World Cup Race 2: Norway

[Wendles]

After last week's excitement I'm gearing up for the second round and my computer has died (on the work's one at present! In my lunch hour boss!) What do you do if Windows won't load and a big blue error screen comes up???
On an orienteering note, Beck says, 'Hovden is amazing, think the orienteering will be tough but it looks stunning.'
http://www.kok.no/o-festivalen/index.php?p=worldcup

[Paul T]

That whole area and the nearby ones look stunning. I'm beginning to think I was born in the wrong country.

[Gross]

I noticed from the entry status report that GB are not sending any team officials to the World Cup.... is that a money thing????

[Wendles]

Guess so, as the GB athletes are self-financing!

[Gross]

Start lists up... 1 GBR man & 4 GBR women in the A Finals - and having just looked at the special rules it seems a lot of the start allocation is down to positions in World Ranking.... so WRE's become more & more important. Does it therefore seem sensible that BOF concentrate it's WRE on the JK where a large number of the Elite don't (won't) travel unless it's a GBR selection race? Why not have the test races as WRE's?

[gg]

is it just me or does it look like not really many people / teams are there and that also the b-finals are a bit superfluous. GB seem to have 4 of the 10 athletes in the womens B and 6 of the 22 athletes in the mens B.

seems like most countries aren't sending a full team - the beginning of the end for the world cup already? who wants to travel all over the world just to run straight b finals?

[Gross]

Bit predictable actually!! Many nations are entirely self-financing for WC ,I guess & O Fest is not one of the big relays so many top athletes won't have their clubs paying travel etc etc.

Numbers will be ok'ish for the O Ringen... because it's the O Ringen.

[Wendles]

First competitor away at 1 minute to 6 (5pm our time). Their progress can be followed on:
http://www.kok.no/o-festivalen/index.ph ... news&id=51

[Wendles]

Anybody getting live feed from the event?

[Simon E]

Anybody getting live feed from the event?

Try http://project.spjelkavik.net/online/wc2007-2/

The other link looks like the server has given up.

[JEP]

Elite Competitions Group recommend the WREs. This is done to give the maximum opportunity for British runners. The events selected have to be open so BEOC is not an option. In most years the JK is likely to have the most British elite runners. A third event is then selected at which many elite runners are likely to be present.The selection of the event remains flexible but with the principle that it gives the most opportunity to British elite runners.

[tendon]

Heli Jukkola must be so proud of herself!

[Gross]

A third event is then selected at which many elite runners are likely to be present.The selection of the event remains flexible but with the principle that it gives the most opportunity to British elite runners.

WOC Test Races in Scotland??? Seems to me that a good chance that most British Elite runners will be there? Or a day of 6 Day's (it's never been a WRE)?

[Kitch]

- the beginning of the end for the world cup already?

probably.
from an (Internet) spectators point of view this didn't grab the attention like a dedicated World Cup.

I don't think it will be long until the world rankings replace the world cup with the top runners gravitating to a few top WRE events (though Shropshire doesn't have the best terrain to offer) where big points can be scored.
It could end up like a bit of a Grand Prix circuit with the big races trying to pull the top runners in - maybe with a few cash prizes.
I think that if that does happen it won't be an international but an individual thing.
National teams will focus on World Champs, Europeans and Nordics.

[Gross]

National teams will focus on World Champs, Europeans and Nordics.

With preparations starting at the KAPA 3 Day's this weekend on terrain very similar to that of EOC 2008 up the coast at Ventspils.