Practice for WOC 2019 with our ambassadors Mari Fasting (33) and Petter Thoresen (52) during the next couple of months, either you’re a WOC competitor or take part in the spectator races. 

The next two months our ambassadors will serve technical challenges. Each Monday at 18.00 we will publish route choice dilemmas for you to discuss in our social media platforms. The following Friday at the same time we will publish our ambassador’s “verdicts”. 

Mari Fasting grew up in Moss, and she recently was one of the best female orienteering runners of both Østfold and the world. One of her favourite areas to perform technical training is Våler Varde, just outside her home city – and only a few kilometres from the embargoed WOC competition areas (See top photo). Mari is looking forward to seeing the world elite runners as well as the spectator runners coming to Østfold in August 2019. 

- In general, I find Våler varde to be a terrain that is very nice and open, with long ranged visibility in the hilltop areas. The surface is firm and grants possibility. The large marshes and less contoured areas have more undergrowth and other obstacles to restrict your speed. Østfold terrains are often about making a good overview of the terrain and knowing where the terrain allows you to run fast, Fasting says. 

One of the biggest stars

Petter Thoresen of Halden Skiklubb is one of the most winning orienteers of all time. He has won five WOC golds, three silvers and one bronze medal. Add to that several World Cup victories, Norwegian Championship gold medals and numerous triumphs with Halden in 10-Mila and Jukola. Thoresen has made an analyse of the Norwegian Championships course from Missingmyr, Råde, from 1996.  

- Most importantly I hope you look forward to WOC in Østfold and Norway. I think you’re in for a great and memorable experience. And we will do our best to help you settle in and have a good time, both with o-activities and socially. For a start I intend to give you some advice on how to run fast and secure through the forests in Østfold for WOC 2019. There was a Norwegian Championships at Missingmyr in Østfold in 1996, and the course had many interesting legs in a highly WOC relevant terrain, Thoresen says.