Gross, he's just not very good at focusing his criticism - he thinks he's criticising BOF, but it looks like he's being down on the athletes. Mharky's had worse things to say about the athletes and he's one of them!

For me I'd like to see more focus on the elites on the BOF website - maybe some blogs, interviews videos etc. That might help redress the apparent perception of imbalance more towards competition than administration.

[andy]

For me I'd like to see more focus on the elites on the BOF website - maybe some blogs, interviews videos etc. That might help redress the apparent perception of imbalance more towards competition than administration.

A lot of GB athletes have their own blogs, so it's not that they are averse to writing things. I can see 9 in my google reader from those who are potentials for woc this year.

[andypat]

A lot of GB athletes have their own blogs, so it's not that they are averse to writing things. I can see 9 in my google reader from those who are potentials for woc this year.

As an IT guru, are there any issues you can think of were we to try and link these up to the SOA website (the Scottish ones at least)? No reason why we cant start the ball rolling up here.

[Paul Frost]

As an IT guru, are there any issues you can think of were we to try and link these up to the SOA website (the Scottish ones at least)? No reason why we cant start the ball rolling up here.

It's on my list for the updated SOA site, but moving home comes first (just loading the last van load now), then 6Days 2013, then WOC, then... and that's why the SOA site hasn't had the love it deserves recently.

[andy]

As an IT guru, are there any issues you can think of were we to try and link these up to the SOA website (the Scottish ones at least)? No reason why we cant start the ball rolling up here.

There are ways, but I think a combined effort rather than blog linking is probably best. SOA site is already doing it with the SEDS blog (although perhaps posts aren't frequent enough)

[harry]

Not sure if she has a coach, but if so he/she probably having a fit about the possible effects of all this on her focus for WOC

don't worry about me.. the last thing I am crying about is what NS thinks of my orienteering!! this is light relief.. in fact orienteering in general is light relief.

But I do object to the "they had a nice time" comments.. folks made some tough decisions to compete at EOC and gain international o learning.. believe me there are a lot cheaper and easier ways to "have a nice time"

[awk]

I think everyone accepts that the race between all the top guys at the Tour is a bigger deal than the Olympics, and that's why.

Do they? Although I was talking about the track events (and whilst the time trial only allows one, five will ride the road race, so not quite the same issues), I certainly haven't read that - a lot of juggling going on certainly as the two are just about doable, but I haven't read or seen anybody saying that the Tour is bigger than the Olympics (maybe the odd Frenchman?). Maybe you're reading different papers/mags/interviews?

[housewife]

A lot of GB athletes have their own blogs, so it's not that they are averse to writing things. I can see 9 in my google reader from those who are potentials for woc this year.

I don't have a blog - no time / lack the IT knowhow but if you are interested in viewing my race reports / training / general primadonna-ish moanings you can follow me and many other elites on Attackpoint.

[andy]

but I haven't read or seen anybody saying that the Tour is bigger than the Olympics (maybe the odd Frenchman?). Maybe you're reading different papers/mags/interviews?

Bradley Wiggins has pretty much said his focus this year is the TdF, he'll still be at the olympics and it will always have been in his coaches mind but definitely not his focus as it is for many other sports/athletes

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... rance.html