giovedì 3 gennaio 2008

Roberta Falda on O-Zine


Roberta Falda is not only the first-ever female world champion in trail orienteering; she is a very keen organiser too. Her coach also won a gold medal in Ukraine.

I'd like to improve trail orienteering in Italy, organize good events and create a team of paralympic athletes and help prepare them for competitions. It could be very nice to be the coach for athletes who win a medal, but I also want to win again myself - smiles Roberta.

How do you think trail orienteering can grow and what do you think of the future for the sport?
I think there is a lot of work to be done to promote this sport, but at the same time I think we can meet all the challenges with success. Trail orienteering is the only sport in which people with disabilities can compete against each other at the same level.
That's great and unique! It's also great for people who work in promoting and developing this sport! Trail orienteering provides good opportunities, it's important to be able to recognise them.

Her very good adviser

The 35-year-old Italian won the paralympic class in Ukraine as the first female winner in trail orienteering ever.

It's so strange to be a World Champion. The months after Ukraine have been great, smiles the Italian.

What is the secret of your success?
I enjoy it very, very much! I also did a lot of training to prepare myself for the world championships. I was in Sweden to train before going to Ukraine. It was difficult there, but very useful. At the same time I have a great coach in Krešo (Keresteš), who became the champion in the open class. It was great, both of us winning at the same championships. I call him my coach because he helps me very often, but first of all we are friends, she says.

The two champions met about two years ago and have become good friends.
We met in Slovenia during a competition. Since then we have often competed in the same events in Slovenia and in Italy. When I was in Sweden and took part in the Nordic Trail Orienteering Match, I was together with the Slovenian team, she says.

They are also often in contact when there are no competitions.

Last year Kreso and his wife Anja were in Trento here in Italy and took part in a competition where I was the course planner. They spent the night at my house before we left together for a competition in Slovenia the next morning, she says.

The two world champions also have ideas about organising an Italian-Slovenian multi-day event some time in the future.

Started as a foot orienteer

Roberta has only participated in trail orienteering for three years, but she is a very experienced foot orienteer. She started orienteering when she was 11 years old.

I ran in foot orienteering races for a long time, but after an accident some years ago I was not able to run any more. Then I became only an organiser of events. In 2005 I had the opportunity to try trail orienteering, and I've found it very, very interesting. Now I much prefer trail orienteering.

How do you train for trail orienteering during the winter?
At this time of year I have some rest! I'm currently preparing a course-planning guide for Italians. But training during winter is more or less the same as in summer – going into the forest and studying maps and terrain, she says.

Eight years in federation

Until February this year Roberta was working for the Italian orienteering federation.

I was there as a secretary for 8 years. Now I work as a secretary in a "normal" office, she says.

by O-Zine 4-2007 the IOF periodic

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