JWOC2010

Dear Teamleaders of the JWOC national teams, dear VIP’s and officials – and all of you that followed JWOC on the internet.

Flash back on the last 3 years.

In 2007 we established the organization and got the managers lined up. We already decided on the terrains – except the sprint was moved from the centrally located “Mølleparken” where the zoo and the Aalborg Tower is situated – to the University. The original logo which you have seen many times originates from those early days.

2008 we started doing the mapping – the cartography. Our own cartographers could not do all maps and we called in professional help from neighboring clubs with the maps. It was all supervised by our national map supervisor, Flemming Nørgaard, whom you may have heard of ? He was the event director of WOC in 2006 in Århus and he is a legend in setting the standards for international cartography in the IOF context.

When you see the results this week – I hope you will agree that the standards of the maps were very high. And the variance – in that we managed to show you two very different types of terrain plus an interesting urban pattern which was useful for the sprint.

Course planning started very early too. The planners always complained that they needed the maps very early and the mappers always argued that the maps should be ready very late in order to have the latest changes on the map. But we managed to get the maps ready for the planners in due time before the winter started in December last year. However, none of the planners (and the rest of this country for that sake) would have expected the winter to last 4 months. We had half a meter or more snow – covering our terrains until early april. That was a very large stress factor to the planners and their controllers as they could not get into the woods and check their controls and courses.

It is close to a miracle that we had so fine and perfect courses given the challenges the planners where facing in those days.

And not to forget – the forest administration started felling in both Svinkløv, Kollerup and Rebild just a month before JWOC in spite of their promise not to. So in fact we had course planners to report to cartographers just up to the printing deadline (and after that) where felling was going on. The cartographers then went into the forest and edited the maps so that they would be as accurate as possible.

All these small challenges – although they appeared large at the time – are now almost forgotten. They just came to my mind because I was writing this speech.

A week ago – most of your teams had arrived here. I am grateful both to the barracks for letting us in a week before (that was unsure until around June 1) and to you for arriving that early. It gave us an opportunity to settle most problems and inquiries before the JWOC started. Poland – please remember this for next year.

Sprint.

We had a fine day, fine races, fine arena. You do remember the spectators control right by the end of the lake. We saw may runners jumping the wall there, we saw runners desperately looking for the control on the upper level. It was just great. There was a minor under estimation of the lunch capacity but with the help of the local canteen we managed to get most runners fed before you all went home from the bus-lane. Not to forget.

Long.

It is always a challenge. Distances where longer here. Early morning departures. And unfortunately we had to delay the start in order to make sure that all procedures were in place and the technical equipment was up and running. That meant that runners had to wait longer, buses were hold back at the barracks and bus capacity failed on the way going home. Despite these technical and logistical issues we heard that all runners where satisfied with their course. It was long and exhausting. As it should be. The arena was fine, huge actually. The winds where strong. Let me say – we learned a lot from that day too.

Rest day

The rest day was fine we all needed that. Organizers and runners. Tuesday night I had my first whole night sleep in this week.

Middle

The weather forecast predicted some rain late morning early afternoon. Luckily it only started when you left the arena. The races where fine. The terrain was not a lot different to Svinkløv and the long event. But the courses where – of course. We managed to get the arena ready on time and I believe you all found that rather small arena cozy and adequate? We had to leave one bus in the ditch which had me to re-organize the escape route of the other buses and to improvise a return transportation for 9 runners and teamleaders. I did not plan for this situation but we left the forest with rather limited delay.

The finals went fine. What a fine day yesterday. Warm, 22 degrees, the same arena but a different starting place, different courses. They were much more technically challenging. I believe everything worked out fine and we even had our first prize giving ceremony at the arena. This was a strong wish from most nations and when we thought of how to manage in practice – it went quite easily.

Relay.

I can still feel my skin burn. What a hot summer day. 28 degrees when I left the arena at 1600.

Not only did we have Denmark back on the podium. Sorry to mention – but it always makes the organizers happy – doesn’t it ?

But we had a fantastic mood and feeling of being close and in the company of close friends. I saw much more relaxed teamleaders. The runners where happy. They were looking forward to get this done and get on with the party. I believe it is up on full speed now. Over there…

For me personally:

I have come to know most of you. The more loud speaking teamleaders – thank you for speaking so strongly and loud – I very early got the impression that you managed to represent the majority of teams in your comments and arguments. Thank you to the smaller teams and more silent teams for being here and for contributing to the multiplicity of this JWOC event and for letting me know your feelings anyway – if not during the meetings – the afterwards.

Please also go back and remember that JWOC has to be lifted by the next nation. They are all amateurs. They never tried to organize this before. The Polish team has been here all week asking us questions. But they are still amateurs. When they finish next year at this time they will be professionals. Very tired. Exhausted I would say. But happy. Not only because it is over. But because they met new people. They met understanding from you. They managed to do most things right. They managed to solve problems. They will be professionals by then. And they would probably never be doing a JWOC again.

So from the merry amateurs that became more professional after 3 years of hard work – I would like to thank everyone of you for coming here. You do a great work for young people. You have been young yourselves – once upon a time, some years back  You may have tried the JWOC feeling as a runner but you definitely know the feeling as a teamleaders and coach. Thank you for bringing Orienteering as a great sport up in the forefront and making these wonderful young athletes have a fantastic stay in a foreign country in foreign terrains eating foreign foods and seeing foreign countries.

I am grateful for you coming here and making this a great event for us all. We might see you some time in the future. In a way I would like to.

Take care.

Walther Rahbek – Event Director JWOC2010