Learn From Others' Errors #8

Today we look at a controversial decision on the long 10-11 leg of Simon Hector's (the men's elite class; Swedish League #5 10.05.2024).

The leg involved two main ideas for the route:

1. along the line of the leg

2. right along vehicle roads.

Simon started out on the right-hand route, but then, at some point, decided to leave the road very early (brown tracks).

It's not uncommon to have doubts about where to leave a long linear feature. To simplify the decision, mentally place a control at the point of doubt and decide how you would navigate such a leg.

source http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20240510SL5H21/

Aleksandr Alekseyonok, May 18, 2024.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Case Study #4 Case: You ran onto a narrow ride slightly below its end and are unsure which of several similar rides you are on. Solution: In this situation, the relief profile can assist us. Even if the rides themselves appear similar, the relief profile along each ride differs , providing valuable clues for accurate positioning. This approach is discussed in Chapter 3 ( Using All the Indicators for Confident Positioning ) of the book Planning Reliable Routes . It demonstrates that relief can be used not only when we are uncertain about our current location , but also proactively during route planning . By analysing the map in advance, we can identify segments where linear features intersect with relief forms , creating distinct and easily recognisable points. These can serve as reliable positioning features . Additionally, flat areas and transitions between slopes and level terrain can also support effective location verification. (Example taken from my book Plann...

Left, Right, or Straight: Leg Analysis #21

Left, Right, or Straight: Leg Analysis #21 Today we will take a look at Leg 5–6 from the M18 Long Distance course at the Novembertävlingarna, lång event (23.11.2025) Organising club Tullinge SK (Sweden) In the M18 class, the most successful route choices used a less distinct path running between the hills. In general, the approach to the control could be planned either contouring around the hillside or crossing over the top . This decision largely influenced the entire route choice on this leg. Interestingly, both of these approaches were used by the fastest runners on this leg (Carl-Meijer Axelsson and Jonathan Enarsson) — and both produced very similar results . The athlete who placed 3rd on this leg - Ivar Nordberg (and eventually 3rd overall ) most likely made a mistake. After reaching the top of the hill , he deviated down toward the open field — a move that doesn't seem justified. Most likely, he lost direction while descending the slope. This leg also ...

New o-book is coming this fall!

New O-Book Coming This Fall! Confident Orienteering: A Systematic Approach to Minimising Errors Book 1: Fundamentals was released in October 2023 and has already been translated into seven languages , alongside the original English edition. With 8 chapters and 140 pages, it introduced the core concepts of the author's navigation system — and I’m still amazed at how warmly it was received by orienteers around the world. 🌍 As we continued working on the next part of this practical guide, it became clear that the project had grown into something much bigger — not least because of the sheer number of examples and illustrations included throughout (around 250 in total!). To make the material easier to absorb, we’re now leaning towards splitting it into two volumes , each with its own clear focus. This isn’t a final decision yet, and even the titles below are working titles — but right now, this structure feels like the most reader-friendly option: 📖 Book 2 (working title...

Confident Orienteering

Search This Blog