Tag: TeamUSA

2023 OUSA Junior Nationals & Georgia Navigator Cup Event Recap

January 13-16, 2023

  • Host: Georgia Orienteering Club
  • Venues:
    • Friday Middle: Lake Delanor, F.D. Roosevelt SP, Pine Mountain GA
    • Sat/Sun Classic: Lake Franklin, F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, GA
  • Event Director: Fred Zendt
    • Registrar: Rick Shane
    • Extreme O Director: Anne Mathews
  • Event Website

Media

Photo Galleries

Video

Results

Maps & RouteGadget

Applications for 2023 National Team now being accepted.

Since 2022, the National Team, aka TeamUSA, has consisted of three tiers: the Elite Squad, the Performance Squad, and the Junior Squad. The Elite Squad consists of those athletes who consistently perform at a high level and are deemed most likely to be selected for world-championship or elite-competition teams. Performance Squad athletes also perform at a high level but may not yet be consistent picks for international team selection. The Junior Squad encompasses all TeamUSA members aged 20 and under; all three tiers are fully eligible to take part in all team activities and to compete for spots on the international-event teams (subject, of course, to age restrictions or other qualifications for individual competitions.)

This year, the National Team Selection Committee (Peggy Dickison, Eric Weyman, Matt Smith) has published selection criteria that refine what has been done previously and will be used in making selections to the 2023 National Team. The Committee feels it is important to publicize the metrics and qualifications that go into selection decisions to increase the transparency of the process, to recognize the significant accomplishment it is to qualify for the Team, and to establish targets for goal-setting and other efforts of those wanting to qualify. While the performance level required to qualify for the National Team is particularly high of necessity, the Selection Committee reinforces that those who qualify have earned the opportunity to be considered for the Team.

These criteria are guidelines for the Selection Committee and will be considered in total and in context for each applicant. While the Committee values the quality and consistency of training, dedication, attitude, etc., ultimately the highest value is placed on performance and results. OUSA and IOF ranking numbers, results and info from individual races, and consistency of performance are the primary consideration of the Committee who rely on the high confidence of such data. However, these criteria are not strict cut-offs, and the Committee will consider trends and groupings and are willing to make mid-year revisions and/or promotions.

Athletes residing outside the United States who do not have an OUSA or IOF ranking are encouraged to apply if they feel their results qualify them to the Team. In such cases, athletes are requested to submit any national or international level results for the Selection Committee to review. Those who qualify for TeamUSA demonstrate they are the fastest and top athletes of the USA and are capable of performing on the world stage on behalf of the USA. Everyone who meets, exceeds, or approaches these qualifications is encouraged to apply. 

The 2023 USA National Team Selection Criteria are published here [https://docs.google.com/document/d/19i3s2tR8BPyCp3O3ERT5cjh04n0SCVj6/view] Feb 7, 2024 – Link no longer available

To apply to the 2023 National Team, complete the 2023 National Team Application Form, due by 18 January 2023, here [https://forms.gle/Supz5ZjNpTy8fNsm7].

2023 JWOC Team Selection Criteria Announced

The 2023 Junior World Orienteering Championships will take place from July 1-9, 2023 in Baia Mare, Romania. An official pre-JWOC training will be hosted the week prior to the championships, with the US Team intending to participate for at least a portion of it. Orienteering USA’s JWOC Selection Committee will choose up to six young male and six young female athletes to represent the USA at JWOC ’23.

As we return to more normal post-pandemic customs, this year will see a return to a full Team Trials selection event for the 2023 team. The 2023 JWOC Selection committee has coordinated with the organizers of the 2023 Orienteering USA Nationals / Flying Pig XXV to include the 2023 JWOC Team Trials. The event will take place the weekend of March 24-26, 2023 in Kentucky/Ohio and will consist of three races (M/F-20): Sprint, Middle & Long. The latter two are scheduled to be at Carter Caves in Kentucky and the sprint venue has not yet been announced but will be located nearby.

The full JWOC Team Selection Criteria document has now been uploaded to the Orienteering USA Library.

Note to Petitioners: Petitioners who can not attend the Team Trials will still be required to register for the Team Trials as Non-Compete and fill in the declaration page. Petitioning information will be collected through EventReg during registration – whether competing in the trials races, or entering as Non-Compete.

Interested athletes can view Bulletin 2.1 from the JWOC ’23 organizers for more information.

JWOC ’22 Part B Event Recap

November 4-6, 2022

The Forest races scheduled for JWOC ’22 back in July were cancelled when forest access throughout the entire country of Portugal was shut-down due to extreme fire danger. Event organizers pivoted and put together a great Sprint JWOC in its place and elected to defer the forest races until November.

Unfortunately, due to school and other commitments, many members of the originally selected squad from July were unable to return to Portugal a second time to complete the JWOC competition but TeamUSA was still able to send a 7-person contingent this time around.

Returning members from the July squad included Alexis Merka, Anna Campbell, Bridget Hall, Lily Addicott and Holden Sopoti as the lone representative for the men. Oriana Riley, originally an alternate selection for the July team was added to the squad. Rounding out the TeamUSA squad was Emilia Schmidt who was selected for the 2020 JWOC Team but was unable to compete due to cancellation of the event in 2020 by the pandemic.

Be sure to check out the post-JWOC blog post by TeamUSA member Lily Addicott to find out more about our team’s adventures in Portugal.

Tip: To view images at full size, right-click and “open image in new tab”. You may also copy image and view in an image editor of your choice. Higher resolution images are available for promotional use by clubs, contact webmaster@nullorienteeringusa.org for more information.

Fri Nov 4, 2022 – Middle @ Quinta das Lameiras

Click for larger map

Sat Nov 5, 2022 – Relay @ Quinta das Lameiras

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Sun Nov 6, 2022 – Long @ Carapito & Eirado

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Photo credits: Michael Schmidt, Angelica Riley, Lily Addicott, Kell Sønnichsen, Susana Luzir, Carlos Viana Rodrigues, Município Aguiar da Beira

TeamUSA welcomes Thomas Curiger to the National Team

The Executive Steering Committee is excited to announce the addition of Thomas Curiger to the Elite Squad of the National Team. Thomas is a dual Swiss-US citizen, living in Switzerland. His clubs are OLC Kapreolo (Zurich) and OK Orion (Jämsjö, Sweden). He began orienteering at age 8 and ten years later was called up to the Swiss Junior Team winning gold in the sprint and relay, and silver in the middle and long at JWOC in 2016. He competed at the 2017 World Cup in Latvia and 2018 World Cup in Czechia as a member of the Swiss Elite Squad before dropping off of the National Team in 2019.

Thomas will make his TeamUSA debut at this weekend’s World Cup Round 3 races in Davos, Switzerland. Joining Thomas at the World Cup races will be Elite Squad members Greg Ahlswede and Ricardo Schaniel.

Welcome aboard Thomas and good luck to all our TeamUSA athletes in Davos!

Photo of Thomas enroute to Middle Distance Gold at JWOC 2016.

Pawtuckaway NRE Event Recap

September 9-11, 2022

Pawtuckaway State Park, in southern New Hampshire played host to the 1992 Orienteering World Cup and since that date has been the site of over 25 years of annual Camping Weekend fun held every year in early September. This year the host club, Up North Orienteer’s opted to up the ante and used their one-day fee waiver to host a National Ranking Event (NRE).

The weather was great and two days of conventional orienteering along with Canoe-O and a number of Night-O variants combined with the group camping and potluck picnic supper made for a very memorable weekend. Thank you to Lex Bundschuh and her tireless team for another awesome year at Pawtuckaway!!

JWOC ’22 – Part Deux – Return to the Forest

Back in July, Orienteering USA sent a strong team to Portugal to compete in the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC). Most of the 10-person squad arrived early and got in a week of quality training under very hot conditions. Unfortunately, conditions were so extreme that Portugual closed all forest access across the country, forcing the organizers to pivot and essentially create a ‘sprint-JWOC’ for all the athletes who trained so hard. At that time, the decision was made not to hold formal closing ceremonies, but to postpone the forest races until later in the fall after the danger of fires was gone.

The TeamUSA Executive Steering Committee is now excited to announce the team that will return to Portugal this November to finish what they started. Due to school commitments, many of the team members from July can not attend the forest races. Of the original 10 athletes, four will be returning: Lily Addicott (GAOC), Anna Campbell (NEOC), Alex Merka (QOC) and Holden Sopoti (USMAOC). Joining them will be Oriana Riley (DVOA) who was originally selected as an alternate for the original team, and Emilia Schmidt (QOC) who was selected to compete on the 2020 JWOC Team, but due to the cancellation of JWOC ’20 to the pandemic was unable to compete.

Emilia also brings along her personal coach, Kari Jussila,, who has agreed to be the coach for the US Team. Jussila is the general manager of the elite team for Tampereen Pyrintö – a well-known & regarded Finnish multi-sport club – and has about 50 years of experience in orienteering. Coaches Evalin Brautigam and Thomas Laraia, who coached the team in July, will remain as backup coaches and assist the team remotely, but are unable to attend the competition. Also accompanying the team will be parents Tuija Schmidt and Angelica Riley.

Links to the Original JWOC Team Announcement and the JWOC ’22 (Part One) Event Recap.

The World Games – Birmingham Event Recap

July 15-17th, 2022

The first major international orienteering event in the United States in over 25 years took place in Birmingham, Alabama in July. The World Games, traditionally held the year following the Summer Olympic Games, brought over 3,600 athletes from 100 countries to compete in over 30 sports. 80 of the worlds best orienteers, 2 women & 2 men each from 20 invited countries, traveled to Birmingham to test themselves in the Sprint, Middle & Sprint Relay disciplines.

An amazing team of volunteers, both local and Orienteering USA members from across the US, came together in Birmingham to create world class events in the hot Alabama summer. The team, led by Cristina Luis of Tucson Orienteering Club, overcame many obstacles created by working in a complex multi-sport, high security environment to produce events at 3 different venues that challenged, and perhaps surprised, the worlds best orienteers. Thanks to all those that helped make The World Games orienteering events so memorable.

Pre-Event Media

July 15th 2022 – Sprint @ Birmingham Southern College

Photo courtesy Marvin Gentry, The World Games 2022

July 16th, 2022 – Middle @ Oak Mountain State Park

Photo courtesy Matt Smith – QOC

July 17th, 2022 – Sprint Relay @ Railroad Park

Photo courtesy Clinton Morse, Orienteering USA

WUOC ’22 Event Recap

August 15-22, 2022

Eleven members were selected to represent TeamUSA at the World University Championships in Switzerland. Team members Thomas Laraia & Peter Zakrevski were originally selected but could not attend due to injury and Edgardo Cruz (1st alternate) was promoted to the team to fill the vacancy. Additionally, Anthony (AJ) Riley made it to Switzerland but did not race, also due to apparent injury. Evalin Brautigam accompanied the team as coach and Michelle Kastner also provided team support and some of the official photos.

Photos below courtesy Evalin Brautigam & Michelle Kastner
Tip: Right-click images below to view larger version

  • Team Announcement
    • Keegan Harkavy
    • AJ Riley
    • Danny Riley
    • Tyler Wilson
    • Edgardo Cruz
    • Diana Aleksieva
    • Jessica Colleran
    • Julia Doubson
    • Bridget Hall
    • Kirsten Mayland
    • Oriana Riley
  • #WUOC Forever – US National Orienteering Team Blog – a must read!!

Wed, Aug 17, 2022 – Sprint @ Biel/Bienne

Thu, Aug 18, 2022 – Long @ Gondiswil

Fri, Aug 19, 2022 – Sprint Relay @ Langenthal

Sat, Aug 20, 2022 – Middle @ Corcelles

Sun, Aug 21, 2022 – Relay @ Gondiswil

  • Forest Relay Day – TeamUSA fielded two championship eligible womens teams.
    • United States 1 included Bridget, Jessica & Julia.
    • United States 2 consisted of Diana, Kirsten & Oriana.
    • On the men’s side Keegan, Danny & Eddie ran as United States 1.
    • Tyler joined Farrand Graeme of Canada & Hus Martijn (a Belgian) as Mixed 4 (non-eligible).
  • Only the highest placing mens and womens team from each country is listed in the Official Results, but you can check out the other times in the Live Results on the IOF site.