Left, Right, or Straight_5 Analysis

Finnish Ulta Long Championships 2019. М20. (20 km).

Left, Right, or Straight_#5 Analysis

 https://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/2019smepH20/

This leg 7 was in the early part of the course and it is likely that the tactical layout of the physical forces influenced the choice of route.

The winner of M20 class Ilgvars Caune chose the leftmost route, the "calm" one, where it is possible to keep an even run, with minimal climbing and maximum use of the path. He lost 30 seconds from the direct route, but in the final part of the course the leader showed a much better pace.

In this M20 class there were comparatively few participants with GPS. We cannot judge qualitatively about all possible routes.

In the figure below, the position of the athletes on  leg 7, who had the top 4 results at the finish line, of those with GPS. Therefore we can judge that they were about the same speed in this part of the course.

Micro choice on the left route:

 The leftmost approach with maximum use of the trail was the winner. However, it should be noted that the competitors running on a route similar to the yellow route showed a less than ideal approach - very close to the hill and with an unnecessary climb. 

Later there is a slide of how the M21s performed this approach.

Micro choise on the direct route. We see a slight difference in pace between the two competitors of 7% before the hill. The "purple" competitor went round the hill and lost 47 seconds. If we consider it in relation to himself, then about 30 seconds are lost in this rounding of the hill.

When making micro choice at this stage it is important to consider that the hill is not hight. There are only 2 contours.    Form lines  make this hill visually larger.

Also the competitor with the purple route further maked  not optimal approach to the control, with loo long run along the season marsh. Another 15-20 seconds or so lost to himself.

The M21 had a similar leg 19. But it is slightly shorter.
Key findings:

- no one ran round the hillock on the right side of the straight route;

- many participants ran straight routes near the legline. And many of them not optimally.

- On the route to the left, the competitors performed more optimally approach the control than the M20s. They did not left the path as early as the M20s, but no one pulled as far as the leader in the M20s. So we can't judge whether the leftmost competitor from M20 class lost some seconds.  

- A few people executed the left route closer to the  legline (over the hill), but this route lost significantly.  There is a lengthening + height gain on it, and in this place the hillock is already 20 metres and additionally a downhill with rocks. 

- The  approach on direct route of the leader in M20 is not ideal either. M21 demonstrated a better approach.

Micro choice in M21 on the straight option (crossing the marshes) - there wasn't much difference.

The women's courses did not have this leg. 

The results are here:

Aleksandr Alekseyonok, November 25, 2023.

See here 

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