Czechia 2024

Location

The Czechia training camp is based at Potkávárna u Havrana (https://www.potkavarnauhavrana.cz/?lang=en). This is in the Jizera mountains near Liberec in the north of the Czechia. You can walk straight out of the door onto orienteering maps in all directions. It is in the same region as the World Orienteering Championships 2021.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in en-suite hostel style rooms varying between 4 and 9 people per room. The accommodation also provides all catering and any specific dietary needs can be catered for. The accommodation is surrounded by forest and also has two llamas living in an enclosure right outside. Athletes will be expected to assist with minor chores during the camp.

Background

This was a new camp in 2022, initiated to ensure enough camps are still available to juniors after the loss of another British Orienteering junior camp. It should be a bridge between the UK-based camps for younger juniors and the Scandinavian camps for older juniors. It was started by Ben Windsor who has family links with the Czechia and the owners of the accommodation.

Terrain

There are two major types of terrain nearby. Straight out of the door is the more vague and physically tough mountain terrain as used for the middle distance race in WOC 2021. The second is spectacular “rock city” terrain with huge sandstone rock pillars and mini-mazes between crags, which is less than an hour’s drive and similar to terrain used for the WOC 2021 long race.

Attendees

The camp is aimed at M/W16s who have achieved the required standard in the nominated selection races (See Czechia Selection criteria). The size of the camp can vary based on how many people meet the selection criteria, but this is expected to be around 16-20 athletes. In support of the camp there is a Tour Manager (TM) who has responsibility for such things as travel, accommodation, food etc. The TM is supported by a Lead Coach. The Lead Coach has a team of around 8 coaches.