This weekend is Stigtomtakavlen -- the next big Swedish relay race -- and Alternativet is reporting that there will be live on-line coverage. The women's event has three legs (all day). The men's event has six legs (the first three are night O'). The race is on Friday and Saturday.

You can get more info at OK Hallen's home page:

http://www.algonet.se/~okh/arrangemang/kavle01/

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), April 18, 2001

Answers

Annette Granstedt isn't running this weekend, and I'm not sure why. Otherwise, it looks like IKHP has all its horses and horsettes ready and lined up to charge at Stigtomten. Stigtomten is a really fun race, in part because it always goes in great, really fun terrain. In at least some ways, when I think of the "classic" Swedish terrain and forest, Stigtomten terrain is about what I have in mind.

This will be a good indicator of which clubs could be running well in Tio-Mila, though the race is still different enough--with only 6 legs, and in particular with only 2 night legs--that it doesn't mean everything. Besides, so much with what happens in a big relay (lots of legs) depends on the quirks and mishaps of individual runners that can't be foreseen.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 18, 2001.

The start field for this year's Stigtomten relay is said to be as strong as it's ever been. There are about 122 Mens and 87 Womens teams expected to show up, unless the weather goes to ice rain, in which case most people will probably stay home and watch Mary Tyler Moore re-runs. You can see lots of old American tv shows on Swedish cable, so really the bad weather in Sweden is no longer such an awful problem. In the old days they used to have to go ahead and run anyway, no matter what the weather was, and sometimes runners would come back with so much frozen ice rain on them that they would have to be chipped free with special orienteering ice chisels.

Shall we speculate? I pick Lidingo to win the Mens. Who knows? Maybe Lidingo can win the Womens too, but I pick IKHP instead.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 18, 2001.

Want to see typical Stigtomten terrain? Here's where you can view a map clip:

http://www.algonet.se/~okh/arrangemang/kavle01/kartklipp.htm

It's good terrain but still "I Want To Be Sedated".

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 18, 2001.

Huskvarna weather at this moment = 2C, and snow + rain. A cold and wet Stigtomten will be less fun than the opposite. But maybe conditions can improve between now and when the race starts. (Last year's Stigtomten was overcast with a raw wind until practically the very end, when the skies finally cleared off. And much of the field the event was organized out of was wet to the point that overboots were essential.)

Annette Granstedt isn't running because she will be at a training camp in Finland. If the Swedish national team is over in Finland for the weekend, that could certainly have a big effect on how certain clubs could hope to run. I'm taking my guess off Lidingo therefore for the men and going with the club that finished 2nd last year: the blue and gold of IKHP!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 19, 2001.

If the Swedish national team is over in Finland for the weekend, that could certainly have a big effect on how certain clubs could hope to run. I'm taking my guess off Lidingo therefore for the men and going with the club that finished 2nd last year: the blue and gold of IKHP

I poked around the Swedish O' Federation web page and didn't see any indication that there is a national team camp (but I might have missed something). I also poked around IFK Lidingo's page to see if I could figure out who was running Stigtomtakavlen. I couldn't. Maybe the camp in Finland is not a national team camp?

I look for a strong race from Lidingo's men and women. But, I'll predict that they finish 2nd in both races. (Look for a stunning double victory at TioMila!). I'll speculate that Farum Tisvilde's men will put it all together and win. Look for IKHP to take 3rd. Among the women, I'll pick IKHP despite their missing star. Lidingo and IF Thor will fight it out for the other podium places with Lidingo coming out on top.

I am guessing that both Wallenborgs are running for IF Thor (but not on either first team). Look for a strong run from Magnus, but Sanna will bobble a bit (she'll be ready for next weekend though).

With the QOC meet this weekend, I probably won't be around a computer to follow the event live. But, I'm hoping some folks (Swampfox, Mook, JJ, Gene, others?) will document the event as it unfolds.

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), April 19, 2001.

I was poking around on the infamous Be-Bog League page, and also couldn't find any reference to a national team training camp in Finland this weekend. Is Annette going over to Finland by herself??? A bad idea; I reckon Swedes shouldn't travel around in Finland in groups smaller than about 20-30, and should never be seen wearing blue-gold based clothes--hard to do if you're from IKHP! But maybe Annette has borrowed an IFK Goteborg suit (blue and white) which should prove to be adequate camouflage in Finland.

I'm sticking with my current Stigtomten choices though.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 19, 2001.

Ooops--make that 3 night legs for the guys, not 2!

By tomorrow afternoon over here, they will be running in the night over there.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The Stigtomten hordes are now gathering and are anxiously waiting for the fall of darkness. Some years organizers have problems getting the darkness to fall on time and are forced to resort to tricks to issueing sunglasses to all the night runners and making them run wearing them to simulate full darkness. Another tactic used (only once, in 1983, with somewhat disastrous consequences) was the detonation of several flash grenades and flares to briefly blind the waiting 1st leg runners. Understandably this had the effect of completely scattering the runners, with some of them assuming that had been the actual start signal (it wasn't) and therefore grabbing their maps and heading off on the course.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

From what I gather, the Stigtomta is being held 7 hours ahead of HDT and starts at 21:00 (men) 21:15 (women) with 3 8.2km legs for the men and 2 5.7km legs for the women. There are some other age class relays going on as well. The start is thus 2:00 HDT. The rest of the relay stars on Saturday morning with daytime legs (the "wee" hours in HDT).

I think that online coverage can be found at this site where you can pick the updating rate for your browser. Then you'll go the the online coverage with a handy startlist to look at (and probably other info as the coverage continues).

Meet info (links to startlists, etc.) is seen at the main page: http://www.algonet.se/~okh/arrangemang/kavle01/.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

SORRY! The online coverage can be found at this site!

... weird, I think someone is messing around with the web sites as we speak! Go to the main Stigtomta web site if all else fails.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

The women don't have any night legs. It's the veteran men who start at 21:15.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

If they're operating on time, the race should be underway. I don't see the Turks anywhere in the startlist. They may have wised up a bit and headed back home to prepare for the Greeks.

There is a club called "OK Milan" in the startlist with both mens and womens teams. I don't know if that is a club in Italy or not, is there a place in Sweden called Milan? I suppose that the OK stands for O club, but don't know enough italian to know if that makes any sense.

If the Italians are there, their women sure have a lot of "moxey" calling themselves "OK Milan 1", as if they are the elite team of many from their club.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

So far, some 50 minutes into the supposed race, the online coverage of Stigtomta relay leaves just a bit to be desired, ie. there is no coverage on the "online" page.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

I think the race has just started (2pm Rocky Mountain time)

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The first leg is back in. 6 teams changed within 19 seconds, including IKHP 1 and 4 (running first for team 4 was Peter Nilsson, who has many times led off for IKHP's first team, so this isn't a surprising result.) Hagaby, Orebro, Sodetalja, and Linkoping were ther other teams in the lead.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The lead changed over at 51 minutes into the race, which was 2 minutes slower than the course setter had estimated.

At the first radio control on the 2nd leg, things looked a lot different if the reports are correct. Now in the lead are IKHP 4, Mora, Sodertalja, Hagaby, and Jarfalla. But I wonder if it wasn't IKHP 1 instead of 4. We'll just have to wait.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The 2nd radio report on hte 2nd leg is expected anytime now (14:35 RMT)

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

FarumTisvilde OK 1 didn't look hot to trot after the first leg, finishing more than 10 minutes down. They were relying on a Russian import, I think. I guess sometimes that tactic works, sometimes it doesn't.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

In the lead at the 2nd radio were Sodertalje, Mora, Hagaby, and at least one unknown team--hopefully Hakarpspojkarna!

It shouldn't be too much longer before lights will be in sight at the warning control... (14:44 now)

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

Is there any reason to think that IKHP4 doesn't have the firepower to stay with the leaders?

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

4 teams were free from the pack at the warning control: Sodertalje, Mora, Hagaby, and IKHP 4! No idea who is out running for IKHP 4, but they've definitely gone well.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

2 minutes after the first 4 teams went through the warning control, there was a big group which also went through. Soon we should get results from the Finish.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

I should mention that IFK Lidingö SOK 1 was also down more than 10 minutes after the first leg. It doesn't look good for a number of teams.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

The first 4 teams have changed over (6 minutes ago) and the big group just after them was 2 minutes behind, so they have changed over too. At least one IKHP team was in this group--probably IKHP 1--as well as a Lidingo team and Malung as well.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

I believe that back when Spike was at his best, Lidingo's golden boy was Casper Giding (a junior at the time, no doubt he's all grown up now). I see that he's still running for them on their number 3 team. So far it looks like he had the fastest time on the 2nd leg.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

It was Joakim Karlsson who was running for IKHP 4. J is one of the identical Karlsson twins.

IKHP 1 and 3--Klas Karlsson and Lars Svensson--were in the second group, which came in about 3 minutes after. Lidingo 2 and 3 were in the second group as well. Don't see Carl Fey's name anywhere. Leksand 2 also was in the group, with no sign of Leksand 1. Leksand could be very good in a 6 leg relay, so hopefully they haven't missed too much. Farum 2 was also in, with no side of Farum 1. Farum leads the Mens Nordic4 at the moment, but maybe not after tomorrow! A famous name in Swedish O'--Jan Nordin--brought Sundsvall 2 in safely as well. Lots of "1" teams missing with 2nd and 3rd teams having done well!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

Klas must have missed because he had one of the slowest times of the runners who have already finished the 2nd leg. He's currently ranked #9 in Sweden.

The organizers said that the orienteering on the night legs could be quite tricky, but that in the daylight runners should be able to go very fast. And it sure does look like folks have been missing in the night!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

All 4 IKHP teams have changed over--in the first 27 places. So they're all doing quite well. Leksands 1 is only 3 behind the first of the big group, and 6 behind the leading 4 teams, so they're certainly not out of it. On the other hand, Lidingo 1 has slipped another 2 minutes and is 12 down now--not so good.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The leading 4 teams are through the first radio control now (15:12 RMT) and Tisaren and IKHP1 have also gone through, just 1:10 behind.

I don't know who's running for IKHP1 now, but I'm guessing it's the Devil Runner.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

Mora, Sodetalje, and Hagaby still leed at the 2nd radio control. IKHP1 and Tisaren were 30 seconds after, so they should be able to see the lights ahead of them. IKHP3 was 30 seconds further back.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

Kungorna verkar vara intakta. Kan det bli klunglöpning även i morgon?

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), April 20, 2001.

The leaders should be going through the warning control soon (15:41 RMT).

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

IKHP1 and Tisaren are punching together at the last control!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

It was indeed the Devil Runner who took IKHP 1 back in the lead. Lots of team will be coming in soon since a large group was warned just about 2-3 minutes after the leaders went through.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

The first 20 teams are in now. IKHP 1 will go out first to the forest tomorrow, 13 seconds up. Then Tisaren. Malung and Goteborg- Majorna are about 1 minute back, and they're dangerous teams. IKHP3 is about 1 1/2 back, together with Lidingo 2. ALso right around there are Sodertalje, Lidingo 3 , and IKHP 4. An exciting night in the Kolmarden tracts!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 20, 2001.

There's a ton of stuff going on in the Stigtomta Relay now that daylight has returned, but as near as I can tell, nobody else in the US is following the race. SO you can just get the results later from the race page in you're interested.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 21, 2001.

Just to put a capper on all this, IKHP ended up finishing 2nd in both the Mens and Womes races, just a few seconds behind in the former and about a minute behind in the latter. Not at all bad, and the club had good chances to win both races in the last leg, with good placings by the other teams for the club. A good showing!

And what do you suppose the club was doing Saturday afternoon, after the relay was over? Training for Tio-Mila, naturally! This is exactly what we did last year, with an afternoon training session followed by 2 more on Sunday before returning home to Huskvarna.

One week to go before the season's first O' Grand Slam event: Tio- Mila!

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 22, 2001.