Conclusion

The season ended with one of the technically easiest races at 25manna (map), where our team finished 3rd! Now it's time to look back and ask myself if I'm satisfied with the course of events during the last year?

Photo: Olle

Duel with my good friend Jonas

As a young newcomer it was very difficult to set any measurable goals for this season, so I focused more on just introducing myself to the world elite and prove myself that I'm able to reach the desired level if I put my mind to it. I'd say that I managed to do that and can be satisfied in this aspect. I guess the most spectacular highlights would be Jukola, WOC (middle final map, relay map) and also Finnish Championships in September (middle qualification map and final map; relay map). These races weren't perfect, but in a way they helped me find where I am as an orienteer and that's just what I needed.

Photo: from organizer's webpage

Hanging with some world champions

To be honest, I did set some measurable goals in the spring, when I filled a questionnaire for Delta. For the short-term goal column I squeezed some numbers out of myself and wrote: "reach top 25 at WOC long- and middle distance; reach top 3 at Jukola; become Estonian champion at an individual discipline". As a prediction I'd say I was pretty accurate: two out of four came true. 50% is a good optimum in reaching goals, this way there's joy in accomplishment and still leaves the wolf hungry. As for the two goals that I didn't reach, perhaps the easiest of them was also very close: right after WOC I was 2nd at Estonian long distance Championships with a rather crappy run and lost 1:15 to my brother (map). The other unreached goal was indeed a fail: everything fell apart at WOC long distance (map), which was one of the poorest performances this year. Psychologically it was too big a bite to chew: mistakes in control areas, wrong route choices and not being ahead of myself. Also, I wasn't in shape. Was it the wisdom tooth ache and the painkillers that took the power away? I can only suspect that it was... I didn't even consider this option until the World Cup in Czech (middle map; long part 1 map, part 2 map), when I had the same symptoms and the same problems during the races.

Other stuff:
A negative thing worth mentioning: I unexpectedly mispunched for the first time in my life. I've been disqualified for missing a control at 10MILA in 2005, for what I could forgive myself, but this was the first time that I punched at a wrong control and for what I can never forgive myself. It all happened at Latvian relay Championships (map), where I was already too far ahead in my head and wasn't in the moment enough. I always check the codes, but what happened? It's difficult to give any reasonable answer, so I'd just like to apologize to my team mates and my club. I am truly sorry!
A much more funnier thing happened on the previous day, when me and my brother won the middle distance (map) with a big margin and since we both had the exact same time, we both became Latvian champions!

Right after WOC I set a new altitude record: me and Jürgen reached the summit of Le Buet near the border of Switzerland, which according to different sources is about 3100m above sea level. Starting from about 1350m, it took us 3 hours to reach the top and the whole fantastic "expedition" in near perfect weather took a bit over 7 hours. In that time we ascended over 2000m. Good way to relax actively after a tense week in France. Here's the map and photo proof:

Despite all the drawbacks during the last year, the accomplishments weigh them over and I can be pleased with the season. Now I can peacefully lay off systematic training, rest for a while and have more fun! Farewell, season 2011!

Photo: Niels-Peter Foppen, Ultimate-Orienteering
Tired after the season