The World Champion Janne Salmi course setter at WMOC 2022
The name of Janne Salmi is among those universally known to orienteers. Among his victories: Gold medal at WOC 1997 middle distance and Gold medal at WOC 2001 in Relay, 4 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal at WOC, 2 times winner of Jukola with Turun Suunnistajat team (1996 and 2001).
Not everyone knows that Janne Salmi will also be a major player at the 2022 WMOCs. Not as a contender, however, but as the course setter for the 2022 World Masters titles in Puglia.
Let’s give Janne Salmi a few secrets about the courses he is planning.
How is the work progressing in Apulia?
It’s progressing fine, basically, I have all the courses done, now I’m just waiting for the updated map to be finished and the work goes on. Naturally, it’s a bit challenging not to be able to visit Vieste during the next 5 months (long travel and lots of travels due to my job as the Norwegian head coach), but I trust the WMOC2022-team: they will do the last check-ups for me.
What kind of terrain and pitfalls will participants have to deal with?
Vieste is a quite typical mid-size Italian old town, in my opinion: tricky old-town, lots of narrow streets and stairs and relatively big height-differences. However, there are even more technical historical centers in Gargano, for example, Vico and Pechici, so the speed in the sprint final in Vieste will be quite high.
What aspects of the sprint-area in Vieste does a course setter focus on when he has to create something challenging for the over-35 categories, (i.e. athletes who have just come through – or are still competing – in the Elite, and for the super masters?
I try to create technically challenging courses for all participants, but also with variations of long and short legs, high speed and low speed, etc. There are two challenges: 1. Many stairs are not optimal for the older classes, and the narrow streets can create some hazards with many participants in the race at the same time. But with good planning, I’m sure we will be able to get a great competition!
Janne Salmi at the peak of his career: how confident would you have felt in a long (or middle) world championship at the Gargano forest? Who would have been your most dangerous opponents?
Depends on which year(s) we are talking about. 94-98 Petter Thoresen & Jørgen Mårtensson, 99-2003 Bjørnar Valstad, Jørgen Rostrup & Thierry Gueorgiou. In Sprint: Yuri Omechelko & Rudolf Ropek.
Speaking of the Finnish national team: Team Finland will be in Puglia with new coach TG for the Mediterranean Open Championship in March. Are you planning to meet the athletes of the white-blue national team in Puglia? Some suggestions from you to your young up-and-coming heirs?
Unfortunately not, but the reason is fortunate: my step-daughter will get married on the MOC weekend :-). But I will try to follow the Norwegian athletes through the internet.
Finally, what is it like working on this world championship with team PWT?
It’s always great to work with the PWT-Team! The “culture” is a bit different, but as I know them since 15 years back, we know each other’s strengths. And being in Italy and especially Gargano is always a huge pleasure!
Kiitos Janne Salmi and we wish you a good luck both as head coach and as WMOC2022 course setter