Discussion: Thoughts on the World Cup, Round 2

World Cup Round 2, Norway/Sweden is behind us. Some random thoughts ...
1) Jan Kocbach has some great articles on worldofo.com.
2) Some really good route choice challenges on the Long. I had fun planning routes before watching the "GPS tracks". But, a bit disappointing that the road route (particularly Men's 1 to 2) yielded such an advantage over going straight. I was surprised the top runners didn't use more road running on 5 to 6 (Men's race).
3) Surprised that control 5 on the Women's race was so difficult. Doesn't look any harder than anything else out there to me.
4) Swedes and Swiss sure are strong. Surprised the Norwegians didn't do better - must be a bit of a disappointment for them.
5) Today's Middle looked really challenging. Good technical test. Impressive win by Jansson and Gueorgiou is still the master.
6) Solid results for Emily, especially 25th place today. Still quite a ways down to the rest of the North Americans. Hopefully we can continue bridging the gap.
7) A big experience for a couple of our juniors (Michael and Matej). Hope they find their experience to be motivating for their continued training.

What may be noteworthy is the mapping style of middle race. I haven't seen such maps made much at all recently or ever in Sweden. There is almost no stacked form lines at all. If there is some those parts were not used for the race. I'd say all the work in Sweden (Nålsögat) to get maps closer to ISOM is showing here. I believe WOC maps will be like that what it comes to form line use.

There was no stacked form lines in long map either, just some Norwegians style non-standard form line knolls on top of form line.

Women's #5 was mapped with mostly with full 5 m contours, there is just one form line. So I guess there may be plenty of unmapped landforms to make mistake with if you are more used to run with less generalized over detailed maps.

@jagge ISOM says no stacked form lines. WOC maps are ISOM.

WOC rules say ~ 4% climb max. Then Hungary happened. Though they did claim 4%.

That rule no longer exists (and I don't think has existed for a number of years) - it's not even in the guidelines which surprises me a little.

I stand corrected. Do the guidelines say that advertised climb should resemble actual climb, or is that also fanciful? ;)

I think the Swiss are keeping that one out, ndobbs. You can infiltrate and sabotage their efforts.

What I'm curious about is the winning time for that men's middle distance. The 40 minute winning time is 5 minutes outside of the 30-35 min winning time range for middle distances. Is it really that hard to get the winning time right or does the IOF not care enough to enforce it via their IOF advisors?

They are following the lead of the US where you set middles arbitrarily long and justify the length ex post.

Value for money.

That actually is the mentality of many US participants and organizers. I mean who would want to pay for a 13 minute sprint when you can get more enjoyment from a 22 minute one?

Well, if you get more enjoyment from one of them, that kind of is the point, right?

Re: 4% climb
See IOF Rules, Appendix 2, section 3.11.6

I once did a state championship sprint event where I wished the course lengths had been adhered to. I was coming off an illness and with the advertised 12-15 minute winning time, figured I'd get around the course but it ended up being closer to a 19 minute winning time, my legs seized up after 16 minutes and I had to walk the rest of the course, very slowly. Needless to say, I did not make the podium after being in 3rd place for much of it (I was last in my category). It was just another notch in my continuing run of poor state champs results.

Mind you, I also did a sprint event early last year where everyone wished it was shorter (winning time of 20 minutes). It's not so bad if you know it's going to be long so you can prepare for it but when the organisers unknowingly blow the distance and you're not prepared for it, it can ruin the event.

I was leading certain west coast US team trials middle distance event at about 38 - 40 min mark. Winning time ended up being close to 52 - 55 mins. It being very hilly as well as gnarly on the downills helped me claw to the top. Not being in great shape I ran out of gas in the next unexpected 15 - 18 mins, made some brainless route choices and everything was back to normal.

Don't worry, we won't be doing it anymore.

Setting orienteering events?

ISOM says no stacked form lines. WOC maps are ISOM.

Therefore WOC maps have no stacked form lines. QED. However, when I looked at maps from several WOCs once, nearly all had stacks (lots of them), despite that ISOM standard being in place. Of course, that was long ago.