Norwgian press-release

The Irish team recently recieved a questionaire from a Norwegian orienteering magazine. The article is aimed at highlighting how certain nations are preparing for the World champs in Trondheim.

(Be warned soft marsh training is on the way!)

How do the team prepare for the detailed and hilly Norwegian terrain?

Here in Ireland we have no real comparison to typical Norwegian terrain, so it is difficult for us to prepare for Trondheim. It is important to try and spend time in Norway preparing for WOC although this is difficult for our competitors – getting time off work and having exams in spring.

Has there been or will there be any training camps in Norwegian terrain before the event?

We are encouraging the elite squad members to compete as much as possible in Scandinavian races in the build-up to WOC. Last September a number of Irish squad members participated at the first WOC training camp and found this very useful.
We are also having our WOC selection races at the Craftcup meeting with the other Scandinavian nations to expose our team to high quality competition in typical Norwegian terrain.

Are there any specific preparations for running in the soft marshes?

It rains quite a bit in Ireland so we have plenty of soft marshes to train in, although most of the time we try to avoid them! However, It would be a good idea to encourage a ‘soft marsh training programme’ – thanks for the tip.

How large team are you planning to send?

We are sending a team of six men and four women. We also have a team manager and a team media person who will be reporting on the teams progress during the competition.

How far before the WOC does the team plan to arrive in Trondheim?

It is important to spend as much time as possible getting used to Norwegian conditions. One of our athletes is spending all of June, July and August preparing in Trondheim. Obviously this is not possible for all team members but we hope to have the full team in Trondheim the week before WOC starts.

Do you expect any specific problems with food, culture etc.?

You know, there are a lot of similarities between the Irish and Norwegians. We enjoy the same types of food and drink, we like the same music (especially the Eurovision song contest!) we both love the great outdoors and we share a similar sense of humour.
We also share the same friendly welcome towards visitors to our own countries. In Ireland we have a tradition where a visitor should never need to buy a drink in a pub. I have heard this is true about Norwegian hosts too…(especially for visiting Irish orienteers!)

Will your federation cover the expenses for the runners, or do they have to do it themselves?

Thanks to financial support from the Irish sports council the Irish orienteering association can cover most of the teams costs for the competition.
In Trondheim individuals need only pay for their travel costs and food costs. They must also pay for the pre WOC training themselves. (so if there is any kind O clubs out there who can help…)

Do you have any specific goals for the results?

We are very excited about this years competition in Trondheim. There is a definite optimism running through the squad. We have some talented and motivated young orienteers who have been preparing hard for WOC in Trondheim.
In Hungary last year we had good solid relay runs from both the mens and womens teams. We hope to build on that this year.
It is rare for Irish individuals to qualify for the final races at World champs, this year we are hoping for a number of finalists to give all the Irish supporters out in Trondheim someone to cheer!

Questions asked by Bernt O. Myrvold