Southdowner involved in new sprint format trials
The British Sprint squad (including Jonny Crickmore) have been in Italy training and trialing new sprint formats. A video showing one of the finals can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4gt5rytJF4
The world orienteering championships will soon be split into alternating forest-based and sprint-based events. In order to justify a full sprint-based championships one or more new formats will need to be devised. Two leading contenders were trialed at an international sprint camp held last week. The first was a knockout format with multiple rounds and the top runners qualifying for the next run. The semifinals were particularly brutal with only the winners guaranteed to qualify. The second involved a chasing start format where doing well in the heats allowed you to start with a 5-30 second lead in the next round. Jonny and top UK sprinter Kris Jones managed to make the final of both sprints. The above video shows the knockout final with Jonny trying to hang onto Martin Hubmann for much of the race whilst former Swedish world sprint champion Emil Wingstedt attempts to keep up with his camera.