WMOC long model event. Had this not been my first chance to get out into non-sprint Brazilian forest I might have given this a miss - there were two rounds of overnight thunderstorms and it was pouring around 8-9am, although it had eased to light drizzle by the time we actually got out there.
I was certainly glad I went out. 80% of the area was pine forest (a similar mix to what I'm expecting in Q2 and the final), some of it very open underfoot and some of it a bit rougher but still nothing untoward, and that section didn't teach me very much except that any blue feature has lots of water, distinctive trees are distinguished (as in central Europe) chiefly by the orange and white flags at their base, and when you send 1000 people around a set of controls with only one logical route early on it's going to get muddy.
The remaining 20%, though, was the native forest, and this was freak-you-out territory - essentially subtropical rainforest with all that that entails, vaguely reminiscent of NZ native bush but with probably even more understorey. Occasionally it opens out into bits where you can run for 20-50 metres, but it's very easy to be pushed offline, especially as the low visibility means it's very difficult to sense the shape of the contours. I can foresee big parallel errors here (and relocation will not be easy), with potential for double-digit blowouts. Couldn't really tell the difference on the ground between the three shades of green either. I think, even without errors, this type of terrain is 15-20 minute/km territory. Part of me is hoping that there isn't much of this except for quick in-and-outs and providing part of the equation for big route choice legs, another part of me is thinking that I'm not going to win a running race and something that makes running a smaller part of the equation is potentially to my advantage. Fine navigation into controls was made easier today by the noise, but presumably there won't be crowds gathered around discussing things on Saturday...
The opening ceremony was later in the afternoon; had to be moved indoors (and the march cancelled) because of rain which was a pity. It featured the usual mix of speeches from various dignitaries, mostly short (thumbs up to the Mayor of Canela for enthusiasm), then what will surely be the WTF moment of the week when the Star-Spangled Banner was played as the "IOF anthem", then various traditional dance displays by local schoolchildren (I'm afraid my boredom threshold for these is reasonably low). Still, it was done well and the turnout was good, and the locals were commendably enthusiastic in both their own anthem-singing and in celebrating the Brazilian gold medal in M35.
(In the absence of an IOF anthem, perhaps they should have used the tune of God Save The Queen, as it is the only tune which is the national anthem of
two IOF member countries.)