Analysis WOC 2013 Long Finals Men (Packfigures & Separation Measure)

Thanks to Jan Kocbach for providing me with the results according to the IOF Data Standard.

Packfigures
Packfigures is perspective on the championships competitions, giving an overview on the number, duration and effect of packs mostly as a result of the organizational measures taken. The concept of the caluclations is described here. There you also find for example figures from all WOC Long Finals since 1999 plus the one from 1995.

Here are the packfigures from the WOC 2013 Long Finals.

fig.1. Screenshot packfigures WOC 2013 Long Finals

Comments Mens Final

fig.2. Phi-Loop with two uneven loops. Separation measure WOC 2013 Long Distance Men

• 2 min. start intervall
• reverse order from the qualification result
• the course setting was described as "very fast, not so challenging technically, so it was a lot about keeping a high pace and being sure to keep this pace until the end. It was more about setting the speed than finding the controls" (Thierry on orienteering.se)
• A separation measure was applied, beginning at the 20 control, after 72% of the course consisting in a Phi-Loop with two wings very different in size (2.30 vs. 20 minutes). The phi is resolved at the 31 control after 96% of the course. This measure is pretty much the same as the on applied at the WOC 2011 Long Finals
• The measure was set up to separate two consecutive runners.
• the first 4 packs build around the 4 control, after around 17% of the course
• 4 runners have over 50% pack time (Krepsta, Simonin, Diogo and Kums)
• Generally there are no big gains and no longer cooperation among the top runners.
• The phi separated 7 groups, 2 groups persevered and 3 new groups where build.
• An aspect of the small loop is, that there is the risk that runners which ran approx. the same speed until the measure are grouped by the introduced offset of about the start intervall as Holmberg and Merz or Lakanen and Bertuks later on the longer loop.
• A last aspect of the measure is, that runners get in direct contact with their competitors. Merz stated, that to see that he was not so much behind Hubmann encouraged him to push on the last legs.

Roundup
The mens competition was only little influenced by packs. The main reason for this is probably the course setting. The separation method worked in general, but had a potentially high build-in risk to influence the podium.