Discussion: CSU Orienteering Superstars

Brought to you by the amazing gang from Western Mass, the second ever Orienteering Superstars, plus a full weekend of events (a serious 3K on the track, the UMass super sprint, and the Quabbin retro peg relay). More information here.

Among the events being considered for inclusion in the Superstars are:

the Boris Granovskiy pole dancing competition (not to be missed!)
the Alex Jospe Anybody Can Ski O' race
the Ross Smith Call 'em In competition
paired up with the Samantha Saeger Speed Talking competition
the Neil Dobbs Three-Legged Race (have to have an event Neil might win)
the PG Mountain Bike race (extra points for falling off)
a mini-golf tournament
a special sprint jig-saw puzzle race
ten-pin bowling
and last but not least, the Ali Crocker Axe Throw (seriously, she does this stuff)

and there may be others.

Pre-entry only, see the requirements on the event page.

Will there be online coverage? I´d love to follow what´s going on!

Well, we're arranging to have a fast wi-fi service at the arena, so there should be some sort of online coverage.

Note that more info has been on the event page (link is at the start of the thread) about who may or may not satisfy the entry requirements. :-)

What qualifies as "late" Saturday morning? By Rhonda's terms that could be any time after daylight, but I don't think that is what you mean. Also, is the Amherst track the meeting place for this event? I assume it will be easy to find, but maybe that is part of the competition.

The current schedule is for the 3K at 11 am on Saturday. After that adjourning to Sunderland where the Superstars will take place chez PG and Gail Saturday afternoon/evening, with interludes for food and drink. Sunday the UMass sprint will be at about 9:30, and the Quabbin event (details still very much to be figured out) at about 1 pm.

Most likely events for the Superstars (all subject to change -- hey, part of being a Superstar is being flexible):

Ski-O (equipment provided, will take place regardless of snow conditions) -- a test of speed, agility, and coordination.
Mini-golf (equipment provided) -- a test of hand-eye coordination and mental fortitude.
Mountain Biking (equipment provided, but feel free to bring your own) -- a test of endurance and speed.
Biathlon (equipment provided) -- a test of endurance, speed, hand-eye coordination, and mental fortitude.
Min-jigsaw puzzle (equipment provided) -- a test of mental abilities and hand speed.
Bowling (equipment provided) -- a test of power and accuracy

One event still to be named (see the possibilities in an earlier post).

Scoring based on your best 5 of 7 events. Heckling is anticipated.

Pre-registration is absolutely required. E-mail pg@crocker.com

Entry fee is a contribution for the pot-luck dinner.

Entry list so far (there is an as yet undetermined entry limit):

Boris
Alex
Ali
Ken Sr.
Ian
Ross
Caroline
William/Claire
Charlie/Rhonda
Giovanni
Katia
JJ/Nancy
PG/Gail

Can one feel free to bring one's own equipment for events other than Mountain Biking? (I'm thinking here of Bowling and Mini-golf.) And how come Giovanni and Katia didn't get a virgule?

For those with the common sense not to show up:-), one could post a You Tube video of highlights?

JJ -- Yes, you can bring your own gear. You can even bring your own jigsaw puzzle -- we won't use it, but you can use it to warm up.

Giovanni/Katia will get a virgule in the next version of the entry list. If I remember. Which is not at all sure.

Regarding the pole dancing event, we are working to get an official pole installed in the living room. My thinking is that the pole dancing will be a bonus event -- extra points for those that do it with sufficient style (note that style and skill are two different matters) to get a thumbs up from the crowd.

I'm not sure I'm willing to dress appropriately for serious crowd approval on the pole dancing.

Add Joe and Kat to the above list, with the latter (and maybe the former?) planning a demonstration on the pole.

So my other plans canceled - I'm coming! :) Although maybe not running the 3k (we'll see how the feet are doing).

Alex -- might be smart to bring the Crash-Pad shorts in case someone wants to try roller skiing for the first time...

Alex, bring two pair, I'm also hoping to try the pole dancing after I destroy your shorts while roller skiing :)

Yay! Glad you can come Sam, and I take it Ross, and Joe and Kat, woo!

Alex
Ali
Ken Sr.
Ian
Joe
Caroline
Boris/Kat
Ross/Sam
William/Claire
Charlie/Rhonda
Giovanni/Katia
JJ/Nancy
PG/Gail

To the extent that there is any roller skiing, it will only be a demonstration event and not part of the Superstars. I gather it is quite dangerous.

Missing: Neil, Becky, Sergei/Kseniya/Balter, Mike/Marie. Where are you?

Hmm, is there still potentially going to be axe throwing? What is more dangerous, roller-skiing or axe throwing?

Also missing- Brendan and SGB/Lori! And really anyone else who is up for fun+orienteering and can make it.

Rollerskiing is totally more dangerous! Very hard to hit yourself while axe-throwing.

Can I bring my own axe?

Neil is more than likely coming, just wants to sort out a couple of things before confirming.

Just watch the backswing with the axe. ...and who's got any scars to show from rollerskiing?

axe catching on the other hand might be pretty dicey.

Yeah, goalie is a tough position on the axe-throwing team.

Becky is really not sure as she was already in the lab before she made it home from Europe, and has a lab meeting and no data to present next week. She will have better decision making abilities after a good night's sleep.

Alex
Ali
Ken Sr.
Ian
Joe
Caroline
Balter
Neil?
Becky?
Kseniya/Sergey
Boris/Kat
Ross/Sam
William/Claire
Charlie/Rhonda
Giovanni/Katia
JJ/Nancy
PG/Gail

That's about all we have room for. I'll send out an e-mail tomorrow(?) with more info.

I can offer 3 rides from Somerville on Saturday morning and 2 sleeping places in my van if needed.

Neil'll be staying in New Haven on Friday night and no longer wishes to see a question mark after his name.

Would something like this be appropriate attire for the pole dancing or will less be more in terms of points...?

I'm pretty sure Pole dancing looks like this. What's the name of the Pole that Boris is bringing? I don't see Ed Kotowski's name on the list.

I am ill and so might not come after all - if anyone else is interested please feel free to bump me from the list!

I so wish we lived closer to Western Mass...maybe we should move???

Please don't move, Linda, ROC needs you ... :)

SGB and I both have commitments all day Saturday, unfortunately, but we're going to try to come up for the training on Sunday, if that's still ok!

I'd come if MoboGoGlobo! was an option...

Progress report --

The ski-O course has been designed, the equipment is ready, just the map still needs to be done.

The Mt Bike course is ready except for a short section of trail that needs improving.

The sprint jigsaw puzzle from the first Superstars has been located.

For the biathlon, the Stairclimber from the first Superstars has been tested and it still works. The equipment for the shooting part has been chosen and tested.

The golf course has been designed and construction is about to start.

The course for the compass throw (another of the original events) has been laid out (and for those planning to use their own equipment, it seems to work equally well with both northern and southern hemisphere compasses).

The bowling lanes have been reserved.

Arrangements have been made for installing the pole for the pole dancing. A couple of other bonus events are also being considered.

And, of course, the arena -- it will be superb. I believe we should have no trouble attaining the desired atmosphere -- semi-controlled chaos.

3 days to go. Still lots to do.

Alex
Kitty (Alex's mom)
Ali
Ken Sr.
Ian
Joe
Caroline
Balter
Neil
(Becky)
Kseniya/Sergey
Boris/Kat
Ross/Sam
William/Claire
Charlie/Rhonda
Giovanni/Katia
JJ/Nancy
PG/Gail
Lori/SGB (Sunday only)

As expected, there is some serious training going on in preparation for Saturday.

Joe may be the favorite among the guys, but hard to believe he can match up against Alex or Ali.

I expect extra points for the contribution for the pot-luck dinner!

Okay, definitely can't come on Saturday - might try and find my way on Sunday if there's any Zipcars. Have fun everyone!

Still missing a link to the live coverage...

Bummer you can't come Sat Becks, hope to see ya Sunday!

Not looking likely I'm afraid - Rob accidentally took my Zipcard and it didn't arrive in the post today! Will let you know though...

Cool that some of the original events (with original equipment, no less) will be repeated. I remember them vividly!

Some relics from the first Superstars:

One of the entry forms --



The event flyer --



The results. Whoa, seems like Peggy finished in the top 20!

After a more careful look at the results of the first Orienteering Superstars, it seems like, although all of the previous 20 participants are still alive, only two are showing up for version 2, JJ and yours truly. Was the first one such a traumatic experience?

On the other hand, 20 out of 20 still alive is not so bad.

Do the rest of the results feature bowling scores exclusively >100? Was this ten pin (aka boring bowling) or candlepin (aka real bowling)?

A short (5km) "sprint" event, part of the 1990 sprint series.

Whoa, a sprint series before the Sprint Series.

Was the first one such a traumatic experience?

I think the weather was better the first time ;-)

Walter is not coming to defend?

Sorry to be missing the fun, especially the axe throw.
Where are you guys posting 3km time trial results.
I ran my own time trial this morning, 10:28

It was tenpin bowling. Since there were several people participating from places where real bowling is unknown, we didn't want to give them too big a disadvantage, but the folks from the land of candlepins and duckpins still clobbered them at their own game.

In addition to me and Peter, I guess the referee from 1990 (Gail) will be present. Please tell me she won't be spraying us with a hose today, though!

First event of the weekend is in the record books, the 3K at the track. Cold (35F) and windy.

Ross 9:34
Sergei 10:15
Neil 10:19
Will 10:28
Ali 10:38
Sam 11:17
Joe 11:25
Greg 11:35
Giovanni 11:45
Alex 11:48
Katia 12:42
Ken 13:22
Kseniya 14:00
Charlie 14:02
Rhonda 15:39

So far an amazing afternoon, with the highlight being Boris and Kat winning the mass-start wife/partner/husband-carrying event. Video will be coming. No time for details now.

Sounds Awesome

I am delayed indefinitely working... will definitely watch any videos posted, while eating chocolate cake, I think that counts

OMG.. Thats seems like 20 years ago..Oh wait. The only event I still practice in minigolf. Let me know when you have the over-the-hill Superstars competition.

Results spreadsheet. Winners were Joe and Samantha, with Boris and Kat claiming the team prize.

Here's another link if the above one doesn't work.

Do I read this correctly that Ian did not compete in crutching?

Ian did compete, though unsuccessfully - as I recall, my time was 1:03. It turned out the optimal strategy was hopping on the "good" leg while carrying the crutches. My strategy combined legitimate crutching and hopping, but moving through the leaves with crutches was sluggish at best. I like to think that on a course of any distance (such that hopping would be impractical), my experience would be more useful. Boris and Ross are hopping pros.

Thanks for the not quite live coverage so far. Will there be more?

There will be. I have lots of video, but I have to sort through it. A preview video will come out sometime tonight.

Ok, the preview video is up on my facebook page! Will be posted to something else later. Never done this before, so I'm not sure how big it is or how long it will take to load. Enjoy!
Here

Just to show where everyone stands - results from a 3K test by National Teams in Norway this weekend: (Read more...)

Resultater 3 000 meter:.
Heat 1
Olav Lundanes - 8.57.1
Øystein Kvaal Østerbø - 8.59.9
Eskil Kinneberg - 9.02.8
Rasmus Djurhuus - 9.06.4
Gaute Hallan Steiwer - 9.11.1
Carl Waaler Kaas - 9.13.9
Baptiste Rollier - 9.19.0
Christian Bøen - 9.19.4
Vegard Danielsen - 9.20.9
Martin Hubmann - 9.25.0
Håkon Jarvis Westergård - 9.29.5
Martin Vister - 9.43.5
Anders Nordberg - 10.00.6
Helge Haugen - 10.03.4

Heat 2
Heidi Østlid Bagstevold - 10.44.4.
Mari Fasting - 10.44.9
Silje Ekroll Jahren - 10.54.5
Ida Marie Næss Bjørgul - 11.04.1
Elena Roos - 11.08.9
Runa Fremstad - 11.16.8
Siri Kollerud - 11.31.5
Therese Haare - 11.34.8
Linn Hokhol - 11.43.3
Anette Baklid - 12.12.9

Just to keep things on one thread, here are the results of Alex's UMass sprint, event 3 of Superstars weekend --

1. Boris 20:02
2. Ross 20:11
3. Giovanni 20:12
4. Sam 20:30
5. Neil 20:36
6. Joe 21:45
7. Ali 21:52
8. Sergei 22:02
9. Ian 22:18
10. Greg 22:46
11. Katia 23:07
12. Peter 23:35
13. Ed 26:12
14. Kseniya 27:04
15. Charlie 27:09
16. Lori 28:03
17. Ken 28:35
18. Caroline 44:55
DNF: Kitty (got cold)
DNF: SGB (chased geese around the pond instead)

And here's event 4, the Quabbin everyone-gets-their-own-customized-course O' --

1. SGB 38:48 (surprise winner?)
2. Giovanni 38:57 (leading at halfway)
3. Lori 44:10 (and Presto, on the sly)
4. Ed 45:17 (on the scene after this morning's emergency delivery of the sprint maps)
5. Ian 46:54 (outsprinted Ali)
6. Ali 46:55 (outsprinted by Ian!!!)
7. Greg 47:28 (first old guy)
8. Sam 48:35 (obviously resting on her Superstars laurels, barely made the top half)
9. Ken 48:51 (good result, but nowhere near his stunning display on the pole the night before)
10. Ross 49:38 (so what if he had the longest course)
11. Alex 49:51 (on the rebound from the Traverse trauma)
12. JJ 50:41 (another master of the pole the night before)
13. Katia 50:56 (clearly her course was too long and Giovanni's too short)
14. Joe 51:35 (superstar one day, chump the next)
15. Boris 52:00 (claims to have had an Oyvind Thom WOC '79 delay out on the course)
16. Neil 57:01 (missing a fair bit of blood from a face plant)
17. Sergei 58:03 (wasn't he faster before he got married?)
18. Caroline 59:35 (best of the Luis family!)

My course was totally fine!

Nice work, Sam!

Everyone who participated in the sprint on Sunday morning and took splits should upload them: http://attackpoint.org/racesplits.jsp/race_5975 Thanks! :)

The next installment is ready. I figured people would want to see as much as they could, so I pretty much tried to include all that I had. But that made the video quite long. So this video only covers the daytime events. These include the biathlon, mountain bike, ski-o, compass toss, golf, puzzle solving, plus the bonus activities of wife carrying, ax throwing and crutching. Evening activities and awards will come later. So it's 20 minutes, and it does take a bit to load, even though it's a lesser quality than the last one. You can find it here:
http://vimeo.com/17585406

Superstars Weekend - The Daytime events from Samantha Saeger on Vimeo.

Ross is nothing if not persistent.

You have to change the volume when he's in charge of the camera :)

Oh my god, the clip of Ross continually attempting to throw the axe is priceless. As was Will's reaction to it finally sticking!

I agree. I was laughing so hard when I watched it the first time that I almost started crying :) And the great thing is that he did it on his last throw that he had time for, as you all were coming out to tell us it was time to go bowling.

The patience behind the camera is as impressive as the doggedness throwing the axe.

What's the deal with Ian's hair? I guess his favorite HP character is Ron. :-)

I guess his favorite HP character is Ron.

Nope, wrong pop-culture reference. Well-documented elsewhere.

what does blond hair have to do with chain mail???

I dunno Ian, I think you're missing the miniskirt and kneehighs from that first wikipedia picture.

The boots are definitely the biggest opportunity for improvement, in my opinion. But it should be noted that he was wearing the chain mail shirt part of the time at the Superstars.

@ BUBO "Just to show where everyone stands - results from a 3K test by National Teams in Norway this weekend:"

The link doesn't work, but do you know what kind of conditions these guys were running this 3k in? Was it indoor or outside in the -20? The reason I'm wondering is that it seems relatively slow for World Champions' times.

runit>> Apparently they have re-designed the web-page in Norway, but I found the new link.

There is no mention of the conditions in the text - this was part of a weekend camp two weeks ago - but my guess is that the 3K was run indoors.
Some of the runners may have saved themselves for the chase start sprint that was still to come. In a comment Kvaal Österböe said that he was out of shape and others also mentioned that they didn´t expect too much.

I think some of the Swedish National Team runners ran around 8:40 in an off-season test one or two years ago.

I see, thank you.

CEPE)|(A, Norway men top brass is ~10% faster on track and additionally ~10% faster in orienteering vs. USA/Canada.

On girls side difference is not so big that is why Samantha, Sandra, and Ali are regular in A finals at WOCs.

Our sport is primerily cross-terrain running interspersted with navigation, indeed :)

I hope you are training hard. You have great potential!

Sergey, Antonio Perez, one of top Juniors from Spain, who came to Toronto and trained with me and Igor ran a 8:59 recently. He was 15th at this year's JWOC, lost 50 seconds to 1st. He is not by any means the fastest junior. That's why I'd expect at least Carl, Øystein and Olav to run closer to 8:15, as I'm sure Patrick for example has no problem doing.
I had some major problems after COC, but hopefully I can get it together and train hard this winter, thank you. We hope to see you and Masha at some meets in the spring.