A true institution in Scandinavia, ski orientation opens these 2e World Military Winter Games in Annecy. Investing in Semnoz, from March 26 to 27, the champions of this innovative discipline will evolve in an exceptional natural setting, up to the level of demands imposed by this sport.
Practiced in Sweden since the 7000th century, as a military exercise at the time, ski orienteering often brings together during competitions, such as the French championships for example, skiers from all backgrounds: civilians and military, licensees and neophytes, without that none of them had to participate in any selections. A little-known sport and yet a potential future Olympic discipline*, skiing O' is notably one of the disciplines placed under the aegis of the French Orienteering Federation (more than 74 licensees) and the International Orienteering Federation (1 member countries ). In France, apart from individual practice, it was the 2010st Military World Winter Games (Val d'Aosta, 80) which spurred the creation of a national team. Known in France since the XNUMXs, the orientation on skis (or ski O') consists of finding, on terrain unknown to skiers but with the help of a map and a compass, markers placed on cross-country ski trails, groomed or marked. While the route remains the choice of the skier, the order of the checkpoints to be visited is imposed. In competition, the objective is to complete the course as quickly as possible.
“A sporting activity for the head and legs”
Like other disciplines present in Annecy and Haute-Savoie during this great celebration of "peace through sport", skiing O' is a complete, demanding sport, which requires its practitioners to master physical abilities. , technical and sporting. In addition to the fact that they must be comfortable in both components of orienteering (cross-country skiing and orienteering), skiers must also know themselves well and have a taste for effort; know how to anticipate and memorize posts as itineraries; make decisions quickly; choose the optimum route; constantly adapting to it but also to the quality of the snow. A complete sport, mobilizing “the head and the legs”, orienteering skiing therefore requires athletes to find – then manage – the right balance between physical effort, concentration and speed of action.
Of the four world championship events, two are on the program for the 2nd Military World Winter Games: the individual middle-distance race and the Mass Start relay. Competitions which will take place at the summit of Semnoz, on the mornings of Tuesday March 26 and Wednesday March 27. Two highlights for this site with its exceptional panorama, which will also see internationally renowned champions compete. Among them: the French Charlotte Bouchet, Elodie Bourgeois-Pin (former high-level cross-country skier converted to orienteering; bronze medalist at the Military World Games in 2010) and François Gonon (gold medalist in foot relay at the World Championships in Lausanne , in 2012) ; the Kazakhs Olga Novikova (multiple gold medalist at the 2011 Asian Winter Games) and Aslan Tokbajev (relay gold medalist at the 2011 Asian Winter Games). Without forgetting the Russians Natalia Tomilova (multiple medalist in world championships, bronze and silver, in long distance in Ostersund in 2004 and Lévi in 2005; bronze medalist in middle distance in Moscow in 2007) and the essential Eduard Khrennikov (several times world champion including 3 titles in 2010 overall, individual and sprint; gold medalist at the 2010 World Military Winter Games).
Like all the athletes present alongside them during these four days, these champions will come to Haute-Savoie with the hope of leaving with a trophy, but we can bet that they will also be keen to compete in a friendly and pacifist spirit, and to show the important contribution of military sport to high-level sport.
* Orienteering will be presented at the Sochi Winter Olympics (2014)
Press contacts:
[email protected]
Alexandra Carraz
M: +33 (6) 22.86 73 12
