Athlete Profile: Will Critchley

What race are you looking forward to for 2018?

I think the North American Championships in Whitehorse will be, like last time, a pretty great week. I’ve personally recommended it to every European I know.

What is your best orienteering memory?

I probably most fondly remember my race in China in 2012, in a [relatively] small town outside of Chongqing. Any race when you turn over the map and just respond with “what the…?” means you’re in for a world of adventure.

What is your favourite type of orienteering event and why?

I like shorts, and longs. I still think that sprints are where you will most often have those memorable “place” experiences – getting to do a unique activity in a unique place that few people might ever get the chance to do. But those epically long races are the ones that you remember for the entire experience – battling through the pain, overcoming mental obstacles, remembering the fight. At the time it may hurt a lot, but when you look back on what you persisted through, it can’t have been any other way. So they’re both great in their own right.

What are some of your 2018 goals outside of orienteering?

What I would really like for 2018 is a goal outside of orienteering.