After interview with Daniel Lebar we have made also some interesting conversation with Wolfgang Poetsch, well-known orienteering speaker and probably more familiar to you by his nickname - Goggi. Beside being an speaker, he is also well known as good course-planer in both orienteering running and skiing. Goggi will also be part of Croatia open 2011 organization team. What does he have to say about Croatia open?

Hello Goggi,

Q: You were speaker at many orienteering events in all over Europe both on rain, sun and snow. Which competition You like to remeber the most and why?

A: Each competition has it special rules and is a challenge for the speaker. Dramatic competitions are finals when the best are starting at the end and the best time is changing from one minute to each other. Its easier when there are only two categories You can concentrate on. For example last year ski-o EOC in Romania. But also relay events are very dramatic and there is also little time of relaxing to wait for new messages from intermediate times . But I also like to have multi day events with many categories and I try to follow decisions in all categories what is nearly impossible but I manage sometimes also to announce decision in B classes or in the younger classes. Last year at Orienteering Online I managed to announce a french runner – Elias Guilhem for new best time – and also I think on last day decision in W14. I am always trying to get many informations as possible from all runners – mostly You the top runners but I also like to report about normal runners and talk about them and with them. So a questionnaire before each competition is published and I am waiting for feedback. There are so many competitions I have been speaker and nearly I have good and special memories to each one. Sometimes for me as a speaker it´s time for improvisation – for example if organizers are not having speaker software prepared as I want it. Then I am looking on my watch and estimating time by my own.

I remember many competitions, one competition from Istanbul 5 days on a island, it was like party or Croatian Open last year on the beach of Opatija – organizers and everybody with swimming trouser, girls in bikini – just great. Or CISM in Zagreb with horrible and rainy weather – we had to leave our speaker tower because of thunder and heavy rain and that competition over middle distance was never ending – 190 competitors and 2 min starting intervall – starting procedure take more than 6 hours and to be awake and concentrated all time – it was a challenge. Then one hour nothing happening – runners from Algeria, Syrah etc. Or some skio events when it is cold outside, wind is blowing away starting list or on Skalka this year with big fog and You couldnt see anything. But we solved also this problem with walkie talkie prewarning.

Q: Few weeks ago You were in Norway as jury member at ski JWOC and EOC. How was it there?

A: Last question I was talking to long, I try to make it shorter this team. The norwegian organizers tried their best also with video screen and GPS tracking. It was not working on first competition day but then it was great. I was there also as assistant of event advisor and I was leading a clinics for event advisors. For me not really much relaxing but I liked it. Nearly each I started at 7 o´clock with checking controls, then supervising competitions and afterwards in the afternoon looking for next competion and giving feedback to course planners. I liked this job – it was for me also a great week of training – after last competition on Sunday I made a tour from 3 hours and about 45 km in a beautiful landscape. I hope that some runners from Croatia will also try ski-o. IOF is looking for spreading ski-o to more countries.

Q: How many competions do You participate during whole year?

A: There are not so many but some – mostly regional ones and each year Venice – since I started to run in Venice I am running Melite. I am getting older and so I loose more and more time. But last year I planned courses and this year You will hear me as a speaker. My Italian is much better than my Croatian but I will try to improve this. At the moment I have to go to doctor because I have problems with meniscus. When I am speaker I like to be involved also in course planning and see something of terrain. So its no problem for me to get up early to be in forest and inform me about what is going on in terrain.

Q: On which event or in which county You haven´t been yet but would like to go and follow competition with your microphone?

A: Of course there are some countries left – but maybe USA or Canada the next years – there are some big ski o events planned. This year I also will be at JWOC in Poland, 2009 in Italy I remember Croatian runner leading a long time at long distance. But I was only one of the speakers and more responsible for 5 days with great names and ex worldchampions and medalists in the seniors categories as Martensson, Berglia, Thon, Humbel etc.

Q: Beside being orienteering speaker, You are also known as good course-planner. What is your favourite course You have made and why?

A: I have been and I am planning so many courses. I am always admiring map drawers when I get good base for interesting course planning. I am thinking a lot about courses – maybe sometimes too long as some friends tell me – so I have no favourite one. Last year I planned courses for Venice city orienteering with butterflies, also two days for Istanbul 5 days and many more events.

Just now I came home from organizing and planning three Austrian championships in skio in Bad Mitterndorf. At skio everything is happening in last moment, controlling tracks, watching snow situation and then planning tracks. For me I like to provide surprise for runners – for example at some relay events I planned for last leg runners from the spectator control a reverse course for last leg runners – when at Styrian championships some years ago the last leg runner of leading team ran other direction than exspected from this team mates they have been shouting and were almost crazy. I will plan also courses this year for ARGE Alp and the relay for Alpe Adria in Croatia , some days of 5 days of Istanbul and 5 days of Puglia and Adriatic Meeting.

Q: You were also in Croatia last year. What do You think about region of Gorski kotar in which Croatia open is held? What can we offer that is hard to find on some other orienteering events?

A: You offer great terrain, challenging courses and hopefully not too difficult for young categories. This year there will be also not only carstic terrain but also some marshes with Scandinavian touch. And for combining holidays with orienteering – sea is not far away and last years Opatija sprint race was great – worth for worldchampionships sprint and much more interesting than Trondheims sprint race at WOC.

Q: You saw courses for Croatia open 2010. What do you think about them?

A: Just great, challenging, Stanfi, You did good job – first day WM 10 was too difficult but You realized and put some tapes to terrain.

Q: This year You are coming again to Croatia open. Do You know that we will organize for the first time in Croatia an international orienteering event on island? What are you expecting to see in Krk and have you ever been on some Croatian island?

A: I of course know about KRK, but I never was there and I am looking forward. I also like swimming and so for me a good opportunity beside being speaker to be in the water. This year I have to mention I want to do a special competition – swimming about 11 km through «Wolfgangsee» and then running up «Pötschenpass», this will be unique to master my prenome as a lake and my family name as mountain in a sportive way. I will tell You the date, everybody is invited to join me.

Q: What would You have to say to orienteers who are planing to come on Croatia open 2011 - beside that they will have amazing speaker? ;)

A: Just come, great terrain, great atmosphere, nice organizers, a good combination of orienteering and holidays. Organizers also like to put much effort in details, look to homepage, to bulletins, to everything. Also price giving with national anthem for elite last year was great, I had tears in my eyes. And the speaker tries to do his best of course.

Q: Goggi, thank you for your time and effort to fill in all answers. See you soon!

A: Thank You very much for doing such a good job and also for appreciating my job. I feel very warmly welcome and I am really waiting for coming to Croatian Open. For everybody You is missing this great event I feel very sorry.

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