Discussion: WMOC
in: Orienteering; General
Nov 9, 2006 2:16 PM
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(Not the World Masters--sorry for the bait and switch.)
It seems like a lot of top orienteers make it to the World Military Orienteering Championships. How big is it really? Has the US gone? Have we ever? Why/why not?
It seems like a lot of top orienteers make it to the World Military Orienteering Championships. How big is it really? Has the US gone? Have we ever? Why/why not?
Nov 9, 2006 2:34 PM
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I don't know how big it is really, though it seems that in a lot of countries there are top orienteers in the reserve forces that they can send.
The US has gone, but the last time was 1999. A couple of us have looked into this recently and were pretty heartily shot down, for various military reasons. It is possible to change the policy for the future so that the US can participate, but it would take some effort - and it would probably have a better shot if more than just 2 people were interested. This is just on the military side of the house, I have no idea if USOF needs a say in approving a team.
Good that you brought this up, because I'd been meaning to ask around to see if there were other military people who would be (seriously) interested in the champs in the future. Anyone out there?
The US has gone, but the last time was 1999. A couple of us have looked into this recently and were pretty heartily shot down, for various military reasons. It is possible to change the policy for the future so that the US can participate, but it would take some effort - and it would probably have a better shot if more than just 2 people were interested. This is just on the military side of the house, I have no idea if USOF needs a say in approving a team.
Good that you brought this up, because I'd been meaning to ask around to see if there were other military people who would be (seriously) interested in the champs in the future. Anyone out there?
Nov 9, 2006 2:49 PM
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I would have thought that this would be fairly easy for the West Point crew to do, but I never considered the complexities and issues involving military decision-making.
Nov 9, 2006 4:03 PM
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If the West Point crew were interested and able to go (overseas during the academic year) then I'd guess that they'd have a good shot at making it happen. Not sure if one service getting the ball rolling would automatically open the doors for the other services (eg, AF sports has to approve their own team members separately), but it might be a great start.
Nov 9, 2006 10:07 PM
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US is the only civilized orienteering country does not support developing orienteering in the military (Australia may be second?) Most of European elite male have been or are supported financially by military. SwissCheese is one of them.
The whole Russian National team is Brazil right now.
The whole Russian National team is Brazil right now.
Nov 9, 2006 10:21 PM
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Well... there aren't many American orienteers in the military to support. Or even many American orienteers period.
And, of course, these days there's that whole "War on Terra" issue, sucking funding for athletic development.
And, of course, these days there's that whole "War on Terra" issue, sucking funding for athletic development.
Nov 9, 2006 10:56 PM
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You can add Canada to your list Greg. I coached the Canadian CIOR team for many years and each year there were several young very athletic officers interested in Orienteering and forming clubs, but they were mostly from Quebec and they weren't that interested in them.
I'm hoping to establish a working group getting the Canadian Forces to start using Orienteering as part of their training.
Europe and North America of course have rather different ideas of responsibilities of athletes in the military. In Europe you of course had Captain Alberto Tomba and many other famous examples.
I'm hoping to establish a working group getting the Canadian Forces to start using Orienteering as part of their training.
Europe and North America of course have rather different ideas of responsibilities of athletes in the military. In Europe you of course had Captain Alberto Tomba and many other famous examples.
Nov 9, 2006 10:56 PM
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CIOR has a military pentathlon competition (see if you can find me in the front row!) which includes orienteering as one of the five events. That's actually part of the problem. The last time the US sent a team to the WMOC, all (or most of?) the members of that team were also CIOR competitors... so they figured why have two teams? Nevermind that orienteering and military pentathlon are two totally different types of competition. Also, this means that the only way for a military member to compete in any military orienteering at the international level is if they are an officer with a reserve commission. Kind of a narrow scope now.
Still looking...
Still looking...
Nov 9, 2006 11:09 PM
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How are the woods around Sam Houston Cristina? I always wondered why the team didn't train in Vermont at that base instead, as opposed to Texas in mid-summer.
Of course Canada is committed to training in the swamps of Quebec because that's our only land-o course and that's the sexy event.
Of course Canada is committed to training in the swamps of Quebec because that's our only land-o course and that's the sexy event.
Nov 10, 2006 12:01 AM
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Well, this year the team didn't really train anywhere...
As far as I know, there are only three land-o courses in the US - San Antonio, Vermont, and Virginia. I don't know much about the history of the CIOR program, so I don't know why they have been using Ft Sam. (Chuck Ferguson would be a better source...) It might be the condition of the land-o courses, though the one at Ft Sam isn't exactly in gorgeous shape.
There are quite a few maps of the land at Camp Bullis (just outside San Antonio), which is typical Texas terrain. That is, scraggly, nasty and really really hot in July. And the maps are old. It made us tough. Or something. VA probably wouldn't be much better in the summer. VT probably is.
Oh, and land-o may be the sexy event, but it's also my worst. As in, a team would be better just strapping me to their backs for the event instead of "helping" me through it. I hate to say it, but I'm much better with a gun. ;-)
As far as I know, there are only three land-o courses in the US - San Antonio, Vermont, and Virginia. I don't know much about the history of the CIOR program, so I don't know why they have been using Ft Sam. (Chuck Ferguson would be a better source...) It might be the condition of the land-o courses, though the one at Ft Sam isn't exactly in gorgeous shape.
There are quite a few maps of the land at Camp Bullis (just outside San Antonio), which is typical Texas terrain. That is, scraggly, nasty and really really hot in July. And the maps are old. It made us tough. Or something. VA probably wouldn't be much better in the summer. VT probably is.
Oh, and land-o may be the sexy event, but it's also my worst. As in, a team would be better just strapping me to their backs for the event instead of "helping" me through it. I hate to say it, but I'm much better with a gun. ;-)
This discussion thread is closed.