WRE Sprint statistics 2014: Who is the best one?

Is it possible to earn a lot of IOF ranking points in only WRE? Which WRE were strongest in 2014? Who did win greatest number of Sprint WRE medals? What's the best way to earn points from WRE? And what lesson can learn WRE-organizers?

 There were 60 Sprint WRE in 2014. In my analysis I have excluded World Cup final races (EOC final, WOC final, WC final, and final race in World cup event in Finland) and focused only on 'normal' WRE.

These are strongest 10 WRE among women (criteria - best points to winner):

1400 SUI 1. Nationaler OL 2014 - 18. Effretiker-Stadt-OL 2014 Sprint
1377 FIN World Cup Event 9 Sprint Q
1354 SWE Silva League Sprint (02/05)
1335 SUI Schweizer Meisterschaft im Sprint OL (SPM) Sprint
1333 DEN DM-Sprint (Danish Championship Sprint) Sprint
1332 ITA World Orienteering Championships Sprint Q
1325 GBR Race The Castles, Stirling Castle Sprint (12/10)
1307 SUI 5. Regio Olten OL Sprint
1270 GBR Race The Castles, Edinburgh Castle Sprint (11/10)
1266 DEN Danish Spring Sprint Sprint

These are strongest 10 WRE among men (criteria - best points to winner):

1400  SUI Schweizer Meisterschaft im Sprint OL (SPM) Sprint
1400  SUI 5. Regio Olten OL Sprint
1400  GBR Race The Castles, Stirling Castle Sprint (12/10)
1400  SUI 1. Nationaler OL 2014 - 18. Effretiker-Stadt-OL 2014 Sprint
1400  FIN Masku Sprintti SE Sprint
1400  RUS Russian Cup Sprint
1393  GBR Race The Castles, Edinburgh Castle Sprint (11/10)
1390  ESP V Andalucia O Meeting 2014 (AOM) Sprint
1374  FIN World Cup Event 9 Sprint Q
1360  SWE Silva League Sprint (02/05)

These are strongest 10 WRE among women (criteria - best average points to medalists):

FIN World Cup Event 9 Sprint Q

1) 1377 Judith  Wyder

2) 1371 Maja  Alm

3) 1313 Minna  Kauppi

SUI 1. Nationaler OL 2014 - 18. Effretiker-Stadt-OL 2014 Sprint

1) 1400 Simone  Niggli

2) 1394 Judith  Wyder

3) 1242 Rahel  Friederich

SWE Silva League Sprint (02/05)

1) 1354 Maja  Alm

2) 1330 Galina  Vinogradova

3) 1327 Tove  Alexandersson

SUI Schweizer Meisterschaft im Sprint OL (SPM) Sprint

1) 1335 Judith  Wyder

2) 1277 Ines  Brodmann

3) 1259 Simone  Niggli

SUI 5. Regio Olten OL Sprint

1) 1307 Rahel  Friederich

2) 1299 Sarina  Jenzer

3) 1262 Julia  Gross

ITA World Orienteering Championships Sprint Q - A

1) 1332 Emma  Klingenberg

2) 1319 Judith  Wyder

3) 1207 Nadiya  Volynska

GBR Race The Castles, Stirling Castle Sprint (12/10)

1) 1325 Maja  Alm

2) 1278 Emma  Klingenberg

3) 1199 Hollie  Orr

DEN DM-Sprint (Danish Championship Sprint) Sprint

1) 1333 Maja  Alm

2) 1237 Ida  Bobach

3) 1183 Aija  Skrastina

GBR Race The Castles, Edinburgh Castle Sprint (11/10)

1) 1270 Maja  Alm

2) 1252 Emma  Klingenberg

3) 1220 Ursula  Kadan

DEN Danish Spring Sprint

1) 1266 Tove  Alexandersson

2) 1250 Maja  Alm

3) 1187 Galina  Vinogradova

These are strongest WRE among men (criteria - best average points to medalists):

SUI 5. Regio Olten OL Sprint

1) 1400 Daniel  Hubmann

2) 1369 Matthias  Kyburz

3) 1342 Fabian  Hertner

GBR Race The Castles, Stirling Castle Sprint (12/10)

1) 1400 Soren  Bobach

2) 1353 Daniel  Hubmann

3) 1337 Andreas Hougaard  Boesen

GBR Race The Castles, Edinburgh Castle Sprint (11/10)

1) 1393 Yannick  Michiels

2) 1341 Rasmus Thrane  Hansen

3) 1331 Martin  Hubmann

ESP V Andalucia O Meeting 2014 (AOM) Sprint

1) 1390 Yannick  Michiels

2) 1337 Antti  Anttonen

3) 1337 Gustav  Bergman

SUI Schweizer Meisterschaft im Sprint OL (SPM) Sprint

1) 1400 Daniel  Hubmann

2) 1371 Matthias  Kyburz

3) 1288 Florian  Howald

FIN World Cup Event 9 Sprint Q

1) 1374 Jonas  Leandersson

2) 1343 Tue  Lassen

3) 1336 Daniel  Hubmann

SWE Silva League Sprint (02/05)

1) 1360 Jerker  Lysell

2) 1339 Gustav  Bergman

3) 1329 Jonas  Leandersson

POR Norte Alentejano O Meeting 2014 (NAOM'14) Sprint

1) 1352 Andreu  Blanes

2) 1344 Frederic  Tranchand

3) 1331 Daniel  Hubmann

SUI 1. Nationaler OL 2014 - 18. Effretiker-Stadt-OL 2014 Sprint

1) 1400 Daniel  Hubmann

2) 1343 Matthias  Kyburz

3) 1260 Lukas  Diener

POR European Orienteering Championships Sprint Q - A

1) 1342 Martin  Hubmann

2) 1338 Vojtech  Kral

3) 1302 Yannick  Michiels

Who did win greatest number of Sprint WRE medals? Here is the ranking:
1 DEN Maja  Alm 8
2 SUI Daniel  Hubmann 7
3 BELYannick  Michiels 7
4 SUI Judith  Wyder 5
5 RUS Galina  Vinogradova 5
6 SWE Jerker  Lysell 5
7 SUI Rahel  Friederich 4
8 RUS Svetlana  Mironova 4
9 SUI Matthias  Kyburz 4
10 FRA Frederic  Tranchand 4
11 DEN Soren  Bobach 4
12 SWE Jonas  Leandersson 4
13 DEN Tue  Lassen 4
14 DEN Emma  Klingenberg 3
15 UKR Nadiya  Volynska 3
16 RUS Anastasia  Rudnaya 3
17 SWE Tove  Alexandersson 3
18 SWE Gustav  Bergman 3
19 ESP Andreu  Blanes 3
20 CZE Jan  Prochazka 3
21 FIN Antti  Anttonen 3
22 NZL Tim  Robertson 3

(I did not count JWOC and University championships, cause not everyone can participate their).

Highest ranking points you can earn at official IOF competitions (and does not matter who is entered to World Cup event - winner gets 1450 points). But lets imagine how should looks World Ranking list based ONLY on WRE without World Cup events.

WRE ranking without World Cup events, women, top-20:
1  SUI Judith  Wyder 5427
2  DEN Maja  Alm 5383
3  SUI Simone  Niggli 5142
4  DEN Emma  Klingenberg 5135
5  RUS Galina  Vinogradova 5010
6  SUI Rahel  Friederich 4973
7  UKR Nadiya  Volynska 4970
8  SUI Julia  Gross 4941
9  SWE Lina Strand 4859
10 SWE Karolin  Ohlsson 4809
11 SUI Sabine  Hauswirth 4809
12 SUI Elena  Roos 4799
13 SUI Ines  Brodmann 4775
14 SWE Lena  Eliasson 4770
15 RUS Anastasia  Rudnaya 4760
16 RUS Svetlana  Mironova 4749
17 SWE Lilian  Forsgren 4742
18 NOR Anne Johanne  Lind 4688
19 FIN Marika  Teini 4658
20 SWE Alva  Olsson 4627

There are 7 - SUI, 5 - SWE, 3 - RUS, 2 - DEN, 1 - NOR/UKR/FIN.

Judith  Wyder can be #9 in usual IOF Sprint ranking with only points from usual WRE.

WRE ranking without World Cup events, men, top-20:
1  SUI Daniel  Hubmann 5553
2  BEL Yannick  Michiels 5439
3  SUI Matthias  Kyburz 5424
4  FRA Frederic  Tranchand 5392
5  SWE Jerker  Lysell 5319
6  DEN Soren  Bobach 5296
7  SUI Martin  Hubmann 5289
8  SWE Jonas  Leandersson 5287
9  SWE Gustav  Bergman 5267
10 ESP Andreu  Blanes 5204
11 GBR Scott Fraser 5199
12 DEN Tue  Lassen 5161
13 NOR Oystein  Kvaal Osterbo 5159
14 FRA Thierry  Gueorgiou 5133
15 DEN Andreas Hougaard  Boesen 5120
16 SUI Andreas Kyburz 5120
17 CZE Vojtech  Kral 5105
18 GBR Murray  Strain 5086
19 GBR Kristian  Jones 5082
20 CZE Jan  Prochazka 5075

There are 4 - SUI, 3 - SWE/GBR/DEN, 2 -FRA/CZE, 1 - NOR/ESP/BEL.

Daniel  Hubmann can be #8 in usual IOF Sprint ranking with only points from usual WRE.

There are no runners who came into Top-6 at WOC and EOC (both men and women) and who are not presented inside this WRE ONLY ranking or Ranking Greatest number of WRE medals!

15 female runners were inside top-10 at Sprint WOC/EOC final last year. Only three girls are not presented in these ranking.

15 male runners were inside top-10 at Sprint WOC/EOC final last year. Only three men are not presented in these ranking.

I can make conclusion that successful participation in strong Sprint WRE is important step to WOC/EOC preparation. 

What's the best way to earn points from WRE?

1) Participate in WOC/EOC/World Games/World Cup events. This is the easiest way. 

2) Drawing during WOC/EOC does not create equal qualification heats! Sometimes you can see really strong heat A with almost all top runners and really weak heat B with only 2-3 top athletes. In case of strong qualification you have a chance to earn good points or be outside of the final )) - depends on your performing.

3) Swiss Sprint competitions bring a lot of ranking points. But Switzerland is most expansive country which I've  even seen! In case of limited resources you have to optimize it.

4) Almost all local WRE and National championships with WRE status without international participation (except SUI) bring small points.

5) In case of separation to Super-elite and elite heats you can earn only minor points outside of Super-elite heat.

6) Competitions combined with official WOC training camps (Race the Castle) or competitions placed closed to Tiomila/Jukola (in space and time) are attractive to best runners and usually give a lot of points to successful participants.

7) Check training camps schedule of some strong National teams (Swiss, Swedish, Danish, etc.). You can find situation when many teams are coming to some countries in same time. Particular WRE inside period of visiting is gonna be strong. And then it gives you a chance to have a good fight (and earn high points).

8) There is random element in WRE points in new system. You can not make a good prediction about strength of future WRE ranking. Even participation of some strong runners does not guarantee high points to winner.

Maxim Ryabkin said an idea, that current IOF Eventor must calculate automatically level of WRE competition in real time: when, let say, Daniel or Maja makes entry to particular WRE, then level of competitions is rising and you can see new score online!

But for the moment you can use rules described above and hope that you will meat good level of organisation and strong competitors.

And what lesson can learn WRE-organizers?

1) Provide a good quality of map and terrain.

2) Combine WRE competitions with high-quality training camp.

3) Provide high prize money and/or support to top-runners.

4) Have a personal conversation to National teams or top-runners.

5) Spread out information about top-runners participation.

Please, write your comments and critics! Long and well-reasoned arguments, please, send to my email vinogradov.kr (а) gmail com. I will publish it separately.

P.S. Title photo: Prize giving ceremony of Danish Spring Sprint competitions in 2014.
P.P.S. You can see that male WRE competitions provide more points. Main reason is that there are more male runners involved to sport. That means that competitions with fixed points to winner (WOC/EOC/World Cup events) overestimated in women class (and other WRE underestimated)!! It is more unfair differences between points from strong WRE and WOC/EOC/WC!