Athlete Profile: Emma Sherwood

What race are you looking forward to for 2018?

I’m looking forward to the North American Orienteering Championships in Whitehorse!

When did you start orienteering?

I started orienteering at age 11, in 2009.

What is your best orienteering memory?

Going to Junior World Orienteering Championships over the past four years has been a highlight of the year each time: the quality European terrain, exciting courses against international competition and having fun with other members of the junior team!

What is your favourite type of orienteering event and why?

Although I enjoy all types of orienteering races for different reasons (the technical challenge of middles, the extended opportunity to orienteer in quality forest in longs, the quick decision making required in sprints, the atmosphere and competiveness of relays), my personal favourite event format is the one they use at SART. The Seattle Adventure Running Tournament is held annually by the Cascade Orienteering Club and involves a time trial which seeds you into a bracket, followed by 5 head to head sprint races competing against 4 other runners to move up in the bracket. Each race is super exciting and you’re pushed to go even faster by orienteers around you. There’s also an interesting strategy element or choosing which races to run hard in so as to not get too tired over the weekend.

What’s the best orienteering advice that you’ve received?

Always have a plan before leaving the control.

Who is your orienteering idol or inspiration?

The other members of the HPP (especially the Junior team over the past couple of years) inspire me to train hard and do my best.

What are some of your 2018 goals outside of orienteering?

I’m going to do a co-op program starting in May so my goals are to get a job placement that I’m interested in and work hard to gain experience from it.

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Emma S is a member of Orienteering Canada’s 2018 High Performance Program.