European Championship was perfect promotion of top orienteering. Compare to last EOC, live TV coverage with incredible atmosphere in the competition center was looking just perfect in TV. Big thanks are going to Swedish organizers!
On the other side EOC was a big disappointment for the Czech team. Our results were pretty poor. Jan Sedivy was an only exception on long distance, but his mistake on first control kicks him back to 12th place, but pretty close to top6.
Middle
I tried to make some good forest runs this time and my orienteering performance on middle distance was good. I was losing physically. The surface was really stony and steep in the beginning. There I had destroyed my legs and I was not able to speed up any more. I finished 16th, it seems like good place, but not good enough for the best Czech result. We were expecting more.
Long
Second race was long distance. My performance was OK, but I lost really much to best runners. One reason might be big amount of small mistakes. After them I have lost mi spirit (or harmony in the words of Jani Lakanen). 33rd place was a big disappointment for me.
Relays
Relays are always my biggest goal and this year I was put back to first leg. Finally terrain was more run-able with a lot of path running. After small mistake to first control I climb up back to top. I felt really strong I tried to increase speed of group many times, but I miss last control and change to Jan Sedivy on 5th place. He did a perfect job also and changed on second place! We send Vojta Kral in to the forest on pretty difficult position. He was running his first international relays and straight last leg with perfect starting position. Unfortunately he is still not so psychically strong and misses a lot on last leg. Our final 9th place was a big disappointment and makes me even hungrier for WOC relays. There we will be back in fight for medals!
results
Seda was nerly the best this time, but of course Lalla is always better!
Coming for 16th spot on middle distance
Rampa and Radek in relay quarantine
Back on first leg
