The orienteering World Cup season starts at the end of May in Switzerland and continues a week later in Italy. The beginning of the international season focuses on sprint trips, and it has also been reflected in Finns’ training. The World Championship medals will be fought for in Scotland around the middle of July, and last year’s European Championship success ie Tuomas Heikkilän and the sprint relay team’s bronzes raise Finnish expectations.
– Success always brings self-confidence and a good feeling, he states Venla Harjuwho was part of the sprint relay team that won EC bronze last year.
The 2013 Sprint WC bronze medalist is the head coach Thierry Gueorgiou together with the women’s team during the training season Maija Sianojan with.
– They push each other forward and that inspires the entire national team at the same time, Gueorgiou characterizes.
From last week’s WC sprint race, the duo also got the reinforcement they needed towards the opening of the World Cup season. Sianoja’s knock out sprint ended in rejection, but the individual sprint WC gold was a good face wash.
– The WC sprint was a good general. The whole winter has gone really well and at least the physics should be enough, Sianoja reflects and continues that he was satisfied with the national team camps.
– We have had good camps, in France, Italy, Scotland and at least there have been repetitions. There have been good challenging terrains and the coaches have made great courses, so it has been a good stimulus, Sianoja praises.
Harju’s balance was silver in the knock out sprint and fourth place in the sprint, which gives a good starting point for the opening of the World Cup.
– The going is really good and physically it’s nice to start the season. A lot of sprint training has been done in the winter, so you should also have the skill. Now you just have to have the patience to do what you can in international competitions.
Heikkilä sets an example
Individual sprint EC bronze medalist Tuomas Heikkilä is still the number one name in the men’s national team, who at the same time gives a good gauge to the rest of the team in training.
– It could be that I’m even in a little better shape than last year. The physical exercises have gone well during the spring. A little improvement is still required skillfully before the first World Cup starts, Heikkilä assesses his development.
– Compared to last year, more sprint training has been done, and that’s what it takes to find the top level, says Heikkilä.
According to the head coach, last year’s medals have shown that success on sprint tracks is also possible for Finns. During the winter and spring training camps, you could feel the motivation increased. For men, even the competition for race places seems to have intensified.
– We have a good, competitive group in the men. Ten orienteers are fighting for representative places and all of them have a chance to even make the World Championship team. At the same time, they all push each other forward, Gueorgiou characterizes the current situation.
This group includes, among others, Lapua Virkiä Sampo Sankelo and Jämsä Retki-Veikkoin Aarni Ronkainen, who narrowly missed out on the medals in Saturday’s sprint, but received invitations to the World Cups in Switzerland and Italy. On both Thursday and Saturday, the trio of medals was formed by Heikkilä, Miika Kirmula and Teemu Oksanen.
At the beginning of the season, it is still difficult to assess the pace of the international top, but the Finnish team has already tried to compete with other countries’ orienteers at the camps. At the March camp, the Finns got to measure their skills with the Norwegians, and a couple of weeks ago the team got to see the speed of the Swedes as well.
– In Sweden, the level seemed to be sufficient, and the Swedes are usually tough in large groups. So in that respect we can be confident in the whole team, Kirmula reflects on the balance of power before the start of the season.
– We are not the biggest favorites, but progress can be seen. For example, we have moved forward in physics, analyzes head coach Gueorgiou.
Ojanaho was injured: The sprint season will be missed
Long distance WC bronze medalist Olli Ojanahoa on the other hand, you will not see him in the overall competition of the World Cup this season. After a break of a few years, Ojanaho had added sprint training to his training season program and wanted to fight for representative places, even a World Cup place for the Edinburgh Games in July.
However, in Thursday’s knock out sprint, Ojanaho had a fatal crash Touko Sepän with and had to stop the race. The blacksmith’s knee hit Ojanaho’s thigh, causing a wooden leg and forcing Ojanaho to walk with sticks at least for a while.
The opening races of the World Cup are held in Switzerland at the end of May and in Italy at the beginning of June, so the race weekends come too quickly for Ojanaho.
– So the sprint season will be missed anyway, Ojanaho had to state and will focus his thoughts on the Jukola relay first and then on the cross-country trips in the fall.
Women (8): Venla Harju Tampere Quest, Inari Karppinen Espoo Suunta, Veera Klemettinen Suunta Jyväskylä, Aino Mänkärlä Lynx, Inka Nurminen Jämsän Retki-Veikot, Maiju Oksanen Kangasala SK, Maija Sianoja MS Parma, Marika Teini Kalevan Rasti.
Reserve: Karoliina Ukskoski Lahti Suunnitajat -37.
Men (8): Aaro Aho Valkeakoski Haka, Tuomas Heikkilä Helsinki Orienteers, Miika Kirmula Kalevan Rasti, Teemu Oksanen Ikaalisten Nouseva-Voima, Aarni Ronkainen Jämsä Retki-Veikot, Akseli Ruohola MS Parma, Sampo Sankelo Lapuan Virkiä, Touko Seppä Turku Orienteers.
Reserve: Eero Heinonen MS Parma.
shows both the World Cup competitions and the World Championships, which will take place in July 12-16.