Maximus O-Meeting 2025: What to Expect

Today we bring you an interview with one of the main organisers of Maximus O Meeting 2025, Raul Ferra.

Hi, Raul.

Thank you for agreeing to tell us about the MAXIMUS event.
Firstly, could you briefly introduce yourself and the Maximus event?

 My name is Raúl Ferra, a dedicated orienteer since the age of 9. What began as a childhood hobby evolved into a competitive pursuit, and now it’s both my profession and my passion.

 At the moment, my main occupation is as the head-coach of Halden SK, but I complement it with personal coaching (RF-Coach), and organising training camps and events in Spain (Maximus O Meeting and winter camp, and Sun-O camps in Alicante, Murcia, Barbate, Granada, etc.).

      What is the history of this competition? How did it all start?

 Maximus O Meeting was launched in 2019 as a new project in the region, with the aim of offering an annual event of the highest technical quality, in addition to the training camp. The potential of the terrain, and its suitability for the practice of orienteering in the winter months, when Scandinavia is covered in snow, encouraged us to embark on this beautiful project. 6 editions later, Maximus O Meeting is one of the benchmark winter competitions that welcomes nearly 2,000 participants, including some of the world's top athletes. In addition, thanks to the large number of quality training sessions in the surrounding area, many clubs and national teams choose us for their winter training camp, enjoying the area for an average of 7-10 days.

    What was the maximum number of participants, and how many joined last year?

 Last winter was the largest edition of our 4-day event, where for the first time we exceeded 2,100 participants, with a very notable participation in the elite classes.

     Who are the key people aside of you involved in organizing these competitions?

 We are not a very large team, but Yulian is without a doubt the soul of this project. We both work throughout the year, sharing the tasks. I focus on the technical and promotional part, while he manages the contacts and permits with local authorities, landowners, hunters, logistics, etc. So, for the days of the competition we usually have a lot of help from club members and other collaborators, which add up to about 30-40 people.

      As far as I know, the Maximus competitions has one of the highest WRE ratings for multi-day events, almost as high as the World Cup. Is that correct?

 Yes, the high participation in the elite classes and especially the presence of the best ranked athletes in the world rankings are key to being able to offer our athletes very high scores in the world rankings. However, due to the lack of support from the Spanish Federation, in some editions we are not allowed to apply for WRE status, although our philosophy is to always offer the same quality standards.

     Who prepares the maps for the competition?

 We have different cartographers that we select specifically based on the particularities of the terrain. Although many cartographers have been part of the project during these six editions, our main cartographers are Jane Weckman - Timo Joensuu (Finland), and Ramón García (Spain). Most of the course design is done by me.

       Is laser scanning data used in map preparation?

 Absolutely yes. In Spain we are lucky to have unlimited access to high quality LIDAR and DTM, so all our maps are always based on this. 

       Are the competition maps publicly available, and are there any restrictions on visiting these areas?

 Most areas are free to access, although there may occasionally be restrictions due to environmental protection or landowner restrictions. Every year, we work with this and offer a permanent training package with 22 forest trainings and 8 sprints that can be visited at any time throughout the winter.

       How many types of landscapes or terrain can participants expect during the training camp and competition?

 One of the strongest points of our area is that the variety of terrain is brutal. The common factor is the abundance of rock elements, but apart from this, the terrain shapes are totally different, we have pine forests, oak forests, and even chestnut groves! In addition, the sprints are really fun, in small villages with labyrinthine constructions.

       Is the competition always held in the same location in Spain, or does it move around the country?

 Always in the same area of ​​Spain, on the Burgohondo - Hoyo de Pinares axis.

       What are the main terrain challenges participants might face, especially those unfamiliar with such environments?

 Because of the variety of terrain, the challenges faced by athletes also vary. I would perhaps single out the ability to simplify areas in great detail as one of the most important factors. Of course, there is no shortage of route choices, accurate map reading and sections where compass precision are essential

 Who designs the courses for the competition?

 I have designed almost all the courses so far, except for some Sprint events that are designed by a collaborator, since this discipline requires more detailed presential work in the weeks prior to the course. As for the training camp, I also design most of the training sessions, but here we do divide up the work a bit more and Svetlana designs some of them.

      Could you provide some information about the costs of the trip, including the multi-day event and the training camp?

 Flights to Spain (Madrid) are usually quite cheap in winter. Our team offers accommodation possibilities for about 25-27 euros per person/night, and the registration fee for the entire MOM is about 50 euros. As for the training camp, each training is sold for 5-6 euros.

      What are the accommodation prices (budget options) at this time of year?

 Plenty of them. From fully equipped houses to hostels or good hotels. Just write to us at info@maximusocamp.com and we will help you find the best option.

      How much does it cost to rent a car for 4-5 people?

 It depends on the company, but there are plenty of options and it's not difficult to find a mid-size car for less than 100 euros per week. Try rentalcars.com

     Do you have an estimate of the total cost for a small group planning such a trip?

 In general, we estimate around 50 euros per person per day, including car, accommodation, competition and training. It depends on the type of profile the group wants :-)

      How much does a training day cost?

The price of permanent trainings is 6 euros and they are sold at maximusocamp.omaps.io A progressive discount based on the number of copies purchased is automatically applied. We also offer trainings with SportIdent for 8 euros.

photos provided by Raul Ferra

Interview prepared by Aleksandr Alekseyonok, specially for the Facebook group 'Orienteering. Technical Trainings'

November 11, 2024