Search for a Foreign Club

[RhysFR]

Hey all

Starting my search for a foreign club this festive season, as I want to start running in the big ass relays in Scandinavia and stuff like that.

If anyone could recommend a club, their own or otherwise, that'ld be awesome.

Really would prefer one with reasonable airport access as my bank balance is firmly in the negatives.

Email me at boa04rf@sheffield.ac.uk with any contact addresses you can supply.

Thanks in advance

Rhys

[graeme]

Why do you need a foreign club? Are you ashamed to be British or aren't there enough people in Sheffileld?

Graeme (JOK)

[Rach]

i realise you're probably just trying to get a reaction graeme, but since when has it been good to demoralise enthusiastic juniors?
Joining a scandinavian club can give you fantastic training opportunities as well as another perspective on orienteering.

Rhys, try this link. You can click on any area of sweden you're interesed in and it gives you all the clubs in that area plus a link to their website for finding contact numbers etc.

[graeme]

I'm not trying to demoralise anyone. If you thought I meant "why not stay in Sheffield" then you misunderstand me; everyone should do Tiomila and Jukola if they can.

Sheffield has a bunch of great orienteers: there's absolutely no reason why they couldn't go to the big Scandi relays (and in fact they do). I've run in the big scandi relays, both with "foreign clubs" and with JOK. The first is great, but competing with your friends is a much more satisfying experience, not to mention opening opportunities for other enthusiastic juniors who might not (yet) be at Rhys' level where they can call random Swedes and ask for runs.

In my experience, Scandi clubs are absolutely delighted to welcome UK visitors, whether individuals or a group, to their training sessions.

Graeme

[Kitch]

Rach

I don't think that is what Graeme is doing he is saying that British should have the confidence to go over there and compete.

And we should.

Joining a Scandi club can be a bonus as you point out. It can also be a bit of a downer, which has been the recent experience of one or two who are tiring of being treated like idiots and stuck in the third team.

You need to choose carefully and make sure the club is willing to give you genuine opportunities, for this some kind of track record will help.

I don't think we give ourselves enough credit.
People in Edinburgh have been talking about going and doing these big ones as a team - I'd let it slip but now I'm going to pick it up again.

What good do we do ourselves by believing the only way in to these races is on the coat tails of a Scandi club?
That seemed to be the best approach 15 years ago - but maybe its time for a re-think. Psychologically we are relying on the Scandis to come up with the goods and are grateful to be in their team.
We should be relying on ourselves to come up with the goods and each person see themselves as fundamental to the success of our team, putting all important pressure on to succeed in the big race.
In 2005 british orienteers won medals on the international stage, lots of medals .

I think it has been said before that any bunch of mates can enter these races.
who is up for it ?

Why not do it scandi style - do some night race and relay prep here in the uk, have a selection race ? All invited. Edinburgh and Sheffield unite.

I feel frustrated most years when I see our relay results at internationals. We still celebrate being on the podium - that is getting old hat, it shouldn't be a question anymore - we should be expecting medals.

at the end of the 80s the Swiss put on a programme to win WOC relay gold, it worked, they reigned for 6 years. It involved running squad teams at Jukola and Tio.

[Guest]

Running UK based teams is easy... NEDS & then SEDS did it for a few years... we ran Jukola back in 1994, the big one in Norway (can't remember name) and more recently Jukola a couple of years or so ago with a placing just outside the top 100 - if only Paddy W had stepped left instead of right on the run-in.

GB Squad ran Jukola a couple of times as well ... think in '93 they finished in 44 place.

Should be even easier for the girls as the numbers needed are smaller.

[RhysFR]

Thanks for the replies.

Of course running with my fellow Brits would be a great thing to do at the relays and I don't see why it can't be done next year.
But the main reason I am looking into foreign clubs is the possibility of moving out there at some point in the next few years, and having some contacts for training oppurtunities etc. whilst I am living in Sheffield.

Thanks Rach, I'll look at that link.