#25 - The Italian Forest

Ralph and Tim face off for the last time this year at the World Cup Final. Will the sprint specialist manage to overtake the sandbagger in the overall standings? Magnus has been watching all the action from a Portuguese fish restaurant. Afterwards Ralph infiltrated the Swedish team for their WOC training camp. Has he learnt anything useful from the World’s Best National Team? Full leg cover or not; this is the dilemma that Tim poses to the boys, will shin pads be the answer, or is this going to the jury? #världenbästalandslag #worldtoughestcompetition #worldbestorienteeringpodcast

What does World Champs medalist Olli Ojanaho think of fish in rye bread? Olli survived EOC (barely) but his phone can’t handle the heat of this podcast. We grill Olli on injuries, camps, what it's like to be one of the best orienteers in the world. We also cover lions, sponge baths, stinky hotel corridors, Ralph’ new age and which one of the boys will miss WC in Finland. This week’s dilemma is a filthy one, you might wanna skip that.

Tim and Magnus battle against ‘The Great Hungarian Heatwave’ at the European Champs. Did they suffer more than Ralph is suffering in Oslo? EOC was full of excitement—we cover all the best moments, from stripping at the finish line to bold claims on social media, with some actual orienteering discussion in between. And of course, the boys get introduced to the absolute O-Pie. Ralph dosen’t even know what a wildfire expert is called and on top of that, he is having a hard time in this week’s dilemma.

What’s worse - hills or heatstroke? It is European Champs week! Even though it is an event that requires serious navigational skills, the boys have much bigger concerns after seeing the weather forecast. We get to know if Ralph is a permanent sprint specialist now, if Magnus succeeded in his quest of proving Denmark has hills and Tim addresses if he will melt in Hungary.

We have captured more planners! This time we bring you Frank Townley and Joe Hudd who were part of the planning team for the World Champs in Edinburgh. We cover how much work it takes, how the TV and tourists influence the courses, and if it has put them off planning for life.

Catch up on all the inside news from the World Champs. Ralph and Tim reflect on their own performances and also weigh in on the big talking points; challenging courses, running through offices, pushing and disqualifications. Magnus has almost completed his Danish hill week, find out how his quads are doing so far and who else is battling at the top of the Strava club leaderboard. We conclude the episode with the dilemma where orienteering fashion again battles against potential performance benefits

It’s finally time for World Champs! Have Ralph and Tim avoided further setbacks? Magnus has a challenge that could take all the media focus away from WOC. The summer internationals have started already with some exciting performances at the Junior World Champs, who might take Tim’s spot in the New Zealand team? Another dilemma is presented to the boys, are they ready to break the rules?

Jukola 2024 is consigned to the history books, but here on the podcast, you can catch a summary and an inside story of the incredible first leg pack. Hear how the boys got on with their predictions, will they still be friends after all the controversy? Ralph and Tim are looking forward to the World Championships, Ralph shares a bit about how his rehab process is going and Tim tells us about his fitness concerns. Magnus stayed in Finland after Jukola and brings us tales of the infamous mosquito chair and shares his new knowledge of Finnish traditional sauna rules. A little bonus for those of you who make it to the end of the episode, a short reading by Gustav Runefors.

Time for Jukola and Venla! We hear from 3 big guests from 3 of the very best clubs, offering their exciting insights. In this short preview, you'll also discover more about local tea, Finnish numbers, alternative travel options, and much more. Tune in as we gear up for the world's biggest orienteering relay. A big thanks to: Anton Sjökvist, Stora Tuna | Albin Ridefelt, OK Linné | Helena Karlsson, Nydalens SK

Course setter special! Alessio Tenani joins us to share insights into the Italian World Cup dream courses and what to expect at WOC 2026. Furthermore, Ralph has left home and gives an injury update, Tim's knee saga continues and Magnus struggles with the Danish hills and JWOC selection races. And stay tuned for this week's PG-rated dilemma!