Skip to main content

Following or Independent Racing?

 Following or Independent Racing?


Share in the comments below how you feel when you catch up with a competitor who started before you — and then they follow you for the entire long distance, effectively relying on your navigation, even when you make a mistake.

Based on the GPS tracking data, we can conclude that a similar situation occurred at MOM 2026 during the Long Distance race on Day 1.

Pia Young Vik caught Eef Van Dongen before the first control, even though Eef had started three minutes earlier. From that point on, Eef appeared to run behind Pia for almost the entire race.

Even during the five-minute mistake at Control 17, Eef followed Pia. Only near the very end of the course did she run independently.













Comments

Post a Comment

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Road to JWOC 2026, #2 (Long Distance)

  The Road to JWOC 2026, #2 (Long Distance) Short  Leg 1: what to do In the previous post in this series, we identified—based on the terrain characteristics and extensive experience from many previous competitions in this area—that a short first leg with complex navigation is highly likely. In this post, we focus on what exactly to do in such a situation. Let us begin by explaining why we are specifically discussing short first legs . If the first leg is longer , it will most likely intersect paths , as this terrain is full of paths of different types . In that case, an athlete has several safety options : – choosing a detour along paths; – or navigating less precisely on a bearing , deliberately aiming off early to hit a path and then restoring exact position while running along it. https://www.livelox.com/Viewer/JVM-test-lang/D20?classId=392774&live=false&tab=player In such scenarios, the initial nervousness and uncertainty at the beginning of the co...
Post a Comment
Read more