Sharing Experiences of JWOC 2016

Vision and motivation Simone wanted to give something back to the orienteering world Vision: The JWOC2016 should be a «once in a life-time» experiance that runners will remember forever: Good competitions in a breathtaking scenery and very nice terrains  Main focus on runners/team optic

Organizing commitee Experianced team Course setter team with former JWOC-runners (now elite runners and World Champions and women: Matthias Kyburz, Fabian Hertner, Matthias Merz, Baptiste Rollier, Sara Lüscher, Sophie Tritschler  No explanation of special settings needed (quarantine, qualification mode,…)

Combination with Swiss O Week Combination with a big event is difficult JWOC runners have more attention if it’s «only» JWOC 2 weeks holidays in Engadin: JWOC and Swiss O Week  Concept and the days need to be planed very carefully if combined with a big event

Start fee At JWOC 2016 the teams didn’t had to pay a start fee («Switzerland is cheap» ). More runners: 148 Women / 174 Men / 88 officials from 39 nations 45 Women relay teams / 54 Men relay teams

Trainings About 20 teams came to Switzerland beforehand for trainingcamps. Need of relevant maps (terrain, maping style) Nice to have (small or big) competitions in relevant terrains Source of income if you have good offers  Needs a responsible person

Live-Production JWOC 2016 produced all competitions live (Internet-streaming and in arena on big screen) Budget CHF 50’000.- (EUR 45’000.-) Impressive figures: Sprint: 11’922 viewers Long: 14’268 Middle Quali: 10’851 Middle Final: 12’834 Relay: 11’853

Live-Production Viewers came from all over the world: SUI 34’000 (20 %) FIN 22’400 (13 %) SWE 20’800 (12 %) NOR 11’300 (7 %) RUS 6’200 (4 %) GBR, DAN, CZE, JAP, GER, AUS all with 4’000 – 5’000 HUN, FRA, NZL, AUT all with 3’000-4’000  Very big interest in JWOC production!

Long distance – a long day 4 different quarantines! (Pre-quarantine in train, quarantine 1, quarantine 2, after-finish quarantine) Start times from 09:01 – 14:39 No red group  second last starter got lost on way to 2nd control  last runnern in finish around 17:00 Flower ceremonie without official results  Long distance day is a very long day

Needs good planning and strikt rules Involve team leaders Party Needs good planning and strikt rules Involve team leaders  Party yes, excessive alcohol consumption no

Get experience The JWOC2016-organising team was with 8-10 persons present at JWOC 2015 Very important to see what is needed, you know how to organise, but do you have JWOC-experience? Good to feel the JWOC-spirit  We recommend to visit a previous JWOC with the key players of the organising committee.

Share experience The international and national Event Advisors have a lot of experience, as you also have Include them in your plans and activities, so that they know how far you are or where problems could be. Their goal is to advise you (not control). Make demands to them, ask them, involve them  Work together with your advisors and make a clear time plan for the milestones.

Be strict Some (or most of them?) national teams are not very good in deadlines Entries can be late, payment even later. It helps if you contact the teams directly and remind them of the deadlines, missing payment, etc. The IOF-competition rules are clear and a good reference, tell the teams that you will follow them. No space for discussions there. Tell the teams to read the Bulletins. (most questions at Team official’s meetings are answered in the Bulletin)  Follow the competition rules and your bulletins, it makes your life easier

Show experience JWOC-organisers are new every year, the team officials often have a lot of JWOC-experience, they know (or think to know) how this competition should be organised Be well prepared for the Team Officials’ Meetings. Be aware that the first one will set the standard. If you are self-confident and convincing, the officials get respect and know you are well- prepared. That avoids a lot of silly questions during the whole week  Talk with an experienced team official before the event. What are the important issues for the teams, where are the traps for the organisers.

Be in advance Course planning goes over a long period. Plan map making and course setting well in advance. Many things and decisions are based on the courses (transport, quarantine, start, arena, etc.). Make a draft of the bulletins early before the deadline (at least for bulletin 4). If you have the bulletin, JWOC is ready as you have to define all details in it. Try to be in advance as the last days before JWOC will be stressfull even without being late with the bulletin.  Be early and invest a lot of time in bulletin 4. A good bulletin 4 avoids questions and last-minute actions during JWOC.

Be ready for the challenge The key-persons (event director, technical director, chief infrastructure, etc.) will have a big workload the last months and weeks, be ready for that The workload during the last weeks is very irregular, so it is difficult to have a «normal» job besides Enjoy the intense time the last weeks before and during JWOC and be ready for the challenge. The feeling having managed it is unforgettable.

Have a plan B Crisis management group has to be defined well in advance Make a risk analysis and discuss the big issues within the whole organization in advance Have clear advises and rules for crisis situations and communicate this rules to all involved (including volunteers!) You can not be prepared for everything, but you will feel better prepared in case something will happen

Volunteers Approx. 200 volunteers, 95% orienteers from clubs JWOC 2016 wasn’t organized in an «orienteering-area»: all volunteers had to be accommodated 1 «restaurant» for volunteers: breakfast, self-picking lunch, dinner Special ideas from kitchen to keep everybody in good mood Great «get together» possibility every day

Take care about your volunteers A JWOC lasts one week, most of the volunteers work the whole week Volunteers often are experienced, but have organised a 1-2 day event, JWOC is long and needs power and energy that lasts for more than 1-2 days Bad weather or compicated competitions (different arenas, transport, public races) lead to more work  It is important that volunteers always have time to recover during the week, better to have some extra-volunteers to alternate

Enjoy it – you will always remember it!