World Championship with Amazing TOP10 Result!

If I should describe this championship with one word, it would be emotions. I've experienced so much during my 10 day trip to Syberian Krasnoyarsk, a place of World Ski Orienteering Championship.

The D day was here. The day with two flights - from Vienna to Moscow and from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk. All and all almost seven hours in the plane! Something I was really afraid of since I checked the map of world and found out, how far Krasnoyarsk actually is! I was damn scared during our flights. Everybody was sleeping so I had lot of time to think about all negative things which could happen. But the more scared I was during our flights, the happier I was when we landed safely in Krasnoyarsk.

A first impression about how-huge-this-event-is-gonna-be came pretty early. We've got a great welcoming from organizers just after jumping out of the plane.

Just after making first step out of the airport building, there were no doubts organizers had prepared a super high-level event. This championship is supposed to be generálka for Winter Universiade, which will be held in Krasnoyarsk 2019. Honestly, we already felt like taking part at Olympic Games!!!

It took about half an hour to get to the accomodation. It was just long enough to find out a front window of our minibus had a hole from gun shooting there. No shooting happend during our transport and we made it safely to our accomodation - a brandly new unviersity complex built for the Winter Universiade. And you know what? We were the first people accomodated there. To chceš ;) I really appreciated all nations lived in the same building. So we had great opportunities to catch up with eachother :)

I was afraid it is gonna be freezingly cold in Syberia. It was almost +20°in Czech (in the shadow!!) those days before Krasnoyarsk. And the avarage temperature is said to be -16°C in Krasnoyars in March. And guess what kind of weather we had! Super duper sunny weather and temperatures just above zero! And sunny most of the days. Perfectly perfect. So we could wake up daily watching this amazing view out of our balcony! Jopp, every room had a balcony!

It was not just a Russian weather I was wondering about. I had no idea what to expect from served food. Well, tho food was really delicous and we had a quite big meal choice. It was just a little bit tricky to guess, what each food actually is. Most of the food look familiar to Czech food, but it turned into habit that it always contained something 100% different. It happened couple of times somebody took something looking like česká kapsa z listového těsta plněná pudinkem, ovocem nebo ořechy. But in Russia it was filled with tuna meat or cabbage! What an unpleasant surprise, when you expected some sweet desert. But there was a huge choice so we could taste them all. And we could eat as much as we wanted! I think most of the athletes found out how weak their will against desserts actually is. And everybody took on some weight during this week.

There was one more high-level-organization thing. Every team got one Russian volunteer who was helping the team during whole event. We've got a super lovely one. She did a great job and was really helpful. Thank you for that Violetta! But there were many more volunteers. if I remember correct there were up to 200young students working for free. And they always turned so happy when we agreed to take a photo with them.

I was really looking forward to Sunday, my second day in Russia. It was mine and Jyri's first year anniversary day. So exciting to spend this day together. Doing what we love. Skiing! Together! Thank you Jyri for those 365 unforgetable days <3

I had still three days left to my first competition. It felt like I am just flákam se. Everybody was training quite lot those days. I was just chilling around. That's how much training plan was built. It felt so weird just to chill. Especially when organizers had prepared absolutely perfect SK-O training conditions just 500m far from the accomodation. I really had to persuade myself to follow my training (=having rest) plan.

I managed to follow the plan. Fortunately, there was some happening all the time! Organizers fixed literally everything! There was a wild animal exhibition made just ofr us. We've got a chance to get to know something about Syberian reindeers and husky dogs. And of course we "had to" take photos with them.

On Tuesday, we did a model event and check the competition arena. It was really really wooow! So great arena for the world championship! There was one thing we are not used to - yet. When entering arena, everybody had to go through security control with rentgen - similar one to what is at the airport. It was taking some minutes to pass. On the other hand, this could turn into a safe habit in the future.

In the evening, there was an opening ceremony and price giving ceremony from sprint relay. The building was brandly new, built with the purpose of Winter Universiade. There was lot of activities, photoshooting and videos making before the ceremony had started.

The ceremony hall was amazing. It felt like in the cinema, The opening ceremony and its programme was so interesting and the price giving was on highest possible level. 10point out of ten for organizers!

And when leaving the ceremony hall, every girl got a small flower from organizers. So nice to be a girl. :)

It was Wednesday, March 8. We've got another so sooo sweet surprise! When going to the breakast, every girl got so beautiful bouquet of plowers. It was the International Women'S Day! So nice from organizers!

Time ran so fast and my first race was here. Sprint distance. I felt strong. I was ready. I had really good training period since European Championship. I avoided any sickness or injury. Yes, Johanka didn't have any healthy troubles for a while! I felt ready to fight! I was really looking forward to sprint. My starting position was not very promising as I started as 4th runner.

I did a perfect race without any mistake. I was so happy in the finnish. It felt so great to come to the finnish as a first runner which meant a leading position, of course. But the more athlets made it to the finnish the furter in results i was. 22nd place. My best sprint result at world champ, but I was pretty dissapointed. I would expect me to end better when doing this good race. And I didn't want to believe this was my shape level. Never mind. Next day is a new chance to attack.

All I had to do was to find a motivation and mental peace as I had for sprint. I decided to keep a same tactic as for sprint because it resulted in a great performance. I got same bad starting position for middle distance as I had for sprint. It is never advantage to start at the beginning (and be a very first runner for most of the course), especially when everybody runs that day same course (guys had a rest day). Furthermore, there was a light snowfall in the morning Oganizers didn't go through tracks at stadium and nearby so there was about 3-4cm of "deep snow". Those athletes running at the beginning had a clear disadvatage. Especially, when we had to run through stadium twice (spectator leg and finnish leg).

I was very satisfied with my performance. I didn't feel as relaxed as at sprint, but I still managed to do a good orienteering. I am sad for one 40seconds mistake, but otherwise, it was really a great race for me. I would say it was one of my best middle performances ever. I ended 21st. It was my best world champ results ever but I was disappointed. Again. Runners' times were pretty tight.. I could be glad that my loss was pretty small. But I was really sad about my starting position. Today, it really made a difference to start at the beginning or later. I was very first athlet going thourgh the stadium (we had to pass it twice) and I was skiing in a "dee" snow of 3-4cm. All and all 1km. And that makes a difference. I am sure, it also helps a lot to orienteering when starting later. So i believe my today's performance could result in a very good result if having a better starting position. But this "if" is just if... I had to prove I can be better. That my starting position had a negative influence to my results. I knew my position in the relay team was in danger. I had only one chance. Long distance. With mass start. There, everybody has same starting position. everybody has equal conditions. But we had to wait one day with no race before the long came.

We decided not to just wait for last individual race. We took a chance offered by organizers to for an excursion. It was a great decision. We had so much fun and saw so many places nearby Krasnoyarsk. Firstly, we had a guided tour thourgh city by car. It was crazy to see a all the contracts of the city. We could see a very developed business centres and modern building, so we saw poor slums.

It was definitely interesting to learn more about this city. And yes, we also saw the Trans Siberian Magistral :) Then, we moved to the Beaver ski centre, located just at the other side of the city. We took a chairlift up to the hill and walked few metres to the viewpoint. The weather was great and we got beautiful views and learnt about the vulcanic origins of that place.

After the Beaver resort, we moved to the other side of the city. There was another view point with chapel and cannon. They shoot from the cannon once per day and we were lucky to be there just in time! After that, we've learnt even more about Krasnoyarsk. We were also told that if walking three times round the cahpel in a specific direction, we will be lucky. So I did. I hoped it will help for upcoming races.

It was more than enough experiences for one day. But the day was not over yet. It was nice and peaceful evening. I was just walking to Jyri's room. I didn't ahve any shoues on, wearing just indoor clothes. Suddenly, there was a sharp beep beep sounds, exits were blinking and voice was coming from all speakers. I didn't understand much, I just got the sentence "building has been attacked". F*****G scary! I just expected some air some bomb to explode or hear some terorrists shooting. But I didn't see any other athlete to care much or do any action and leave their rooms. doing any action so I calmed and thought that is just some fire alarm exercise I hadn't been warned about. I continued to Jyri's room. At stairs there were some firemen and they told me to go down to main hall. So I did. No shoes, no clothes. It could take maybe ten minutes till all athletes made it downthere. So calmed. But they all had shoes and winter clothes. We were told to go outside. I was laughting and didn't plan to leave the building. It was just exercise, right?!! But when I was the last person inside, those voluteers tolld me again I have to leave the building. I refused to go outside without shoes and clothes. I was pushed to take one's volunteer clothes and shoes. So I made it outside too. It took maybe 3minutes and we were told the situation is fixed and we can go back to our rooms. Later on, I talked with some stuff and I found out that wasn't any alarm exercise. There was a fire in 7th floor - from washing machine. Fortunately, firemen fixed it fast so nothing bad happened. Ush, what an evening.

Finally, last individual race came. Long distance is my least favourite distance. I was not so much looking forward to compete. But after the starting gun I turned into a racer. I had a tactic and I managed to follow it all the course. I managed to avoid any bigger mistake and stay positive dirung whole race. I knew I was doing pretty well and hope in some good result. When I made it to the finnish I didn't know what is my position. All I knew was that I did a very good race. As good as sprint and middle. But what will be today's place? I had a feeling it could be around TOP15.

It took maybe one hour till I got to my phone. I've got so many congratulations (thank you all for them, you made me really happy!). But I didn't know what was my place!!!! It was my dad who called me and told me I should be in TOP10! I was soooo excited and couldn't believe him! It was not official results yet so I didin't want to skákat do stropu yet. But yeah, then official results appeared and I was sooooooo sooooo soooo mcuh happy when I saw my name at 9th position!!! 9th! At world championship! This was over all my expectations!

But this happiness didn't last long. We've got a meeting about next day's relay. My name was not in the team. Honestly, I was really zaskočena. I really didn't expect I won't be in the team. Today I proved my shape is really good. I did three really great performances at this championship. I did three very stable performances. I felt strong and self confident in this kind of terrain. My long distance 9th place was the 2nd best individual place from all Czech girls from all here (equal with Hana Hancikova's 9th position from sprint)... But this was our coach's decision and I couldn't change it. All I could do was to focus on my biggest individual succes in my ski-o career. But it was hard. It was damn hard for me.

There were only six team signed up for women's realy race. Swedish girls turned sick overnight and didn't start. That meant Czech should take a bronze medal. And so they did. I am really glad nothing unexpected happened and we could celebrate a medal for Czech colours!

My this year's goal was a medal from WC from relay and an individual TOP10 result.

As I was sick whole January, I put all focus and all my motivation went to a relay medal. Hana Hančíková broke her ski and I wrote her about my WC medal plan. I wrote "My this year's goal is to take a medal from WC relay. I beleive in this as much as yesterday" (=when her leg was not broken). I decided to change my TOP10 individual goal to TOP15 goal at WC. It felt so sad I did all I could to make this realy team real as I did maybe my best ski-o performances Iever in Krasnoyarsk. And it was not enough. I finished fourth out of Czech girls in sprint and middle and second at long. But always just a few second behind my team mates. If having a better starting position at sprint and middle I'm honestly sure to get a secure place in the relay team.

It is crazy how life does what it wants. I wouldn't expect not to be selected for relay so I wouldn't expect at all to fullfill my TOP10 dream. And maybe it's good I didn't fullfill my medal dream. This should give me extra boost and energy for upcoming season. One day, I will get the medal! I will fight again and agian till I win it!

In the evening, there was a banquet. Organizers made it big and fixed a beatiful huge building with limitless alcohol.

Even though, all of our team managed to make it to the airport at 5am. More than less tired after a sleepless night ;)

Bye bye Krasnoyarsk. See you again maybe in two years at Winter Universiade?

In the direction to west, flights took even longer - 7,5hours all and all. Most of the athletes took same plane to the Moscow (also Finnish :) ), so that flight was much more pleasant for me. My apology to Jyri who didn't get much of sleep because of me.

This championship was more than successfull for the Czech team. We've got one medal and one big podium from relay and 6x individual TOP10place! We were happy, our coach was happy. And this is the happy end :)