Discussion: WOC terrain suitability

Can someone explain to me how the WOC Middle Qualification terrain meets these criteria (from guidelines in the IOF rulebook):

"The Middle distance profile is technical. It takes place in a non-urban (mostly forested) environment with an emphasis on detailed navigation and where finding the controls constitute a challenge. It requires constant concentration on map reading with occasional shifts in running direction out from controls. The element of route choice is essential but should not be at the expense of technically demanding orienteering. The route in itself shall involve demanding navigation.
Type of Running: High speed, but requiring runners to adjust their speed for the complexity of the terrain.
Terrain: Technically complex terrain."

Perhaps I just have a higher threshold as to what constitutes technically complex terrain?

not very technical by my standards either. seemed simple, straight forward, but then I am moving a bit slower.

I have often wondered what the defintion of "technical orienteering" is. Fairly subjective....one person may think an area is highly technical whereas another may think it is average.

I would think the more bends in the contours, number of point features, and variety/change in vegetation would mean a highly technical area?

The middle map would be technical but not highly.....???

It was the same last year and I was thinking the same after the qualification, until I saw the map from the final!

Comparing the WOC to the JWOC maps by technical difficulty this year, WOC really dosent compare.

Not technical just means a horrifically fast pace!! The window for qual in heat A of the long dist was a mere 3:22mins!

I've found that technically demanding areas don't necessarily look complicated. I guess it depends to some degree what your home terrain is but I'd be much more comfortable presented with a control in some intense wiggly sand dune contours than I would be with some of those point features on otherwise smooth slopes. Especially given that (as Sandstorm hints) WOC qualification races often seem to be just a teaser of the final terrain, I thought for central Europe that was a pretty good middle map/course. (not brilliant mind you, but a pass mark)

After running it, it wasn't a bad course, especially for the terrain, but when you have stuff like this the technical challenge is not loosing the 10-20 sec that might be forgiven on something that looks really complex. The fact that they are running 5min/km makes most things a technical challenge, and going that fast, down a steep green slope to a single point feature with nothing else to use, well put your hand up if you think that is easy.

Dont become like some people that think oing belongs in 'technical' places, like Scandi and that it should stay there, it is trying to be a global sport, this is what you get in this part of the globe, and if you want to be the best person in the world, then you should be able to do it anywhere in the world.

Like the World Games Middle?

agreed, not the best example of what a MD race should be, but given that the World Games were being held in Taiwan I'm willing to believe that was the best possible terrain within easy access of the host city (never been there, but my imagined Taiwan consists of three "land-uses": urban, intensely cultivated and steep jungley hill country). To paraphrase Fly'n, that is what you get in that part of the globe.

Yes, so as the sport moves to different new territories, the definitions will be flexible because there is no alternative.