10.08.2019 - „The decisive stage” on Saturday
The gullies and ditches on the “Eggli”-mountain often made it difficult to quickly find the controls. It was in a marshy, wet area that offered the last chance to improve one’s rankings. It may also have urged on other competitors to survive the sixth stage safe and sound. Up until 10 o’clock in the morning, thick fog and rain prevailed on the Eggli, and without fail soaking wet runners reached the finish. Even in these conditions, gratification existed among the competitors to have mastered the courses. Afterwards, runners warmed themselves with a coffee in the tent, discussed the courses with others and went over the whole SOW not sparing compliments to each other.
The same was true for the organisation: it goes without saying that the organising committee for the SOW 2019 deserves the highest praise. Even older, experienced competitors who had participated in many orienteering meets in Switzerland and abroad were convinced that they had never experienced such a perfectly organised orienteering week. They were also aware of the fact that after closure of the finish a lot a work still waited for all the volunteers: breaking things down, hauling it away, cleaning-up or repairing, there were tasks still waiting with no end. However, the biggest compliment came from a silver-haired female runner remarking that the orienteers were a tight-knit community that loved their sport and helped out without much fuss and left everything cleaned up and proper.
The region Gstaad offered convincing preconditions for the entire event. Whoever followed the invitation for the Swiss O Week 2021 in Arosa may look forward to the intention of three young women sitting on a chairlift who declared self-consciously that in the “Bündnerland” they’re planning to seriously mix up the rankings.
The “decisive stage” has obviously left some traces.
