FOUR FOR FJORDS

FOUR FOR FJORDS

Hanne Staff: four gold medals at WOC (1 x long, 2 x middle, 1 x relay), four silver medals (relay, middle, long twice), four bronze medals (middle, relay thrice). A fantastic career at the turn of the century.

The first question is simple: what did the sprint distance do to you?

Most of all, the sprint competitions gave a new way of get together with the athletes from all other nations. In the beginning, sprint = Park World Tour – here we were one big family with top orienteering athletes from different countries. So, it was a way to build down invisible walls between athletes and nations. But it was more – sprint races gave you other technical challenges than you were used to. The speed had to be high, and every decision had to be taken fast. It took some time for me to understand how to be a good sprinter – I needed to understand that even in this discipline you needed to “give yourself time” to do the orienteering properly – you had no time for mistake.

Based on your experience and what you already know about the Gargano Forest, what technical (or non-technical) aspect of the Apulian terrain would entice readers to sign up for this edition of the WMOCs?

Most of all I remember the sprint race terrain from Alberobello and Matera. South of Italy has great possibilities of very technical terrain for the sprint discipline. When running in the great city of Alberobello you also felt you were back in another century. We were told about the history of this place, the explanation of the special roof at the houses – and that makes sprint event special – you come closer to the history and learn to know more about the country you visit. For the orienteer, places like Alberobello give great orienteering challenges and you have to find new ways to solve the difficulties. The region has also great terrain for the other disciplines – I have just been there for one training camp – but I remember it to be challenging orienteering with good runnability.

I spoke about ‘experience’. According to my information, the terrain of the Gargano Forest is not entirely new to you. Can you tell us something about a certain training camp of the Norwegian national team that was held right in the areas of WMOC 2022? I’ve been told something about a training camp with “a certain” Anders Gaerderud and a special training session on the athletics track in San Nicandro Garganico, with a series of Olympic-level repeats on the track.

We had a great training camp with the national team back in 2003. We had the former Olympic Champion Anders Gärderud as our head coach. Gabriele Viale helped us organize the camp. We did orienteering training, but most of all we did hard physical training during that winter camp. I remember it was a bit cold, not like you will meet in July. Gabriele had to organize a lot – I remember he once said “I come back to you in 5 minutes” whereby hi stopped – and said “Italian 5 minutes”.

The session you ask about was training we never had done before we got this coach from Athletics. We should run 10 km, 200 m just below anaerobic threshold and then 200 m just over anaerobic threshold – we ran at an old track in San Nicandro Garganico. But we also ran other great sessions in Gargano. Long running in the hills, hard running in sand near the beach, and hilly threshold trainings. I remember it as a great place to have a training camp during winter time. 

Still talking about other types of experience with the Apulian terrain: someone told me about a particular training session, a foot race from the beach of Manfredonia to the top of Monte Sant’Angelo… the protagonist was a certain Bjornar Valstad. Can you confirm this story and, if possible, add some details?

This was a typical crazy session, I think they had planned for a long session for about 2 hours, but when young boys get an idea – it ended up in a crazy long run – possibly to the top of Monte Sant’Angelo. The coach Anders Gärderud was not very happy, but this is kind of the “Norwegian style” – even if we are professional athletes, we like to experience and see the places we visit and enjoy the environment.

One more question about your current role with the Norwegian Olympic Committee: What does your role as Head Young Athlete Program/Coach Endurance Sports at Olympiatoppen consist of?

I work in the Norwegian Olympic Committee – mostly now with the national teams from endurance sports. I coordinate and are a project leader for the preparation to Olympics. I have been in three summer Olympics and one winter Olympics as part of my work in Olympiatoppen. At this time, I have started in a PhD at the University, and I am studying “female endurance athletes” to learn more about the special needs for female athletes.