Competition Season is Under Way

Over the past week FWOC has hosted the Prairie Opener near Rumsey, AB on Sunday April 22 which was the first forest event of the season but really the forest part was lacking with the open rolling hills on the SL Ranch map. The navigation looks a lot easier than it really is and I found that out pretty quick on my way to the first control. Also the Wednesday night series started up at Prince's Island Park last night, which is a fast urban sprint map near downtown Calgary. Next up are Team trials for WOC in Switzerland which are going to be held on back to back weekends at Sage Stomp XXVII (May 19-20) on the McQueen Lake map near Kamloops, BC and Barebones in Canmore , AB (May 25-27). The Sprint and Long are going to be held on the Canmore Nordic Centre map and the Middle will be on the scenic Mt Laurie map. Should be a great two weekends packed with competition.

To view maps in a more zoomed in view, right click image and open in new tab or window.

Time- 77:43

 

Time- 20:49

Train on,

Damian

Preparation = Confidence

Good little inspirational clip from Asics.

Train on,

Damian

Back to the Orienteering Grind

This weekend was my first time orienteering this season with two back to back training sessions on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday was a slow, sloppy, and sluggish Middle distance training at Elbow Bluffs near Bragg Creek, AB just outside of Calgary. Patrick Goeres and I ran the 2007 team trials Middle distance course. Very vague in places, made some mistakes but also had some good legs. Took it really easy and didn't push at all. Just tried to use the compass and try to read as much as I could.  It was tough/slow going through some deep snow in places. Flags would have made it much easier and nicer.

Sunday Patrick and I went out to Bow Valley map to run the 2011 M 17-20 Barebones Long distance course up to #14 only missed the last 3 controls because we wanted to keep it around 60 minutes. Patrick started and we alternated leading each control which made it easier when deciding where the control should be. Hooked some controls but also had some solid ones too, felt way better than yesterday since I was back into the right mindset for orienteering. Amazing map and terrain for some top notch orienteering training. There was some knee high snow drifts in places but not much snow at all. I think almost all the orienteering cobwebs are gone now, I hope. Here are the two training maps.

Train on,

Damian

Canada’s Elites

Elite orienteering in Canada is growing each year and becoming more and more competitive.  As more athletes are becoming elite orienteer’s in Canada, competition to make the World Championship team is becoming harder and harder to make each year.  In past years there has been limited interest in competing at the World Championships for Canada because of a lack of elite athletes.  Currently there are many elite orienteer’s competing to make a spot on the team, which lets us know how far Orienteering Canada has come over the years.  This year will probably be the toughest year of all time to make the team.  With winter winding down, the competition season is on the horizon.  Most of the selection races for the team will be held in May.  Many elite orienteers from across Canada will be competing for a spot on the WOC team to represent Canada in Lausanne, Switzerland in the month of July.  These races will be the test for most to see if their winter training has paid off and will decide the course of their season.  As orienteering grows within Canada, so does the elite competition.  Looking forward to a great racing season and competing against start lists loaded with top notch orienteers.

           Maybe orienteering will be this popular in Canada one day!                   

http://www.multisport.se/nyheter/nyhet.php?id=622

Train on,
Damian

IOF: WOC in the Future Project Dead

The IOF has decided to keep the current WOC program the same.  I personally beleive that the program was fine the way it was with the acception that they could also add in a mixed relay and possibly a knockout sprint which would be pretty cool. Read more about the decision at http://news.worldofo.com/2012/01/22/iof-woc-in-the-future-project-dead/

Train on,
Damian

Canada’s High Performance Program Fundraiser, Whitehorse, Yukon, July 20, 2011

This past summer during the Canadian and Western Canadian Orienteering Championships in the Yukon a fundraiser for Canada’s high performance program was held.  Eric Kemp and other HPP members helped out to create a two person mass start sprint relay fundraiser.  People could bid on current and former national team members who were up for auction to create a two person relay team.  A total of $4751 was raised for Canada’s High Performance Program.   Steven Graupner (fellow club member of Coureurs de Bois, Winnipeg, MB) bid on me and won me.  We formed the winning team of the HPP mass start sprint relay!  Read more at http://www.yukon-news.com/sports/23998/.

Tom Patrick/Yukon News

Winnipeg’s Damian Konotopetz leaves a control.

 

Train on,

Damian

Make Orineteering Bigger and Better!!!

Helena Jansson has been nominated for Swedens largest sports award and if she wins, it would be a great opportunity for orienteering to be promoted in the Swedish media channels and also be more attractive to sponsors.

The award is a peoples choice award and you can help the Swedes by voting (you don't have to be in Sweden to vote).

Please take a moment to vote, by clicking the link below. The website is in Swedish, so here are the instructions: E-postadress = e-mail address, choose Helena Jansson, orientering, Ditt namn = your name, Skicka = send. You don't need to fill out the rest of the form.

www.QuestBack.com

Thank you!

Damian