Savinjsko-Podravje national champions in...

At the Slovenian Mountaineering Orienteering Competition (SPOT), we crowned new national champions on May 20 in Komno. In the orienteering challenge, organized under the auspices of the Youth Commission of the Alpine Association of Slovenia by the mountaineering associations MDO PD Primorske and Posočja, 51 best teams from all over Slovenia competed. Winners in individual categories were competitors from mountaineering associations Žalec (A), Dobrovlje Braslovče (B), Poljčane (C and D), Polzela (Č and F), Ptuj (E), Borovnica (G1 and I), Gornja Radgona (G2), and Zabukovica (H). The most successful pupils, students, and adult members qualified for the international mountaineering orienteering competition to be held in Macedonia.



In the area of Štanjel and Komno on May 19 and 20, more than 200 competitors from five regional orienteering leagues demonstrated their orienteering and mountaineering knowledge: Gorenjsko-dolenjska, Podravska, Rogaška, Savinjska league, and Smrekovec league. Saturday's daytime and night races were a challenge only for competitors in the most demanding categories C, Č, D, H, and I, while on Sunday's orienteering highlight in Komno, competitors from the remaining categories also gathered. Mountaineers had to demonstrate, in addition to honed orienteering knowledge, ability to move in demanding terrain, general mountaineering knowledge, and good physical fitness, also practical knowledge of mountaineering school material and additional material on the Karst, with practical tasks on the course from orienteering, mountaineering knots, first aid, nature conservation, and knowledge of herbs, adapted to the difficulty of each category, as well as measuring stream flow.



The Slovenian Mountaineering Orienteering Competition 2018 crowned new national champions in mountaineering orienteering on Sunday: in category A (pupils up to 6th grade of primary school), PD Žalec team (POŠ Ponikva) won, in category B (pupils from 7th to 9th grade of primary school), PD Dobrovlje Braslovče defended the title, in categories C (high school students from 1st year to 18 years) and D (members over 27 years), PD Poljčane members rejoiced in victory again, in categories Č (youth from 19 to 26 years) and F (families), PD Polzela team won the national champions title, in category E (members over 40 years), PD Ptuj team won. In less demanding open categories G1 (primary school pupils) and G2 (others), PD Borovnica and PD Gornja Radgona celebrated, in demanding open categories H (comparable to Č and D) and I (comparable to C), PD Zabukovica and PD Borovnica. The top three teams in categories C, E, and Č/D (absolute) qualified for the international mountaineering orienteering competition Balkan Mountaineering Orienteering Competition, which will be held at the end of September in Macedonia.



SPOT 2018 RESULTS – top three teams in individual categories. Teams in categories C, Č, D, and E, marked in blue, qualified for the international mountaineering orienteering competition.



Category A: 1. PD Žalec (POŠ Ponikva), 2. PD Galicija, 3. PD Gornja Radgona.

Category B: 1. PD Dobrovlje Braslovče, 2. PD Poljčane, 3. PD Vuzenica.

Category C: 1. PD Poljčane, 2. PD Vransko, 3. PD Šoštanj.

Category Č: 1. PD Polzela, 2. PD Poljčane, 3. PD Vransko.

Category D: 1. PD Poljčane, 2. PD Dobrovlje Braslovče, 3. PD Fram.

Category E: 1. PD Ptuj, 2. PD Borovnica, 3. PD Šoštanj.

Category F: 1. PD Polzela, 2. PD Pošte in Telekoma Ljubljana, 3. PD Ruše.

Category G1: 1. PD Borovnica, 2. PD Ptuj, 3. PD Borovnica.

Category G2: 1. PD Gornja Radgona, 2. PD Polzela, 3. PD Zabukovica.

Category H: 1. PD Zabukovica.

Category I: 1. PD Borovnica.



In category Č, the national champions became Martin Rafael Gulin, Andrej Kronovšek, and Žan Luka Šumečki from PD Polzela, who with the highest number of points were also the absolute winners of SPOT 2018. "I have been competing since primary school, but my teammates are newcomers to mountaineering orienteering this year, though both are well physically prepared and one is already an experienced orienteer. Everyone would probably say that physical fitness and orienteering knowledge are most important for success, but theoretical mountaineering knowledge is also very important, without which you quickly lose points and are no longer among the favorites. The biggest challenge in mountaineering orienteering is always finding the right points, at SPOT we wanted to win first in the category, and when it looked good, also absolutely. Since the D team from Poljčane is strong competition, it prepared us to give our all. We succeeded, which is a really good feeling, and the victory is confirmation and encouragement for us to continue competing, which is also a very fun way of recreation," rejoiced team leader Martin Rafael Gulin, who was two years ago in the national champions team in category C, and now his thoughts are already on the international competition in Macedonia, where they will also aim for victory.



The most successful mountaineering association at this year's SPOT was PD Poljčane, where orienteering has a more than 40-year tradition. "Competitors from PD Poljčane qualified for the national competition in four categories and achieved an exceptional team success with two first and two second places. Orienteering is an activity of the mountaineering association that attracts all generations of mountaineers, especially important is that it attracts youth in their teenage years who would otherwise lose touch with mountaineering. At OŠ Poljčane, mountaineering school is conducted, within which orienteering with practical work is also carried out, every other year we also organize a regional orienteering competition, which is attended by 100 to 120 competitors," said experienced Gvido Španring, who has been leading the orienteers' work in PD since 1984. The leader of the winning team in category D, which has been unbeatable in recent years, added: "The national mountaineering orienteering competition took place after many years in the Karst world, which has its own characteristics and demands for orienteering in nature. At SPOT 2018, it was again shown what a big undertaking it is to organize such an extensive competition with two starting points and a multitude of different categories. The organizers deserve all recognition for their sacrificial work and the responsibility they take on with their volunteer efforts."



Mountaineering orienteering competitions are one of the most popular methods of learning orienteering, which is also promoted by the Youth Commission of PZS. Under the auspices of the Orienteering Committee of MK PZS, this year's SPOT was organized by volunteers from mountaineering associations MDO PD Primorske and Posočja. "I am very glad that the competition ended successfully. The SPOT 2018 organizing committee would like to thank all teams for their participation and patience and congratulate them on their successful battle with the orienteering demanding terrain. Given that most teams come from Styria and central Slovenia, we wanted to show them the characteristics of the Karst to the greatest extent possible, both with the placement of control points and in the additional material. I hope that the competitors had fun and enjoyed themselves with us. Once again congratulations to all competitors, thanks to all helpers, and see you at SPOT 2019," drew the line competition leader Matej Trobec from PD Sežana.