SLOW presents a portrait of the

Orienteering World Cup 2005 - Round 1

Guildford, Surrey, England

Our stories

Andy Robinson - SLOW - Race Director - Monday Sprint Final

"When finally leaving the park I thought I’d just have a look at the far side of the park and noticed that the 3 controls in the World Cup warm-up area hadn’t been collected. They had been sitting there for over 5 hours after their use surrounded by hundreds maybe thousands of people without being touched - one group picknicking at a control said they were waiting for the action to start and were disappointed to find that they had missed it!!"

Andrew Trimble - SLOW - Photographer

"For once I came out from behind a computer and had the privilege of pretending to be a photographer for 4 days, had to go to work on Tuesday so missed the middle race on the last day. My job was to lead the professional photographers out to suitable control sites out on the course. It gave me a fascinating and close up view of the worlds top orienteers. For me Monday was the best day with both the Young Orienteers Festival alongside the World Cup. I was proud to be a SLOW member as I think we put on a fantastic event that was an excellent shop window for future orienteers. Well done SLOW and the other South-East clubs!"

British Squad

Helen Winskill said: "Brilliant events and organisation....had a great time" Matt Crane said: "Really well planned challenging courses"  Dave Peel (Head Coach) said: "Great to bring the team to such quality events" Oli Johnson said: "Like a well oiled machine" Sarah Rollins said: " It felt more like a World Champs than a World Cup" Helen Bridle said: "Really well planned, I loved the courses" Mats Haldin said: " I was very satisfied, a good event, I saw no problems" I hope that gives a feel for how pleased everyone was with the way things went. On the build up to the event we developed the following phrase to show how confident and pleased we where to be racing in Britain. "I'm British, I'm racing at home and I'm proud" Well guys, you made us very proud to be just like you, British Orienteers.

Chris Robinson - SLOW - Press Officer

Now for the best bit!  Thank you to everybody who has contributed to the success of the development and publicity aspects of the World Cup.  There are so many of you, my only worry is I might have missed saying thank you to someone.  So please forward this on if you think I have overlooked someone.   We have been complimented by the video team from the Swedish O Federation on providing the best ever press facilities at a World Cup!  All the journalists were very appreciative of the opportunities for filiming, interviewing athletes, provision of results and start-lists and for the luxury refreshments.

Looking at the scene on Monday sent shivers up my spine.  The sight of so many young people orienteering and having a great time was fantastic.  The person in charge of the massive schools project linked to the Swiss 2003 World Champs congratulated us on Monday's Young Orienteers Festival.  Many of the young participants and team managers expressed their thanks and said they'd had a great day.  The Mayor Wandsworth loved it and wants us to organise a family fun day in Battersea Park.

Heather Monro - SLOW & GB squad

It really was an awesome week. There were so many reasons to be really proud of British orienteering. The races were brilliantly organised, the media / spectator aspects were top notch, the atmosphere was fantastic and the home crowd were great. The forests were wonderful; every bit as magical as I remember them from my youth and the courses were superb. Testing, enjoyable, intensely technical. An orienteer's dream!  I was bowled over by the success of the young orienteers festival. It was fantastic to see so many children having so much fun (and I am very proud of the Barrow team from 'my' region winning!). I hope that the hard work that has gone into the development programme bears fruit in the weeks and months to come.

 I am also really proud of the GB women's team who performed outstandingly. 7 women finished in the top 21 in the World Cup...never before have we been CLOSE to anything like that! I know what you mean about shivers up your spine..approaching the spectator control and the finish and the support from the crowd in the long distance did the same for me! I also admit to shedding a tear on the podium looking out over Battersea Power station..a familiar site from my childhood, but never in my wildest dreams the setting for a World Cup orienteering event! My only regret is that it is all over..I don't suppose I'll ever get to run in an international race of that calibre in my home terrain again...But maybe one day I'll experience something similar from the other side! Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to the success of these events..to the organisers, helpers, spectators, GB team, staff and my team-mates. Thank you for a once in a lifetime experience!

Tim Pugh - Event Director

To each and every World Cup Official and Helper   "We did it", it has been long and hard and, hopefully, we have all had some fun and enjoyment along the way but "we did it" despite everything that was put in our way.   Thank you to each and every one of you for your contribution, I believe that we can be proud of our achievement.   As many of you are aware, there are many, many comments of appreciation and congratulations arriving from competitors and those in authority in our sport. Many of you will be aware that the Swiss team presented me with their National O shirt signed and inscribed "thank you for excellent organisation" - we are not aware of this ever being done before.     

Thanks a million, we could not have done it without you.

Brian Porteous - IOF Council Member

The World Cup was a tremendous success and all the more so because of the many challenges and difficulties you faced along the way. In fact, I rather suspect that you may well have piloted a format which could be popular in the future. We should hear more of that in the summer when the Foot O Commission report on their conclusions about the new elite events programme.

Your organisation was outstanding and I am sure that all the competitors and officials must have noticed as I did, the overwhelming friendliness of all involved. The arena for the middle final and, I hear for the other events were excellent examples of what the IOF is trying to encourage all organisers to aspire to.

I was particularly pleased to be able to meet your sponsor from the Anglo Irish Bank – that was a first – the sponsor not only gives you money but you make him work leading the registration team for the Surrey 5 Days!!!

Please pass on my personal thanks and the thanks of the IOF Council to all involved in all of your teams and again to Gordon Parker  from  Anglo Irish.

You all deserve a well-earned rest but Tim, you are too good an organiser to hang up your clipboard and I hope you will take the Steve Redgrave approach to retirement!

I was really proud to be British yesterday – I must take up this sport again sometime soon!

Robin Field - BOF Chief Executive

A wonderful event a great experience for me personally and privileged to be part of it as well as making some new friends.
I was in awe of what you (Tim Pugh), Daphne and your team achieved.

Alex Ross - BOF - Executive Officer

Robin is not in the office the next two days but I am sure he and Bob Roach would echo my thoughts. Thank you very much for your hospitality and help during my week in Guildford. The sport owes a huge debt of gratitude to you, your team and all the hard working volunteers who made WC 2005 and Surrey 5 O possible. I would be grateful if you could pass on my thanks, on behalf of the sport, to all of them. You may also like to draw their attention to the news item that I have just posted on the BOF website. I hope you can enjoy a well earned rest after all the loose ends have been tied.

Graham Gristwood - GB Squad

My congrats as well, it was fantastic.

John Scott - UK sport

I have read with great satisfaction the glowing comments about the event from a variety of sources. Well done! Thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to world class orienteering and did appreciate your hospitality and patience with the niave questions! Agree with Sarah - take a well earned rest.

IOF World Cup web site

The British organisers can be well satisfied with the World Cup competitions. They have been varied and challenging, and it has been good to be a spectator with the live screen and informative commentary. The spectators have also showed a lot of interest and given the runners good support.

Jenny Whitehead - GB Squad

I really enjoyed the week - well done to you and the rest of the organisation team. The only problem was my orienteering!!!

Göran Andersson - Förbundskapten Orientering, Herrar (Swedish national coach)

A big hand for your excellent performance during the World Cup in UK and many thanks for all your co-operation during our stay.  As I said after the last race, you should be very proud of your work due you have raised the profile of orienteering a lot in UK. I really hope that other organizers have recogniced your team work and how you together carry out all events. I´m also surprised that all course settings had a very high level of demands, it was really a success. There a lots of thing I can point out there you have been successful, maps, course settings, arena, prizegiving cerominies, team officals meeting etc. My conclusion in my Big Hand is: Very well done Sir, and I really mean it, you should be very, very proud of your hard work and your performance. And, please, send my very best regards to your "soldiers".

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