Count down to CISM

For the past two weeks I've been training and racing in the Trondheim area of Norway. The majority of my trainings have been short enough but have tried to keep the speed high while looking to stamp out the small errors.

This week brought with it, the World Champs, but more importantly for me, The WOC Tour, my last chance to get some high quality training in before the World Military Orienteering Champs starting next week down in Kongsberg (close to Oslo). Kongsberg last held a major Championships back in 1978 where Pat Healy finished 48th.

Day One of the WOC Tour was a short long distance. I was kindly shadowed by Marcus Pinker who sat behind me for the run and apparently was hurting - he dislikes dropping contours apparently.

I was pretty happy with the run excluding one or two slips in the circle. After dinner Marcus explained just how many seconds I was leaking by not been aggressive enough in the terrain. This gave me some important things to think about for the up coming races.

Map quality isn't the best but is located here.

Day Two of racing was held on the Middle Qualification map from the previous day. The plan was to go out really hard and see what would happen. Needless to say I spiked the first control ouvit! Then got in a panic leaving the control, pulled a 180, corrected the 180 and ended up in the wrong marsh. Stupid mistake, apart from that and been slow coming down the steep slopes at the end it wasn't all that bad. Highlight of the day was Dav H making the Middle Distance Final.

Day 3 came the sprint. The plan was simple, go out hard and pick up the pace. I believed I could get a top 10 in the race in the Elite class. My run from the WUOC had me bursting with confidence. It was just a matter of picking up the map and running until I dropped.

Report on my attackpoint here and the map is here. To summarise. I was tanking it around running aggressively, slip on 4, ran someone over heading on the long leg to 5. Monstered around to 12, lack of oxygen made me get confused and miss 13 dropped 20sec. 14 to 18 were a matter of game face on as I was hurled abuse from the fort. I was on the perfect line to 19.... then I didn't see the buildings and paniced, completely freeked out and thought I was going wrong. If I had gone 10m further I would have been sorted, but no dice. Massive blunder. Ran home in 14th 1:04 down.

Our rest day say the WOC Long Distance Final. Needless to say we all got very excited over Nick and Niamhs runs. Great day out cheering on the two Irish Champions.

Day 4 was my last competition day before CISM. It was a 4.8km middle distance race that was used as my last test before Kongsberg. I went out hard and orienteered aggressively. I was taking straightish lines and attacking the circle. I had one small error in the circle at 5 and a massive error on 8, dropping 2.30. However I am taking more positives than negatives from the race. Coming in the run in Niamh got to return the abuse hurling with a very choice comment of "What would john downs think, come on colm, push it". Needless to say I smiled and accelerated :) Map is here.

All thats left now is to collect my washing from Longs, give Dav abuse in the Middle Final, give the Irish teams abuse in the Relay before jumping on a train to Oslo to meet up with the CISM Panel.

With a summer of high quality orienteering behind me, I'm excited about the last big challenge of the International season. Bring on Kongsberg!!