THE SPRING IS BACK!
SAXBO
Last weekend we took part in SAXBO races. They are, in my opinion, probably the best races in CZE during the year (at least it used to be for last 3 years). The terrains are great, maps are of high standard with well sett courses. But most importantly, nobody cares much about the results, it’s spring, it’s green everywhere, so why to bother…
There’s also one plus fact that we have probably chosen the best part of CZE to live in (at least from the O-perspective) and SAXBO just happens to be less the 30km from our house.
Still Varsinasi Suomi is the best 
maps: Sat, Sun
results/splits
PS: on Sat Bohu would actually win by 8 minutes, but thanks to Robert the margin was just 3 minutes Robert is not YET in top shape, so he did not finish in time to look after the kids.
Anna's first "victory"
10-MILA
it’s over! You can find plenty of maps over the Net, so I do not bother to upload ours (it’s not so interesting anyway), besides the map is still in Finland waiting for us… tree remarks though:
1. Bohu did very well!
2. I run the 7the leg, dark for about 90% of the course. First time in my live I have used Xenon for the night-O (I don’t even remember the brand). With an old fashion Silva lamp I remember how it used to be, running through the unknown with a small light spot in front of me. Not likely with the Xenon. Despide the fact that I was running in a pitch-black-night (checked from the pictures) it actually didn’t feel like it. There was so much light in front and around me, that it somehow did not feel like running night-O.
So how fair it is for some of those poor guys (usually not from the TOP clubs) with old lamps to compete against the Xenons (usually from the TOP clubs)? Maybe they do not mind, so neither I…
3. Speculation never dies… I was not so surprised by the time margin on the 6th and the 7th leg between me and the top guys, 10 minutes to Pilblat (6th leg) and 8 min to Andersson (7th, mine leg as well). What can you expect after almost 6 months break and 2 weeks of training?
Anyway, Mr. Sami, at the top shape, full speed and no mistakes has lost to Pilblat over 6 minutes. How could that be?! Well, check the “map” below. There seemed to be 2 different gafflings on 6/7 legs (yes just 2!, but that’s another story). When it comes to orienteering I’m still a little geek, so I made some math. And the result is: the length of the red line (Simo-Pekka Fincke) is about 6% shorted than the violet one (Rob), so when one counts the same speed/km on both legs, it gives the time difference of about 4 minutes, just by the length difference! This, I think is unfair!
map from suunnistus.net
An experience from my work, before organizing WSC, I’ve traveled and watched few World Cups in order to see/learn some yet unknown. Perhaps it is not so difficult to study the Jukola maps and especially the gaffling before setting the 10-MILA courses. It’s such a small request compared to the result it could give…
PS:
For the last two years I have had the that particular and unpleasant feeling that something is still missing, that it will not be made/delivered in time, it might not be enough, etc… I wonder what kind of feeling the Oslo 2011 people are having? With the test events just in 10 months and so much stuff to BUILD, I would probably be shitting into my pants… but hey I’m still soo young and inexperienced boy
March 2007
April 2009*
March 2007
April 2009*
March 2007
April 2009*
* photo by Jan Pecka