Discussion: U.S. Team at WOC in Kiev
in: Orienteering; General
Aug 12, 2007 7:51 PM
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So far, four team members -- Eric Bone, Victoria Brautigam, and Hillary and Samantha Saeger -- and two supporters -- Greg Balter and I -- have arrived in Kiev for the World Orienteering Championships to take place next week. We are all staying at the Hotel Tourist, which is the WOC event center and is just across the Dnepr River from the center of Kiev. We are staying in style, with two people per room with en suite bath, maid service, reliable hot water, and clean towels every day. Eric and I are on the 22nd floor with a view to the east. Victoria and the Saegers are on the 11th floor and Greg is on the 13th. One set of elevators services only the odd floors, and another set services the even floors, so we've been using the stairs to visit our friends.
The Ukrainian Cup took place this past weekend. Eric and I arrived early enough to take part in Saturday's middle distance race in beautiful open forest on subtle negative terrain. Eric was cruising along well until late in the race, when he made a costly parallel error. We both appreciated the opportunity to orienteer right away after arriving in Ukraine.
Today was a sprint race in a semi-urban park. Greg, Hillary, and Samantha participated as well and Eric and I and many WOC participants from many countries. I don't know our team's results exept that Eric said he was afraid to look at them, not because he'd had a poor race but because he knew he was up against many excellent orienteers. It seemed that not many Western/Northern Europeans had arrived yet, but besides Ukrainians I met Canadians, Australians, Irish, and New Zealanders, and saw results listed for many runners from Eastern European countries.
The rest of the U.S. Team members will be arriving over the coming days, as well as more supporters.
The weather has been warmer and more humid than in Seattle, but not as warm and humid as New York and Boston often are.
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, which was a part of the USSR and which achieved its independence in 1991. I have traveled in modern Western Europe and in the ambivalently and slowly developing Middle East. To me, Kiev has a feel that is halfway between the two. It's a beautiful city with lots of beautiful pre-Soviet architecture along with newly-created public squares, fountains, and statuary. The streets are clean, business is thriving, and people are optimistic, after a very difficult post-Soviet transition.
It is great to have Greg, a native Ukrainian, as our guide and interpreter. He has enlisted Lyuda, a local who is somehow connected with the orienteering community, to serve as our driver. We had quite the experience finding our way to today's orienteering venue. Greg was in the front passenger seat with a Ukrainian version of Thomas Guide in his lap. First, to head west across the Dnepr, we had to make a U-turn, and somehow that took at least 5 minutes as true U-turns are not legal and going around the block is rarely possible due to the street layout. As we approached the park after about 5 miles of driving west, we failed to make a requisite soft right turn. We then took another 5 minutes to make another U-turn, and then needed to go all the way back to the river before a cloverleaf allowed us to turn west again and attempt once more to make the turn we desired.
At this moment Greg, Eric, Victoria and Samantha are in Victoria's room reviewing various local orienteering maps.
The Ukrainian Cup took place this past weekend. Eric and I arrived early enough to take part in Saturday's middle distance race in beautiful open forest on subtle negative terrain. Eric was cruising along well until late in the race, when he made a costly parallel error. We both appreciated the opportunity to orienteer right away after arriving in Ukraine.
Today was a sprint race in a semi-urban park. Greg, Hillary, and Samantha participated as well and Eric and I and many WOC participants from many countries. I don't know our team's results exept that Eric said he was afraid to look at them, not because he'd had a poor race but because he knew he was up against many excellent orienteers. It seemed that not many Western/Northern Europeans had arrived yet, but besides Ukrainians I met Canadians, Australians, Irish, and New Zealanders, and saw results listed for many runners from Eastern European countries.
The rest of the U.S. Team members will be arriving over the coming days, as well as more supporters.
The weather has been warmer and more humid than in Seattle, but not as warm and humid as New York and Boston often are.
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, which was a part of the USSR and which achieved its independence in 1991. I have traveled in modern Western Europe and in the ambivalently and slowly developing Middle East. To me, Kiev has a feel that is halfway between the two. It's a beautiful city with lots of beautiful pre-Soviet architecture along with newly-created public squares, fountains, and statuary. The streets are clean, business is thriving, and people are optimistic, after a very difficult post-Soviet transition.
It is great to have Greg, a native Ukrainian, as our guide and interpreter. He has enlisted Lyuda, a local who is somehow connected with the orienteering community, to serve as our driver. We had quite the experience finding our way to today's orienteering venue. Greg was in the front passenger seat with a Ukrainian version of Thomas Guide in his lap. First, to head west across the Dnepr, we had to make a U-turn, and somehow that took at least 5 minutes as true U-turns are not legal and going around the block is rarely possible due to the street layout. As we approached the park after about 5 miles of driving west, we failed to make a requisite soft right turn. We then took another 5 minutes to make another U-turn, and then needed to go all the way back to the river before a cloverleaf allowed us to turn west again and attempt once more to make the turn we desired.
At this moment Greg, Eric, Victoria and Samantha are in Victoria's room reviewing various local orienteering maps.
Aug 13, 2007 5:21 PM
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Glad to hear the team's arriving and doing some on site training :) I thought Clem was flying out Saturday, so should be there shortly to join the crew?
Aug 13, 2007 6:23 PM
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Great update—thanks Terry! Hope the remaining six team members make it safely.
Aug 13, 2007 9:23 PM
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We had our first O-training today on Bykovnya map, quite good sand dunes terrain, with low spots overgrown with stinging nettles and hidden logs - not much fun to cross - high areas are super runable - well mapped. Eddie has arrived and joined the rest of us for his first run in Kiev 3 hrs after he landed.
Watermelon sumption is on a rize - last 2 days we killed 3 of them and a southern honeydew, visiting Pam, Brent, John T. and Dan helped too. If this trend is going to continue it will cause a significant shortage of above mentioned melons in Ukraine and reintroduction of entry visas for US citizens to keep situation under control.
For details on training follow our training logs
Watermelon sumption is on a rize - last 2 days we killed 3 of them and a southern honeydew, visiting Pam, Brent, John T. and Dan helped too. If this trend is going to continue it will cause a significant shortage of above mentioned melons in Ukraine and reintroduction of entry visas for US citizens to keep situation under control.
For details on training follow our training logs
Aug 14, 2007 3:08 AM
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Links to the US Team member AP logs: http://www.wyattriley.com/Training/UsOTeamTraining...
Quick reference:
Quick reference:
- Women's Team: Samantha Saeger, Pavlina Brautigam, Viktoria Brautigam, Sandra Zurcher, and Hillary Saeger
- Men's Team: Boris Granovskiy, Eddie Bergeron, John Fredrickson, Eric Bone, Clem McGrath
Aug 14, 2007 6:15 AM
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This afternoon we are going to pick up Clem, Dasha, and Sandra from the airport. In the morning we are training on a map that is middle-distance relevant.
Through yesterday morning we were the only orienteers at breakfast. This morning when we arrived in the breakfast room we were directed to a back corner, which I immediately christened the orienteering ghetto. Eric and I were seated with Chavo, a member of the Hungarian team. We saw orienteers from South Africa and other countries. Greg had lengthy arguments with two different restaurant staff people about the breakfast menu, which is a fixed menu consisting of a cheese/ham plate and a smallish bowl of muesli. I hinted that Greg might request soy milk, since both he and I are lactose intolerant, but he shrugged, which I guess either means that it is hopeless or that they don't have soy milk in Ukraine. Or else that he prefers to feel bloated after breakfast, since he put cow's milk on his muesli anyway. I left the breakfast table early to use the internet, figuring that with the increasing number of orienteers staying at the hotel, internet access will become increasingly difficult.
Yesterday afternoon Eric and I went to the 5:00 p.m. liturgy at St. Vladimir's cathedral. Incense, chanting, about 10 different clergymen, and beautiful singing from two different choirs. No pews, because in Orthodoxy you don't sit down while worshiping. I bought an icon of St. Vladimir and his wife (or mother?) Olga for my Orthodox sister-in-law.
Through yesterday morning we were the only orienteers at breakfast. This morning when we arrived in the breakfast room we were directed to a back corner, which I immediately christened the orienteering ghetto. Eric and I were seated with Chavo, a member of the Hungarian team. We saw orienteers from South Africa and other countries. Greg had lengthy arguments with two different restaurant staff people about the breakfast menu, which is a fixed menu consisting of a cheese/ham plate and a smallish bowl of muesli. I hinted that Greg might request soy milk, since both he and I are lactose intolerant, but he shrugged, which I guess either means that it is hopeless or that they don't have soy milk in Ukraine. Or else that he prefers to feel bloated after breakfast, since he put cow's milk on his muesli anyway. I left the breakfast table early to use the internet, figuring that with the increasing number of orienteers staying at the hotel, internet access will become increasingly difficult.
Yesterday afternoon Eric and I went to the 5:00 p.m. liturgy at St. Vladimir's cathedral. Incense, chanting, about 10 different clergymen, and beautiful singing from two different choirs. No pews, because in Orthodoxy you don't sit down while worshiping. I bought an icon of St. Vladimir and his wife (or mother?) Olga for my Orthodox sister-in-law.
Aug 14, 2007 7:52 AM
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Looking at the results from the Ukraine Cup this past week-end, looks like both Hillary and Samantha had excellent sprint races, and Eric had a very good middle.
Women's sprint: http://orientsumy.narod.ru/prot2007/cu2007/SPLIT3....
Men's middle: http://orientsumy.narod.ru/prot2007/cu2007/SPLIT2....
All the results can be found on http://www.orienteering.org.ua/
Women's sprint: http://orientsumy.narod.ru/prot2007/cu2007/SPLIT3....
Men's middle: http://orientsumy.narod.ru/prot2007/cu2007/SPLIT2....
All the results can be found on http://www.orienteering.org.ua/
Aug 15, 2007 4:17 PM
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This is interesting...I tried clicking the link for the Womens Sprint results and my webblocker at work blocked it for "Illegal Drugs"...
What are you guys really doing over there??? ;o)
What are you guys really doing over there??? ;o)
Aug 15, 2007 4:36 PM
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I clicked for Womens Sprint and the results included Eric, Brent, Neil Dobbs, and Jon Torrance.
What are you guys really doing over there??? :)
Nice result Brent!
(Oh, I just found that both men and women results are on the same page :) )
For both men and women, last 4 legs took a total of about 1:50 - interesting design.
What are you guys really doing over there??? :)
Nice result Brent!
(Oh, I just found that both men and women results are on the same page :) )
For both men and women, last 4 legs took a total of about 1:50 - interesting design.
Aug 15, 2007 6:51 PM
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bubo:
I won´t be present in Ukraine as I was last year in Denmark, but I wish you all good luck in your WOC adventures. I think I´ve met most of you one way or another in the past year and it will be interesting to follow whatever there is of online coverage (?).
Aug 15, 2007 10:04 PM
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Training going pretty well. This morning we went to a long qual relevant area. It was very much like Fort Ancient near Cincinatti - very steep slippery slopes with the addition of chest high stinging nettles over about 30% of the entire map and huge piles of garbage everywhere. The gullies in particular are filled with all kinds of crap - broken glass, plastic bags, paper trash, construction materials. Its pretty awful. A fall would not be good. Did I mention the dogs? No one has been threatened yet, but we saw some mangy looking beasts in the area today - Clem says he saw a cross between a hyeina and the Hound of Baskervilles barking at him through a hole in a fence. Yeah, today's long terran was pretty bad.
The middle terrain we were in the past two days is very nice, except for the areas with stinging nettles. Much of it is spur and depression in nice open pine forest with not much garbage. Too bad I'm not running the middle :) The sprint training area yesterday was alot like the long - steep slipery slopes and ravines choked with garbage and broken glass. I passed two homless guys setting plastic grocery bags on fire (for cooking I guess). Otherwise having a good time and taking in the whole Kiev "experience." Walked around the city center today. Greg, Dasha and Terry have been absolutely invaluable helping with the language! We'd be in rough shape without them.
The other teams have been arriving and we've been hanging out with the Canucks a little. Most of them are staying at a hostel until WOC week and then will be moving into the same hotel where we are. We're planning to get some photos posted in the next day or so. No wireless unfortunately, but we can plug in for pay time in the internet room at the hotel (where I am now - at 1 AM local). Time for bed. Did I mention the garbage?
The middle terrain we were in the past two days is very nice, except for the areas with stinging nettles. Much of it is spur and depression in nice open pine forest with not much garbage. Too bad I'm not running the middle :) The sprint training area yesterday was alot like the long - steep slipery slopes and ravines choked with garbage and broken glass. I passed two homless guys setting plastic grocery bags on fire (for cooking I guess). Otherwise having a good time and taking in the whole Kiev "experience." Walked around the city center today. Greg, Dasha and Terry have been absolutely invaluable helping with the language! We'd be in rough shape without them.
The other teams have been arriving and we've been hanging out with the Canucks a little. Most of them are staying at a hostel until WOC week and then will be moving into the same hotel where we are. We're planning to get some photos posted in the next day or so. No wireless unfortunately, but we can plug in for pay time in the internet room at the hotel (where I am now - at 1 AM local). Time for bed. Did I mention the garbage?
Aug 16, 2007 3:20 AM
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Has anyone researched streaming video, audio, or real-time results opportunities?
Aug 16, 2007 3:47 AM
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I haven't seen any indication of anything. It's going to be hard to be a remote groupie.
Aug 16, 2007 5:21 AM
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Pavlina arrived last night, so all the women are here and we are just waiting for Boris and John. Eric is sick with a cold and is trying hard not to give it to anybody :-( The cold came on sometime last weekend.
I've been enjoying participating in the training opportunities. It's fun to orienteer, it gives me exercise each day, it shows me the local terrain, and it allows me to relate to the orienteering experiences of the team. Yesterday's fun was on more of a philosophical level. It was drizzling when we arrived at the map, and then as I was handed the map itself my heart sank: lots of steep, complex gullies, and, at 1:15,000 with no control descriptions printed on my copy of the map, hard to read. Since I'm slower than everyone else, I decided to skip controls 1-5, which Greg had said were in nasty vegetation. Long story short, I ended up skipping another 10 of the 17 total controls, visiting only two. Those controls (plus the two that I searched for and never found) were enough to give me at taste of the garbage/steep-sandy-reentrant challenge.
It was also enough to show me some of what Dasha called (I think) "dachas" -- small plots of land possessed and cultivated by city dwellers. The plots were surrounded by fences and gates made from branches. I felt like I was in a medieval fairy tale. The land in the plots was not well smoothed over, and was not well tended (probably, as Dasha said, because they are visited infrequently), which added to the medieval fairy tale feel -- it seemed that spirits could live amongst the mounds and depressions and cornstalks bending every which way.
Time for breakfast!
I've been enjoying participating in the training opportunities. It's fun to orienteer, it gives me exercise each day, it shows me the local terrain, and it allows me to relate to the orienteering experiences of the team. Yesterday's fun was on more of a philosophical level. It was drizzling when we arrived at the map, and then as I was handed the map itself my heart sank: lots of steep, complex gullies, and, at 1:15,000 with no control descriptions printed on my copy of the map, hard to read. Since I'm slower than everyone else, I decided to skip controls 1-5, which Greg had said were in nasty vegetation. Long story short, I ended up skipping another 10 of the 17 total controls, visiting only two. Those controls (plus the two that I searched for and never found) were enough to give me at taste of the garbage/steep-sandy-reentrant challenge.
It was also enough to show me some of what Dasha called (I think) "dachas" -- small plots of land possessed and cultivated by city dwellers. The plots were surrounded by fences and gates made from branches. I felt like I was in a medieval fairy tale. The land in the plots was not well smoothed over, and was not well tended (probably, as Dasha said, because they are visited infrequently), which added to the medieval fairy tale feel -- it seemed that spirits could live amongst the mounds and depressions and cornstalks bending every which way.
Time for breakfast!
Aug 16, 2007 8:59 AM
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bubo:
The 'alternativet group' from Sweden that helped with the WOC Online services last year in Denmark were approached then by organizers from Ukraine. I know some of us were interested to go again, but haven´t seen any indications yet if anything really came out of it... I guess we´ll have to wait and see.
Aug 16, 2007 1:50 PM
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Sounds like avoiding the ravines and putting Benadryl on your legs is a good stradegy. Probably gives the UKR a home court advantage.
S&H, sent you an email.
S&H, sent you an email.
Aug 16, 2007 5:31 PM
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Women
Long - Sandra, Pavlina, Sam
Middle - Pavlina, Viktoria, Hillary
Sprint - Sam, Hillary, Sandra
Men
Long - Eric, Eddie, Clem
Middle - Boris, John, Clem
Sprint - Boris, Eddie, John
The relay teams will be selected on-site after the quals (I believe).
Long - Sandra, Pavlina, Sam
Middle - Pavlina, Viktoria, Hillary
Sprint - Sam, Hillary, Sandra
Men
Long - Eric, Eddie, Clem
Middle - Boris, John, Clem
Sprint - Boris, Eddie, John
The relay teams will be selected on-site after the quals (I believe).
Aug 17, 2007 5:39 AM
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Upon survey of the sparse information-release background in Kiev, some of us pooled up funds for some SIM cards and a GPRS subscription. We'll try to have near-real-time text-based result updates; keyword is "try". This will most likely not be in place for the Saturday race, but hopefully from there on. As soon as the details are ready, I'll post a link. Again, this is not guaranteed, and is based on our hopes of understanding the technical limits of this particular environment, and at least some organizer goodwill.
Aug 17, 2007 11:09 AM
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2pm Kiev time. Just returned from a model event for long, sprint qual, and relay. All team members attended except Eric, who had a non-technical training day planned. The mood of the team has a certain ... joviality ... that it did not have before Boris and John arrived last night. Example:
Boris (while changing out of O clothes): "I need some new underwear. The ones I have don't stay on."
Viktoria: "The problem is not with the underwear."
Coach Tom Hollowell is arriving this evening, and the sprint qualifier will be tomorrow morning. This afternoon those of us on the 11th and 13th floors are moving to the 22nd floor so that Team USA can all be together.
Weather has been consistently warm and a little humid, alternately sunny and cloudy. Today has been a sunny day. Eric says 10%-20% chance of rain in the coming days. During the past week we had 2 or 3 thunderstorms and one drizzly morning.
Eric is almost recovered from his cold.
Boris (while changing out of O clothes): "I need some new underwear. The ones I have don't stay on."
Viktoria: "The problem is not with the underwear."
Coach Tom Hollowell is arriving this evening, and the sprint qualifier will be tomorrow morning. This afternoon those of us on the 11th and 13th floors are moving to the 22nd floor so that Team USA can all be together.
Weather has been consistently warm and a little humid, alternately sunny and cloudy. Today has been a sunny day. Eric says 10%-20% chance of rain in the coming days. During the past week we had 2 or 3 thunderstorms and one drizzly morning.
Eric is almost recovered from his cold.
Aug 17, 2007 11:25 AM
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Given Hoggster's announcement, I don't think I'll be too concerned anymore about trying to send the results up through GPRS, but I'll plan on having connectivity just in case.
Aug 17, 2007 6:46 PM
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Start times for Team USA at tomorrow's sprint qualifier (this is Kiev time and which, I think, is 7 hours ahead of EDT):
John Frederickson 15:10
Boris Granovskiy 15:18
Eddie Bergeron 15:37
Sandra Zurcher 15:54
Hillary Saeger 16:02
Samantha Saeger 16:10
John Frederickson 15:10
Boris Granovskiy 15:18
Eddie Bergeron 15:37
Sandra Zurcher 15:54
Hillary Saeger 16:02
Samantha Saeger 16:10
Aug 17, 2007 7:11 PM
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Aug 17, 2007 7:32 PM
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Tuesday's middle distance training, plus a few Kiev sights:
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3322351
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3322351
Aug 17, 2007 7:52 PM
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With Eric not running the relay this year, who will take out our Canadian competition?
Aug 17, 2007 7:55 PM
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Who says Eric (Eric Bone) isn't running the relay? I suspect he will be, but we haven't set the relay roster yet. I believe Eric is interested though.
Aug 17, 2007 8:41 PM
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Thanks Terry and Team members for keeping us informed. It's really fun to read the details in close to real time. Kiev looks absolutely beautiful! (Perhaps a picture or two of the garbage would change my mind, though.)
Looking forward to the competitions. Good luck everyone!
Looking forward to the competitions. Good luck everyone!
Aug 17, 2007 8:45 PM
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bubo:
Eric´s special heads-on knock-out skills can be used exclusively in Sprint qualifiers - as was demonstrated in Denmark last year. That should be a sure way to take out any nationality...
Aug 17, 2007 8:48 PM
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Eric's been practicing his head-on knock-out skills this summer. There are photos out there from the result of his takedown of a tree in Spokane.
UPDATE: I found some photos
These are post-race. I took some of him during the race, but they are probably still on Rex's camera somewhere.
UPDATE: I found some photos
These are post-race. I took some of him during the race, but they are probably still on Rex's camera somewhere.
Aug 17, 2007 8:59 PM
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some pics and notes from the past week here in Ukraine (even some of US team members)...
http://dl1.yukoncollege.yk.ca/brent/newsItems/view...
http://dl1.yukoncollege.yk.ca/brent/newsItems/view...
Aug 18, 2007 10:02 AM
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Another gallery of photos taken this morning. Mostly shots of our hotel and Kiev, with a couple shots of team members.
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3325306
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3325306
Aug 18, 2007 1:39 PM
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Big congrats to Sandra! Way to go!
By my count, it's 5-1 USA vs Canada today; we'll certainly try our best to turn the tides tomorrow in the long....
By my count, it's 5-1 USA vs Canada today; we'll certainly try our best to turn the tides tomorrow in the long....
Aug 18, 2007 2:18 PM
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Thanks for posting pictures guys! they are great, and with captions and everything!!
Go Northern Alliance! as the voice of the forest would say.
Go Northern Alliance! as the voice of the forest would say.
Aug 18, 2007 2:41 PM
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More detailed account to come shortly. The Sprint Qualifier just finished, and Congrats to Sandra, qualifying for the Final! Pam barely missed in 17th.
Selected results:
Women's A
1 Ingunn Hultgreen Weltzie Norway 00:11:56
2 Sara Gemperle Switzerland 00:12:31
3 Anne Konring Olesen Denmark 00:12:47
4 Pippa Whitehouse Great Britain 00:12:48
-----
15 Zanda Abzalone Latvia 00:14:08
...
17 Pam James Canada 00:14:32
19 Hillary Saeger USA 00:14:49
Women's B
1 Heli Jukkola Finland 00:11:52
2 Helena Jansson Sweden 00:11:58
3 Hanny Allston Australia / World Ch 00:12:25
...
15 Sandra Zurcher USA 00:14:27
25 Heather Smith Canada 00:18:31
Women C
1 Simone Niggli Switzerland 00:11:34
2 Lena Eliasson Sweden 00:11:46
3 Marianne Andersen Norway 00:11:53
...
15 Tania Zhuravleva Belarus 00:14:12
...
22 Samantha Saeger USA 00:15:30
25 Victoria Smith Canada 00:16:12
Selected results:
Women's A
1 Ingunn Hultgreen Weltzie Norway 00:11:56
2 Sara Gemperle Switzerland 00:12:31
3 Anne Konring Olesen Denmark 00:12:47
4 Pippa Whitehouse Great Britain 00:12:48
-----
15 Zanda Abzalone Latvia 00:14:08
...
17 Pam James Canada 00:14:32
19 Hillary Saeger USA 00:14:49
Women's B
1 Heli Jukkola Finland 00:11:52
2 Helena Jansson Sweden 00:11:58
3 Hanny Allston Australia / World Ch 00:12:25
...
15 Sandra Zurcher USA 00:14:27
25 Heather Smith Canada 00:18:31
Women C
1 Simone Niggli Switzerland 00:11:34
2 Lena Eliasson Sweden 00:11:46
3 Marianne Andersen Norway 00:11:53
...
15 Tania Zhuravleva Belarus 00:14:12
...
22 Samantha Saeger USA 00:15:30
25 Victoria Smith Canada 00:16:12
Aug 18, 2007 2:44 PM
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On the Men's side:
Men A:
Name, Surname Team Result Start
1 Peter oberg Sweden 00:12:53
2 Mats Haldin Finland 00:12:57
3 Mikhail Mamleev Italy 00:13:09
...
15 Kiril Nikolov Bulgaria 00:14:00
....
23 Boris Granovskiy USA 00:15:05
25 Mike Smith Canada 00:15:09
Men B
1 Yurii Omelchenko Ukraine 00:13:02
2 Matthias Merz Switzerland 00:13:02
3 Anders Nordberg Norway 00:13:12
...
15 Ross Morrison New Zealand 00:14:00
...
25 Eddie Bergeron USA 00:15:06
27 Jon Torrance Canada 00:15:25
Men C
1 Thierry Gueorgiou France 00:12:15
2 Martin Johansson Sweden 00:12:38
3 Daniel Hubmann Switzerland 00:12:43
...
15 Raul Martin Spain 00:13:50
...
32 John Fredrickson USA 00:15:40
33 Brent Langbakk Canada 00:16:07
Men A:
Name, Surname Team Result Start
1 Peter oberg Sweden 00:12:53
2 Mats Haldin Finland 00:12:57
3 Mikhail Mamleev Italy 00:13:09
...
15 Kiril Nikolov Bulgaria 00:14:00
....
23 Boris Granovskiy USA 00:15:05
25 Mike Smith Canada 00:15:09
Men B
1 Yurii Omelchenko Ukraine 00:13:02
2 Matthias Merz Switzerland 00:13:02
3 Anders Nordberg Norway 00:13:12
...
15 Ross Morrison New Zealand 00:14:00
...
25 Eddie Bergeron USA 00:15:06
27 Jon Torrance Canada 00:15:25
Men C
1 Thierry Gueorgiou France 00:12:15
2 Martin Johansson Sweden 00:12:38
3 Daniel Hubmann Switzerland 00:12:43
...
15 Raul Martin Spain 00:13:50
...
32 John Fredrickson USA 00:15:40
33 Brent Langbakk Canada 00:16:07
Aug 18, 2007 3:13 PM
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Photos from the sprint qualifier, mostly of Sandra after it was announced that she had qualified:
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3325945
http://terry-farrah.smugmug.com/gallery/3325945
Aug 18, 2007 3:17 PM
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The atmosphere at the sprint qualifier was quite exciting. The event was held in the city park in the middle of the afternoon, with many Ukrainian folks strolling though the competition arena and park trails. It was sunny and hot, but not humid.
The official transportation to the arena were a bit disorganized, with the 4 assigned meetings times at the hotel Tourist, from where a ?guide? is to lead the group though a metro ride to pick up a bus. Think New York City metro, albeit speaking Ukrainian, with a transfer of trains. Once at the final metro destination, the buses appeared to be running later than advertised with most of the competitors wishfully staring at a bas departing to Odessa, and looking at their watches. Luckily, John F and Boris, who were starting the earliest, managed to take the first bus, and made it on time. The rest of the crowd barely entered the quarantine area at the deadline. But all is well that ends well.
The maps will be released later at the officials meeting tonight, and we will try to post them soon thereafter. The terrain was mostly wooded, with not much park running, although, perhaps, not overly technical. There was a lot of excitement from the cheering (mostly Ukrainian) fans, and a great international atmosphere at the arena, with the English-speaking announcer and intermittent updates in Russian on the status of the Ukrainian runners. We hope to have more accounts and photos tonight.
The official transportation to the arena were a bit disorganized, with the 4 assigned meetings times at the hotel Tourist, from where a ?guide? is to lead the group though a metro ride to pick up a bus. Think New York City metro, albeit speaking Ukrainian, with a transfer of trains. Once at the final metro destination, the buses appeared to be running later than advertised with most of the competitors wishfully staring at a bas departing to Odessa, and looking at their watches. Luckily, John F and Boris, who were starting the earliest, managed to take the first bus, and made it on time. The rest of the crowd barely entered the quarantine area at the deadline. But all is well that ends well.
The maps will be released later at the officials meeting tonight, and we will try to post them soon thereafter. The terrain was mostly wooded, with not much park running, although, perhaps, not overly technical. There was a lot of excitement from the cheering (mostly Ukrainian) fans, and a great international atmosphere at the arena, with the English-speaking announcer and intermittent updates in Russian on the status of the Ukrainian runners. We hope to have more accounts and photos tonight.
Aug 18, 2007 3:24 PM
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Snippets of what I heard after the sprint qualifier:
Hillary and Sam both had the speed, but both made mistakes.
Eddie had a clean run and was happy with it.
Boris said the course was technically easy, and he is stronger at technically difficult sprints.
Hillary and Sam both had the speed, but both made mistakes.
Eddie had a clean run and was happy with it.
Boris said the course was technically easy, and he is stronger at technically difficult sprints.
Aug 18, 2007 4:18 PM
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As to be expected the US team "media officials" absolutely rock! great updates! thanks for the news.... good to get a feel for what's going on over there!
Aug 18, 2007 7:28 PM
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Tomorrow looks to be another hot sunny day for the qualification races: the long qualification. For better or for worse, the starts will be much earlier than yesterday--beginning at 9:30am: great in terms of temperature, but concerning for transportation.
We will be taking the official transport to the event Arena, which is a similar procedure to the one used today. The earliest runners will be meeting the "guide" at 7:00am at the hotel, will take the metro with a transfer to outside the city limits, will then take a bus (perhaps, the weak link in the plan) to the start, at which point a third transfer to a minibus should take place. Several teams brought up the issue of transportation at the officials' meeting today, and we are hopeful, although not optimistic, that the situation will be improved tomorrow.
Course stats:Courses 5.8 km, 220 m climb for the women and 8.9 km, 360 m climb respectively.
Team USA startlist:
Men:
9:43 Eddie Bergeron
9:57 Clem McGrath
10:33 Eric Bone
Women:
9:44 Viktoria Brautigam
10:02 Samantha Saeger
10:10 Sandra Zürcher
Team Canada startlist:
Men:
9:37 Nick Duca
10:17 Brent Langbakk
10:29 Wil Smith
Women:
9:34 Pam James
9:56 Sarah Brandreth
10:16 Heather Smith
We will be taking the official transport to the event Arena, which is a similar procedure to the one used today. The earliest runners will be meeting the "guide" at 7:00am at the hotel, will take the metro with a transfer to outside the city limits, will then take a bus (perhaps, the weak link in the plan) to the start, at which point a third transfer to a minibus should take place. Several teams brought up the issue of transportation at the officials' meeting today, and we are hopeful, although not optimistic, that the situation will be improved tomorrow.
Course stats:Courses 5.8 km, 220 m climb for the women and 8.9 km, 360 m climb respectively.
Team USA startlist:
Men:
9:43 Eddie Bergeron
9:57 Clem McGrath
10:33 Eric Bone
Women:
9:44 Viktoria Brautigam
10:02 Samantha Saeger
10:10 Sandra Zürcher
Team Canada startlist:
Men:
9:37 Nick Duca
10:17 Brent Langbakk
10:29 Wil Smith
Women:
9:34 Pam James
9:56 Sarah Brandreth
10:16 Heather Smith
Aug 18, 2007 8:34 PM
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Some more of Dasha's pics, including a few from today's Sprint qualifier.
Aug 18, 2007 8:40 PM
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I'm with Ross - great coverage beyond the numbers :) For reference, links to the official results/"live-coverage": http://woc2007.org.ua/live/results-online.html
Aug 18, 2007 8:45 PM
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Aug 18, 2007 10:12 PM
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http://2007.woc2006.dk/photo18/index.files/p000017...
I can at least identify Greg on this one from the organizers.
I can at least identify Greg on this one from the organizers.
Aug 18, 2007 10:33 PM
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Viktoria's running the long? I thought Pavlina was running it? Was there a swappy-doo?
Aug 18, 2007 10:47 PM
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BTW, great pictures Dasha, keep 'em coming! I almost feel like I'm there (especially with the dog shots).
Aug 19, 2007 4:33 AM
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No WOC is complete without a transport snafu at some stage - looks like this one is no exception.
Aug 19, 2007 8:40 AM
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No WOC is complete without a web site snafu at some stage - looks like this one is no exception.
Most of the time I am just getting a blank page with the /live/ url in the address line. Occasionally I can get through to the live results, but it comes up with Middle qual instead of Long, and a 404 error message.
Most of the time I am just getting a blank page with the /live/ url in the address line. Occasionally I can get through to the live results, but it comes up with Middle qual instead of Long, and a 404 error message.
Aug 19, 2007 8:42 AM
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they moved online results here http://moscompass.ru/news/ol/
GO MISHA!!
GO MISHA!!
Aug 19, 2007 8:55 AM
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Sandra and Sam both in 16th! so close. and Marc is a beast ! Usa v Can is 4-2 on this day. looks like some good racing going down!
so incredibly jealous of anyone getting to watch this live. watching from my rolly chair sucks.
so incredibly jealous of anyone getting to watch this live. watching from my rolly chair sucks.
Aug 19, 2007 8:59 AM
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PG:
Missing by 7 seconds and 10 seconds.... if Sam had been in either of the other heats she would have been in easily.
Aug 19, 2007 9:06 AM
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Sandra had a great split to the second radio control too! such very fast women.
Aug 19, 2007 9:21 AM
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PG:
I can't imagine how pissed/disappointed they must be to come so close. But they still did really well and hopefully know that.
Looks like Eric had a fine run, not far behind, just tough competition.
Looks like Eric had a fine run, not far behind, just tough competition.
Aug 19, 2007 1:37 PM
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Well done everyone (US and Canada)! So many 'new' countries in the mix - the competition is tough. Sam and Sandra were so close, but were in pretty good company in missing out ... Liisa Anttila for example! Fun to see an Israeli guy in 7th ...
Aug 19, 2007 1:45 PM
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Nick:
the Israeli guy, learned something from last year , when he end up 3 (yes 3 ) times in 16th-and first non-qualifying place
Aug 19, 2007 1:56 PM
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Yes, Viktoria took over the long slot from Pavi. They are both running the middle tomorrow, and are out on the middle model map at this very moment. Weather was cooler today. The map was a mix between midwest/Ohio/ Ft. Ancient type stuff and a west coast map like Joe Grant. Mixed open areas and forest, with some thorns. Plenty of climb. A very strange course - very hard to get a flow. Not too much trash though, and no dogs. The area was rather different from the long distance traning areas we had seen, except for the steep reentrants. Brent and Wil had excellent races for the CAN men. Eric, Sam and Sandra did great for the US. I made lots of mistakes and my legs are now completely shot. Lacked confidence and second-guessed alot of my navigation.
Aug 19, 2007 2:04 PM
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Hi guys!
Thanks to all of you watching and supporting. I am super excited about making the A-final in the sprint and disappointed to miss in the long. I thought it would be the other way around. In the sprint, I ran a consistent, normal race, nothing out of my socks, but no mistakes to complain about (about 20 seconds on one control). My race from today was not good. I made a fairly large mistake on the 2nd control (maybe 3-4 minutes) and never got into a "normal" level of confidence or navigational flow. I knew it was a tough race and that I shouldn't give up, but I didn't think it would be that close. The result from today is frustrating but also encouraging, if I can run normally, it should be in the bag. Next time.
Thanks to all of you watching and supporting. I am super excited about making the A-final in the sprint and disappointed to miss in the long. I thought it would be the other way around. In the sprint, I ran a consistent, normal race, nothing out of my socks, but no mistakes to complain about (about 20 seconds on one control). My race from today was not good. I made a fairly large mistake on the 2nd control (maybe 3-4 minutes) and never got into a "normal" level of confidence or navigational flow. I knew it was a tough race and that I shouldn't give up, but I didn't think it would be that close. The result from today is frustrating but also encouraging, if I can run normally, it should be in the bag. Next time.
Aug 19, 2007 6:55 PM
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Tomorrow is the Middle Qualifier. Running for Team USA are:
Men: John, Boris and Clem
Women: Hillary, Victoria and Pavlina
Men: John, Boris and Clem
Women: Hillary, Victoria and Pavlina
Aug 19, 2007 8:23 PM
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PG: Looks like Eric had a fine run, not far behind, just tough competition.
Thanks. It was a pretty good run as WOC runs go. I did have several mistakes, including about 3 x 1-minute, which makes it a bittersweet run, because of the haunting what-ifs and if-onlys that followed. Still, it's nice to know that I have the legs to qualify...if I had more brains, or something like that.
I got off to my usual slowish start, and I decided with some uncertainty to take the long left route on the dirt road/trail, so that I could get a look at the next few legs. All things considered, I think this was a good strategy for me, although it probably contributed to me seeing runners who started behind me catching up quite early in the course, which is somewhat unnerving.
Between controls 6 and 7 (about 1/3 of the way through the course), I saw Leif Bader (Germany) and Rene Rokkjar (Denmark), who started two and four minutes behind me. I diverged and converged with them a few times up to control 13, where they were at least 10 seconds ahead going into the forest. I lost around a minute, between losing my compass during an uncontrolled slide down a hill and missing the control significantly too low (due to having no clue where I was attacking from). I saw Rokkjar coming out of the control as I was climing into it. I made a poor route choice on the next leg and saw the Danish and German runners next when I was going into 14 and they were on their way to 16. I decided their road route looked good, so I dog-legged 15 and blasted right back down the hill to the road...then I took the wrong fork in the road and had to go back, losing about a minute.
After last Wednesday's technically and physically challenging practice course, I thought I might have a lot of trouble keeping my speed up during the long qualification race, but I found it to be mostly pretty runnable, with a bit of determination.
Thanks. It was a pretty good run as WOC runs go. I did have several mistakes, including about 3 x 1-minute, which makes it a bittersweet run, because of the haunting what-ifs and if-onlys that followed. Still, it's nice to know that I have the legs to qualify...if I had more brains, or something like that.
I got off to my usual slowish start, and I decided with some uncertainty to take the long left route on the dirt road/trail, so that I could get a look at the next few legs. All things considered, I think this was a good strategy for me, although it probably contributed to me seeing runners who started behind me catching up quite early in the course, which is somewhat unnerving.
Between controls 6 and 7 (about 1/3 of the way through the course), I saw Leif Bader (Germany) and Rene Rokkjar (Denmark), who started two and four minutes behind me. I diverged and converged with them a few times up to control 13, where they were at least 10 seconds ahead going into the forest. I lost around a minute, between losing my compass during an uncontrolled slide down a hill and missing the control significantly too low (due to having no clue where I was attacking from). I saw Rokkjar coming out of the control as I was climing into it. I made a poor route choice on the next leg and saw the Danish and German runners next when I was going into 14 and they were on their way to 16. I decided their road route looked good, so I dog-legged 15 and blasted right back down the hill to the road...then I took the wrong fork in the road and had to go back, losing about a minute.
After last Wednesday's technically and physically challenging practice course, I thought I might have a lot of trouble keeping my speed up during the long qualification race, but I found it to be mostly pretty runnable, with a bit of determination.
Aug 19, 2007 8:30 PM
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New pics from Dasha of the Sprint and Long qualifier:
Sprint Qualifier
Long Qualifier
For completeness, here are everyone's other photo sets so far:
Terry's Middle Training & Kiev
Terry's Kiev, Hotel, Etc.
Terry's Sprint Qualifier Photos
Eddie's Sprint Qualifier Photos
Dasha's other Sprint Model and Qualifier Photos
WOC Organizer's official photos
Sprint Qualifier
Long Qualifier
For completeness, here are everyone's other photo sets so far:
Terry's Middle Training & Kiev
Terry's Kiev, Hotel, Etc.
Terry's Sprint Qualifier Photos
Eddie's Sprint Qualifier Photos
Dasha's other Sprint Model and Qualifier Photos
WOC Organizer's official photos
Aug 19, 2007 9:30 PM
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Go USA! Great to see the updates, Good luck with the rest and have a safe & enjoyable trip back home.
Aug 20, 2007 1:40 AM
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Way to go you guys! Looking at your splits we can see how well you are doing and just having those (annoying and frustrating) 1min (+/-, depending on event) mistakes, that if lessened to half means finals!! Good luck tomorrow!!
Aug 20, 2007 4:15 AM
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Boris in the starting gate with a Canadian again. Should be an exciting race to see who makes it back to the finish first... Boris or Wil. Bets anyone??
also wondering how much caffeine I will need to be able to sacrifice sleep yet another night in order to watch the races and also make it to work on time.
also wondering how much caffeine I will need to be able to sacrifice sleep yet another night in order to watch the races and also make it to work on time.
Aug 20, 2007 8:33 AM
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I can't get an updated live results for some reason... if somebody else can, could you copy and paste the top 15's here?
Aug 20, 2007 11:49 AM
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Just discovered HTML results & splits:
http://woc2007.org.ua/files/middle-q-res.htm
http://woc2007.org.ua/files/split-middle.htm
http://woc2007.org.ua/files/middle-q-res.htm
http://woc2007.org.ua/files/split-middle.htm
Aug 20, 2007 2:51 PM
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Just back at the hotel from the middle qualifier. We are excited for Pam's qualfying, and of course disappointed that no US runners qualfied. The terrain was similar topographically to the training maps, but with more undergrowth. We non-competitors got to run on the same map in the afternoon. I enjoyed it a lot and the elephant tracks made getting through the vegetation not too tough. But it was a long day, as we had arrived at the event site around 9am to spectate, and didn't get back to our hotel until 5:30. It was a hot day to be sitting outside during the 3 hour wait between the WOC qualifer and the public competitions.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is a rest day, with the WOC opening ceremony in the city center in the afternoon. We are talking about going out and doing something fun this evening, then visting the Caves Monastery tomorrow. This is one of Kiev's top tourist attractions but until last night we thought it might have been embargoed, since it is very near the sprint final map.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is a rest day, with the WOC opening ceremony in the city center in the afternoon. We are talking about going out and doing something fun this evening, then visting the Caves Monastery tomorrow. This is one of Kiev's top tourist attractions but until last night we thought it might have been embargoed, since it is very near the sprint final map.
Aug 20, 2007 4:28 PM
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Third race in 3 days too! Congratulations to Sandra too. Guess the women showed the men how to do it!
Aug 20, 2007 10:53 PM
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New pics from today's Middle Qualifier, including shots of Pamtastic herself! Dasha got some great candid shots at the start (quarantine Zone) that really capture the atmosphere and the athelete's moods before an important WOC race:
Eddie's Middle Qualifier Photos
Dasha's Middle Qualifier Photos
Eddie's Middle Qualifier Photos
Dasha's Middle Qualifier Photos
Aug 21, 2007 2:41 AM
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Can someone over there in Kiev explain this? (Inquiring Toms want to know.)
http://www.catchingfeatures.com/eddie/woc07/eddie2...
http://www.catchingfeatures.com/eddie/woc07/eddie2...
Aug 22, 2007 2:50 PM
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Looks like Pam took 41st in the World Middle today http://woc2007.org.ua/live/index.html
And what's up with TG? In every qualifier AND the Middle today, he not only won, but he won by a large margin. Almost unheard of in the Men's field today. Did he train like a maniac because he didn't win the Middle last year?
BTW - I definitely liked Dasha's candid pre-race shots. Go US Media Rep. :)
And what's up with TG? In every qualifier AND the Middle today, he not only won, but he won by a large margin. Almost unheard of in the Men's field today. Did he train like a maniac because he didn't win the Middle last year?
BTW - I definitely liked Dasha's candid pre-race shots. Go US Media Rep. :)
Aug 22, 2007 3:08 PM
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bubo:
I suppose he has been training like a maniac. Right after last year´s disappointing WOC results he 'made a vow' to take back the throne already at the World Cup Finals (in France in October).
He then trained like a maniac with that specific goal in mind and put in hundreds of hours on relevant maps and in relevant terrain, since that´s the way he always does it. And I suppose he´s been at it ever since...
Thierry now has 14 straight victories in WRE´s since last fall - so obviously he´s doing something right - and his training is definitely part of the secret (or the whole secret, which isn´t really a secret but rather a case of true dedication).
He then trained like a maniac with that specific goal in mind and put in hundreds of hours on relevant maps and in relevant terrain, since that´s the way he always does it. And I suppose he´s been at it ever since...
Thierry now has 14 straight victories in WRE´s since last fall - so obviously he´s doing something right - and his training is definitely part of the secret (or the whole secret, which isn´t really a secret but rather a case of true dedication).
Aug 22, 2007 4:56 PM
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Wow, the terrain (based on the maps) was really different between Long Qual and Middle Qual. From the USA perspective, I feel that Long looked similar to Ohio terrain while Middle was much more like the moraine terrain of the US Team Trials in Michigan. And certainly both Ohio and Michigan can have visibility problems as well.
Aug 22, 2007 5:02 PM
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The B finals went the way of the dinosaur a long time ago (2001?) If you don't qualify, you just sit here and wait for the Relay.
Yes, the Long Qual was Pig terrain down to the honeysuckle and thorns—an uncanny resemblance. The Middle terrain was subtler than Michigan, and with less visibility; note the 2.5 m contours. It was more like Yukon.
Yes, the Long Qual was Pig terrain down to the honeysuckle and thorns—an uncanny resemblance. The Middle terrain was subtler than Michigan, and with less visibility; note the 2.5 m contours. It was more like Yukon.
Aug 22, 2007 5:03 PM
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Coach Tom announced the Relay teams for USA yesterday, and Coach Ted did so for Canada. Not sure if either is public, so someone should comment directly.
Aug 22, 2007 5:35 PM
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Yeah I was going to post the Canadian info, but am not sure if they want the names or running order out there yet. Someone on the team can do it if they want. I noticed for the qualification races the organizers do not publish who is in what heat - I assume to cut down on potential following. Sounds good to me - has that been standard practice for awhile?
Aug 22, 2007 7:29 PM
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Correct. For the qualifiers, start lists with the "which heat" info were released at the time of the first start, while the runners were in quarantine at the start area.
Aug 22, 2007 11:03 PM
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B finals at WOC actually disappeared much longer ago than that - the last long distance one was in 1989 and the last short/middle one in 1993.
Aug 23, 2007 10:25 AM
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bubo:
---released at the time of the first start...
From what I read out of the startlists the runners on the same course had the same number series 101-140, 201-240 etc. So if you saw a runner out there you should be able to tell from his/her number if following was an alternative... (this made it a lot easier för the speakers and the public, but maybe the runners didn't know that for sure).
From what I read out of the startlists the runners on the same course had the same number series 101-140, 201-240 etc. So if you saw a runner out there you should be able to tell from his/her number if following was an alternative... (this made it a lot easier för the speakers and the public, but maybe the runners didn't know that for sure).
Aug 23, 2007 11:19 AM
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Way to go Pam!!
To the mystery relay teams - BEST OF LUCK!! Go TEAMS USA: GO TEAMS CANADA!!
To the mystery relay teams - BEST OF LUCK!! Go TEAMS USA: GO TEAMS CANADA!!
Aug 23, 2007 11:31 AM
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PG:
US team for the relay will be Sandra, Samantha, and Pavlina for the women and Eric, Boris, and Eddie for the men. I don't know if the order has been set yet.
Aug 23, 2007 1:28 PM
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Relay order will be:
Men Eric, Boris, Eddie
Women Samantha, Sandra, Pavlina
Team goals are to finish higher than last year, and of course....ahead of the Canadians :-)
Men Eric, Boris, Eddie
Women Samantha, Sandra, Pavlina
Team goals are to finish higher than last year, and of course....ahead of the Canadians :-)
Aug 23, 2007 1:34 PM
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Hey guys. The organizer's official transportation went from teetering on disaster to full collapse yesterday after the middle distance WOC tour races (the public races going along with WOC, that team officials, guests and atheletes are running in lieu of B finals). WOC tour starts have been very late in the VERY hot and humid afternoon. There was near riot at the tour start yesterday as they tried to insert non-finals WOC atheletes into the existing startlist. Anyways, at about 5:30 PM approximately 175 people (we counted) were waiting for the official busses to take us back into town. Several team leaders were also there (including Tom) and after 45 mins of waiting they finally managed to scrounge up a car to get them to the meeting just in time. The rest of us waited. And waited. We called the transportation cheif but he didn't answer his phone. Still no bus. Finally one of the smaller official busses arrived and maybe 60-70 people crammed onto it like sardines. Still over 100 of us standing now on a major highway waiting. The Team leaders informed the WOC director when they arrived at the meeting and he showed up at the stop, argued with the one helpful official as all the other organizers drove away in their personal cars. It was about 7:30 PM now - 2 hours waiting. Keep in mind that we are paying 80 EUR per person for this week's transport. The meet director gets a couple of staff to start flagging down taxis. So we start leaving, 4 and 5 at a time in taxi cabs...the organizers paying in cash out of their pockets. Viktoria, Pavi, Terri, a New Zealander and I finally got in one of the last two taxis at 8 PM. The sun was just setting. 3 hours later we were back at the hotel.
This morning things were still a bit messed up and despite getting on the earlier trasport to the Long final we were late for the first few finishers. On the return the organizers busses took a load and after 30 mins wait we started packing into regular city busses (which were much more frequent, and only cost 20 cents or so to ride). We were JAMMED in, and it was an unbelievably hot and humid ride, but did finally get us back to the hotel, 1.5 hrs after the prizegiving.
Needless to say there hasn't been much time for uploading pics the past couple of days. The long was pretty amazing today. A double gold medal for Finalnd women - Minna and Heli (Minna finished some 10 minutes earlier, Heli near Sime, which took the Bronze). It was sunny, around 97F and very humid. Pretty harsh. Several of the top men have a nasty stomach virus, including Swisscheese (who did not start today), Jane Lakannen (also DNS due to a leg problem, but the Finns are having digestive issues too) and Pasi and Holger who had to cut it short. One Swede (Martin?) spent 2 hours lying in a tent with I.V.s and was still there when we left. My middle and long photos are loading now, and we might be able to get Dasha and Clem's up by tomorrow. Banquet is this evening and tomorrow is a rest day (several of us going to the relay model area). Most of the US team went for a trail run on the Hydropark map today near the hotel.
This morning things were still a bit messed up and despite getting on the earlier trasport to the Long final we were late for the first few finishers. On the return the organizers busses took a load and after 30 mins wait we started packing into regular city busses (which were much more frequent, and only cost 20 cents or so to ride). We were JAMMED in, and it was an unbelievably hot and humid ride, but did finally get us back to the hotel, 1.5 hrs after the prizegiving.
Needless to say there hasn't been much time for uploading pics the past couple of days. The long was pretty amazing today. A double gold medal for Finalnd women - Minna and Heli (Minna finished some 10 minutes earlier, Heli near Sime, which took the Bronze). It was sunny, around 97F and very humid. Pretty harsh. Several of the top men have a nasty stomach virus, including Swisscheese (who did not start today), Jane Lakannen (also DNS due to a leg problem, but the Finns are having digestive issues too) and Pasi and Holger who had to cut it short. One Swede (Martin?) spent 2 hours lying in a tent with I.V.s and was still there when we left. My middle and long photos are loading now, and we might be able to get Dasha and Clem's up by tomorrow. Banquet is this evening and tomorrow is a rest day (several of us going to the relay model area). Most of the US team went for a trail run on the Hydropark map today near the hotel.
Aug 23, 2007 1:56 PM
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Canuck relay teams are:
Pam, Heather, Victoria
Wil, Mike, Brent
We'll try to save Ross B from having to donate too much out of his own pocket.... It is sure to be a tough race in general, and may well be very close between Canada/USA too. Hopefully the big guns from the other countries are tired from running all those finals.... ;-)
Pam, Heather, Victoria
Wil, Mike, Brent
We'll try to save Ross B from having to donate too much out of his own pocket.... It is sure to be a tough race in general, and may well be very close between Canada/USA too. Hopefully the big guns from the other countries are tired from running all those finals.... ;-)
Aug 23, 2007 5:34 PM
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Hopefully the big guns from the other countries are tired from running all those finals.... ;-)
or coming down with stomach bugs... stay well guys, good luck in the relays... GO USA!!!
or coming down with stomach bugs... stay well guys, good luck in the relays... GO USA!!!
Aug 23, 2007 6:31 PM
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div:
time erodes memories - you must be very careful about what you eat and where you eat. almost forgot about such problems living here.
Aug 23, 2007 7:18 PM
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Don't worry about the $ Wil - just enjoy the race and go for it. Anyway I believe my wife is much happier that I (potentially) give up $ rather than my hair (a la Scotland 1999).
Aug 23, 2007 10:30 PM
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Ok, my photos from the Middle Final and Long Final are now posted. Lots of shots of Pamela in the Middle Final, and a couple of littlte Axel Hott in his Norway national team O-top:
Middle Final Pics
Long Final Pics
Middle Final Pics
Long Final Pics
Aug 24, 2007 6:44 PM
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The WOC banquet was a disappointment -- the room had no ventilation and, with the outdoor high at about 100 F, the indoor temperature soared to intolerable levels very quickly. The food was fantastic, though, and the prize-giving ceremony for the middle and long was nice, too. They gave stuffed animals as prizes, and the gold medalists got animals that were nearly as big as they were, which provided some nice props for playing afterward.
The room cleared out quickly after the awards as everyone stood on the steps outdoors. The live band was good but virtually nobody stayed in the banquet room to hear it, much less dance to it.
The Danes have organized another social activity for Sunday night: a cruise down the Dnepr to an island, where there will be drinking and dancing. Buses have been organized to take us back to our hotels afterward: a small one at 2:30 a.m. and a larger one at 4:00 a.m.
Today some of us went to the model event for tomorrow's relay, while others ran in the 4th event of the WOC Tour: a sprint, on the same map as the sprint qualifier. It was a fun and easy sprint, just the kind I like, and I had a great time, all the more because this urban park was filled with families celebrating Ukrainian Independence Day. Guys, they have only had independence for 16 years, imagine that! Tonight we are hoping to see some fireworks out our hotel window.
The room cleared out quickly after the awards as everyone stood on the steps outdoors. The live band was good but virtually nobody stayed in the banquet room to hear it, much less dance to it.
The Danes have organized another social activity for Sunday night: a cruise down the Dnepr to an island, where there will be drinking and dancing. Buses have been organized to take us back to our hotels afterward: a small one at 2:30 a.m. and a larger one at 4:00 a.m.
Today some of us went to the model event for tomorrow's relay, while others ran in the 4th event of the WOC Tour: a sprint, on the same map as the sprint qualifier. It was a fun and easy sprint, just the kind I like, and I had a great time, all the more because this urban park was filled with families celebrating Ukrainian Independence Day. Guys, they have only had independence for 16 years, imagine that! Tonight we are hoping to see some fireworks out our hotel window.
Aug 24, 2007 8:33 PM
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Clem and Dasha's Long Distance Finals Pics
Having some rotation issues with their Middle Final pics. Will get that sorted out soon. Clem seems to be ambidexterous with the camera!
Having some rotation issues with their Middle Final pics. Will get that sorted out soon. Clem seems to be ambidexterous with the camera!
Aug 25, 2007 1:27 AM
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Gil:
I have a non-orienteering related question regarding this
and this picture which shows "device" that allows to store and sell soft-drink known as "kvas" (or in Cyrillic spelling "KBAC"). You can read what is kvas here.
I happen to like kvas and once in about 2 month I go to local Russian Deli store in Rochester, NY to get my kvas fix (store happen to be like a block from gym I go to...)
However I am really surprised to see this soviet era "vending device" still going strong in streets of Kiev. One of my co-workers is from India who attended college in Kiev. Few times he mentioned how "facinated" he was seeing how kvas was sold on streets of Kiev. I had to share these pictures with him. I did see signs of McDonnalds in one of the pictures and it just surprises me that such primitive and simple distribution of kvas is still exists.
Anyhow... I am just wondering how many of WOC participants tried kvas from the "vending" machines shown in pictures.
As far as myself - I'll be honest - if I was in Kiev now I'd definitely would have glass of "blast from past". It is good stuff...
and this picture which shows "device" that allows to store and sell soft-drink known as "kvas" (or in Cyrillic spelling "KBAC"). You can read what is kvas here.
I happen to like kvas and once in about 2 month I go to local Russian Deli store in Rochester, NY to get my kvas fix (store happen to be like a block from gym I go to...)
However I am really surprised to see this soviet era "vending device" still going strong in streets of Kiev. One of my co-workers is from India who attended college in Kiev. Few times he mentioned how "facinated" he was seeing how kvas was sold on streets of Kiev. I had to share these pictures with him. I did see signs of McDonnalds in one of the pictures and it just surprises me that such primitive and simple distribution of kvas is still exists.
Anyhow... I am just wondering how many of WOC participants tried kvas from the "vending" machines shown in pictures.
As far as myself - I'll be honest - if I was in Kiev now I'd definitely would have glass of "blast from past". It is good stuff...
Aug 25, 2007 6:52 AM
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SV:
2 Gill: the bottled kvas and the barrelled one (shown on picts) can be compared as the 39¢/lbs tomato with the fresh garden ones. One is dull and has a preservative's aftertaste while other one - natural , tasty and rerfreshing. And if you feel it's taste a bit more sour than usually that mean it starts to go bad and you just don't drink it :)
Really, the bottled kvas is just a cheap forge.
Really, the bottled kvas is just a cheap forge.
Aug 25, 2007 11:05 AM
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A few of us tried Kvas from the barrel. If I recall correctly, it was at least myself, Clem, Eddie and Randy. I remember the kvas barrels from over a decade ago, and it is still clearly going strong, the barrels positioned at many popular road crossings and metro stops. Believe it or not, but it tastes great from the barrel.
Aug 25, 2007 12:01 PM
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The Relay just finished, with the US and Canada splitting it 1:1 (with almost identical margin).
Women's Relay:
1 Finland 01:46:35,9
2 Sweden 01:47:41,3
3 Norway 01:47:50,2
4 Switzerland 01:51:35,5
5 Russia 01:53:02,3
6 Czech Republic 01:57:49,6
7 Australia 01:58:13,1
...
19 USA 02:31:39,6
20 Canada 02:38:53,9
Men's Relay:
1 Russia 02:10:26,8
2 Sweden 02:11:08,2
3 Finland 02:11:35,1
4 Norway 02:11:38,1
5 Switzerland 02:12:07,3
6 France 02:13:24,3
7 Great Britain 02:15:18,3
...
25 Canada 02:43:46,7
29 USA 02:50:13,8
Great job from all the teams!
Women's Relay:
1 Finland 01:46:35,9
2 Sweden 01:47:41,3
3 Norway 01:47:50,2
4 Switzerland 01:51:35,5
5 Russia 01:53:02,3
6 Czech Republic 01:57:49,6
7 Australia 01:58:13,1
...
19 USA 02:31:39,6
20 Canada 02:38:53,9
Men's Relay:
1 Russia 02:10:26,8
2 Sweden 02:11:08,2
3 Finland 02:11:35,1
4 Norway 02:11:38,1
5 Switzerland 02:12:07,3
6 France 02:13:24,3
7 Great Britain 02:15:18,3
...
25 Canada 02:43:46,7
29 USA 02:50:13,8
Great job from all the teams!
Aug 25, 2007 12:33 PM
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For comparison with last year in Denmark,
Results of WOC Relay 2006:
Women's Relay:
1 Finland 2:21:05
2 Sweden 2:22:16
3 Switzerland 2:22:55
4 Australia 2:26:02
5 Czech Republic 2:26:54
6 Norway 2:27:00
7 Russia 2:29:51
...
17 United States 3:00:14
24 Canada 3:08:47
Men's Relay:
1 Russia 2:11:41
2 Finland 2:15:44
3 Sweden 2:18:22
4 Switzerland 2:19:25
5 Czech Republic 2:22:55
6 Norway 2:23:14
7 Latvia 2:24:25
...
26 Canada 2:55:22
28 United States 3:01:49
Results of WOC Relay 2006:
Women's Relay:
1 Finland 2:21:05
2 Sweden 2:22:16
3 Switzerland 2:22:55
4 Australia 2:26:02
5 Czech Republic 2:26:54
6 Norway 2:27:00
7 Russia 2:29:51
...
17 United States 3:00:14
24 Canada 3:08:47
Men's Relay:
1 Russia 2:11:41
2 Finland 2:15:44
3 Sweden 2:18:22
4 Switzerland 2:19:25
5 Czech Republic 2:22:55
6 Norway 2:23:14
7 Latvia 2:24:25
...
26 Canada 2:55:22
28 United States 3:01:49
Aug 25, 2007 12:34 PM
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Gil:
2 SV: there is no question which type of kvas tastes better ? bottled or barreled. Just there is no way I can see barreled kvas to be sold anywhere in US, so, I got to go for what I can get here. Throughout the years I have tried different brands of bottled kvas. The best bottled one in my opinion was produced by Tuborg (which was surprise by itself since I was not aware that this famous beer brewing company got into kvas business). Unfortunately store I go to does not carry that brand anymore?
Aug 25, 2007 7:17 PM
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SV:
Tuborg? I've never seen kvas from them. If I do I'll definetely buy one.
Does it have 140-150 kkal as the brands I knew or aruond 80-100 as the barrelled one?
Does it have 140-150 kkal as the brands I knew or aruond 80-100 as the barrelled one?
Aug 25, 2007 10:24 PM
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Some WOC Relay pics are now posted. These are from the Women's race. I was busy during the men's race, but Clem and Randy took lots of great pics.
Aug 25, 2007 11:26 PM
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Great photos, thanks, Eddie!
This is some triumphant gold medalist team :).
This is some triumphant gold medalist team :).
Aug 26, 2007 10:12 AM
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Results of Sprint Final:
Women:
1 Simone Niggli Switzerland 00:12:06,9
2 Minna Kauppi Finland 00:12:26,6
3 Lena Eliasson Sweden 00:12:46,4
4 Helena Jansson Sweden 00:12:55,0
5 Marianne Andersen Norway 00:12:57,8
6 Ingunn Hultgreen Weltzien Norway 00:13:00,1
7 Heli Jukkola Finland 00:13:06,5
8 Emma Engstrand Sweden 00:13:12,2
9 Hanny Allston Australia / World Ch 00:13:26,9
42 Sandra Zurcher USA 00:15:47,1
Men:
1 Thierry Gueorgiou France 00:14:44,0
2 Matthias Merz Switzerland 00:14:44,9
3 Martin Johansson Sweden 00:15:03,6
4 Daniel Hubmann Switzerland 00:15:09,2
5 Martins Sirmais Latvia 00:15:09,5
6 Tomas Dlabaja Czech Republic 00:15:10,2
7 Emil Wingstedt Sweden / World Champ 00:15:15,2
8 Mikhail Mamleev Italy 00:15:16,7
9 Marten Bostrom Finland 00:15:22,7
10 Andrey Khramov Russia 00:15:26,0
11 Yurii Omelchenko Ukraine 00:15:30,7
Women:
1 Simone Niggli Switzerland 00:12:06,9
2 Minna Kauppi Finland 00:12:26,6
3 Lena Eliasson Sweden 00:12:46,4
4 Helena Jansson Sweden 00:12:55,0
5 Marianne Andersen Norway 00:12:57,8
6 Ingunn Hultgreen Weltzien Norway 00:13:00,1
7 Heli Jukkola Finland 00:13:06,5
8 Emma Engstrand Sweden 00:13:12,2
9 Hanny Allston Australia / World Ch 00:13:26,9
42 Sandra Zurcher USA 00:15:47,1
Men:
1 Thierry Gueorgiou France 00:14:44,0
2 Matthias Merz Switzerland 00:14:44,9
3 Martin Johansson Sweden 00:15:03,6
4 Daniel Hubmann Switzerland 00:15:09,2
5 Martins Sirmais Latvia 00:15:09,5
6 Tomas Dlabaja Czech Republic 00:15:10,2
7 Emil Wingstedt Sweden / World Champ 00:15:15,2
8 Mikhail Mamleev Italy 00:15:16,7
9 Marten Bostrom Finland 00:15:22,7
10 Andrey Khramov Russia 00:15:26,0
11 Yurii Omelchenko Ukraine 00:15:30,7
Aug 26, 2007 5:45 PM
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Tero by under a second - amazing.
Looking at the men's splits, there were 4 legs each under 15 seconds. That seems weird or extreme. Tero almost blew it on #12, taking 6 seconds versus Mattias' 4 seconds. Maybe he was planning the next leg :).
It could take me nearly that long to punch the same control twice. There must be overlapping control circles, yes? Wouldn't punching those in the wrong order be a real bummer?
Looking at the men's splits, there were 4 legs each under 15 seconds. That seems weird or extreme. Tero almost blew it on #12, taking 6 seconds versus Mattias' 4 seconds. Maybe he was planning the next leg :).
It could take me nearly that long to punch the same control twice. There must be overlapping control circles, yes? Wouldn't punching those in the wrong order be a real bummer?
Aug 27, 2007 5:29 PM
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Congrats Sandra!!
And congrats to all the US Team members who ran at WOC this year!!! and all the Canadians too...!
Thanks for all the updates and all the pictures. This was a great thread to follow!
And congrats to all the US Team members who ran at WOC this year!!! and all the Canadians too...!
Thanks for all the updates and all the pictures. This was a great thread to follow!
Aug 27, 2007 6:18 PM
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Eric and I are the last to leave Kiev. Our flight leaves at 6am Tuesday so we are going to the airport tonight and sleeping there. Meanwhile we have a few moments in the hotel internet center.
Because the Ukraine-organized banquet underperformed, the Danes organized a WOC afterparty for last night (Sunday). It started at 7pm with an hour+ cruise south along the Dnepr to an island the organizers called "Luck". The party proceeded there with dance music until 4 and plenty of alcohol. The venue was some sort of barebones outdoor resort, with beaches, little gazebos, and trees planted here and there. It was the perfect antidote to Tuesday's party in the hot, unventilated room, plus the weather was cooler anyway. I took the first bus back to the hotel at 12:30. Sandra, Eddie, Hillary, and Sam held out until around 2:30, and Eric and John closed the party down at 4. We were sorry that the other team members had scheduled their departures too early to make the party.
I will leave it to others to describe specific party happenings. Suffice to say that, for good reason, attendees from the media were specifically asked not to take photos.
Because the Ukraine-organized banquet underperformed, the Danes organized a WOC afterparty for last night (Sunday). It started at 7pm with an hour+ cruise south along the Dnepr to an island the organizers called "Luck". The party proceeded there with dance music until 4 and plenty of alcohol. The venue was some sort of barebones outdoor resort, with beaches, little gazebos, and trees planted here and there. It was the perfect antidote to Tuesday's party in the hot, unventilated room, plus the weather was cooler anyway. I took the first bus back to the hotel at 12:30. Sandra, Eddie, Hillary, and Sam held out until around 2:30, and Eric and John closed the party down at 4. We were sorry that the other team members had scheduled their departures too early to make the party.
I will leave it to others to describe specific party happenings. Suffice to say that, for good reason, attendees from the media were specifically asked not to take photos.
Aug 28, 2007 2:17 AM
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walk:
You all did great! Nice runs by the team. Fun reporting to keep us informed with good dialogue and pictures. Thanks for the coverage.
Aug 28, 2007 3:17 AM
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I've been to two post-WOC parties in my life, and they are among the finest parties I have ever attended. And they were also the stuff stories are made of.
Aug 28, 2007 3:16 PM
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hopefully boris doesn't know anything :)
jenny, this isn't the place to be telling stories ;p
a good night, a very good night... queuing up for ukrainian border control at 6am was tough going
jenny, this isn't the place to be telling stories ;p
a good night, a very good night... queuing up for ukrainian border control at 6am was tough going
Aug 28, 2007 6:20 PM
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Is that because of all the contraband someone tried to get off the island?
Aug 28, 2007 10:38 PM
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IOF News article about Pavi and Viktoria.
And some nice IOFphotos of Eric, Samantha and Sandra at the GO control of the Long Qual. It was at the top of a very steep spur. One of Heather Smith in the Sprint Quali.
And some nice IOFphotos of Eric, Samantha and Sandra at the GO control of the Long Qual. It was at the top of a very steep spur. One of Heather Smith in the Sprint Quali.
Aug 29, 2007 2:31 AM
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Having clawed my way up that spur on my hands and knees, I know exactly how he felt! Just as I got up to the control, Heli Jukkola arrived from the clearing and punched at the same time. As a result, about 10 camera flashbulbs all went off at once - *POOF* - Night turned to day, tree leaves dried up and crackled. Shadows were burned into the earth and I was temporarily blinded. :) Luckily I didn't stumble backwards off the edge of the spur.
This discussion thread is closed.