The COF’s High Performance Committee (HPC) is excited to announce the Canadian 2012 World University Orienteering Championship (WUOC) team!

Held every 2 years, WUOC is a great opportunity for up and coming orienteers to experience a competitive environment while racing against some of the best orienteers in the world! The HPC is encouraging Canadian orienteers who are also university students to attend WUOC as an excellent training opportunity for the World Orienteering Championships (WOC).

Canada will be represented by Damian Konotopetz, Eric Kemp, Jeff Teutsch, Robbie Anderson, Will Critchley, and Louise Oram. This year Pam James, former national team athlete, will head the team as the coach and team leader . WUOC is being held in Alicante, Spain from July 2-6th.

WUOC is organized by FISU (International University Sports Federation). Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) works with the COF to coordinate Canada’s involvement in the championships.

You can follow the team and show your support on the Team Canada Blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

From Jan 28 to Feb 5, the Bay Area Orienteering Club is organizing the 2012 Sierra Ski-O Tour. The tour is the first ski-orienteering event outside of Europe to host the Ski-Orienteering World Cup. The Tour also includes the 2012 North American and U.S. Ski-O Championships, a couple of recreational events, and two World Ranking Events.

Representing Canada at the World Cup races are:

Marie-Catherine Bruno (Sage) (Silverstar, BC)
Marta Green (Sage) (Vernon, BC)
Carol Ross (ONB) (Truckee, CA)
Mark Tarnopolsky (GHO) (Hamilton, ON)
Mike Smith (ONB) (Prince George, BC)
Nick Duca (Stars) (Kitchener, ON)

You can follow the races and results here. Be sure to leave a comment here to wish these 6 athletes well.

The COF’s High Performance Committee (HPC) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Canadian High Performance Program. We are now accepting applications for athletes, as well as technical and non-technical volunteer positions.

VOLUNTEERS
Over the last few seasons, the High Performance Program (HPP) has made some big strides as a result of the hard work of the athletes and initiatives by the High Performance Committee. The success of our initiatives have not only contributed to a better racing and training environment for Canada’s best orienteers, but have also created an enhanced vibrancy in the entire Canadian orienteering community, and in particularly has given younger athletes a growing number of role models and reasons to be excited about the sport.

As the HPP continues to look forward, one of the most important steps is to provide better support for our national athletes at major international competitions, and therefore we are looking to fill the following roles.

• WUOC Team Coach – job description
• Administration Team Positions – job description

For full job description and application details, please click on the link!

ATHLETES
The 2012 version of the COF’s Athletes’ handbook is now on-line at www.orienteering.ca/team-canada/high-performance.

The Athletes’ Handbook outlines the process to become an athlete member of the COF’s High Performance Program in 2012. This HPP is designed to support Canada’s current and up-and-coming elite orienteers. Canadian athletes who are competitive in the 21-34 or 17-20 categories are eligible to become members of the HPP.

The Athletes’ Handbook also outlines the selection process for the 2012 Junior World Orienteering Championships, World Orienteering Championships, World University Orienteering Championships and World Cup races. The handbook also includes information and the application for the 2012 Rising Stars awards.

There were 29 HPP members in 2011. How many will there be in 2012? The application deadline is December 31, 2011

ABOUT THE HIGH PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE
The HPP is administered by the COF’s High Performance Committee. The HPC consists of a variety of Canadian orienteers from coast to coast, who are dedicated to enhancing and expanding elite orienteering in Canada. The HPC works throughout the year on various projects aimed at strengthening resources and support for our elite orienteers during the training season, providing sufficient support at international events, and promoting elite orienteering within the Canadian orienteering community and beyond. Some examples of HPC achievements for 2011 are the fundraising events (such as the HPP relay at the 2011 COC’s), the Canada Cup Elite Series, and arena organization at major events.

Canada’s High Performance Program
Talent + Dedication + Support → Performance = Growth

The final 3 Canada Cup races of the year were held this past weekend as part of the Ottawa Orienteering Festival.

The top male and female in the Elite Series received $300 cash and the top 3 men and women received a pair of VenoTrain sport compression socks donated by Bauerfeind Canada (valued at $100/pair). The top club won bragging rights!

After 17 Canada Cup elite series races this year, the top 3 women were:

1. Louise Oram (Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club)
2. Carol Ross (Orienteering New Brunswick)
3. Katherine Scheck (Yukon Orienteering Association).

The top 3 men were:

1. Will Critchley (Edmonton Overlanders Orienteering Club)
2. Robbie Anderson (Ottawa Orienteering Club)
3. Magnus Johansson (Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club).

The top club was the Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club (GVOC).

The Canada Cup Elite Series was created at the beginning of 2011 as a annual point scoring competition for the women and men’s 21-34 elite age categories. It is targeted at the Training To Win stage of the COF’s Long Term Athlete Development Model. Runners scored points for themselves and their clubs by placing well in the elite categories. Points were accumulated over the season. The creation of the Elite Series coincided with the name change of our highest standard of races, from A meets to Canada Cups. All Canada Cup races counted toward the Elite Series standings, with bonus points for Canadian Championship races.

“The first year of the Canada Cup elite series gave me a new motivation to hit the big events across Canada”, explained Will Critchley of Edmonton. “These events were already important for training, but a competitive season-long series was an added incentive to attend as many as I could. It is an exciting initiative for Canadian orienteering, as all elite Canadians need more opportunities for high level competition, and my new personal best of 38th at the World Championships shows that I owe a debt of gratitude to the COF and all the organizers of the Elite Series races.  I’m thrilled that I’ve put my stamp on Canada Orienteering history as the first ever Canada Cup Elite Series winner.”

“I really enjoyed the Canada Cup races this season. I am grateful to all the event organizers for putting on so many high caliber races”  said Louise Oram. “My favourite races of the year were the Canadian Championship in the Yukon, especially the long distance race through the Carcross desert.”

“The COF thanks all the event organizers and the competitors for making the first season of the Canada Cup Elite Series such a success” said Patrick Goeres, Athletes’ Representative and chair of the COF’s High Performance Committee.

The COF also thanks Bauerfeind Canada for donating VenoTrain sport compression socks. Bauerfeind is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of medical aids. They develop and produce supports/braces, orthoses, medical compression stockings and orthopedic orthoses. Their highly effective products have won many awards for function and design.

The final standings of the Canada Cup Elite Series are available here.
The scoring details are available here.