Gothenburg 2016
The ‘Gothenburg’ training camp is designed as a ‘self-help’ tour. Athletes attending will be expected to plan their own training. They will also be expected to be generally well organised, capable of preparing their own meals and self sufficient whilst being supervised by an experienced coach.
The camp ran from 20th - 29th August 2016
Team manager’s report below
Generic information about Gothenburg
Introduction and background
The ‘Gothenburg’ tour is unique in that its purpose is to teach those about to leave the ranks of junior orienteers, ie M/W20’s, how to plan and undertake their own training within a Scandinavian environment.
Such a tour was conceived specifically as a ‘self-help’ tour led by a Senior Coach experienced in training in Scandinavian terrain and familiar with a specific location or orienteering club.
This style of tour was initially suggested and led by Mark Saunders in 2012.
Because of his knowledge and experience of orienteering in the Gothenburg area the camp that year was based in that city.
The location of future camps will therefore be decided by the Coach who is leading the tour, their experience and contacts.
Accommodation
Accommodation is dependent upon the location but is likely to be in an Orienteering Club hut.
It is therefore likely that sleeping will be on a floor but that showers and toilets will be close by.
All food will be bought and prepared by the attendees and therefore athletes will be expected to assist with chores during the camp.
It is anticipated that every effort will be made to make use of public transport throughout the course of the camp.
Attendees
The camp is aimed at M/W20’s, and if room permits some M/W18’s.
It is likely that the camp will take place in August and recognising that the athletes may wish to return home at various times, for example for ‘A’ level results, attendance at the camp will be flexible allowing athletes to join and leave the camp at various times other than the planned start and finish.
Team Manager'sReport
Managed by Mark Saunders & Alice Bedwell. The start of the camp was based in Gothenburg, but we moved to Stromstad for the second weekend where WOC was occurring, taking part in the final two spectator races and spectating at the WOC relays.
Attended by
| Louise Adams | Pippa Daikin | Ella Gilbert |
| Helen Ockenden | Chloe Potter | Ed Callow |
| Jack Leitch | Ewan Mcmillan | Paul Pruzina |
| Joe Thomas | Joe Woodley |
We were also able to invite a senior elite athlete – Charlotte Watson – to train with us on the camp and in effect act as informal mentor to the younger athletes. This worked well, with Charlotte being a good role model – making the most of the training opportunity herself and getting on well with the other athletes.
Two of the athletes had attended the camp previously, which also helped. Joe Woodley in particular, played a leading role in planning much of the training, and lead by example with his own training.
All of the Athletes stayed for the full camp.
Selections
This year a new stipulation was added that Athletes would not be selected for the Gothenburg camp if they were also going to the Pre-JWOC camp in August. This reduced the number of eligible athletes and the numbers eventually attending. But it did mean that there was no apparent tiredness / jadedness amongst those that did attend.
Travel
All athletes made their own arrangements to get to Sweden. In Sweden Alice and I had hired cars, and travel was a mix of buses, supplemented by the cars – for example to provide a shuttle between nearest bus stop and training or competition centre. The cars also helped with shopping expeditions to cater for all of us. Paying for buses is a bit complicated with no season ticket available which suits our needs – it is either a 3 day tourist card or month plus season ticket. Instead we used the charge cards recycled from 2014 & 15, topped up as necessary – like Oyster cards. Again rather than reclaim the deposit, we have kept the cards ready for next year.
Accommodation
For the start of the week we again stayed in the Savedalens AIK club hut on the outskirts of Gothenburg, and was ideal for our needs. Plenty of forest right on the door step plus a nice lake for swimming etc. The club were again very friendly and didn’t seem put out by the mess all of us “camping” in their hut inevitably made – “it is normal….”. We joined them on one of the evening training races and meal afterwards.
For the second weekend we stayed in a number of camping huts close to Stromstad.
Some athletes were able to depart directly on the Sunday, but most of us stayed one night in a hostel in Gothenburg, prior to return flights on Monday evening.
Catering
This was done by the athletes themselves which worked well without any dramas. In general the food was very good – probably the best we have had on this camp. It was a bit more challenging in the camping huts – which each had their own small hob, small saucepans etc, but things worked out OK. And on one night we had a barbeque.
Training
Plenty of good training in the forests around Savedalens club hut – 3 we were able to run to/from the actual hut. Others a short bus trip away. Again the athletes ran the JWOC middle race course form 2008 in the centre of Gothenburg , but apart from that all the training was very close to the club hut. Joe Woodley had planned quite a lot of the training exercises before we arrived, and I was able to print out the maps in the UK. Again we saved costs by making use of the “Hittaut Nu” ( a Swedish public health initiative) Orienteering maps that we were able to pick up free. On two of the nights some of the athletes opted to do some night training on one of the areas adjacent to the hut.
The athletes did their control hanging – and were more inclined to do this than in previous years which I think made for better training.
Competition
On the second weekend we attended the WOC spectator races. Whilst this meant increased expense - pricey entry costs, “commercial” accommodation and extra travel - it provided a good focus to the end of the tour.
Illness/injury
A few days into the camp, one of the athletes, went down with what we took to be a bad cold. We made sure she rested and did no training or competing but the illness dragged on and if anything got slightly worse. On return to the UK she was diagnosed with pneumonia, which was a bit of shock. As she missed out on so much of the camp, she will be offered a place on next year’s camp.
Finance
The youngsters paid just under £200 on top of their flight costs. This was more expensive than previous years, with the deterioration in exchange rate and extra costs of attending the WOC spectator races, but still good value for 9 nights in Sweden..
Feedback
We received some nice notes of thanks about what “great tour“ it was. From Alice and my point of view it was one of the easiest tours to manage that we have been on. There was a relaxed but purposeful atmosphere to the whole camp which made it an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Next year
I am available again to manage the tour as is probably Alice – travelling directly there from Finland where we are organising a Welsh Junior camp. Dates – 19th – 27th August.
Mark Saunders Nov 2016
Selections
Louise Adams SYO
Hannah Cleary-Hughes LOC
Pippa Daikin SYO
Ella Gilbert NOR
Helen Ockenden CUOC
Chloe Potter BOK
Ed Calow DEE
Jack Leitch SO
Ewan Mcmillan MAROC
Paul Pruzina LVO
Joe Thomas MWOC
Joe Woodley AIRE
Selection Policy
Date
The camp will run from 20th-29th August 2016
Location
Note exact location of camp to be determined, with the possibility that it will be run in in Finland instead in 2016. Camp will be run on similar lines to previous Gothenburg camps with emphasis on Self Help.
Eligibility
The Camp is predominantly for M/W20’s born in 1997 and top M/W18’s born in 1998.
Numbers
The camp will be for of the order of 18 athletes the final number being determined by the Team Manager and the Chairman of JROS.
Athletes who have previously attended the Gothenburg camp are eligible to attend again on the proviso that they will be expected to significantly help with the planning of the training and logistics prior to the camp.
It is not expected that athletes who have been selected for the British Orienteering pre-JWOC camp in August will be selected to attend this camp.
Application for selection for this tour must in the first instance be made to the Team Manager, Mark Saunders, at
Criteria
Athletes wishing to be selected will be ordered based on the average of the best three ranking scores that they achieved under the British Orienteering ranking scheme at the following races;
- British Night Champs, 2016 (27th February)
- Midland Championships, 2016 (28th February)
- JK Day 1 Sprint *, 2016 (25th March)
- JK Day 2, 2016 (26th March)
- JK Day 3, 2016 (27th March)
- Northern Championships Sprint *, 2016 (16th April)
- Northern Championships, 2016 (17th April)
- British Long Distance Champ, 2016 (30th April)
Note; * that only results from one of the sprint races will be taken into account ie best of JK Sprint or Northern Championships sprint.
The tour selectors
The tour athletes will be selected by Mark Saunders (BOK) and the selections will be reviewed by the Chairman of Junior Regional Orienteering Squads (JROS).
Illness or Injury
Cases of illness or injury which may have affected an athlete’s ability to compete in one of the above selection races may be taken account of. Views of the relevant Regional Squad Coordinator will be sought in such cases.