17.10.2005
WC-FINALS DID NOT GO AS I PLANNED

WC-finals in Italy, Monte Livata, Subiaco were more an experience than well organized top-level orienteering competition. It's a shame that IOF cannot control these WC-competitions better. Anyway, I could have run much better than I did. The best won, and I should prepair better, if I want to be back on the podium. Although, the weather was bad and feeling sometimes sad, the experience was great. I enjoyed being in special places like Cervera di Roma, but I don't like that O-races are more extreme than fast running. One should appreciate physical fitness as more as orienteering skills. In my opinion, in middle and sprint competitions (also in qualification races), you needed about 33% skills, 33% fitness and 33% luck!!! This one third of luck is much too high a procent. In top-level orienteering one should not need luck at all. Well, this is my opinion, but f.ex. map was not so precise as the control points had demanded. If I had succeed, I still would think the same way...

In middle and sprint qualification races I orienteered very well, but I had more or less luck too, especially in sprint, where I caught three co-orienteers already in the first control after one minute of running. And I missed 40 seconds too!!! I was 2. in the race at the second control...After that it was quite easy to keep my head cool. In middle final I tried to do my best, but afterwards understood that it wasn't possible without luck. For example, 18-19 it was fastest to run straight through the dark green area - really easy and nice path there!!!

The finals of finals, classic and relay were wonderful orienteering competitions. I don't want to criticize them, but I didn't like the stony ground signs on the map, because the signs covered many contour intervals, which in my opinion, are more important when considering route choices etc. The terrain was absolutely great to run and orienteer in and these competitions saved WC-finals. I was left a good feeling that Italy still is a really nice country for orienteering - not only extreme wondering and traveling :)

Now, I'm concentrating for a new challenge in Nordic cross-country championships, which are held in Hamina 12.11. That is a little goal for me and after that starts my winter season. One thing I do not forget, Vaajakosken Terä will give a good fight for the victory of Smålandskavlen with the team: Timo Joensuu, Pasi Ikonen, Heikki Nousiainen and Jani & Jonne Lakanen

-jani-