Nopesport

Thierry enjoys the podium moment

By Kjell-Erik Kristiansen at Middle Race Press Conference

Thierry Gueorgiou

Last year you won the Gold when you were not the favourite , and so this year you were the Favourite, how did you find this?
Of course it is very difficult to be favourite again…

What have you been doing since last year, where do you live and what you do for a living. You run for a Finnish club?
I have stopped my studies so have been able to have full focus in orienteering. So I have trained more this year in running so I think the biggest improvement has been in my running capacity. During the spring I was not that confident with my technique. Sometimes I was about to do really perfect race but sometimes I made some small mistakes. So during this summer I spent a lot of time in Vasteras area trying to understand maps and ok you have to really perfect your technique. So today it was OK.

Is anyone in France going to know that Thierry Gueorgiou is World Champion again?
Will there be anything in the papers in France, for example L’Equipe?
O is very small sport in France so it will not be very big happening my gold today. But it is very good for young Orienteers in France to know so that they know they can beat Scandinavians!

So you are more famous in Finland with your club Kalevan Rasti?
Probably yes, even more famous since winning Jukkola.

If you compare this year with last years race which do you think is the best technically?
It is very difficult to compare because there is too much difference between. Today it was rainy and last year it was over 30 degrees and totally different weather was very different. But technically they were similar…and challenging…So probably today but I have not checked the splits..

Our expert Mats Troeng has checked the splits and 1 leg you lost 15 secs but all other legs you were within a few secs of the fastest. Do you know which one?
Yes it was a long leg from a knoll to a marsh (9-10) where I missed a little on the compass in the circle.

Thank you and Congratulations on your Win.