HOCup 2009

If you've been following Fabien Pasquasy's training log the last few weeks, you know he's been working hard to organise HOCup in his hometown of Nismes. Last year's event was very well received and most runners were really looking forward to see what the promised unused terrain looked like.

Control 40

Unlike last year, when a sprint and a middle distance event were run, this time, the courses would be of the long distance type: the 9,8km and 500m climbing was certainly physically challenging and with 43 controls, it was also an orienteering festival. The new terrain was covered by course sections 4-11 and 14-25, legs 14-16 also giving a new meaning to the "slippery slope" expression.

The men's course was won by Thomas van der Kleij, by a large margin: with 1h20 he was 10 minutes faster than follow-up runner Joost Talloen, close together with Michel Bastin, Nicolas Sillien and your correspondent. Was the key to vdK's succes his shiny new car, last night's Bart Delobel style training, frustration caused by his second place in yesterday's MTB-O or was it just a clear sign of his top shape, in preparation for Spring Cup next week?

Winner Thomas van der Kleij near control 30.

In the women's class, Greet Oeyen was the best runner, also some 10 minutes ahead of a few other runners such as Kim Geypen, Miek Fabré and Els Talloen. Oeyen won last year's overall ranking at HOCup.

Both winners of the course in this terrain, with similarities to the WOC terrains in Hungary, still have to prove their track speed in the physical testrun next month in order to have a chance to be selected. Other runners, considerably slower today, did pass that test already. It will be interesting to follow that development.

To end on a lighter note:

Route from control 36 to 37

• Results
• Splits
• RouteGadget
• Map
• Photos